Rehab Rebels: Alternative Career Paths for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, & Speech Language Pathology Professionals
Do you feel burned out, not appreciated, undervalued both financially & professionally? Realized working in the health industry is not all it was promised to be? Are numbers & the bottom line prioritized over your health, job satisfaction, & high quality patient care causing you to dread going into work? You want to make a non-traditional career change but face sunken tuition cost, judgment for wanting to leave a secure career in the health field, & unsure about which alternative career direction to take? But know there has to be a better work life balance. It is ok to want a career change, maybe even one outside of your profession. You are not a bad person for wanting this & you are not alone! My name is Tanner, and I'm a physical therapist myself, on a mission to uncover and document the world of alternative non-traditional careers & income opportunities for rehab professionals (OT, COTA, PT, PTA, & SLPs). My goal is to provide a guide(s) you can follow to a career or business with more freedom, income, and fulfillment. This podcast will help you discover, learn, & gain insights by having honest authentic conversations with therapists who felt: burnout, undervalued, dreaded going to work every morning, stuck with debt, guilt for wanting to leave their career, & unable to get out of a toxic work environment. As they share the outcomes they achieved from their alternative career transitions: built a business that allowed them to spend more time with their family, be more fulfilled, have more autonomy, & build something for themselves. Or landed a job that truly made the most of their skills with less stress & more fulfillment. Other main topics you will hear in detail are: alternative income, personal finance, side hustles, & starting your own business. What are you waiting for? You have been thinking of this change for far too long. Click play to discover the next phase of your career and develop an actionable plan to make it a reality :)
Episodes
#068 Ever wondered if starting a podcast is your ticket to passive income? Today, I share my personal journey through the ups and downs of hosting Rehab Rebels. Despite the challenges and the realization that podcasting isn't a quick path to financial freedom, the past two and a half years have been an incredible ride filled with growth and learning. With nearly a thousand downloads in the last month, our communi...
#067 Have you ever wondered what it takes to bring a physical product to market in the healthcare sector? Join us as we explore Shehla's inspiring journey from being a dedicated physical therapist to becoming the CEO of GoKnee LLC. She shares how her passion for helping knee replacement patients regain their mobility led her to develop a groundbreaking knee device and exercise program.
In this episode, ...
#066 Imagine overcoming imposter syndrome and learning to value your unique skills as a therapist. Sarah, an Occupational Therapist (OT) and mindfulness teacher from Ottawa, Ontario, shares her transformative journey from traditional OT roles to launching her private practice during a global pandemic. This rapid shift to online consultations during the pandemic was one of the pivotal moments in her career.
...
#065 Do you feel trapped or burnt out in your current professional role? In this episode, we hear from Caitlyn, who faced burnout and dissatisfaction in her clinical rehab role and found a refreshing passion in medical writing and consulting, particularly within LGBTQ+ health companies. Caitlyn walks us through her initial struggles, the eureka moment that came from an online writing course, and how she navigated the ...
#064 What happens when you blend a love for the ocean with a dedication to neurodiverse children? Naomi Matanick, a passionate occupational therapist, reveals her inspiring journey from traditional therapy settings to starting a surf therapy business. Starting a new business is never easy, especially one as innovative as surf therapy. Naomi opens up about the early challenges of bootstrapping her business, from overco...
#063 Ready to break free from traditional rehab methods and create a practice that truly resonates with your passions? Gina Taylor is an occupational therapist who has successfully built her private practice by integrating hippotherapy and aquatic therapy.
In this episode you will learn about her career transition, balancing motherhood, implementing innovative therapy strategies, and the importance of partne...
#062 How can healthcare professionals transition from clinical practice to successful entrepreneurship? Join us as we chat with Jonathon Lee, a physical therapist who co-founded Pickle, an AI-powered job search platform for clinicians. The global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped his mission and vision for the healthcare industry and led him to create this AI-powered job search platform that helps cli...
#061 Prioritizing personal well-being and family needs is essential, even if it means transitioning to a completely different career path. Wen Hung, a former occupational therapist, reflects on the pivotal moments that led her to leave her rehab profession, including the challenges of inadequate maternity leave and the impact of COVID-19 on her work-life balance. Through a friend's advice, she found a new career ...
#060 Are you a physical therapist (PT) contemplating a career shift? Or perhaps you're just curious about the versatility of your therapy skills? Danae successfully transitioned from a physical therapist to a general manager at KARE, a tech-driven senior living support company. KARE connects communities with providers and providers with communities, offering increased flexibility and financial independence for th...
#059 Ever wondered how to successfully transfer your skills as a rehab professional into the MedTech space? Growing up in Central Jersey, Yera was initially drawn to physical therapy. However, struggling with the increasing demands of her job and witnessing issues within the healthcare system during her mother's health crisis, she sought a path that better aligned with the flexibility she desired and her career a...
#058 If you're feeling burned out and disillusioned, our guest, Valerie Levesque, a physical therapist, faced a common problem in her career: a mountain of debt, and a clear-cut income ceiling. The traditional rehab model in competitive environments like Seattle left her nowhere else to turn except to contemplate alternative paths outside the traditional rehab model.
In this episode, Valerie shares her p...
#057 Sometimes our chosen career path may not align with our true passion and values. In this case, Lauren discovered her love for art and creativity, which she initially overlooked due to societal expectations and other, family influences. Her leap not only reshaped her professional life but also brought an unexpected harmony to her family dynamics.
In this episode, Lauren shares her journey, highlighting t...
#056 The struggle to find a fulfilling career path within the constraints of the industry is a problem many of us encounter. The solution lies in recognizing the need to change and explore alternative career paths that align with our passion and values. Listen to what Divya, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, has to share about her journey from being in a traditional physical therapy practice to being a travel physical the...
#055 In a world where the traditional healthcare system often prioritizes efficiency over patient care, there emerges a narrative that challenges the status quo and shines a light on the potential of healthcare entrepreneurship. This is precisely what Susie Gronski, a urological physical therapist and sex counselor, brings to the table in this episode. She, driven by her mother's brave battle with disability and ...
#054 Are you a coach or rehab professional who is tired of trading time for money? Ray Gorman of Engage Movement transitioned from the familiar realm of outpatient clinics to successfully running a cash practice. He started working with clients virtually in 2016 and then blended the virtual and in-person experience in 2017. Today, Ray mentors rehab professionals and coaches to integrate online services into their prac...
#053 Ever felt like you've hit a professional ceiling, especially in a field as challenging as Rehab? Stephen's journey from travel physical therapy to Chief Operating Officer (COO) of a tech startup will inspire you with its raw honesty and innovative thinking. Stephen's story serves as an example of how traditional roles in healthcare can often come with financial ceilings. Faced with the hard reality...
#052 Ali Arena is a source of knowledge for anyone navigating neurodiversity, relationships, and the personal challenges that come with ADHD. In this episode, we discuss the challenges and experiences of running a therapy practice. And Ali shares her journey from academia, working at a private practice to being a business owner with her own private practice.
As a person with ADHD, Ali shares her strategies fo...
#051 Have you ever considered a leap into franchise ownership? That's exactly what Ian Klaes did, transforming from a fresh PT graduate to a vice president of a thriving senior care franchise. Join us as Ian shares how he got to be a franchise owner, offering inspiration and guidance for professionals considering a similar leap.
The episode begins with Ian entering the professional world as a PT graduate...
#050 Embarking on a career change is not for the faint of heart, and that's exactly why our guest for today is Lindsay Walston, whose leap from physical therapy to real estate is nothing short of inspiring. With the heart of a caretaker and the mind of a savvy investor, Lindsay shares her journey to career happiness.
In this episode, we will talk about the 'sunk cost fallacy' and the courage it...
#049 "You are the average of the five people you spend most of your time with". The goal of this episode is for you to have a guide to the relationships, networks, and communities you're cultivating and why these are important to your career and life direction, and to be able to start building these relationships with the intention that best lines with your career and life. These practices have helped g...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.