Originally published July 25, 2026
Twenty-four years ago, as a baby OT, I had way more questions than answers (okay…maybe I still do 😅).
I had the OT theory. I had an enormous desire to help. But mostly, I spent a lot of those early years feeling like a deer in the headlights, having no idea what I was doing and hoping I could make a difference for each of my clients. Little did I know, these clients were about to become my greatest teachers.
Looking back over the past 24 years, I realized there are a handful of stories that completely changed the way I think about behavior, regulation, participation, and supporting neurodivergent people. Some start with mistakes. Many happened by complete accident. One involved a few Doc McStuffins toys. Every single one still shapes the way I practice today.


