Are you an OT, OTA, a new grad, or a seasoned clinician curious about or employed in a role-emerging or non-traditional practice area & looking for support?
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Guidance and Mentorship options for all levels of OTPs wherever your career transition may be.
I am passionate about developing OT programs in non-traditional and emerging practice areas of Occupational Therapy (OT) and connecting students and therapists with the resources they need to succeed in these settings.
All clinicians can benefit from learning how to best utilize their interests, passions, skills, and knowledge to facilitate career satisfaction as well as function & change in the lives of their clients and patients.
Hello OT Friends!
I’m Patricia Motus, OTR/L, RYT
As an OT with over 20 years of unique clinical experiences in non-traditional psychosocial settings, I am committed and well-suited to assist providers who wish to become successfully employed in these emerging practice areas. I have extensive mental health experience from work in domestic violence programs, adult day treatment, vocational programs, homeless shelters, group homes, sheltered workshops, outpatient and residential environments….settings where OT is uncommon.
My therapy experience also extends to holistic wellness, as I am a registered yoga teacher who incorporates complementary and integrative modalities into my OT practice.
Since 2000, I have been mentoring, supervising, and teaching various levels of OT students from academic institutions throughout the country in my roles as fieldwork educator, program developer, guest lecturer, and adjunct professor.
I have designed and developed 8 non-traditional programs to simultaneously provide OTs with exposure to unique practice areas and to introduce occupational therapy to the populations within these settings.
I have been a recipient of multiple awards for my accomplishments, which have been reflected in my dedication to preparing students as they enter various settings. My demonstrated ability to serve as a mentor, supervisor, and program developer makes me a wonderful resource to anyone seeking assistance within these areas of occupational therapy.
For Students
Support for students at any point in their academic journey.
While there are many ways to find informal mentorship, like networking on platforms such as LinkedIn and attending conferences, there is little substitute for connecting with an occupational therapy professional who has experience in your practice areas of interest. I have the experience and knowledge to skillfully guide you. Mentoring offerings are offered 1:1 and in groups and will be catered to meet each student’s needs.
For Practicing OTs and OTAs
Support for providers at any point in their career, with a focus on transitions from standard clinical settings to emerging practice areas or non-traditional practice settings.
Group Mentorship
There is strength in numbers and, as such, group mentoring, coaching and guidance is another offering used to encourage a student or clinician’s professional growth. Groups focus on common practice-related themes, including transitioning to emerging areas for OT, career planning, enhancing job satisfaction, and being an effective provider in any setting. The group’s topics are flexible and continuously adjust to suit the needs of its members.
Start an OT Program
This service involves conducting a program needs assessment followed by the development of a life management program with a population/community specific focus on mental health and psychosocial needs, wellness & prevention, health education and literacy.
Guest Lectures & Consultations
In-person or virtual lectures for Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant programs on topics related to emerging practice areas in psychosocial OT, community mental health, holistic, complementary, and integrative approaches. Also available for private consultations.
Testimonials
“I’ve had the pleasure to work with Patricia for 11 years! I have seen firsthand her compassion working with domestic violence survivors with disabilities. She managed and developed an amazing internship program at Barrier Free Living which had folks coming from around the country to train alongside her. Patricia is a team player, honest, and creative and I would work again with her if provided the opportunity.”
— Cynthia Amodeo- Chief Program Officer, Barrier Free Living, Inc.
“Patricia demonstrates exceptional supervision skills. She expects a lot from her students and she provides an overwhelming amount of feedback on clinical and professional performance. Her attention to detail in regard to student learning allowed me to grow personally and professionally. Every piece of feedback and critique came from a place of genuine concern and care for my success as a professional. This passionate aspect of her character was also noticeable while observing her interact with her clients. The evaluation process for an occupational therapist can be lengthy and a challenging endeavor in any setting. Patricia’s feedback as I learned how to navigate evaluations and communication with a multidisciplinary team was extremely beneficial. Her teaching style encouraged appropriate rationale for every clinical decision. This allowed me and other students to take responsibility for everything we said and everything we did! Most importantly it allowed me to really develop my critical thinking skills as well as how to articulate what I’m saying in a way that can be best understood by the listener whether it’s a supervisor, a client, a patient our a future colleague.”
— Shannon Spaulding, MA, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist for NYC Health + Hospitals
“I worked with Patricia Motus for more than 10 years in New York City when she created innovative mental health fieldwork sites in non-traditional settings, including domestic violence residences and housing for formerly homeless individuals with physical disabilities. Patricia employed a holistic approach, held her students to a high standard of care, and brought excellent occupational therapy services to the community.”
— Emily Raphael-Greenfield, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Special Lecturer, Programs in Occupational Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University
“I received mentoring from Patricia during my Occupational Therapy fieldwork placement while in school in a domestic violence shelter, a non-traditional setting for OT. While in the setting, I took part in delivering the occupational therapy services that Patricia had established there. I noticed right away the great care and attention she had taken to design and implement the program. The value and nurturance that this program brought to the clients were tremendous, assisting them to adopt necessary life skills and reach their goals. Patricia was a wonderful mentor and gave me just the right support and encouragement I needed to feel confident to fulfill my role as an occupational therapist, while also fostering my ability to formulate comprehensive and effective treatment plans and sessions with greater autonomy. She encouraged me and my colleagues to ask questions and give our input, treating us as equals. Her passion for mentorship and occupational program development showed. Today, I work in acute care and am starting my own business, and I thank Patricia for her guidance and support which helped me to become the driven, client-centered professional woman I am today.
— Joann LaGreca, OTR/L, CYT, Holistic Health Coach
“Patricia was my level 2 fieldwork supervisor at Barrier Free Living, a shelter for domestic violence survivors with disabilities. She established a program that focused on individual and group therapy for social reintegration and life skills training. Upon our first meeting, I noticed her attention to detail, compassion, consistency, leadership skills, and proficiency, which were all of the reasons why the occupational therapy program was so effective and necessary at Barrier Free Living. She taught me graduate-level occupational therapy skills as an OTA student that motivated me to take on a more holistic approach to treatment. Those skills allowed me to think about the psychosocial components with as much urgency as the physical disabilities. Her guidance and feedback during my time at Barrier Free Living is part of my occupational therapy toolkit. Patricia taught me how to see the person before treating the disability. My experience working with Patricia has shaped me into the type of clinician I am today. I am thankful for her mentorship as I continue my occupational therapy journey toward graduate school.”
— Diedre Ippolito, COTA/L, former Level II Intern at Barrier Free Living.
“I had the honor of working with Ms. Motus as her manager in a program servicing the severely and persistently mentally ill in an outpatient hospital setting at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Cornell Medical Center. She was a role model with all the OT interns designing a meaningful internship where they were able to develop as clinicians while embracing the psychosocial rehabilitation model. More importantly, she was an exceptional clinician who treated each of her clients with compassion and care. Ms. Motus also took an active role in regulatory reviews and helped in the designing and development of a unique program in New York City. Her enthusiasm and commitment to both the patient population and to the program were truly inspiring.”
— Joan Feder MA, OTR/L, former Manager of Outpatient Psychosocial Rehabilitation, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Cornell Medical Center
“Patricia was my first ever level 2 fieldwork supervisor at Barrier Free Living Transitional Living Shelter and then later my colleague at Project Renewal. Patricia is inspirational in her knowledge about our clients and truly passionate about her work as a mental health OT that was contagious. Through her guidance, I gained a deeper understanding of the unique needs and experiences of our clients in the shelter and how to grow in an innovative OT field..”
— Celina Zapiti, OTR/L, former Level II Intern at Barrier Free Living