Carlyn Neek, OT: OT in Group Coaching
In this post, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner in group coaching. Carlyn Neek, is an OT in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the owner of Balance Works OT. She is passionate about empowering other OTs to rise and live fully in all they do through her ACTivate Vitality online group coaching program for OTs. Carlyn loves to travel with her husband and two teen sons, muck about in the garden or at the pottery wheel and she is most at peace in the mountains.
Q & A with Carlyn:
Please tell us a little about yourself and a few favorite occupations.
I love being an OT and empowering other OTs. When I'm not doing that I love traveling with my husband and two teen boys, doing pottery on the wheel, and spending time in nature. The rocky mountains are less than an hour away.
What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?
It is my mission to support as many OTs as I can to step into their power and bring their innovative ideas and ways of seeing things to the world.
Please describe the UncommonOT work that you do and the setting in which you work, the population you serve, and the needs that you address.
In my adult mental health private practice, I am often meeting people out in the community to support resumption of meaningful occupations that have been lost during a period of time off work due to depression, anxiety, and other mental and physical health conditions. I love helping people in the environments where they do the things they do. In my coaching practice, I work online with OTs around the world to help them move forward with their great plans and ideas when they're feeling stuck, unclear, and fearful. Supporting OTs to live and work with more alignment, fulfillment, and vitality is really cool because helping the helpers helps them, those they help, and our profession. High impact.
What inspired you or drew you to this type of OT work?
Serendipity.
How did you get there? Can you describe your path?
I wanted to work in peds and my first job was return to work support for adults. I followed that path to mental health and then translated my mental health skills to coaching.
Please describe a typical day or OT session in your uncommon setting? What OT skills do you utilize?
Today I started planning my day with my coffee. I said goodbye to my kids when they headed out to school, I had an 8 am online client who was off work from a role that would typically refer her clients to me, she's recovered so well from her depression and anxiety that she's doing better than before the onset of her mental health condition and it was really fun to dream big with her, get clear on her purpose in life, values, and support her in being present in the moment. We made a plan to walk by the river for our last session in a couple of weeks if it's not too cold. I was actually still in my pajamas (though one couldn't tell by zoom) for that session and did some administrative work to prepare for my business year-end. At noon I had an online group coaching call 8 with OTs from two Canadian provinces and four states. We supported each other as we talked about taking vulnerable risks and feeling depleted by them, noticed growth in each other's patterns of prioritizing our own needs in the midst of home and work stressors, we celebrated each other's wins (business launching, facebook pages, rest, and more), and talked about how hard it is to feel competent at our jobs in helping people with things we struggle with at home too. Tomorrow I'll be walking with a young veteran who is pretty isolated.
Can you talk about some recent highs (successes) and lows (challenges) of your current role?
A high was having the opportunity to be a keynote speaker at the OT Entrepreneur Summit LIVE. I've had quite a few lows in developing my online coaching program. I've never had to market my OT services. I was just always too busy. I want to be less busy and have more impact without tying up all of my hours so building a new category of service (professional and personal development for occupational therapists) isn't a smooth and certain path. Organic marketing through social media and YouTube is a lot of work and takes a lot of time. I'm working hard at striving less and focusing on learning and being inspired so I can continue to inspire others. More quality engagement.
How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role?
I listen to podcasts, take courses, network with some smart cookies, listen to audiobooks, attend conferences and summits, and sometimes I get to speak at them. I invest in coaching.
Can you share a little bit about salary and compensation in this setting? How do OT or the services you provide get funded?
My return to work, mental health private practice clients are referred by the insurer who replaces their income while they are off work. They pay for the services. I have some out-of-pocket OT clients who self-refer and my coaching services are paid privately by individual OTs. Since I've been in private practice, I've typically made $100-150K/year. Group coaching has potential for more as I can help more people in the same amount of time.
Any career advice for our followers and listeners on how to get started on this path?
Invest in support, stay flexible, and try new things. It will feel scary to try new things but that's how you know you're growing.
What’s a common myth or misconception about your job/role you’d like to call out or demystify?
Other OT entrepreneurs refer to me as a mindset coach. I'm learning to embrace it because it's good to be known for something and it is aligned with what I do but, working in mental health, this word is an oversimplification of the all the things people lump under it. I'm working on using the word more but in specific contexts and not undermining the complexity of the interaction of our experiences, beliefs, emotions, thought processes, and context and how they impact motivation.
How do we find you, follow you, be in touch with you, and promote your unique work?
On YouTube - Carlyn Neek
On Facebook Carlyn OT-Coach
On IG @balanceworksot
www.activatevitality.online/guide
www.balanceworks.online
Email: Carlyn at cneek@balanceworksot.ca
Book a FREE Clarity Call with Carlyn www.activatevitality.online/call
RESOURCES:
Download the FREE Vitality Guide www.activatevitality.online/guide
Connect on Facebook www.facebook.com/carlyn.neek.7
Videos to support visionary OTs on YouTube www.youtube.com/c/CarlynNeek
More details about the ACTivate Vitality Planner www.balanceworks.online/activate-vitality-program-planner
As always, I welcome any feedback & ideas from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot
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