PODCAST · health
Occupied
by Brock Cook
A podcast about Occupational Therapy for Occupational Therapists.
Episodes
-
195 – Book Club – The Comfort Crisis
In this episode I'm unpacking Michael Easter's The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self — his argument that modern life has engineered discomfort out of almost everything, and what that's quietly costing us physically and mentally. I'm looking at it through...
-
194 – Self Reflection on my Personal Development Project
In this episode, I reflect on the first month of a new self-development routine built around getting up earlier, journalling, habit tracking and taking a bit more time to reflect. I talk about what I’ve been trying and what I’ve noticed so far. Development shows benefits I’m starting to see, and...
-
193 – Leading with Creativity and Advocacy: Adam Lo OAM
In this episode of Occupied, Jess sits down with Adam Lo OAM to explore an inspiring career spanning clinical practice, leadership, advocacy, and the arts. Adam shares his experiences working in Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS) and discusses the unique role occupational therapists...
-
192 – The Blessing of Not Fitting In ft Mallory Reilly
In this episode of Occupied, Brock sits down with Mallory Reilly, an occupational therapist who never quite felt like she fit the traditional OT mould. Rather than forcing herself into a version of practice that didn’t feel right, Mallory forged her own path — blending her OT knowledge, clinical...
-
191 – Leadership, Inclusion & Impact ft Angus Buchanan
In this episode of Occupied, Jess sits down with occupational therapist Angus Buchanan to explore a career that has spanned clinical practice, academia, and leadership as a Head of School. Angus shares reflections from his recent keynote address at the National Occupational Therapy Conference in...
-
190 – Born to be a Pediatric OT ft. Greg Santucci
Greg Santucci is an internationally recognised paediatric occupational therapist with over 26 years experience. He is a clinical leader, educator and creator of the Model of Child Engagement, known for making complex neurodevelopmental concepts practical and usable. We sat down and chatted about...
-
189 – From PhD to Practice: Evidence, Occupation & Knowledge Translation
In this solo episode of Occupied, Dr Jessica Levick reflects on her PhD journey and explores what evidence-based practice really means for occupational therapists. Why does it take an average of 17 years for research to reach routine clinical practice? Why does strong evidence alone fail to…
more -
188 – The Nitty-Gritty about Burnout
Burnout gets talked about a lot — but rarely with clarity. In this episode, Brock and Jess unpack the biology of burnout and challenge the flood of non-evidence-based ideas circulating online. If you’ve ever been told burnout is “just stress,” “just poor boundaries,” or something you can fix with…
more -
187 – 12 Months of Following Along the Newgrad Experience ft Courtnee Bertucci
More than a year in the making, this episode follows Courtnee Bertucci across three check-ins throughout her first year as a new graduate Occupational Therapist. Instead of a single retrospective reflection, we captured her experience in real time — documenting the emotional shifts, clinical...
-
186 – Intimacy, Identity, and OT Practice ft Emilie Chong
Sex and intimacy are core parts of everyday life—but they’re often left out of healthcare conversations. In this episode, we chat with Emilie Chong about sexual expression as an occupation and the role of occupational therapists in supporting clients’ intimacy and wellbeing. We cover: Why sex is...
-
185 – An Incredible Career in the Greatest Profession ft Prof Mandy Stanley
In this special episode of Occupied, we sit down with Professor Mandy Stanley to reflect on an extraordinary career in occupational therapy as she steps into retirement. Mandy shares the story behind her journey in OT — from early clinical practice to leadership, academia, and shaping the...
-
184 – 2025 in Review & Setting Intentions for 2026
In this reflective end-of-year episode of Occupied, hosts Brock and Jess take a moment to pause, look back, and make sense of 2025 — both personally and professionally. Together, they unpack the highs, the hard bits, and the unexpected lessons that shaped the year, before turning their attention…
more -
183 – Lived Experience and Practice: A Conversation with Mental Health Nurse Ayden Riethmuller
In this episode of Occupied, Dr Jessica Levick sits down with mental health nurse Ayden Riethmuller to explore the powerful intersection between lived experience and professional practice. Ayden shares his personal journey with mental health challenges and how these experiences have shaped his...
-
182 – Doing, Being, Becoming Collective ft Brad Williams
In this episode, Brock sits down with Brad from The Becoming Collective to unpack what it really means to come into alignment with the profession of occupational therapy — and what happens when we drift away from it. Brad opens up about the origins of The Becoming Collective, how it started as a...
-
181 – Leading Change and Shaping the Future of Occupational Therapy with Professor Elspeth Froude
In this episode of Occupied, Dr Jessica Levick chats with Professor Elspeth Froude — Professor of Occupational Therapy and National Head of the School of Allied Health at the Australian Catholic University. Elspeth shares insights from her leadership journey in academia, her passion for advancing...
-
180 – Knowledge Translation and Lifelong Learning with Dr Kieran Broome
In this episode of Occupied, Dr Jessica Levick is joined by Dr Kieran Broome — occupational therapist, educator, and researcher, to explore how we can bridge the gap between what we know and what we do. We unpack the concept of knowledge translation and why it’s essential for meaningful,...
-
179 – Private Practice with a Recovering People Pleaser ft Joey Peppas
In this episode, I’m joined by Joey Peppas, an occupational therapist running her own private practice. Together, we dig deep into the less-talked-about realities of our profession—being a people pleaser, battling imposter syndrome, and the unique personality traits that often draw us into OT in...
-
178 – Life and Leadership with the new AOTA President – Dr Arameh Anvarizadeh
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh, the newly elected president of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). We dive into her journey into occupational therapy, the experiences that shaped her leadership, and the values guiding her work at the highest level of the...
-
177 – A New Clinical Reasoning Model with Dr Craig Greber
Join Brock and Jess as they chat with Dr Craig Greber about an exciting new model of clinical reasoning he’s helped to develop. Craig shares insights into the origins of this innovative approach, how it can enhance occupational therapy practice, and why clinical reasoning remains critical to the...
-
176 – Reflections from the 2025 Occupational Therapy Australia National Conference
Brock and Jess chat and explore her firsthand experiences attending the 2025 Occupational Therapy Australia National Conference. She explores the highlights, key insights, and areas for improvement from her perspective. Adding depth to the conversation, you’ll also hear reflections from a diverse...
-
175 – Academia Highs and Lows
In this candid conversation, Brock and Jess dive into the rewarding yet challenging world of academia within occupational therapy. They discuss the genuine highs, the unexpected lows, and share personal insights about navigating life as educators, researchers, and clinicians. Expect reflections…
more -
174 – Recovery-Oriented Practice in Mental Health with Martin Staines
In Episode 174 of Occupied, host Dr Jessica Levick speaks with Martin Staines, an Advanced Occupational Therapist with a deep commitment to recovery-oriented practice in mental health. Martin shares reflections from his extensive clinical experience, exploring how occupational therapists can work...
-
173 – OT Australia’s Chief Occupational Therapist Michelle Oliver
In this episode of Occupied, I sit down with Michelle Oliver, Australia’s first-ever Chief Occupational Therapist, for an inspiring and insightful conversation about her journey, her vision for the profession, and the evolving landscape of occupational therapy in Australia. We dive into…
more -
172 – Navigating Complex Clinical Environments with Dr Theo Theodoros
In Episode 172 of Occupied, co-host Dr Jessica Levick speaks with consultant psychiatrist Dr Theo Theodoros to explore the realities of working in challenging, complex and high-pressure healthcare environments. Drawing from his extensive experience in mental health settings including High...
-
2 Fast 2 Curious: Occupied Reloaded
Welcome back to the Occupied Podcast! After a significant hiatus, we’re rebooting with fresh perspectives, exciting content, and most importantly, a brand-new co-host—Jessica Levick. In this special reboot episode:Meet Jessica Levick: Get to know Jessica, her professional background in…
more -
170 – Digital Identity Influencers and Mental Health ft Dr Jessica Levick
In this episode I sit down with Dr. Jessica Levick to explore the intersection of identity, social media, and the commercialisation of mental health. Together, we unpack the growing influence of social media personalities on mental health narratives, discussing both the opportunities and the...
-
169 – EquipMeOT ft Lindsay DeLong
In this inspiring episode of Occupied, I sit down with the multi-talented Lindsay DeLong, an occupational therapist and online content creator known for her innovative videos on assistive technologies. Lindsay shares her journey of merging her passion for occupational therapy with her creative...
-
168 – Critical Thinking 101
In the latest episode of our podcast, we delve into the fascinating topic of Critical Thinking and its significance in our daily lives. We aim to unravel the mysteries of this crucial skill set, often overlooked yet essential for personal growth and informed decision-making. We’ll discuss…
more -
167 – How to improve your Interviewing
Today’s episode is all about mastering interviews, whether you’re sitting in the hot seat or the one steering the conversation. We’re unpacking everything from breaking down interview myths to post-interview protocols in a way that’s easy to digest and even easier to put into action. First off,...
-
166 – Call out your Whiteness ft Helen Harrington and Marielle Turner
Welcome to the latest episode where we explore the intricate dynamics of racial identity, privilege, and the role of white individuals in addressing systemic racism. In this episode, I’m joined by Helen Harrington and Marielle Turner and we embark on a journey of self-reflection and…
more -
165 – Celebrate the Little Wins
Never in my wildest dreams did I see us getting here. Last night we clocked over….half a million downloads!! That’s right…500,000 🫣 164 episodes500,000+ downloads98 amazing guests174+hours of original content released225+hrs of recording556gig of raw audio files160 countries reached58 different...
-
164 – OTAus2023 Reflections
1 Month on from the OT Australia National Conference in Cairns and these are some reflections from the event! Look after yourself, look after others, and always keep Occupied [email protected]@me.com
-
163 – Do we all need to be Occupational Scientists?
Was listening to OT & Chill recently and something from this episode triggered my brain into thought! Occupational Scientists are important but do we all need to be qualified occupational scientists? Look after yourself, look after others, and always keep Occupied [email protected]@me.com
-
162 – Trauma Informed Occupational Therapy ft Marie Bell
I explore my friend, Marie’s, journey into working with kids with trauma and some of the considerations that need to be made by clinicians when working in this kind of area. Look after yourself, look after others, and always keep Occupied [email protected]@me.com
-
161 – ALL ABOUT OCCUPATION ft Assoc Prof Genevieve Pepin
Genevieve Pepin Associate Professor Higher Degree Research Director Deakin University, Australia Session title Occupational Therapy and Eating Disorders…. Seriously, it is that hard to understand? Session details (CW & TW // eating disorders) The main aim of this presentation is to share the...
-
160 – Catching Up with Ms OT Flourish ft Mandy Chamberlain
If you’re on social media and don’t know Mandy then are you really on social media? Mandy is not only a beautiful person but has been in the online space helping therapists and students grow and learn into the profession. Look after yourself, look after others, and always keep Occupied...
-
159 – The Independence Myth
What does being Independent mean? why does it always seem to be an OT’s goal for their clients? Is it even possible? A long time bug bear that I decided to have a deeper look into. Part of this ep looks at info from the included article. Tamaru, A., McColl, M, A., & Yamasaki, S. (2007)...
-
158 – ALL ABOUT OCCUPATION ft Karina Sanson-Fisher
Karina Sanson-Fisher Occupational therapist in Mulubinba (Newcastle), Australia Instagram @doing.therapy Session title Doing Drugs: Occupational therapy and alcohol and other drugs Session details This session explores an occupational therapy role working with people who use alcohol and other...
-
157 – Lessons I’ve Learned Pushing OT Into The Digital World
Absolutely honoured to be asked to deliver the keynote for the Wisconsin OT Association virtual conference. This is that presentation as well as the Q&A at the end of it for your consumption. Look after yourself, look after others, and always keep Occupied [email protected]@me.com...
-
156 – The Memory OT ft Allison Brush
If you’re like me you are aware that memory is a thing. You may even know there are different types etc but for many this is the extent of it. Allison Brush IS the Memory OT. I came across her page on Insta where she puts out awesome content around the OT’s role when working with people whose...
-
155 – ALL ABOUT OCCUPATION ft Clare Hocking
Time for a secret sneaky episode! featuring the one and only Claire Hocking doing her All About Occupation Seminar For more and how to register for future seminars, see: https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/occupation/
-
154 – The State of the Profession
So I’ve been asked a fair bit about where I think the profession is at right now and where I think it’s going. So here is a short and sweet exploration of that exact topic…..or is it…. Look after yourself, look after others, and always keep Occupied [email protected]@me.com
-
153 – How To/Not to Enact Change in the Profession ft Clarice Grote
Clarice and I connected online after a little social media break when I arrived to a bunch of online controversy regarding a movement being pushed to change the profession in a variety of ways. We decided that we would get together and have a chat and break down some of the points logically and…
more -
152 – ALL ABOUT OCCUPATION ft Jaime Leite Junior
Session Title: Dissident Genders and Sexualities and Life Possibilities Session Details This seminar aims to create a dialogue about the possibilities of life faced by the population who experience dissidence of genders and sexualities. Taking the Brazilian reality as a central example, the...
-
151 – Can Anyone Be a Dope Leader?
This Episode was recorded around April 2021. Leadership is a topic that everyone has come across during their studies, career, sports engagement or just general life but how’s your knowledge about what it actually is? This episode we decided to bounce around the idea of leadership and pick it…
more -
150 – Why do we need to talk about Occupational Therapy?
Welcome to Occupied 3.0. Some of you may have noticed a lack of episodes recently, and for that unannounced break I apologised. But I’m back and I’m inspired to continue bringing you more regular eps and interviews again! A hot topic every April during OT month. Why does no-one know what we do? I...
-
149 – Rural Practice as a Newgrad ft Holly Gawthorne
You may have heard her on the Holly the OT podcast and if not then definitely get on that! Holly works in a super remote Australian town called Lightening Ridge. Her experience of the newgrad transition on top of working super remote is unique and one that everyone can take lessons from. Look…
more -
148 – ALL ABOUT OCCUPATION ft Sakshi Tickoo
Session Title Sexuality as an Occupation Session Details Human sexuality is an ongoing occupation that develops at each stage of an individual’s life. This session will focus on understanding the basics of sexuality and the various ways it translates into human occupations. It will also explore…
more -
147 – Should Therapy be Conducted Outdoors
Our Roundtable Brad: Brad Williams is an occupational therapist based in Adelaide, Australia and enjoys thinking deeply about why we do things the way we do and shaking things up or trying new things when there might be better ways of doing things. Brad created Naturally Gathered with the mission...
-
146 – Eating Disorders Program Followup ft Carissa Gualano
Carissa returns to the podcast! During her last episode (OCCUPIED 123) she discussed her personal experience with eating disorders and was about to embark on her doctoral project. She has now completed that project and has come back to talk about how it went. Look after yourself, look after…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Occupied have?
Occupied currently has 134 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Occupied about?
A podcast about Occupational Therapy for Occupational Therapists.
How often does Occupied release new episodes?
Occupied publishes regularly with 134 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Occupied?
You can listen to Occupied on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Occupied?
Occupied is created and hosted by Brock Cook.
URL copied to clipboard!