The Brave OT Podcast

In this enlightening episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast I have a deep conversation (not sure I know another kind) with Jessica Miller, a neuro-based occupational therapist and brain injury specialist who is also a member of my ACTivate Vitality community as a client and contributor.

Discover how Jessica's journey intertwines personal growth, professional development, and innovative approaches in providing neuro OT services and education. We delve into topics like embracing non-traditional OT roles, overcoming burnout, and finding alignment between personal and professional life. This episode is a must-listen for OTs seeking to expand their horizons, understand the importance of self-care, and explore new pathways in their careers.

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Has the way you are working in your business become unsustainable?

If you've read all of the business books and paid for all of the traditional business coaching, yet you remain stuck in a too-busy, hustle-and-grind pattern that isn't aligned with how you want to show up, maybe it's time for a different approach. ACTivate Vitality is a personal and business mastermind that supports your holistic needs rather than attempting to separate your personal growth from your business evolution.

The high-achieving person that got you here may not fit in this next phase of life where your priorities are shifting, and you know, deep inside, it's time to make a shift to align your business with your life priorities. If this sounds like where you are, book a chat with me; I'd love to talk. https://www.activatevitality.online/chat-booking

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If you're looking for neuro education, mentorship and community, get on the wait list for New to Neuro's OT Collective... where peace and plasticity grow. https://newtoneuro.com/the-collective-is-coming

You can also connect with Jessica on IG: https://www.instagram.com/new.to.neuro/

In Episode 16: Falling In and Out of Love with OT, we explore Rhiannon Crispe's journey.

Together, Rhiannon and I peel back the layers of what it truly means to be an OT with a heart for change. She's a trailblazer who's not just living the OT life, but redefining it. Through her story, we explore what it was really like to create a documentary about OT, Finding Me in OT. And we explore resisting externally imposed urgency, and being brave enough to do things in your own time. I hope you're ready to embrace the twists and turns of an OT journey less traveled to find the intersection where passion meets purpose. 

This is more than just a dialogue. It's a call to be BRAVE, to unhustle and to light up the path for others in our field. So take a deep breath, let the spirit of curiosity lead the way, and be inspired. 

Rhiannon is an occupational therapist in Australia who owns a private practice and is the founder of the OT lifestyle movement. She's a self-described salty soul and health enthusiast.  She's a dreamer and a doer, a goal-setter and a go-getter, a change agent and a game changer. I am sure you'll love this conversation as much as I did. 

• Download The OT Collective Book
• Listen to the rest of this conversation on The OT Lifestyle Movement Podcast

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Remember the trailblazing journey of an OT is not walked alone. 

It's a path we pay for together. One brave step at a time.

Many brave OTs start solo businesses so that they can work in alignment with their values. But then the precarious feeling of being out on a ledge alone can make it so difficult to continue taking brave steps. 

In my ACTivate Vitality group program, we are a community of heart centred OT business owners who are supporting each other in taking brave steps toward living and working in deep alignment with our values.

Some days that means we're collaborating and celebrating, launching new programs. And other days we are celebrating, converting a whole day, a week from a hustle day to one where we ignite our passions and restore. If this is what you need to grow in 2024, book a chat with me to discuss this opportunity further. 

✳️ LET'S CHAT ✳️

If this discussion ignited a fire within you, I encourage you to keep that flame alive.

1. Send a link of this episode to three OT friends who you want to be a part of the conscious rebellion, reshaping our beloved field of occupational therapy.
2. Post a screenshot of the episode you just listened to on Instagram with your thoughts, and please be sure to tag @balnceworksot and @rhiannoncrispe.
3. Subscribe to The BRAVE OT podcast on your favorite listening platform.

Thanks for listening and, as always, BE BRAVE OTs.  

In this enlightening episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, I sit down with Kathryn Wise, a trailblazer in the field of occupational therapy and health leadership.

Kathryn, an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University and Program Director at University of California at San Francisco, shares her insights on the importance of interprofessional leadership development and the critical role of compassionate leadership. This episode delves into the essence of compassionate leadership, the interplay between emotional intelligence and leadership skills, and the unique challenges faced by OTs stepping into leadership roles.

Kathryn’s extensive experience in educating and coaching healthcare leaders and her commitment to fostering innovation make this a must-listen for anyone passionate about the future of healthcare, occupational therapy and leadership. 

Tune in to hear how Kathryn is shaping the next generation of health leaders and bringing a fresh perspective to the occupational therapy field.

If you'd like to connect with Kathryn Wise, you can do so via LinkedIn or email her at [email protected].

In the podcast she mentions the book, Compassionate Leadership: How to do Hard Things in a Human Way, by Hougaard and Carter.

Do you feel like burnout might knocking at your door? 

Download my Banish Burnout Mini Book and see where you are in the 12 Phases of Burnout and what you might do at each stage. 

I'm passionate about helping therapy business owners break the habitual hustle pattern that helped them rise in their careers but is now hurting them. Connect with what matters most deeply and be brave enough to revise how you live and work so that your next season is filled with more freedom, fulfillment, and joy. Thriving as a human business owner is possible. 

At the time this podcast airs, I have a Black Friday promotion for my ACTivate Vitality Program. You can learn all about it here: ACTivate Vitality Program for Therapy Business Owners

Venture with me into the heart of conscious rebellion with a very special guest, Lindsey Vestal. 

Long before training as an OT, Lindsey saw an opportunity for Occupational Therapy to be at the heart of pelvic health, and she has been paving the path for other OTs to become trained and established in this area of practice ever since. 

Even if pelvic health isn’t your passion, you are going to get a lot out of this episode as we talk through Lindsey’s story of standing up to claim OT's place as, not only a companion in this practice area that’s more traditionally been a physical therapy space, but asserting that OT has an important role in this area of practice as we bring our biopsychosocial approach, our understanding of the intersection between the person, their pelvic function, their life experiences, their occupations, and their environment. 

This is a really special discussion because Lindsey and I are in consistent contact as supporters in each other’s journeys as women, mothers, OTs and entrepreneurs who are doing things a little differently. We talk a lot about the courage to confront discomfort, the strength to trust in your path, and navigating all the feels that come up when we do brave things. 

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I'd love to chat with you if you are at a crossroads in your own OT business and aren't sure how to make it work for you. 

👉 👉 Book a Chat Today. 👈 👈

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Lindsey Vestal graduated as an OT from NYU in 2011 with the clear goal of working in pelvic health. While many people, including some of her professors, said OTs can’t work in pelvic health, she founded The Functional Pelvis, which was first in-home pelvic health practice in New York City run by an OT. Now, she teaches OTs how to become rock star pelvic floor therapists. She has trained more than 1,000 OTs in becoming pelvic health therapists and her goal is that 10,000 OTs are trained in Pelvic Health by 2030! She supports over 6000 therapists through her Facebook Group, OTs for Pelvic Health which a ton of free training. She also has a podcast called OTs in Pelvic Health.

You can check out her podcast, OTs in Pelvic Health. These episodes relate to our conversation:

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OTs In Pelvic Health Podcast

Reframing Imposter Syndrome with Carlyn Neek 

If the Pelvic Floor Is Not Healthy, There Is No Occupation We Can Perform" with Alyson Stover, AOTA President

What I Learned From Not Getting Accepted to Speak at the AOTA Conference 

There are a number of people in my life with whom a simple, superficial conversation is not possible. This guest is one of those people and I think you'll enjoy the layers and gentle rhythm of our discussion on the unique development potential in the crises that highly creative, deep feeling, big thinking individuals encounter. 

In my work I often support occupational therapists through their own crisis points toward knowing themselves more deeply and thriving personally and professionally as levels that were not possible before things fell apart (or explode as the case may be). This can be viewed through the lens of post-traumatic growth, self-actualization, growth mindset, ACT, or positive psychology but the theory that always comes to mind for me is the Theory of Positive Disintegration, developed by Polish psychologist, Kazimierz Dąbrowski. 

If you are experiencing a disorienting season of challenge and uncertainty, I'd be happy to talk to you and see if we can work together toward making sense of it, as I have with many international OTs in my coaching practice and a variety others in my mental health OT practice. 

➡️ Book a call with me here ⬅️

This interview came about because one of the people who taught me about the theory of positive disintegration, my sons' elementary school principal, Hal Curties, approached me to discuss his observation of this theory playing out on my social media pages as OTs posted about their struggles, sensitivities, complex reflections and responses to the world in crisis, career transitions, and midlife unravelling over the last few years. 

Hal Curties is also the musician who created the intro and outro music for The BRAVE OT Podcast. He has retired from his profession since this episode was recorded and is now able to focus more fully on his music and other meaningful occupations.

🎶 If you'd like to explore hiring Hal to compose music to deepen your impact on the world, you can email him at [email protected]. His band, Ceard also has an album called Now and Then on Spotify.

More on the Theory of Positive Disintegration

Dąbrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration, a somewhat complex concept, is, at its heart, a guide to understanding the beautiful mess of our inner worlds. It's about recognizing that moments of inner turmoil, when you feel like everything is falling apart, may reach beyond the chaos and toward personal growth. As one comes through the suffering and chaos disintegration, the independent pieces come together more artfully to create a beautifully intricate mosaic, tapestry, or painting, creating newfound levels of consciousness, creativity, authentic alignment between values and actions. Often referenced in gifted education, this theory can help you see the vivid artistry in your own disorienting experiences and appreciate the potential hidden within your complexities, sensitivities, and excitability.

Websites:

Positive Disintegration - A website with a comprehensive collection of knowledge on TPD

Wikipedia - I like the way the levels of disintegration are described here in a digestible way

Recommended books on the topic:

Dąbrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration by Sal Mendaglio  

Personality Development Through Positive Disintegration: The Work of Kazimierz Dąbrowski by Bill Tillier 

Positive Disintegration by Kazimierz Dąbrowski

Personality Shaping by Kazimierz Dąbrowski

On a number of occasions I have taken time away from the noise of routines and tasks to reflect on my business. How it feels, how it aligns with my values and life direction. I've been at this a long time so I've done it a few times. I essentially Marie Kondo my work. Which parts spark joy? Which ones do not?

It's really a process of getting out of autopilot and taking a high level life review that has taken me down some pretty cool paths in search of doing the things that create ENERGY, JOY, SATISFACTION, and ALIGNMENT. 

Some might say I share a bit too much about the ups and downs in my own business for someone who helps others find alignment in theirs but it's an important value of mine to show up AUTHENTICALLY so here it is; highs, lows and what I have done to make shifts. I hope my reflection ignites your journey toward growth in the direction of more VITALITY and INTENTIONALITY.

If you want to talk about sparking more joy, flow, and vitality in the way you live and work, send me an email at [email protected]. I'd love to chat with you. 

Are you an occupational therapy business owner, a nature OT, or an OT in midlife looking for more peace in your business? If so, you're in for a treat! In this episode of The Brave OT Podcast, we dive into the fascinating world of nature-based therapy and its transformative impact on well-being.

Our guest, Bronwyn Paynter, a seasoned occupational therapist in Australia, shares her personal journey of discovering the healing power of nature. She opens up about her own challenges, including overcoming breast cancer, and how it shaped her perspective on holistic approaches to health.

Join us as Bronwyn shares her unique insights and experiences with forest bathing, partnering with nature, and the profound connections between sensory experiences and well-being. Discover how she found calm and serenity by immersing herself in guided experiences that brought her closer to nature and created a whole business to support other occupational therapists in doing the same!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The role of nature therapy in promoting well-being and enhancing occupational therapy practices.
• How to integrate nature-based interventions into your OT business or practice.
• The power of sensory connections and mindfulness in nature for personal and professional growth.
• Strategies for embracing holistic approaches to health and wellness.

If you're an occupational therapy business owner, a nature OT, or an OT in midlife seeking fresh perspectives and meaningful strategies, this episode is a must-listen.

If you love what you hear...

Don't forget to rate and review The Brave OT Podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us bring you more inspiring content. Also, be sure to share this episode with a friend or colleague who would benefit from Bronwyn's insights.

Connect with Bronwyn Paynter on Facebook through her engaging and supportive community, NatureOTs - connect and grow. Join the conversation, share your experiences, and learn more about incorporating nature into your OT practice. You can also check out her website here.

Thank you for tuning in to The Brave OT Podcast, where we empower occupational therapists to step up, level up, and embrace conscious rebellion in service of our profession, our clients, and our own well-being. As always, Be BRAVE OTs!

If you'd like to explore what coaching might look like with me, book a call I'd love to chat with you. Book it here.

I loved sitting down with Michele Hampton, an inspiring mental health occupational therapist, who shares her journey in starting her own private practice and the lessons she learned along the way. With humour and heart, Michele shares her stories about calling into radio talk shows, how her husband wrote a banjo song for their pandemic puppy, and how she found the courage and support to launch her nature-based, adult mental health private practice. Being gritty Canadian gals, we couldn't help but throw in a couple gems about shiny tractors and monster trucks. I hope you enjoy it and laugh along with us.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The ups and downs of starting a private practie
• The imporance of laughter and having a flexible, curious outlook
• How to overcome challenges and stay motivated
• The power of sharing stories and connecting with others
• How to make the most of unexpected opportunities
• And what a shiny tractor has to do with it all

So grab a cup of coffee or head out for a walk as you get ready to be entertained and inspired by Michele's journey in starting Opening Doors Occupational Therapy.

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If you're an OT just starting a new business and would like some support in moving forward through those natural sticking points, I'd love to help you like I helped Michele. She had to start turning away work within months of getting started and you can too!

Book a time for a quick 15 min chat with me and let's see what we can do.

Get to know trailblazer Keir Harding, an occupational therapist and mental health advocate from the UK who specializes in working with people living with suicidal tendencies and who engage in self-harm as a way of coping.

He passionately advocates for individuals while working toward making system-level changes in the way individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder are treated with the goal of reducing stigma and offering more respectful,safer, and more effective treatment in the community. Understanding why people choose the occupations they do is key for making these changes and OTs are well positioned to make these changes.

In this episode, Keir provides a sneak preview of his upcoming Elizabeth Casson Memorial Lecture, "Nothing Grows in Toxic Environments," taking place on Thursday, April 27, 2023. It's free to register for the lecture online, so invite your colleagues, clients, and changemakers to join you. Register here.

In addition to the upcoming lecture, we discuss the power of social media in finding a voice and community, and how occupational therapists can be more vocal about the important work we do. 

As an OT who coaches other OTs, I love creating a safe space for occupational therapists to thrive. If you're feeling like you're on the verge of burn out and want to find your mojo again, download my Banish Burnout and Find Your Mojo Minibook, and don't hesitate to reach out for more information.

Join Jill Garaffa and I in an expansive discussion about how occupational therapists and coaching. Jill shares her vision for a professional disruption where finding OTs in on staff becomes the norm in corporate settings. We are well equipped to work with individuals and organizations, transforming functional to optimal. Jill is a licensed occupational therapist in New Jersey, USA and an ICF-credentialed professional certified coach. 

Jill and I discuss different perspectives on qualifications, certifications and differentiation when it comes to OTs engaging in coaching work. She shares her journey of stepping out of the more traditional medical model of occupational therapy by bringing it into the corporate world and she shares her trade secrets on how she goes about getting her foot in the door.

 Join us as we explore the transformative power of OT coaching and its potential to make a difference in the lives of individuals, corporations, organizations, and communities.

You can find Jill Garaffa on LinkedIn and in her Facebook Group OT Coaches and on her website www.seedsofchangecoaching.com.

My website is www.balanceworks.online and I'd love to hear how you like the show so far. If anything inspires you, please subscribe, leave a comment, and share the episode with some of your OT friends. 

If you don't already have it, head over to download my Banish Burnout & Find Your Mojo Minibook.

We all know the uncertainty that surrounds our profession, how we communicate it to others, how we define our scope and impact, how others see our value. Yet I think we deeply know our value and purpose as OTs.

In my role supporting OTs in their personal and professional development, I know that this uncertainty sometimes undermines the confidence of OTs, particularly when stepping out of traditional roles and into private practice or emerging roles.

What if we reframe that uncertainty as an opportunity rather than a problem?

What if we look at it as a way to explore with our clients rather than dictating a path based on our “expert recommendations”?

In this episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, Brad Williams and I dive into the world of occupational therapy and explore how to stand firm in the values of OT and lean into the uncertainty that naturally arises. Brad is an Australian OT and founder of The Becoming Collective, an online community of occupational therapists who are trying to reconnect with the roots of their profession and understand what occupational therapy means to them as individuals.

In this interview, Brad shares his insights on the importance of being brave and leaning into uncertainty, the value of understanding your own values and ways of seeing the world, and the role of occupational therapy in nature. He also talks about his vision for The Becoming Collective and how he connects with his own values by creating a community of OTs who are cruising in a similar direction and sharing tools to support each other.

Brad and I share a philosophy about doing things imperfectly so that we can learn and grow in the process of implementation and co-creation with our clients, be they traditional recipients of OT services or the OTs in our communities.

Join us as we explore the world of occupational therapy and discover the power of embracing uncertainty and leaning into our values.

If you're interested in connecting with me, I'd love to hear from you at [email protected] or on Facebook

As of mid-March 2023, Brad is opening up enrolment for The Becoming Collective so be sure to check it out if you're curious.

If you are enjoying the content in this podcast, I'd appreciate a rating or review on your podcast platform or even send an episode to a friend. These actions help the people who need to hear these messages find them.

Be BRAVE OTs!

Come jam with 2 mental health OTs, on 2 continents who coach other therapists and have similar names. Karlien and Carlyn at your service!

We talk about finding our way in business, applying what we know to impact other therapists in how they find values alignment personally and professionally.

Karlien Terblanche joined my ACTivate Vitality program last year and was gracious enough to come on the podcast to talk about the experience of being a mental health OT who coaches other therapists and how we all need to navigate challenges as we move along in our businesses. The good news is that you don't have to do it alone.

If you find yourself wanting to jump into this conversation with us, maybe we should talk. I'd love to invite you to the ACTivate Vitality program where Karlien and I, along with many other fantastic OTs, are navigating growth together in community. 

Book a time to chat with me.

Mental health therapists in South Africa who are starting private practices are invited to connect with Karlien on Instagram @karlien_ot. Be sure to check out the Thriving Therapist Mini Podcast.

Mentions:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Psychosocial Interactive Model - Irvin Yalom

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Values-guided living

Therapists getting the help they need

Imagine going about your work as an OT in a completely open, curious, exploratory kind of way, letting go of the bounds of externally imposed timelines, locations, goals, expectations and pace. 

For some this might sound like occupational utopia. For others it may sound terrifyingly unclear and frustratingly aimless. Either way, you're going to want to crack your mind open and join Kary and I on a conversational journey as she describes how she has come to work in an entirely different way that follows the rhythms and seasons of her life, her evolving personal and professional values, and expanding into opportunities that arise in the space created by scrapping the 5 year plan.

Our guest, Kary Gillenwaters is an occupational therapist and entrepreneur in Minnesota. She has spent most of her life collecting insights from lived experiences in her roles as an addictions counselor, friend, consultant, mother, wife, daughter, educator, and student. All of these roles, in retrospect, began with some variation of, "it was not what I planned." The learnings from these experiences have led her to her latest endeavors that are focused more on collective occupational needs than individual needs alone. You can find her blog, To a Life Well Occupied, here

Authentic Connection is an Important Value of Mine.

I am passionate about empowering OT business owners to THRIVE without the HUSTLE. If you need support and community to make important shifts in how your work is flowing as part of your life, I'd love to talk to you. I have a community of OTs just like you who are growing together in beautifuly personal and professional ways. Curious? Let's have a quick, casual 15 min chat. Book here.

Work-life balance, occupational balance, balancing roles, finding balance. These are all terms that roll around in conversations among business owners. Well, occupational therapists are probably the only ones talking about occupational balance.

What is it? Where do we find it? OTs often come to me searching for this elusive thing we call balance and in the next breath they tell me they want to be more productive. I think the thought process there is, "If I get more done in less time, I can have more time to do the things I want to do outside of work." No!

Here's the thing, you probably are getting a lot done in the time you're working. What you probably need is to shift how you are looking at your resources, your expectations, your definitions of success, and ultimately show up with more flexibility. 

Ashley Reina is my guest on this episode and we dive into all of it. Ashley is a leader in the area of OT business. She and her husband co-own Therabyte which is practice management software.  They have 3 kids and Ashley has a pediatric private practice. She's also a fellow Canadian and University of Alberta grad.

We talk all about breaking up with hustle culture, balance, filling your own up furst, boundaries, making your business goals work for you and finding the kind of support you need to thrive.

On February 15, 2023, we are engaging in another conversation. Therabyte is hosting me in a webinar, Building a Business and Confidence One Small Towards Move at a Time. Register to join this free event here.

If you have any questions for Ashley, you can reach her at [email protected].

Want to know more about how you can get the support of ACTivate Vitality Ashley described? I'd love to talk to you. Book a quick 15 min intro chat with me here.

Well behaved women seldom make history. That is what Alice's shirt said when I met her in the UK in the fall of 2022. I knew we'd get along famously at that point. Alice Hortop has made conscious rebellion an art form. In this episode of The Brave OT Podcast, Alice shares how she sees human occupation as more belonging-centred than independence-focused and it makes a world of sense.  She describes the process she took to deconstruct the common concept and explored it with curiosity and experience to come up with another way of seeing our focus as occupational therapists. 

We talk a lot about navigating our own well-being as humans who happen to be occupational therapists including themes of overfunctioning, isolation, involuntary childlessness, striving, and productivity as a value. As serious as that sounds, you'll be sure to laugh along with us.

Please pop into my Facebook group, OTs Rising Together, and let's keep the conversation going.

Connect with Alice in her Facebook group, The Belonging Movement, to learn more about belonging-centred practice.

Ugh! Are you tired of hearing about how you should be doing more self-care, better self-care, and loving every minute of it? I bet you're even beating yourself up about not doing as much as you'd like. But you're busy. There's too much to do. There's nothing left for you at the end of the day after you've taken care of everybody else.

Sound familiar?

This is NOT another self-care guilt trip. This is taking self-care and dissecting it, turning it upsdide down and inside out and coming at it from a completely different perspective.

It's about WHY and HOW of self-care and not so much about the acts of self-care.

Let me know how you like this episode by subscribing, sharing, and rating the podcast.

Want to talk about finding more support in THRIVING and UNHUSTLING in 2023, book a call with me here: https://www.activatevitality.online/call

In this episode my friend, Arno van Vuuren of The OT Minute, helps me introduce myself to you and why I started The Brave OT Podcast. We dig into my personal and professional mission and the values that underpin how I show up in everything I do whether I'm acting in my role as occupational therapist, business owner, personal development coach, mom, potter, traveller, or, now, podcaster. 

Make sure to subscribe and leave a review so you don't miss any new episodes.

You can find more of Arno's work at his YouTube channel: The OT Minute

I have a Facebook group for OTs who want to banish burnout and find their mojo so you're welcome to join me in there as well: OTs Rising Together

I am Carlyn Neek. I’m the host of the Brave OT Podcast and I’m thrilled to have you join me as I dive in and explore what being a brave occupational therapy practitioner is all about. I have a lineup of important topics, and juicy conversations to share with you and hopefully inspire you to be just a little more brave in all you do.

Let’s start with getting clear on what being brave is. Important note, Brave is not being fearless. It’s quite the opposite actually. Brené Brown says “The key to whole-hearted living is vulnerability. You measure courage by how vulnerable you are.” She starts every day by putting her feet on the floor and saying, “Today I will choose courage over comfort. I can’t make any promises for tomorrow, but today I will choose to be brave.” Yes! Yes! Yes!

Connecting with values is important so here are the values that underpin The Brave OT Podcast:

Values Alignment 

Unhustling 

Authenticity & Transparency 

Embracing growth 

Self-compassion 

Balance 

Optimism without toxic positivity 

Abundance mindset 

Conscious rebellion 

All with a spirit of Curiosity - Creativity - Humour & Playfulness 

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to be sure you don’t miss an episode and hop over to my Facebook group, OTs Rising Together.

As always, keep it real and Be Brave, OTs.