Carlin Reaume, OTD, OTR/L, DipACLM, PMH-C, PCES: OT in Supporting Mothers

In this post, we will learn from Carlin Reaume, OTD, OTR/L, DipACLM, PMH-C, PCES. Dr. Reaume has more than 15 years of experience as both a therapist and educator. After completing both her Master’s and Doctorate at the University of Southern California, she created a career weaving together her background in Lifestyle Redesign, mental health, and movement in order to forge her own path in a variety of non-traditional OT settings. She launched her private practice, Supported Mama, in 2020 with the goal of helping women reconnect to their bodies after pregnancy in a way that supports both physical and mental well-being. She holds advanced certifications in lifestyle medicine, perinatal mental health, postpartum corrective exercise, and ergonomics. She has presented her work both nationally and internationally, as well as held several leadership positions for the Occupational Therapy Association of California. Her work has also been featured on the Amazon Halo fitness app and Pilates.com. Dr. Reaume currently serves as Assistant Clinical Professor for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at the University of the Pacific in Sacramento, California, and as the Advocacy & Government Affairs Committee Chair for the Occupational Therapy Association of California.

Q & A with Carlin:

Please tell us a little about yourself and some of your favorite occupations.

I was born in Costa Rica, grew up in Wisconsin, and have spent most of my adult life in California. Some of my favorite occupations are going for long walks, dancing, meditating, making and drinking coffee, and playing with my 4-year-old.

What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?

I have had a winding professional path. This is a perfect platform to share my journey. There are many of us “Uncommon OTs” out in the world! The more we share our stories, the more we can normalize that there are a variety of different paths forward within this amazing profession.

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.

My focus is on maternal wellness and pelvic health. I have a private practice based in Sacramento, California and I predominantly serve women who have given birth anywhere ranging from a few weeks postpartum to those who have children in their teens. I support people in the process of reconnecting to themselves and their bodies as a starting point to foster overall mental and emotional well-being.

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

My personal experience giving birth in 2019. The gaps in care that I experienced and seeing the way in which my OT background could help others just like me.

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

I completed my Master’s and OTD at USC with a specialty in Lifestyle Redesign. And before that, I was a dancer, as well as a Pilates and yoga instructor. My doctoral capstone focused on workplace wellness – supporting employees in making health-promoting changes to their daily routines both inside and outside of work. From there I transitioned into providing support for college students – some who were registered with disability services, and others who were not. I started to become increasingly interested as an OT who helped people navigate significant transitions, which ended up creating a perfect foundation for the work I do now.

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

When clients arrive for their session, we have a short conversation about where they are in that moment and what specific concerns they have that day. I lean on my therapeutic presence and active listening skills to help them feel heard, supported, and safe when in my clinic. From there, we might focus on nervous system regulation through breathwork, mindful movement sequences, manual therapy, or strategizing the development of new habits or routines.

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

Recent successes: Having the President of AOTA fly across the country to visit me to learn about the work that I’m doing! And continued conversations with different community partners about exciting collaboration opportunities. Lows/challenges: As a private practice owner, navigating all of the To Do’s. It sometimes feels as though things are falling through the cracks or as though I’m not always able to build momentum with my business in the way that I would like to. I also have some money mindset challenges I continue to navigate.

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

One of my strengths is a love of learning – especially when it comes to topics I’m deeply passionate about. It’s easy for me to create a list of continuing education courses I feel excited to take each year.

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

My services are private pay – I do not bill insurance. I do provide superbills for clients who want them. I also provide sliding scale services for clients who have the need. I also get paid as a consultant when I provide educational workshops/webinars for different organizations. This has been a consistent funding stream for me.

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

Follow your curiosities. Explore what feels interesting to you. You never know what direction it might take you.

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

You have to take a certain number of trainings before you’re ready to dive into this specialty. Not the case. You have powerful tools in your toolkit already.

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

IG: @supportedmama

Website: www.supportedmama.com

Email: carlin@supportedmama.com

Occupational Therapists in Maternal Health https://www.otsinmaternalhealth.com/

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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