Elizabeth DeBlasi, MS, OTR/L: OT in Sustainability through Caregiver Training

In this post, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner in Sustainability through Caregiver Training. Elizabeth DeBlasi, MS, OTR/L grew up in New York City and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and dance from Adelphi University. She later received her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University and has worked as an OT in school and home settings for over 13 years providing therapy for children with special needs. Through these experiences, Liz worked closely with families and has learned the power of collaboration. Her goal is always to foster independence in the children she works with and to empower parents/caregivers to be active members in their child’s therapeutic process. As an adjunct professor at Long Island University for 7 years, Liz gained invaluable experience in educating about sensory processing, behavioral techniques, and the therapeutic process. Some of Liz’ most profound work has been with a non-profit organization to provide sustainable therapy and design training materials for children with disabilities and their caregivers in developing countries.

Q & A with Liz:

Please tell us a little about yourself and a few favorite occupations.

I grew up in New York City and I am now living in upstate New York. Aside from an Occupational Therapist, I have been a dancer my whole life and it is a huge part of my identity. I am also extremely passionate about traveling. I love to experience new places and new cultures. My goal is to see every country possible!

What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?

I am shifting from a common OT job to a new uncommon venture! I am excited and honestly slightly scared. I want to get my name out there and network with other therapists who are also entrepreneurs as they inspire me and motivate me!

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.

I am starting my own business focusing on training/support groups for parents of children with special needs, as well as providing direct 1:1 occupational therapy and evaluations to children in need. I have also done work with a non-profit organization called Therapists Beyond Borders. The organization focuses on sustainable therapy in developing countries through training communities that care for individuals with disabilities.

What inspired you or drew you to this type of OT work?

I have been a pediatric OT for almost 14 years. I have learned through my experiences that parent involvement is crucial in the therapeutic process. I also have immense compassion for caregivers of children with special needs and want to support them to manage their own stress as well as to improve quality of life for their children and families. Personally, I also am inspired to start my own practice so I can have more work/life balance and can contribute to my clients in a more meaningful way (through less burnout and more focused individualized attention). I was inspired to join Therapists Beyond Borders because of my frustrations around unequal distribution of global resources. I have wanted to volunteer internationally since graduate school but wanted to do it responsibly and not engage in harmful "voluntourism" or be a "white savior." This organization is in line with my personal beliefs around sustainable and responsible international therapy.

How did you get there? Can you describe your path?

I have been an OT for almost 14 years. I have worked in a NYC public school and have done Early Intervention homecare therapy and evaluations throughout my career. These experiences taught me the importance of parent collaboration. The children on my caseload whose families were highly involved have made the most progress towards their goals. I also have been an adjunct professor and have realized my passion for educating about my profession. I hope to utilize this passion going forward. A friend of mine pointed me in the direction of the founder of Therapists Beyond Borders on Instagram because she knew I was interested in international therapy. I reached out to her and met her at the WFOT conference in South Africa where I began my relationship with the organization.

Please describe a typical day or OT session at your uncommon setting? What OT skills do you utilize?

I specialize in a sensory approach to direct therapy. I lead parent training groups on various topics primarily related to sensory processing so that families understand how they can make changes in their environments in order to facilitate progress in their children. I also lead support groups so that parents can learn how to manage their own stress when they are caring for a child with special needs. These groups are also instrumental in introducing parents to each other so they can network and support each other. For Therapists Beyond Borders I have traveled to orphanage sites in Kenya and India and have conducted needs assessments in both places. I co-designed a wheelchair transfer training program for caregivers in Kenya to conduct safe and efficient wheelchair transfers with the children on site. I have also helped to conduct fundraisers for the organization as all of our programming is dependent on funding.

Can you talk about some recent highs (successes) and lows (challenges) of your current role?

Covid has certainly been a challenge. I had to transition to doing teletherapy with no training. It was very difficult with many of my children and being in separate spaces resulted in me having a lot less control over my sessions. Teletherapy highlighted even more so how important parent involvement is and I found myself frustrated by lack of it on many occasions. However, if not for covid happening, I may not have had the drive to start my non-traditional path. I now enjoy more work/life balance and am able to involve and educate parents much more than I was previously able to. For Therapists Beyond Borders, funding is crucial for us to be able to develop training programs and that is my passion. Lack of funding has been a challenge. Covid also was a huge challenge initially as travel was impossible. During covid the organization shifted to a mental health focus as that became so important to address. Now we have been able to secure some funding and hire a program manager in Kenya to run training programs. We are now finally taking OT, PT and speech volunteers to co-design programs. So, the vision is finally becoming reality.

How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role?

I feel like having support from other professionals is so important! I did not always feel supported at my school job. I like to surround myself with other entrepreneurs in the field so I can learn from them.. tips on running my own business and also therapeutic approaches. I think if I stay humble and am willing to admit mistakes and celebrate victories this is how I learn the most! I also have learned a lot through teaching. It keeps current information fresh in my brain and new students always keep me wanting to learn more so I can teach them more. And of course CEUs!

Can you share a little bit about salary and compensation in this setting?  How do OT or the services you provide get funded?

I get paid through private funding. I am not registered with insurance agencies because sadly it is too difficult to sign up as a provider (shame on them!). Most parents can seek partial reimbursement through their insurance companies though. I have put in a lot of unpaid volunteer hours for Therapists Beyond Borders, but I also have been paid to design programs and reimbursed for some travel. This money has come solely from donations and corporate partnerships.

Any career advice for our followers and listeners on how to get started on this path?

Do not be afraid to be an entrepreneur! The logistics can feel daunting, such as health insurance and pension and billing, etc. especially if you are used to being a city employee like myself where I didn't have to think about those things. Ask questions and network with people. You will be pleasantly surprised how people are willing to help. Also, you will never know if you will be successful if you don't try!

What’s a common myth or misconception about your job/role you’d like to call out or demystify?

There is a debate about what rates you should be charging when you are in private practice. As therapists we are compassionate caregivers and that is true but we also need to make a living! When determining my rates, I have to remind myself to know my worth. I have a specialized masters degree and I am constantly updating my knowledge with CEU courses, which I also pay for. I have been practicing for 14 years and my experiences have truly made me a very well-rounded therapist.

How do we find you, follow you, be in touch with you, and promote your unique work?

Website: https://sensory-wise.com/

IG: @sensorywise 

RESOURCES:

Therapists Beyond Borders

https://therapistsbeyondborders.org/

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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