We welcome Jessica Kersey & Natalie Barnes who are the hosts of the Podcast “Glass Half Full: Occupational Therapy Talk” with  their goal being to provide easily-accessible and evidence-based education, contributing to the body of resources available to Occupational Therapy practitioners and consumers.  They strive to demonstrate the distinct value of occupational therapy and inspire listeners to genuinely engage with their profession and help their clients to always see the “glass half full.”

Jessica and Natalie talk about what occupational therapy (OT) is and what settings they work in, advice for the student considering a career as an OT, discussing the OT undergraduate coursework and application process for acceptance into an OT program, OT didactic and clinical education, the NBCOT (OT licensing exam) and helpful tips, strengths and limitations of OT undergraduate and graduate education, what are the biggest issues facing OTs, and much more.

Biographies

Jessica Kersey received a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Florida. Since graduation, she has worked in inpatient rehabilitation in San Diego and in Las Vegas. She also owned a community-based private practice for individuals with neurologic conditions. Jessica is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist, and has presented at state and national conferences on a variety of professional, clinical, and research topics. She has recently returned to school in the PhD program in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Jessica strongly believes in the importance of engagement in the OT community, and therefore has volunteered her time in a variety of leadership roles for the California and Nevada state Occupational Therapy associations. She currently lives in Pittsburgh with her husband Shaun

 Natalie Barnes received a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences and concentration in Health Studies from James Madison University in 2007. In the fall of 2008, she graduated with a Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.) and worked in a school for 1 year before transitioning to acute care. Since 2010, she has worked in the acute hospital setting and inpatient rehab in Delaware, San Antonio, Las Vegas, and now in Washington, DC. She currently works in the acute care setting at George Washington University Hospital. She believes strongly in the power of Occupational Therapy and its ability to have an impact on a wide scope of populations and people in all phases of life. She hopes her passion for OT will inspire others to be an advocate in the OT community and our unique perspective to shape the definition of “health.” She lives with her husband Troy and has 3 young children.

Glass Half Full: Occupational Therapy Talk Website: https://glasshalffullot.com/ 

Glass Half Full: Occupational Therapy Talk Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/glass-half-full/id1194123994?mt=2 

Glass Half Full Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/glasshalffullOT/ 

Occupational Therapy New Grads and Students Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/newgradot/ 

School-based Occupational & Physical Therapists Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/321365387916722/ 

Pediatric Occupational Therapists Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/80351866792/ 

American Occupational Therapy Association Website: https://www.aota.org/ 

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Website: https://www.nbcot.org/ 

Other OT Podcasts:

Living Life to the Fullest by the AOTA:https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/living-life-to-its-fullest-podcast/id319687383?mt=2 

Seniors Flourish Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/seniors-flourish-podcast-occupational-therapy/id1197610869?mt=2 

Trojans Talk OT: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trojans-talk-ot/id574052891?mt=2 

Milestones: A Child Development Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/milestones/id1224952168?mt=2 

Occupational Therapy Insights: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/occupational-therapy-insights/id1305917304?mt=2