The BRAVE OT Podcast | Real Conversations with Occupational Therapy Trailblazers – Details, episodes & analysis

Ever feel like you're drowning in documentation while the work you actually trained for gets squeezed into the margins? Or maybe you're curious about AI tools but worried about privacy, security, and whether using them is even ethical? You're not alone and this conversation might be exactly what you need to hear.

In this episode, I sit down with Raj Paul, Director of Engineering at Jane, where he leads the teams building clinical features designed to reduce administrative burden. Raj brings a unique perspective he's not an OT, but his wife is, so he deeply understands our world. He's also openly multipassionate, generating many ideas and he shares about how he uses AI to challenge and refine his thinking and communicate more effectively.

We're having the real conversation about AI documentation tools that so many OTs are craving. Raj walks us through exactly how AI Scribe keeps your data private, how to get proper consent from clients, and why you don't need to be afraid of this technology.

But here's what really hit me: We talk about this pervasive belief that for work to be valuable, it needs to be hard. I share about the experience of OT entrepreneur coaching clients who had a turning point when she started using AI for documentation. She realized she'd been using her leftover energy for her family instead of finding ways to work less hard. That shift cascaded into her riding bikes more, making art, volunteering with her kids' sports teams, and actually living her life. Work doesn't have to be hard to be valuable.

In this episode, we cover:

• How AI Scribe actually works and what makes it secure (BAAs, human-in-the-loop design, AWS partnership)
• Why Jane's team can't access your transcripts or notes - and how they improve the tool without seeing your data
• Getting informed consent from clients (regulatory considerations, intake forms, and having the conversation)
• How to start experimenting with AI safely before using it clinically
• The "AI as intern" analogy - why you still need to check its work
• Privacy concerns, environmental considerations, and making values-aligned decisions
• Why Raj uses Claude personally to challenge his ideas and improve his communication
• The importance of psychological safety in creating better ideas and better outcomes
• Practical tips: Start with free tools, check your privacy settings, get comfortable before jumping in

This episode is for you if:

• You're curious about AI documentation but need the safety and privacy facts first
• You're burned out from documentation and wondering if there's a better way
• You've been seeing AI conversations in Facebook groups and need real information to decide
• You're ready to challenge the belief that struggle equals value
• You want to reclaim your time and energy for what actually matters

Ready to try it yourself? Use the code VITALITY or follow this link to get a one-month grace period on a new Jane account, which includes free access to 5 AI Scribe sessions per month. I haven't had a list of chart notes waiting for me in a really long time. They're done in minutes, and it's genuinely changed my practice.

My Article: How I Customized My Jane AI Scribe Template to Make it More OT

Jane's Article: AI Scribe: How To Talk to Clients & Get Consent

Connect with Raj Paul: LinkedIn

Ever wonder what happened to some of our OT entrepreneur trail blazers who went quiet?

If you've been around OT social media or podcasts, you probably know Trish Williams from her brand, OTs Get Paid. In this raw, honest conversation, Trish opens up about why you haven't heard from her in more than a year and it's not the story you might expect.

This episode is about what happens when your capacity fundamentally shifts. When perimenopause rewires your brain. When family crisis demands everything you have. When the version of yourself you've been living and sharing doesn't fit anymore. And when slowing down becomes the bravest thing you've ever done.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The collision of perimenopause and family crisis that changed everything
• Why Trish went back to being a mobile OT after thinking she'd "graduated" from that
• How cognitive changes in perimenopause can feel like late-onset ADHD
• The shame that comes with not being able to keep up anymore (and the rotting cooler story)
• What it really means to slow down when your whole identity was about achieving
• Redefining "brave", from launching businesses to getting reports done on time
• The shift from hope to faith when life gets really hard
• Building boundaries, finding what lights you up, and detaching with love
• Why volunteering at Pride and Folk Fest became her community lifeline
• The daily practices that keep her grounded (and why "scary thing" became "brave thing")

This episode is for you if:

• You're noticing your capacity has shifted and you don't know what to do about it
• You're in perimenopause or menopause and feeling completely disoriented
• You're navigating a major life crisis while trying to keep your business/career going
• You're tired of maintaining an image that doesn't fit who you are anymore
• You need permission to slow down without giving up
• You're a single parent or primary caregiver feeling stretched beyond your limits, even while parenting adult children
• You want to hear what building a life that actually works for you looks like

Connect with Trish: Email: trish@trishwilliamsconsulting.ca and listen to the OTs Get Paid Podcast. 

Join the conversation in The BRAVE OT Facebook group - come share what "brave" looks like for you in your current season.

  Questions OTs are searching:

• What are perimenopause symptoms affecting my work?
• How do I manage my OT practice with changing capacity?
• Is it normal to feel burnt out as an occupational therapist?
• Can I go back to clinical work after business coaching?
• How do I pivot my OT career in midlife?
• What does mobile OT work look like?
• How do therapists handle family crisis while working?
• Is perimenopause affecting my ADHD symptoms?
• How do I slow down my OT practice without quitting?
• What are signs of therapist burnout?
• How do I rebuild my OT career after time away?

A Lunchroom Conversation with STEMinist Fiction Author and OT, Jaima Fixsen

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jaima Fixsen, a Canadian occupational therapist and USA Today bestselling author who writes STEMinist fiction novels while balancing roles as a mom and OT. We dive deep into how she uses her OT skills to support her creative work and manage the unstructured nature of writing and the midlife desire to shift into new, more aligned occupations. Spoiler alert: tap dancing and sourdough didn't work out.

Whether you're an OT interested in creative pursuits, managing your own practice, or simply curious about applying OT principles to your own life and work, this conversation offers valuable insights about embracing new occupations while honoring our professional identity.

Key Topics We Discuss:

• How Jaima transitioned from full-time OT to splitting her time between clinical practice and writing as a PAID occupation
• The concept of "middle-essence" - finding new occupations and meaning in midlife transitions
• Using OT strategies to manage executive function demands of creative work
• Creating sensory-rich writing routines to support focus and flow
• Setting boundaries and implementing behavioural strategies for productivity
• The fascinating historical background of her latest novel "The Specimen" set in 1828 Edinburgh
• The evolution of medical ethics and consent in anatomical studies
• Supporting local bookstores 

OT Insights to Apply in Your Own Work:

• Strategies for managing unstructured work time
• Creating supportive sensory environments
• Breaking down large projects into manageable chunks
• Setting appropriate goals and rewards
• Managing perfectionism and task initiation
• Techniques to find creative flow and stay healthy

Resources Mentioned:

• The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen - find it at your local bookstore
• Get 2 free audiobooks at Libro.fm while supporting a local bookstore of your choice
• Learn more about Jaima Fixsen
• Instagram: @byjaimafixsen
• ACTivate Vitality, my program and community for OT business owners
• Explore the Jane.app's time-saving writing features, including my fave AI Scribe, with a one month grace period on your new account using the code VITALITY

Episode Summary:

Is perfectionism keeping you stuck in "figure-it-all-out-first" mode? You're not alone and you're not broken.

In this solo episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, I explore a powerful reframe for occupational therapy entrepreneurs who stay in perfecting mode, immobilized by self-doubt and a need to get it right before they begin. Maybe you even use the term imposter syndrome. The antidote? The scientific method. Yes, the same framework we trust as clinicians.

I walk through how we can approach entrepreneurship like the clinical scientists we already are. Instead of waiting until something is perfect, we can co-create, experiment, observe, revise, and grow. This shift can unlock so much momentum, clarity, and confidence in your business. AND it's best practice in entrepreneurship.

I also share some behind-the-scenes updates: from developing a university course on entrepreneurship, to guest teaching, to getting ready for Bronwyn Paynter's Nature Day in Australia, and how all of it connects back to how we show up bravely in our work.

This episode is here to help you move forward. One experiment at a time.

• Why perfectionism is so common among high-achieving OTs

• What imposter syndrome really means (and why I rarely use the term)

• How the scientific method can be your best business tool

• What entrepreneurship and treatment planning have in common

• Why selling while you're testing matters more than you think

• How ACTivate Vitality helps therapy business owners build inner flexibility to navigate outer challenges

Interested in joining me at the Nature Day in Australia?

Learn more here → https://bit.ly/NatureDay2025

Want to learn about working with me?

I'd love to talk to you about supporting you as the whole person at the centre of your business with a community, collaborative support, human connection, and a proven transformative process to make your business and your life feel more aligned. Let's talk about ACTivate Vitality. Check it out and book a time to connect here: https://www.balanceworks.online/avprogram

A note from Jane:

Switch to Jane to make documentation easier with my new best friend, AI Scribe. If you'd like to meet Jane, book a personalized introduction call and you can also use my code VITALITY for a one month grace period on your new account.

This podcast conversation explores supervision in occupational therapy with Lynsay McFarlane-Shaw. Lyndsay brings 30 years of pediatric OT experience and has evolved her career to focus on supervision and mentorship.  We discuss the the concept of supervision in the UK as well as various other ways OTs support each other like coaching and mentorship.  If you've ever wondered about ways to enhance your professional development or support others in theirs, this conversation will give you plenty to think about.

To connect with Lynsay

Lynsay's Facebook Group

ACTivate Vitality is Accepting OT Business Owners
The ACTivate Vitality program is opening up for 10 new members in March, 2025. It is a thriving community of OT business owners who support each other, collaborate, co-conspire, co-regulate, and help you not be alone in private practice. Together we build core skills from acceptance and commitment therapy to be more grounded and mindful in our practices, in our work, in our lives, aligning our actions in all domains with our values. We create community so that we can move forward in blazing some trails and doing the things that really matter, building more flow and satisfaction in our lives. Book a Clarity Call with Carlyn to explore this possibility.

To see how Jane can help you focus more on your clients than your costs, book your personalized demo today. If  you're ready to get started, you can use the code VITALITY at the time of signup for a one-month grace period applied to your new account.

I am thrilled to share this authentic and vulnerable conversation with you. My guest is Dr. Fiona Lovely. You may know her from her mindblowing podcast, Not Your Mother's Menopause.

With two decades of experience, Dr. Lovely is a trailblazer in women's health. Specifically focusing on the menopause transition, perimenopause and menopause.

Stick with us on this vulnerable and passionate conversation because in it, we share stories of our own experiences and highlight how community and connection are the bedrock for growth and healing in a health system that has only begun to prioritize women's health.

Dr. Lovely helps us understand the growing evidence and debunks misconceptions in the menopause narrative. Spoiler alert, but there's a lot in here about social justice and a little bit of swearing.

We talk about the mental and physiological shifts women encounter during this time of renovation in our bodies and in our brains, and some myths about cognitive decline. 

This episode is packed with wisdom, practical advice, and a heartfelt big sister kind of conversation. Whether you're an occupational therapist, someone in their 30s and 40s experiencing symptoms you didn't know were perimenopause, or you're simply interested in understanding this vital aspect of health, there's so much here for you.

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Links to resources mentioned in the podcast:

Dr. Fiona Lovely's Website: drlovely.com

Podcast: Not Your Mother's Menopause with Dr. Fiona Lovely

Menopause Doula Society

Dr. Lisa Musconi - Neuroscience & Women's Health

AMS Menopause Symptom Scorecard

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Are you a therapy business owner seeking a community of support as the whole person at the centre of your business?

We will be accepting applicants to the ACTivate Vitality program and community in late January. Let's see if this is a good fit for you by visiting our site.

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A shoutout to our sponsor, Jane.app

Jane is an EMR with heart. Book your demo today and be sure to use the code VITALITY for a one month grace period. 

Balance Works OT - Carlyn's OT practice 

Balance Works - Carlyn's personal and professional develoment services  

• ACTivate Vitality Program and Mastermind for OTs who want to THRIVE without the HUSTLE
• ACTivate Vitality Personal Development Planner 
• Practical ACT for OTs Clinical Education
• Vitality Guide - free download with ACT starter resources

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To see how Jane can help you focus more on your clients than your costs, book your personalized demo today. If  you're ready to get started, you can use the code VITALITY at the time of signup for a one-month grace period applied to your new account.