The Cognitive Capacity Chat

You walked out of uni expected to just know how to manage a complex caseload, regulate after a tricky client, and write the case note before you've finished the drive home. No one taught you that. And no one's named that this is the job underneath the job.In this episode I talk about why I built the Cognitive Capacity Reset — and the moment four years ago that started it. We get into why we don't have the language to bring cognitive load to supervision, why community OTs are already climbing a mountain every day, and what to do instead of downloading another app.The Reset is live Monday May 4th. Code PODCAST gets you in for $24 until Monday. imogenot.com.auSign up to my newsletter.Follow me on Instagram.Connect on LinkedIn.

If you’ve ever sat there and questioned if you’re actually a “good mum”… this is for you.In this episode, I talk about:This isn’t about doing more.It’s about reducing what your brain is responsible for.  what I’m actually holding right now, and how   why so many therapist mums feel like they’re constantly split If you’re feeling like your brain never switches off, I’ve created something for you.My private podcast is designed to help you reduce your cognitive load in just 20 minutes a day.It’s available through my newsletter. You can sign up to get access.Sign up to my newsletter.Follow me on Instagram.Connect on LinkedIn.

In this episode, we're looking at collaboration through a functional cognition lens and making the case that effective communication isn't just about what you're transmitting. It's about the cognitive state of the person receiving it.Whether you're writing to an NDIS planner at the end of a saturated workday, creating instructions for a support worker who'll pull them out in an emergency, or trying to build genuine trust with a client who's already exhausted from navigating the system — the information alone isn't enough. You need to understand who's reading it, what they're carrying, and how to structure your communication to actually meet them there.We cover:Why your NDIS reports aren't landing (and it's not the clinical content)A real example: writing two completely different hoist transfer documents for the same client — and why that was the right callThe hidden cognitive load your clients are carrying before you even walk in the doorPractical strategies: email summaries, decision tables, equipment portfolios — and why these are functional cognition interventions, not just admin toolsThis is the clinical skill we weren't trained in. Let's fix that.Sign up to my newsletter.Follow me on Instagram.Connect on LinkedIn.

AI is creeping into therapy work in a way that feels helpful and risky at the same time. I’m talking about what happens when we start using AI to write our reports, our notes, and even our thinking, especially when we’re overloaded and just trying to get through the week. I love AI for the right jobs, but I’m seeing a pattern: when the cognitive load is high, we reach for shortcuts, and the quality of our clinical reasoning can quietly slide.We dig into why AI can’t truly formulate a clinical opinion, and why that matters when you’re writing for real humans and for funding bodies like the NDIS. A report needs a clear line from functional impairment to disability to recommendation. If the output is generic, vague, or just “words on a page”, it can create more work, not less, and it can leave you unable to stand behind what’s written. I also cover privacy and professional integrity, including the very real issue of AI generating fake references and the need to keep client information protected.Then we get practical. I share where AI is genuinely useful for therapists: structuring case notes from your own voice memos, holding information outside your working memory, helping with content ideas, transcription, and even supporting scheduling systems when you set them up intentionally. I also talk about the specific risk for early career therapists, because using AI before you learn to think can delay the exact skills you need to grow into a confident clinician.If this hits home, subscribe, share it with a therapist friend, and leave a review so more clinicians can find it. What’s one task you think AI should never touch in therapy practice?Sign up to my newsletter.Follow me on Instagram.Connect on LinkedIn.

 You were trained to be an excellent clinician. You were not trained to manage the mental load of actually being one. In this episode, Imogen unpacks why systems and processes aren't just admin, they're cognitive load tools. She walks through the ones she uses in her own practice (seating proformas, task databases, Heidi AI, voice-to-text) and gives you a framework for auditing what you actually need — not just chasing the shiny new app. If you're going home with work still whirring in your head, this one's for you. Sign up to my newsletter.Follow me on Instagram.Connect on LinkedIn.

If you’re a community or occupational therapist who finishes the day feeling heavy, scattered, or constantly behind, this episode will make sense of why.In this episode of The Cognitive Capacity Chat, I dive into cognitive load and why it is foundational to how we function as therapists.Cognitive load is the amount of information your brain is holding, processing, juggling and anticipating at any one time. Your calendar. Your reports. Your emails. Your open loops. Your energy. Your sleep.And as therapists, we rely on executive function all day. Planning. Decision making. Organisation. Emotional regulation. Clinical reasoning.When cognitive load is too high, executive function drops. Report writing feels harder. You start avoiding tasks. You check your inbox more. You feel behind, even when you are working hard.In this episode, we explore: What cognitive load actually is  How cognitive load impacts executive function and functional cognition  Why community therapy increases cognitive demand  The highway analogy, cars, lanes, and potholes  Practical ways to reduce cognitive load through systems and structure  How to protect your brain as your most important clinical tool If you want to optimise your workload, strengthen your executive function, and reduce burnout in community therapy, this episode will help you start reviewing your cognitive load.KEY TAKEAWAYS Cognitive load is a primary driver of overwhelm in therapists  High cognitive load reduces executive function and clinical capacity  Community therapy increases cognitive demand in ways we often underestimate  Systems and structure are essential to reduce cognitive load If this episode resonates, I’d love to hear how cognitive load is showing up in your work, send me a DM On instagram> Imogen_occupationaltherapistSign up to my newsletter.Follow me on Instagram.Connect on LinkedIn.

If you’re a community occupational therapist who feels mentally full before the day has even started, this episode is for you.In this short introduction to Cognitive Capacity Chat, I share why I started this podcast and what you can expect moving forward.We talk about:Why most therapists don’t have a time problem, but a cognitive load problem The gap between how cognition is taught and how it shows up in real clinical work Why feeling overwhelmed is often about overload, not inefficiency How a functional cognition lens can change the way you work This podcast is here to give you practical, real-world ways to understand cognition and apply it to your workflow, your thinking, and your capacity as a therapist.KEY TAKEAWAYS Cognitive load drives overwhelm in therapists  Cognition needs to be applied, not just understood  Overwhelm is often a capacity issue, not a performance issueSign up to my newsletter.Follow me on Instagram.Connect on LinkedIn.