Looking forward to OTAC’s 2026 Professional Development Conference

At Hart and Haven LLC, I believe that growth is an ongoing process. I love to learn alongside with clients, help clients lean on their journey, and continued professional and personal development on my learning path as well.

One of the ways I continue to grow as a clinician is through continued professional development. This year, I am so excited to be going to OTAC to learn and continued developing skills to help my clients thrive.

Why Continued Professional Development Matters

Occupational therapy is a constantly evolving field. Our understanding of neurodiversity, sensory processing, trauma, mental health, participation, accessibility, and the relationship between health and meaningful occupation continues to develop.

For me, continuing education isn't simply about collecting certificates or checking a professional requirement off a list. It is an opportunity to ask:

• What are we learning about occupational therapy right now?

• How can I continue to provide ethical, evidence-informed care?

• Are there new ways of understanding the experiences of my clients?

• How can I make my practice more accessible and responsive?

• What assumptions might I need to reconsider?

• How can I continue growing alongside the people I support?

These questions are especially important in a practice centered on neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed care.

Learning Alongside Other Occupational Therapists

One of my favorite parts of professional conferences is being surrounded by other occupational therapists who are curious, passionate, and committed to the profession.

OTAC is a great opportunity to learn from clinicians, educators, and other professionals with different areas of experience and expertise. Hearing different perspectives can be a valuable reminder that there isn't always one "right" way to approach an occupational challenge.

Occupational therapy is inherently collaborative. Our clients bring their lived experiences, priorities, environments, strengths, and goals into the therapeutic process. Continuing to learn from other professionals helps me remain curious and open to possibilities rather than approaching therapy with a one-size-fits-all mindset.

Bringing Learning Back to Hart and Haven LLC

Professional development doesn't end when the conference does. One of the most important parts of attending continuing education is taking what I've learned and asking how it applies to my actual practice. At Hart and Haven LLC, I strive to integrate ongoing learning into the way I approach:

• Self-care and daily routines
  How can we make eating, hydration, hygiene, medication routines, sleep, and other daily activities more sustainable and accessible?

• Executive functioning
  How can we support planning, initiation, organization, transitions, and follow-through without framing differences in executive functioning as personal failures?

• Interoceptive awareness
  How can we better understand and respond to body signals while recognizing that interoception can look different from person to person?

• Sensory processing and regulation
  How can we explore sensory experiences and proactive regulation strategies in ways that honor an individual's unique sensory needs?

• Occupational balance and flourishing
  How can therapy create more space for the things that bring meaning, connection, rest, creativity, and joy into everyday life?

• Self-advocacy and accessibility
  How can we identify adaptations and environmental changes that allow people to participate more fully in the occupations that matter to them?

These questions are at the heart of occupational therapy, and they are also at the heart of Hart and Haven LLC. I’m looking forwards to what I’ll learn and integrate this year at OTAC 2026.

Growth Is Part of the Journey as an Occupational Therapist

I don't expect to ever reach a point where I know everything I need to know as a clinician. And honestly, I don't think that's the goal. The goal is to remain curious, reflective, willing to learn, and open to changing my understanding as new information becomes available.

My own professional development has included learning through formal courses, conferences, mentorship, clinical experience, conversations with other professionals, and, listening to the lived experiences of the people I work with.

I firmly believe that growth and discovery are lifelong processes. Continued professional development gives me an opportunity to keep asking questions, expand my clinical knowledge, and consider how I can provide care that is increasingly responsive to the people I serve. I'm grateful for opportunities like OTAC that allow me to continue learning so that I can continue growing alongside my clients.