Event Name/Course Title:  Occupational therapy to renew purpose in life: Expanding the profession’s impact and enriching our own lives 

Date of Event: Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Start Time: 6:00 pm End Time: 7:00 pm

Category: Presentation (Live online)  

Timed Agenda: 

Event Description: 

A growing body of evidence suggests that having a sense of purpose in life is important to health, longevity, and well-being. People who have experienced health and life transitions may be at-risk for purpose disruption and yet there is little in the literature about how this should be addressed, including in the occupational therapy literature. A team of clinicians and researchers at Courage Kenny/Allina Health are working to address this gap. In this presentation, we share early learnings from our purpose in life renewal research as a first step in ultimately equipping the occupational therapy profession to address this most central human need.

Speaker Credentials and Biographies:

Mary Vining Radomski, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is a senior scientific adviser and occupational therapist in Courage Kenny Research at Allina Health. She received her education at the University of Minnesota (BS in Occupational Therapy; MA and PhD in Educational Psychology). Her research and writing of the past two decades have centered on cognitive assessment and intervention for adults with mild cognitive dysfunction (including concussion) and purpose renewal after health transition. She is one of the developers of the Compass Course and the Compass Course Guidebook. 

Mattie Anheluk, OTR/L, MOT is an occupational therapist at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute and research therapist at Courage Kenny Research.  She specializes in outpatient neuro rehabilitation for adults. Her practice interests include cognitive rehabilitation and psychological wellbeing interventions including advancing focus on purpose in life. She has served as a co-investigator on multiple studies pertaining to purpose in life renewal after health transitions. She is currently a co-principal investigator on a new study related to purpose renewal for people with Mild Cognitive Impairment and is one of the developers of the Compass Course and the Compass Course Guidebook.

Joette Zola, OTR/L is an occupational therapist at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute and research therapist at Courage Kenny Research.  She has over 25 years of experience in outpatient neuro rehabilitation for adults. Her practice interests include cognitive rehabilitation and psychological wellbeing interventions including advancing focus on purpose in life. She has served as a co-investigator on multiple studies pertaining to purpose in life renewal after health transitions. She  is one of the developers of the Compass Course and the Compass Course Guidebook.

Learning Objectives:

After attending this MOTA presentation, participants will be able to:

• Describe the health and wellness benefits of endorsing a sense of purpose in life

• Propose how purpose in life relates to the purview of occupational therapy

• Summarize direct and indirect occupational therapy intervention approaches to helping clients reconnect with their sense of purpose in life

• Begin to reflect on purpose in their own lives

• Consider what they need to do next to learn more.

Target Audience: All

Level of Content: All -  Introductory, Intermediate, Advanced

AOTA Practice Area: Health & Wellness, Mental Health, Productive Aging, Rehabilitation & Disability, Work & Industry 

Contact Hours: 1.0

Fee: $5 for MOTA members, $30 for Non-MOTA members

Register Here