048: Playing, Learning and Connecting in Occupational Therapy with Emily Lee

In this episode of The People Teaching People Podcast, I am joined by Emily Lee. Emily is a registered Occupational Therapist, and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. She is passionate about working with autistic children and their families and continues to dive deeply into her own ongoing learning about interventions that can support her clients. Since graduating from a Bachelor's degree in OT at the University of Toronto (2002), she has also completed her Masters of Rehabilitation Sciences at UBC (2017) and a graduate diploma in Behavioural Analysis from the Florida Institute of Technology (2022). Her family regularly teases her about her never-ending education adventures! Emily currently works as the OT Clinic Lead for a non-profit organization in Vancouver called Nurture Society for Learning and Development, where lots of fun OTs, SLPs (Speech-Language Pathologists) and Therapy Assistants provide early intervention for kids with a variety of support needs. She spends lots of time thinking about play and specifically how to support kids in learning how to spontaneously initiate their own ideas in play and initiate new motor and self care skills. She's a keen advocate for finding creative ways to build supports for kids so that they can find meaning and joy in the things they do everyday, so that their family and helpers can support them with confidence and so that the environments they journey through are kinder, more supportive and, frankly, more fun.  In her free time, Emily plays board games, cooks and hikes with her husband, Ryan, and teenagers, Eloise and Lawrence. She loves summer swims in the ocean and playing in the woods.  Listen in as we talk about: 5:08 Lessons from nature and community at Pearson College 10:23 From childhood play to occupational therapy 21:14 The heart of occupational therapy 24:27 The power of connections in learning 30:00 Relationship building in occupational therapy 37:02 Fostering creativity through play 41:08 Teaching and learning together with families  44:25 Emily’s favourite teachers 46:09 What Emily is most proud of 48:07 Emily answers some rapid-fire questions 50:40 Embracing mistakes as learning opportunities    Connect with Emily and learn more about the Nurture Society for Learning and Development: Website: https://nurturelearn.ca/ LinkedIn: Emily Lee Instagram: @nurture.learning Facebook: @nurturelearn Video Resource: Autism Community Training SLP and OT Support for Autistic Children & Families An Introduction from Nurture Learning and Development ~ Presented by Kate Chase, PhD, SLP, BCBA & Emily Lee, OT, BCBA Online Learning Platform: The Nurture Parent Path   Connect with Tiana: Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech Instagram: @tianafech  Facebook: @tianafech  Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course    LESSONS FROM NATURE AND COMMUNITY AT PEARSON COLLEGE Emily reflects on her transformative experience at Pearson College, describing it as a magical and humbling shift from a large public school in Toronto to a small, tight-knit community nestled in the woods. Living in this intimate environment with just 200 students, she learned the value of diverse perspectives and how connecting with people who don't think like you can be both enriching and inspiring. The community aspect, coupled with the beauty of living in a rainforest, left a lasting impression on her, influencing her love for nature. She also highlights the rigorous academic challenges which taught her resilience and the importance of adaptability. Ultimately, Pearson College was not just about academics but about finding balance in a world of differing ideas, creating lasting relationships, and embracing personal growth. Surrounding yourself with diverse perspectives can shape who you are and inspire new ways of thinking.   FROM CHILDHOOD PLAY TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Emily's journey to becoming an occupational therapist (OT) was shaped by a mix o...