April is Occupational Therapy Month as we honor our own Occupational Therapist, Sarah Malavasic!

As an occupational therapist, Sarah is a part of a vitally important profession that helps our clients participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Her holistic and customized approach to evaluations, interventions, and outcomes helps children participate in school and social situations, recover from injuries to regain skills and supports them in all circumstances that only occupational therapy can provide.

Please join us in congratulating Sarah for all of her efforts to help keep our students and staff healthy. Thank you for the work you do, your passion, your purpose, and your possibilities. You Rock! #OTMonth

We asked Sarah some questions:

How long have you worked as HGS OT?

I have worked at the House for 17years. I started as a critical care worker, then CCW, relief supervisor, shift supervisor, aftercare worker, and B2H before going back to school for my occupational therapy degree.

What's your favorite part about being an OT?

My favorite part about being an OT is that all that time and experience I built working with the clients translated directly. There is an understanding of how the world and environment impact our kids and how their experiences and trauma affect their function. Occupational therapy, in this setting, is looking at those things from an academic perspective. Plus, like I tell our kids, what better job is there than when you get to wear sneakers and play all day. Fun fact, play is the most crucial occupation for a child and one that many kids miss out on in their early development.

What makes this job worth it for you?

I have always seen the sacrifices of working here as worth it. There is no greater pursuit in life than to invest in the happiness and well-being of others. Our clients are so often written off, but oh, how they shine when people believe in them and teach them to believe in themselves. The look on their faces when they learn to value themselves makes it worth it.

Tell us about a time that you feel you personally made an impact in our students' or staff's lives. (Can be two separate situations).

I could list a thousand stories of how we all impact our students and each other, but the truth is the real difference is made a million little choices at a time, the smile first thing in the morning, the calm in the face of anger, the safe compassion. I genuinely believe that we are all infinitely powerful in that way. So I smile every morning, say hello, decide to show up when it is hard, and choose to live and lead by example.

Also, anything else you'd like to say about being an OT?

Occupational therapy is about helping people live the life they want in the best way that they can. Sometimes that doesn't look like they imagine, but at the end of the day, it's the destination that matters, not how we got there. All our paths are different. I feel lucky to be able to hand so many people their map.