Notes Due at Midnight

“I’m bad at everything.” “I’m stupid.” “I can’t do it.”

Hearing your child talk about themselves this way is heartbreaking—and saying “No, you’re amazing!” doesn’t always help.

In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, pediatric occupational therapist and mom Casey Openshaw talks about frustration, confidence, losing games, and wanting to quit when th...

Big ideas come easily to Casey. Organizing them, following through, and maintaining systems? That takes more work.

In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, Casey opens up about having ADHD while navigating life as an occupational therapist and practice owner. She shares how she’s applying her OT skills to her own challenges—from working with a coach to building staff training, setting clear deadlines, and protecting tim...

If saying “just take one bite” worked, pediatric feeding therapists would have a lot more free time.

In this episode, pediatric occupational therapist Casey Openshaw explains why picky eating is often more complicated than stubbornness. Eating involves smell, texture, taste, chewing, sensory processing, predictability, and sometimes past uncomfortable experiences—which means one tiny piece of broccoli can quickly b...

What happens when the business you worked so hard to build starts to feel really heavy?

In this honest—and still slightly funny—episode, Casey talks about the side of business ownership that doesn’t fit into the inspirational social media posts: staffing shortages, difficult decisions, three clinic locations, never-ending emails, and printers that seem personally committed to ruining someone’s Tuesday.

She ref...

On this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, Casey explains why some children hold it together all day at school....only to completely fall apart when they get home. She discusses masking, sensory overload, accumulated demands, fatigue, hunger, and why the broken granola bar is rarely the real problem. You’ll also learn practical ways to make the transition home easier, including creating time to decompress, reducing immediate d...

You tried deep breathing, the calm-down corner, sensory tools, counting, choices, and your most patient parenting voice...but your child is still completely overwhelmed. What are you supposed to do when none of the strategies seem to work?

In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, pediatric occupational therapist Casey Openshaw explains why children cannot always access familiar coping skills during a meltdown. She shares practical ...

Your child is screaming, throwing things, or refusing to move... and you’re wondering: Are they overwhelmed, trying to get their way, or simply misbehaving?

In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, pediatric occupational therapist Casey Openshaw explains the differences between meltdowns, tantrums, and challenging behavior; without labeling children as “bad.” She shares how to look beneath the behavior, recognize ...

From basket weaving to artificial intelligence, occupational therapy has come a long way... and this week, I’m reflecting on all of it.

I’m sharing our visit with Korro and the testimonials we provided, my upcoming opportunity to present with Ensora at Pedsapalooza, and the full-circle moment of watching my stepdaughter Reagan and niece Sarah head to Husson to begin their OT journeys.

Plus, a little OT history, how World ...

Content warning: This episode discusses the Lindsay Clancy case, child deaths, suicide, postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and parental mental-health crises.

The N in COPEN has always stood for Nurture—and I’ve always put it last. But after following the Lindsay Clancy trial and reflecting on my own experience with postpartum depression, I’m starting to wonder if I’ve had it backward.

In this heavier...

When did respecting our kids turn into letting them run the show? 😅

This week, I’m talking about something I see both as a pediatric OT and a mom: kids need a voice, choices, empathy, and validation...but they also need boundaries.

Your child is allowed to be mad at you. They’re allowed to hear “no.” They’re allowed to do things they don’t want to do. And sometimes, “I don’t wanna&rdqu...

When did having fun become something adults have to schedule?

After spending the day at the waterslides with Theo, I started thinking about play....not just why kids need it, but why adults do too. We spend so much time working, parenting, cleaning, answering emails, and checking off the next thing that sometimes we forget we're allowed to do things simply because they're fun.

In this episode, we're talking about play as an important...

Why do kids melt down over the wrong color cup while adults melt down over an email that starts with "Just following up..."? The truth is, emotional regulation isn't just a kid problem; it's a human problem. In this episode, Casey dives into what emotional regulation really means, why behavior is communication, and how understanding what's underneath the behavior can change the way we parent, teach, lead, and even treat ourselves. ...

What do lobster boats, blueberry fields, therapy sessions, and notes due at midnight all have in common? They all remind us that the most meaningful work usually happens when nobody's watching. In this episode, we're talking about showing up; through the hard days, the slow seasons, and the moments when the reward isn't immediate. From life in Downeast Maine to raising kids and building something that lasts, this episode is a remin...

What do ADHD, parenting, and occupational therapy have in common? More than you might think.

In this episode, I'm sharing how years of working with children with ADHD eventually helped me recognize it in myself—and how that journey inspired me to create COPEN (Coaching on Parenting and Emotional Navigation).

We'll talk about why behavior is communication, why parents are the most important part of a child's therapy journey, and...

In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, Casey shares the children she's never forgotten; from clients she worked with years ago in Texas to the foster children whose lives changed overnight, leaving only memories and unanswered questions. She reflects on how becoming Theo's mom changed the way she sees every family that walks through her clinic doors, why the best therapists educate and empower caregivers, and the reality of care...

Episode 3: Nobody Prepares You to Lead

Everyone talks about the exciting parts of owning a business—but no one talks about the messy middle.

In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, Casey shares the real story behind building a pediatric therapy practice in rural Maine, the incredible people who helped make it possible, and the leadership lessons she learned the hard way. From an employee introducing her to her husband, to dre...

Episode 2: The Scenic Route

Did you know I changed my college major seven times? In this episode, I share the winding path that led me to occupational therapy, from art education and psychology to pharmacy, industrial design, and everything in between. We also dive into what occupational therapy really is, why it's about helping people live life to the fullest, and how sometimes the detours in life are actually preparing us for wher...

Notes Due at Midnight is a podcast about showing up; even when life doesn't go according to plan. Join pediatric occupational therapist, business owner, speaker, and mom Casey Openshaw as she shares the real stories behind building a business, raising a child, navigating setbacks, chasing big dreams, and somehow still getting the notes done before midnight. Expect honest conversations, laughter, lessons learned the hard way, occupa...