Danielle Watson

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I really enjoyed listening to Danielle Watson and her story of how she became an occupational therapist.  Her story is very unique to most occupational therapists because an accident that caused her to have a T6 spinal cord injury is how she was exposed to OT for the first time.  She described her experience with OT as very intense, and that intenseness almost kept her from pursuing the profession.  She decided she wanted to work in orthopedic rehabilitation after she recovered from her accident, and she wanted to work with hands since she could do that seated at her wheelchair.  Her athleticism and perseverance despite her disability is laudable and inspiring. 

Danielle is very passionate about outdoor sports and does not let her disability keep her from pursuing her athletic dreams like competing in the New York City marathon recently.  She is also an advocate for disability justice and encourages all OTs to advocate for their clients and see that their needs are being met in their communities.  As Professor Lancaster stated in her interview with Danielle, it is such an honor to have Danielle in the profession of occupational therapy, and she exudes the heart behind OT to help people participate in meaningful activities to them whether they be work-related, running marathons, or basic every-day tasks. 

One of the statements Danielle said in the interview that really stuck out to me was “if your profession works with individuals with disabilities, then you should be open to having colleagues with disabilities.”  One of the reasons I love OT so much is because the profession is open to having practitioners with various disabilities.  We want everyone to reach their goals and dreams, even if that means becoming an OT despite having some limitations.  Her advocacy for disability justice and her advice for all OTs to advocate for their clients is also something I want to aspire to do.  OTs have special knowledge of adaptations for individuals with disabilities, so we should be the first ones trying to make sure our clients’ needs are met whether that is home modifications or advocating for community modifications to make more places accessible for them. 

I also really appreciated the advice she had for OT students.  Everything she said is so true!  OT school has been going by so fast so far.  Although some moments seem to last forever, I know it will go by very quickly.  I want to relish this time that I have to learn and build relationships with my other classmates so that I can be the best practitioner I can be in the future.  I am so thankful to have learned about Danielle’s story, and she is an inspiration to me to provide excellent OT care and advocacy for my future clients, and I am sure she is an inspiration to all of the clients she works with on a regular basis. 

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