While researching this blog post, I was amazed at the wealth of information on the web for occupational therapists.  When I first started practicing in 1996, there was no internet and limited support for ...

I received an update last evening from the desk of Lucy Jane Miller. Seems the APA (American Psychiatric Association) has announced the third and final opportunity for public feedback on the upcoming DSM- 5 to be published in 2013.  In the newsletter, Dr. Miller gives an update on the status of her research on SPD and involvement with the DSM criteria for inclusion to date. Basically SPD will ...

In this entry from the archives, my daughter reaches a very important milestone in speech therapy -- and I am absolutely overjoyed.

April 24, 2003:

Today was a happy day. I cut my geography class to go meet with my daughter's speech therapists and take a look at what sort of progress she's made through the semester, which has been considerable. She's actually become close friends with ...

Well, we knew it would have to happen sooner or later, but -- my daughter has discovered Facebook.

Of course, that's not exactly an accurate statement. It's much more accurate to say that my daughter wanted to get on Facebook because several of her friends at school were on Facebook, and I let her.

It's a controversial move, I'm sure -- there's a lot of dangerous stuff on the Internet, and you have to ...

I came across this article on my iPad from USA Today  and just had to pass along as this is helpful information! Seems there are several companies popping up around the country that specialize in providing sitter services and much needed respite care for families of children ...

My name is Veda Collmer.  I will be guest blogging for Katherine Collmer for the next month.  My research for this blog post was frustrating, to say the least.  I hoped to find a few websites that provided advocacy guidance and possibly a sample 504 Plan.  After an hour of googling different terms and wading through tons of text, I found very little about how to advocate for occupational therapy ...

Well, between training for a new position at work, finishing up my class on mindfulness, and trying to recover from some weird sinus sickly thing, I've managed to somehow completely neglect my blog this week. I promise to provide more bountiful episodes soon, but in the meantime I hope you will enjoy these two awesome videos of A. at her percussion debut in her middle school band. 

My name is Veda Collmer.  I'll be guest blogging for my mother, Katherine, for the month.  I have been a school- based OT in different states and different school districts.  Every school district treats the 504 Plan differently.  In New York, it was nearly impossible to get services for a student on the 504 Plan.  In Arizona, a quarter of my caseload had 504 plans.  In Washington D.C., ...

With the oldest of the Baby Boomers - age 66 - dancing in the aisles last Thursday night to the music their generation has made immortal, Joseph F. Coughlin, PhD, declared that the era of the aging had begun in America.

"Aging is about life tomorrow," he told thousands of occupational therapy practitioners and educators gathered at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. "And this is a new generation ...

Tonight AOTA and AOTF recognized standout leaders, educators and clinicians in its annual award ceremony. 

AOTA Award Winners

AOTA Award of Merit

• Paula Kramer, PhD, OTR, FAOTA

Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award

• Glen Gillen, EdD, OTR, FAOTA

Lindy Boggs Award

• Pamela Sue Roberts, PhD, OTR/L, SCFES, CPHQ, FAOTA

Health ...

How many of you OTRs and COTAs have pursued specialty certifications after you graduated?  Do you feel those extra certifications have helped you in your careers?

In my Specialties class we have had several guest speakers come to talk to us about a wide range of specialty areas available for OT.  Almost all of the speakers have had some sort of specialty certification.  They have all been so passionate ...

OTs, through their interventions, enable their clients to participate in meaningful daily occupations. But have you ever thought about what your occupations are? In this evening's Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture  Karen Jacobs, Boston University educator and former AOTA president, asked attendees to "embed promoting OT into your daily occupations."

In her talk, titled "PromOTing Occupational Therapy ...

In these snippets from the archives, I muse over A.'s amazing progress, delight in her viewing of Disney films, and write a villanelle for her.

December 31, 2002:

It probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense to most of you why the fact that, this evening, when I said, 'A., go get your Rolie Polie Olie books, and bring them in here so we can read them after you take a bath,' and my daughter rushed ...

"Destiny is not a matter of chance.  It is a matter of choice:  it is not to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."  William Jennings Bryan

There are some of us who simply take this statement for granted.  ...

"I arrived in Grade 1 for art class (not craft class) and made art.  I have made art ever since, some good, some bad, some not even worth talking about."  Carol Jane Campbell

"The line between a decorative ...

I love my daughter because she fills her agenda with dramatic annotations:

"Play:  To occupy oneself in amusement, sport or other recreation." The Free Dictionary

"Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do.  ...

I've always carried a great deal of gratitude for being blessed with my daughter, but in mid-November of 2002, I had a sobering realization that made me appreciate her even more.

November 13, 2002:

I had a bit of a sobering moment, last night. There was this parenting class -- well, class is perhaps the wrong sort of word for it. Forum or lecture would be a more accurate description. At any rate, ...