Grand Valley State University Occupational Science & Therapy

⚓️💙

Big recognition for GVSU's College of Health Professions! Three of our graduate programs ranked in the top 50% nationally in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings. ✔️ Master of Occupational Therapy — top 29% nationally ✔️ Doctor of Physical Therapy — top 42% nationally ✔️ Master of Physician Assistant Studies — top 45% nationally Congratulations to the faculty, staff, and students who make this possible. 💙 Read more about the rankings at the link in our bio.

🎉 Day 5 of Occupational Therapy Month and the Challenge is going strong!

Today's letter is… E 👀 ⚡

E is for:
✨ Emotional Regulation
✨ Energy Conservation
✨ Environmental Modifications
✨ Ergonomics
✨ Executive Functioning

The Es truly have it all! 🙌

OT meets people where they are. Whether that's helping someone with a chronic illness do more with the energy they have, designing a workspace that prevents injury before it starts, or building executive functioning skills so a child can thrive in the classroom.

That's the beauty of occupational therapy. It's not one-size-fits-all. It's personalized, purposeful, and powerful. 💪

What's your favorite E word in OT? Drop it below 👇

All events will be free to anyone that wishes to attend. Please watch for upcoming dates and times.

'Hugely capable': How people with disabilities are baking dog treats and breaking barriers in West Michigan Hope Network volunteers and Beer City Dog Biscuits' Brew Bakers are proving people with disabilities belong in the workplace, one biscuit at a time.

Listen up. The single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia is probably not what you think. 📄 Lin, F. R., Metter, E. J., O’Brien, R. J., Resnick, S. M., Zonderman, A. B., & Ferrucci, L. (2011). Hearing Loss and Incident Dementia. Archives of Neurology, 68(2), 214–220. #brainhealth #dementiaprevention #cognitivedecline #neuroscience #alzheimersprevention #betterbrainfitness #hearingmatters #performanceneurology

Yes we can 💪⚓️💙

This week Jenna Segraves, PT, DPT, NCS @plant_based_pt has been talking about Kelsey Mathias, OTR/L, PRPC nonstop @kelseymathiasot Three months ago Jenna had an emergent C-section complicated by gestational hypertension. Four days after coming home she was readmitted to the hospital with chest symptoms and signs of acute heart failure. When she returned home again, Kelsey came to the house 7 days postpartum for a home visit. At that point Jenna could barely tolerate two minutes of walking. Running wasn’t even a thought. But running is part of who Jenna is. It clears her mind, helps her process stress, and is one of the places she feels strong. Occupational therapists have a word for activities like that. They call them occupations. Not a job. The activities that shape someone’s identity and how they live their life. For Jenna, that occupation is running. So Kelsey started there. Not with a protocol. Not with a timeline someone else decided. She started with what Jenna wanted back. At first that meant walking for two minutes without feeling wiped out. Then a little longer. Then a little farther. This week, three months postpartum, Kelsey cleared Jenna to start running again. The difference in Jenna has been noticeable. Sometimes people hear stories like this and ask, “Wait… an OT can do that?” Treat pelvic health. Guide postpartum return-to-run programs. Work in orthopedics. See patients in their homes. Yes. Occupational therapists can do that. Kelsey has spent more than a decade working in maternal and pelvic health and co-led the redesign of the Army’s Pregnancy and Postpartum Performance Training (P3T) Program, training more than 1,000 Army leaders and impacting over 10,000 soldiers each year. Her work has also included consultation with military professionals and NASA as high-performance organizations rethink pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Occupational therapists help people return to the activities that shape their lives. For Jenna, that activity is simple. Running again🏃🏻‍♀️ ~ Rebeca Segraves, PT, DPT, WCS @rebecasegraves_

Free class about AI at GVSU

Curious about AI? GVSU offering free AI literacy course Grand Valley State University if offering a community members a free AI literacy course.

Do you know about MiGen? Check them out!

MiGen – Michigan LGBTQ+ Elders Network At MiGen, we believe everyone has earned the right to Age Out Loud. From housing and healthcare support to social events and training, we provide services, advocacy, social programs, and community connections to make life safer, more connected, more vibrant, and more fun for LGBTQ+ adults 45+.

A day in the life with lots of great adaptations and modifications.