Season 6 Episode 5: Creating a Career That Doesn't Exist Yet: Building an OT Role in Maternal Health

In this episode of OT Coaching Confidential, I'm joined by Katie, an occupational therapist with a background in acute, rehabilitation and hospital practice who is building a completely new area of occupational therapy in maternal health.

After experiencing the transition into motherhood herself, Katie recognised a gap in the support available to women recovering from Caesarean birth. Drawing on both her clinical expertise and lived experience, she's now developing a private practice that combines occupational therapy, education and digital resources to support mothers physically, emotionally and practically through one of life's biggest transitions.

Together, we explore what it really takes to build a business around an idea that doesn't yet have a roadmap and the difference between having a great clinical concept and creating a service people can access, understand and value.

We explore:

Identifying an emerging area of occupational therapy practice through lived experience

Moving from hospital practice into private practice and business ownership

Building referral networks before asking for referrals

Defining an ideal client and positioning a service outside traditional OT pathways

Designing a client journey that balances education, therapeutic support and sustainable service delivery

Using AI as a strategic thinking partner for business planning, marketing and content creation

Creating scalable digital resources alongside one-to-one clinical services

The practical foundations of private practice, including pricing, Medicare, business systems and client onboarding