Welcome to ‘You don't know what you don't know – An Occupational Therapist’s Perspective.’ Our guest is Registered Occupational Therapist, Brooke Howard. Brooke is the Clinical Director and founding partner at Skills for Life and is the Director of Transition to Adulthood at the Ivy Street School, in Brookline, Massachusetts. She has an MS in Occupational Therapy from Sargent College at Boston University and an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Oberlin College. She has been working as a licensed Occupational Therapist since 2005 and has been at Ivy Street School since 2009.
Her background (including a minor in theology) is the perfect foundation for understanding human behavior, how we make meaning, why we act the way we do, and how we understand the world.
Brooke is drawn to individuals who think differently than she does and is driven by her desire for more inclusiveness in our society. She approaches her work from two different directions: personal and societal. She seeks to understand each student she works with by learning about their individual experience so that they can find their own path. At the same time, she seeks to help communities understand and engage the young adults she works with.
In this episode, we explore the acquisition of life skills from tooth brushing and laundry to motivation and self-determination.
Brooke reminds us that when teaching life skills, we need to afford young adults grace and compassion because they are busy doing a lot of things such as individuation from parents and adapting to a new environment, new schedules, new demands, and expectations.
Listen in for insights into:
- Self-assessment
- Prioritization
- Visual Mapping
- Linking habits to goals
- Breaking goals down into small steps
- Accountability
- Interdependence versus independence
Her parting advice is applicable to all of us: slow down, take a deep breath, and celebrate the victories.
