Browse by Tags

We all know that letters to the editor are a great way to share a message in your own words about occupational therapy. Typically, newspapers require them to be short which makes creating one less daunting. However, linking the content of your letter to a current event can sometimes present a challenge...

A recent blog post in Parents magazine online, “Therapy Tricks and Tips for Kids with Special Needs” (Parents.com, March 5, 2012) is an excellent example of promoting occupational therapy while enhancing the client-OT relationship. The piece was written by AOTA member Loren Shlaes,...

Do you freeze up when a video camera is pointed in your direction? If so, you’re not alone. I recently participated in a workshop through the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) that offered some great tips for overcoming common mistakes with on-camera interviews. Confidence seems to...

Have you ever thought about how many new people you meet in July? This month packed with fireworks, cookouts, vacations, camping trips, and fun in the sun provides endless opportunities to promote occupational therapy. The Occupational Therapy Club’s blog suggests a promotional challenge to...

So the craziness that we at AOTA call April is in the rearview mirror. By promoting OT Month, you may have added some media contacts to your Rolodex. What’s the best way to hang on to their interest until your next big project comes along? It’s important to keep...

Are you interested in using a newspaper to promote OT Month but don’t have the time to commit to an interview? A letter to the editor may be a good option for you (and can be written at any time of day!). Friday’s Times-Tribune in Scranton, Pa. includes an excellent example penned by AOTA...

Phew! February may have had just one extra day this year, but occupational therapy practitioners across the country have packed a lot into this shortest of months. Here are some highlights of media placements for this month: • The March 2012 edition of Woman’s Day magazine features a Q&A...

So you’ve made the initial connection with that media reporter you’ve been trying to grab the attention of. (See last week’s blog post, “How to become a reporter’s favorite source.”) Great job! But now what? The key to remaining a go-to person for media outlets...

I got a letter from a Mississippi high school student last week explaining that she was working on a research project for her English class about her prospective career: occupational therapy. She said that her school does not have a career center and the project was two-fold: collect information on careers...

FOX 2 News viewers in St. Louis, Mo., were treated to a special lesson in occupational therapy and Alzheimer’s disease last week. AOTA member Susy Stark appeared on a live segment explaining the findings of five research studies that connect a change in walking gait to Alzheimer’s disease...

An article in the June 8 edition of The Guardian titled, “Making social media work professionally,” explains that in sensitive fields—including healthcare—Twitter and Facebook can be a catalyst for networking, but need to be used carefully. “The usefulness...

Why dedicate a week to older driver safety? The concern for older drivers’ safety and independence is greater now than at any time in our history. More than 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 each day, a trend expected to continue for the next 19 years. And by the year 2040, 1 in 5 Americans will be 70...

Good Housekeeping readers may notice a familiar name in the September 2012 issue. Nancy Baker, ScD, MPH, OTR/L, an associate professor of occupational therapy at the University of Pittsburgh, offers tips for combating pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. Tips include sleeping with a brace...

Just in time for OT Month, I wanted to share a resource I came across featuring tips to propel occupational therapy into the media. “109 Ways to Make Your Business Irresistible to the Media” (copyblogger.com) was written by Patrick Garmoe, a social media strategist for a Minnesota digital...

Just because OT Month has passed does not mean it’s time to take a break from promoting the profession. If you attended Karen Jacobs’ Slagle lecture at AOTA’s 92 nd Annual Conference & Expo last month, you know that getting the message of occupational therapy out to the masses is...

Occupational therapy assistant students and instructors at Polk State College in Winter Haven, Fla., got an early start to celebrating Backpack Safety Awareness Day. “School starts in August in Florida, so we had to act a little ahead of Backpack Awareness Day,” said Craig Bowen, OTA/S...

January was a busy month for occupational therapy in the media! Here are just a few stories worth checking out that feature fellow OTs and members of AOTA: • On January 10, a story titled, Back from war, fear and danger fill driver’s seat , appeared in The New York Times. This story provides...

AOTA Board Member Dr. Sudip Bose is in town this week and as part of his visit, he made himself available to help promote OT . Needless to say, we took him up on his offer and packed two days with media appearances. Dr. Bose discussed occupational therapy’s role with PTSD, in a live interview...

Here is a brief round-up of media coverage of AOTA’s 92nd Annual Conference & Expo in Indianapolis: • Former POW Jessica Lynch attracted some media attention at the plenary session on Saturday morning. WTHR-TV, NBC 13 in Indianapolis ran this story: http://www...

While many of us have summer vacations on our mind, AOTA staff members are already gearing up for fall. AOTA’s National School Backpack Awareness Day is set for Sept. 19, 2012. Each year on the third Wednesday of September, occupational therapy practitioners, educators,...

OT Month-inspired ‘OT in the News’ Here’s a quick and simple way to promote your profession this OT Month. The following articles featuring occupational therapy are a sampling of those published within the last month. Read a few and share one of your favorites with your social media...

In honor of both OT Month and Autism Awareness Month, I wanted to share an excerpt of an AOTA press release that went to Cincinnati media outlets today. This story is a testament to the important role occupational therapy has with autism spectrum disorder management. Cincinnati, Ohio — When...

If you follow the American Occupational Therapy Association on Facebook or Twitter, chances are you’ve already seen this article. But do you know how it came about? “20 Questions: Heidi Nejezchleb Tringali, OT” is a Q&A that was published Jan. 8, 2012 on The Student Doctor Network...

See a familiar face on the TV in your doctor’s waiting room? You just might. Occupational therapist and accessibility consultant Carroll Fernstrom is featured in a discussion on “Home Safety and Fall Prevention for Older Adults” produced by Guiding Lights. The video was released...

AOTA’s Older Driver Safety Awareness Week (Dec. 3-7, 2012) was a big success! Here’s a rundown of our efforts and some of the mainstream and social media success we had. Mainstream Media Promotion: We shared three rounds of information with the media: 1 media advisory and 1 press release...