GET to Know Kate Schwartz
Get ready to meet the incredible Kate Schwartz, GET's newest Occupational Therapist!
In this exclusive interview, we dive into Kate's passion for helping kids understand how their brain and body work together, and why feelings truly matter. Kate believes in empowering children to express their emotions in healthy ways. She emphasizes that it's okay to feel like screaming and running around when we're overwhelmed, but it's not okay to act on those impulses. So what can we do instead?
With her warm personality and genuine care for her young clients, Kate is making a significant impact on the lives of children and their families. Her dedication to teaching kids about self-regulation is changing the way they navigate through challenging situations.
So get ready to be inspired as we delve into this fascinating conversation with Kate Schwartz - an Occupational Therapist who is transforming lives one child at a time!
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself
I received my master’s in occupational therapy from the University of Puget Sound and have been practicing since 2013. I have worked in a variety of settings with both children and adults including hospitals, mental health facilities, outpatient clinics, schools, and virtual therapy in areas including daily life skills, handwriting, fine motor, gross motor and sensory integration skills. I live in a multigenerational home with my spouse, daughter, parents, and dog in my hometown of Los Angeles.
2. What are your areas of expertise?
My area of expertise is in utilizing a holistic therapeutic approach that considers the needs of all in the family, with a focus on emotional regulation and sensory processing skills.
3. Why are you passionate about occupational therapy?
I love that occupational therapy meets people where they are at and takes a collaborative approach to best meet an individual's needs. It honestly can be hard to summarize what occupational therapy is because it can include almost anything and everything that is meaningful to you and how you spend your time by yourself, with friends, family, and different environments such as in school, the home, or the playground! I think some of the most important aspects that underlie everything in occupational therapy is helping kids (really anyone of any age!) to understand how their brain and body works and to empower kids to recognize that every feeling they feel matters. And to recognize that other people (like a parent, sibling, or classmate) have a unique brain and body that has their own set of feelings that they express in different ways and those feelings matter too!
At the same time, it is important to recognize that all feelings matter but that sometimes we can behave or act in ways that might be out of our control and that not every behavior is ok, but this does not mean "I am a bad kid." For example, it's ok to sometimes feel frustrated that you have to be at school sitting at your desk to learn a subject that might feel hard to do. It's ok to feel like you want to get up and scream and run around the classroom but it isn't ok to actually do these things. What can you do for your body instead? How can we focus on what the child can do instead of what they cannot do? Can the child recognize that maybe their body needs alternative seating such as a wobble cushion to sit on so they can both get the movement their body needs while also being in their seat? Can we add a chew fidget tool to the eraser of their pencil if it feels like their mouth needs to chew on something instead of screaming or chewing on the back of their pencil when they are working on handwriting? Can we incorporate a healthy "sensory diet" throughout the day where the child can get the sensory input they need, such as ample opportunity to move their bodies on the playground or in P.E. in a way that is goal directed and feels purposeful to the child? In doing so, maybe we can reduce the instances where a child feels so out of control in their body that they exhibit behaviors we as adults might label as "challenging' but is a way that the child is trying to communicate to us that they are trying to help their own bodies. How can we help children recognize their feelings, acknowledge and accept these feelings; not label them as "good" or "bad," just that they are there? Occupational therapy can help kids move through these feelings and to identify unique ways to help their own brains and bodies so that they can feel empowered at school, as a member of their family or being a friend. For example, occupational therapy can help kids in their role as a student who is learning how to handwrite; how to start, follow through and complete an assignment on time; how to play and work with other students; and any of the other many roles a child has.
4. Is online occupational therapy effective?
Yes! It is incredible that I can meet with kids and their families and we can be in different parts of the world! For online occupational therapy to be effective for a younger child or a child that may need more support, it is important for a caregiver to be present to assist the child to fully participate in the session. For an older child, or a child who needs less support, since so much of life is often virtual, I think online therapy can help to make kids feel more at ease with the process.
5. What does a typical session look like?
As with most things in occupational therapy...it depends! I try to meet the child where they are at that moment. Certainly, everyone is different and it depends on the age and needs of the child, however, I generally like to do an age-appropriate check-in to see where the child is at to build awareness of how they are feeling in their body. If it is a young child or a child with less verbal expression, I will try to narrate what behaviors I'm seeing and try to ascertain what I think they may be feeling based on those behaviors. For example, if a child is mildly fidgeting or squirming around, I might say, "I notice it looks like your body wants to move, what can we do to help your body?" However, if I notice a child is exhibiting behaviors that are more out of control and see that they are at a place where their brain and body is not in a place where they are regulated to take in or learn any information, or generate ideas as to how they can help themselves, I will take a more directive approach. For example, I might say, "it looks like your engine is running really fast" and then direct them to engage in a simple, rhythmic physical activity that stimulates their proprioceptive sense which provides input to their muscles and joints and tends to help calm and regulate an overactive sensory system. It's a bit like, "getting your wiggles out." For example, I might say, "Let's do eight jumping jacks" and I will count in a slower, rhythmic way that sets a calmer tone This can help tune them into the behaviors they are exhibiting, how they might be feeling inside, and what they can physically do to help themselves to regulate their bodies. Once the child is hopefully in a more regulated place, we can move to working on any of the specific goals a child is working on such as daily life skills, handwriting, fine motor, gross motor and sensory integration skills
Additional Questions for Kate or regarding Global Education Therapy’s online occupational therapy services? Send us a message below or text us via WhatsApp!
