Becoming a mama is arguably the biggest role change someone will ever experience. The occupation of motherhood is beautiful, exhausting, chaotic, but so amazing. It’s life changing in so many ways - mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and of course financially. But how exactly does becoming a mama change us an OT? And what happens when we decide we want to pause our career as an OT to pursue motherhood full time? What do those sacrifices look like? Today on the show I’m joined by my very sweet friend, Ally Owen, who is an occupational therapist and fellow stay at home mama. In this conversation we take a deep dive into the occupation of motherhood and particularly what it’s like being stay at home OT mama’s and the silent sacrifices that we’ve had to make to make this dream we have for our motherhood journey a reality. So, if you’re an aspiring OT mama or current OT mama who is thinking about how your career may be shifting or need to shift in order to accommodate for this new role, and the financial implications that may bring, then this is the episode for you.

Wow. I can't believe we're here. It's the final days of December and 2024 is right around the corner. Where in the world did this year go? I didn't pick a word of the year but if I could pick one now, it would be "transformative" because this has been a life changing year on so many levels. I became a mama, my family moved (a lot!), and I formed some of the most beautiful friendships and relationships of my life. So today's episode is a little different - it's less action packed, more chit chat. I really just wanted to catch up, chat about life updates, and of course talk about some goals (personal, financial, and business ones) as we enter into the new year. So grab your favorite holiday beverage, whether that's hot coco, apple cider, or even egg nog! Sit back, relax, and let's just have a chill end of year catch up. Sound like a plan, friend? Let's do it. 

Is it okay for occupational therapy practitioners to talk about money? I mean after all, we didn’t go into this career for the money, right? So is it really necessary for us to have these conversations? These are the questions that inspired today’s episode where we have a very special guest that I cannot wait for you to hear from. Joining me on the podcast is my dear friend, my EI bestie, and of course the amazing podcast guru, Sarah Putt, better known online as OT 4 Lyfe and we're chatting all about why occupational therapists need to be having these discussions about money. Our mission in this episode together is to normalize these conversations within the healthcare community, specifically as OTs, where we don’t have these discussions nearly enough. I know it may feel a little uncomfortable, because money is highly emotional, but I really encourage you to keep an open mind, and be receptive to the conversation because when we talk about money together, we learn, we grow, and ultimately, we can do better.

What exactly is the occupational therapy doctorate degree (OTD)? Do you really need a doctorate degree to become an OT? Will it be mandatory to have in order to practice one day? Is it a requirement to go into academia? Is it worth getting into even more debt? These are the questions that come up frequently when pre-OT students are considering becoming an OT. The masters vs doctorate debate is a hot topic in our profession and has been for quite some time. Depending on who you ask, the answer will be different. But of course, it’s me, so I’m always going to spin it back to the finances. So in today’s episode, I’m breaking down the OTD, including the questions to ask yourself if you’re considering getting it, and most importantly answering the question: is the OTD actually worth the price tag? Ready to get into it? Let’s go.