As medical science progresses, there are more and more resources, tools and education available for stroke survivors and caregivers.
But for OTs, continuing education can be hard to come by, or difficult to apply to the real-life patients they’re assisting.
Today’s guest, Jessica Miller, is an OT and certified brain injury specialist who experienced this firsthand over her 19-year career – and she’s started Pathways Neuro Rehabilitation and Education in order to help mentor and support other OTs.
“The problem was when I went back to the clinic, I had all this good stuff and maybe I didn't have a patient that it was appropriate for. So I kind of had to tuck it away, put a tab on the binder and hope I could remember it when the time came. So I'm really taking that approach and I'm applying one of the strategies that we learned to help folks with their memory and their attention. And we're applying it to us therapists because we know neuroplasticity is not just a brain injury thing. It's a brain thing. And it's how we learn.” – Jessica (09:36)
In this episode, Jessica discusses the impetus behind Pathways, how mentoring other OTs works (and why), her hopes for the future of stroke recovery and more.
In This Episode
(02:57) Jessica’s calling to mentor other OTs
(08:49) How OT mentorship works, and the STAR method
(14:03) Pathways’ target OT
(21:55) Old school OT techniques vs modern approaches
(27:51) Jessica’s results-driven therapeutic activities for stroke survivors
(31:37) The caregiver challenge
(35:14) Jessica’s “magic wand moment” for the future of stroke recovery
Our Guest
Jessica Miller is an OT and certified brain injury specialist with 19 years of experience working with stroke survivors. She is also the founder of Pathways Neuro Rehabilitation and Education, which helps treat stroke patients in their own homes, and helps therapists grow their skills.
Resources & Links
Henry Hoffman on LinkedIn
Pete Durand on LinkedIn
Saebo
On YouTube
On Instagram
On LinkedIn
Saebo’s Stroke Caregiver Support Group
Saebo’s Stroke Survivor Support Group
Jessica Miller
https://www.pathwaysneurorehab.com/
https://www.instagram.com/new.to.neuro
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1028910564681506
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-miller-a248796b/
Follow New to Neuro for free education and inspiration on Instagram: @new.to.neuro
OTs can book a mentoring session or check out upcoming continuing education courses at: www.PathwaysNeuroRehab.com
And any therapists listening are more than welcome to join our New to Neuro Facebook Group.
