Episode Summary:
Host Simone Dudley and guest Sharon Majella discuss Sharon’s transition from early career occupational therapist to a more experienced role. Sharon shares her experiences working in a community private practice and the changes she has noticed in her role, such as taking on more independent work and mentoring new therapists. She also talks about the challenges she faced, including imposter syndrome, and the support she sought to navigate her new responsibilities. Sharon emphasises the importance of self-reflection and learning how to support others based on their individual learning styles. Sharon recommends a reflective practice tool provided by Occupational Therapy Australia. This tool helps break down experiences, prompting reflection on what happened during certain situations, how one felt, what was done, and considerations for future actions. It encourages therapists to think about their clinical reasoning and challenges them to reflect on their experiences in a structured way.