Ep. 53: Deinstitutionalizing OT - Field Research, Folk Wisdom & Creating Your Own Path with Dr. Josie Jarvis

Deinstitutionalizing OT: Field Research, Folk Wisdom & Creating Your Own Path with Dr. Josie Jarvis

What does it mean to deinstitutionalize yourself as an occupational therapist? In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Josie Jarvis and I explore everything from the historical roots of healthcare systems to why OTs need to reclaim field research and folk wisdom. If you've ever felt stuck in traditional practice settings or wondered how to apply occupational science to your own life, this episode offers both validation and a path forward. We discuss burnout recovery for occupational therapists, the power of community-based folk arts, and why being brave sometimes means daring to ask the "dumb" question. This conversation is for OTs who are ready to experiment, create their own paths, and remember that innovation doesn't require permission.

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IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

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- Why deinstitutionalization matters for practitioners, not just clients

- How occupational science can help OTs recover from moral injury and burnout

- The historical context of healthcare systems and women's contributions through folk wisdom

- Understanding twice-exceptionality (gifted + learning differences) and how it shows up in OT practice

- Why field research and observation are more valuable than we've been taught

- The problems with the traditional evidence-based practice pyramid and the Tomlin & Borgetto alternative

- How grades and academic metrics aren't real and why that matters