Season 6 Episode 2: Finding Your Niche, Managing Burnout and Building Sustainable Practice as a Paediatric OT

This week I am joined by C, a paediatric OT working in a subcontracting role, and we talk about what happens when you love the clinical work but the systems around it are slowly wearing you down.

In this episode we discuss:

Finding your clinical niche and why specialising can be a protective factor

Moral burnout and the difference between caseload overwhelm and systems overwhelm

Navigating anticipated NDIS changes with your existing clients

Becoming the primary anchor for complex families and what to do about it

The "extra extra" - above-and-beyond work that isn't contracted or contained

Written communication load and how to manage it with a neurodivergent caseload

Termly planning as an energy management tool

Professional development pathways toward mental health OT endorsement

Key takeaways:

Specialising aligns your PD, supervision, and clinical reasoning - it is protective, not limiting