Occupational Therapy Week at Next Wave (Fremantle)
This week we join the nation in celebrating #ThisIsOT occupational therapy (OT). Working across the lifespan, you will find occupational therapy wherever healing, rehabilitation and recovery is needed.
Today, we find out a bit more about our occupational therapists , Sasha Wray and Zoe Cole and what they do.
What inspired you to become an OT?
Sasha: I always knew what I wanted to do but didn’t know the name of it. I wanted to help people, and to be able to use both my science and creativity skills. In my final year at high school I chatted to a lady at a career day and it turned out she did exactly my dream job … she was an OT.
Zoe: I volunteered at a camp in Norway and was involved in supporting people with disabilities to participate in adventure sports using adaptive equipment. I decided supporting people to engage in meaningful occupation was exactly what I wanted to do but like Sasha, I didn’t know what it was called until someone explained OT.
What aspect of your working day do you find most rewarding?
Sasha: I love working with people and seeing their lives change for the better.
Zoe: I love seeing a client achieve one of their goals and being able to celebrate this with them
What is challenging about your work?
Sasha: a big challenge is explaining what I do!
Our daily activities (occupations) are such an integral part of our lives. Because we do them automatically it’s easy to forget how complex this thing of living actually is; and it’s easy to underestimate the power of meaningful occupation.
Zoe: Yes, definitely explaining what we do!
So, the next big question is what is occupational therapy?
Sasha: For me it is a therapy that helps you live well. Everything we do in life sustains health and wellness. Whether it is work, self care or leisure activities, these are what we call occupations. So, the best “OT” happens while you live your life. But when injury or pain stops you from doing the things that you need, want or are expected to do in life, it is very easy for illness and pain to persist. An OT’s job is to help you get back to doing what matters.
Zoe: Yes, and we do that through meaningful activity.
Sasha: At Next Wave our focus is helping adults with soft tissue injury, chronic pain, stress and mental health concerns.
Zoe: What I like about working at Next Wave is that our therapy is grounded in occupational science but we both have a holistic view of health. Sasha offers mindfulness, acupressure therapy and I offer yoga.
Sasha: Yes, we both just love focusing on how people are participating in their life and how satisfied they are with it. Small things like sharing a cup of tea with a friend or being able to dress yourself, all help to define your life. We help people to identify what is important to them and find ways of helping them to do these things.
Outside of work where are we most likely to find you?
Sasha: Work and family life keep me busy. But I do enjoy being outdoors, going to Zoe’s yoga classes!! and spending time with friends.
Zoe: I’m either at the yoga studio, in the ocean, or off on a camping trip
Copyright 2019 Next Wave Therapy O’Connor (Fremantle area)
Sasha Wray and Zoe Cole are occupational therapists at Next Wave Therapy
