Grow With Us!

What does it really look like to go from assistant to licensed therapist, while working, studying, and balancing real life?In this episode of Beyond the Caseload, Tara sits down with Justin to talk about his journey from COTA to OTR and what it means to truly grow within a company.Justin shares what inspired him to return to grad school, how working as an assistant gave him an edge, and why doing his fieldwork rotation within the company helped ease the transition into his new role. From juggling part-time work with online coursework to navigating full-time fieldwork hours, he offers honest insight into what’s realistic and what takes intentional planning.In this episode, we cover:• Deciding when it’s the “right time” to go back to school• How assistant experience can strengthen graduate training• Balancing work, school, and burnout prevention• The value of mentorship during fieldwork rotations• Why getting out of your comfort zone (hello, administering testing!) matters• The importance of staying connected to your team while in school• Practical advice for staying organized and protecting work-life balanceIf you’re a COTA considering a bridge program, an SLPA thinking about grad school, or simply someone wondering if it’s possible to grow your career without leaving your workplace, this episode is for you.Sponsored by Galileo for Kids, supporting strength, balance, and meaningful progress in pediatric therapy.Follow the show and join us next time as we continue exploring what it means to grow beyond the caseload.