“I help people bridge the difference between what their bodies and brains are able to do and what their world requires them to do."
"I’ve always liked psychology and biology, so after a family friend suggested occupational therapy (OT), I went and met with some OTs and thought, “Yeah I really like that.” I graduated in 1994 with my Bachelors in occupational therapy and came to Fraser Health two years later.
OTs think differently – I like to call it “OT Brain”. I help people bridge the difference between what their bodies and brains are able to do and what their world requires them to do. Before I can help a person explore their world, I have to understand how the world impacts them. Today, I mostly help people with brain injuries after they suffer a stroke. I see lots of one-sided body weakness – they need to retrain their brains to think in new ways.
I most love working with other OTs, providing mentorship and support. It’s exciting to support the development of OT practice and thinking. The clinic I work at supports students. As part of the OT practice council, I enjoyed developing resources to spread knowledge and make the service easier for other OTs: helping them embrace holistic practice.
I like to read, watch Netflix and play Minecraft – I love digging stuff up and making things, like underground houses. In the summer my kids and I go camping – my son says its ‘glamping’ because we bring everything with us."
-- Lisa Madsen, Occupational Therapist, Queens Park Care Centre, Student Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic
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