Category Archives: Inside Therapro

Stay connected with everything happening at Therapro—from product launches and company news to conference highlights, community involvement, and special events we attend or host.

Therapro at Ohio OT/PT School-Based Practice Institute

Events & Conferences

The 22nd Annual Ohio Institute for OT/PT School-Based Practice conference in Columbus on August 11-12 was an exhilarating 2 days of incredible workshops with distinguished presenters. A record-breaking attendance of 700 therapists attended this superb event. The exhibitors included 28 vendors, one of which was Therapro! For the 7th consecutive year as the Therapro rep, I thoroughly enjoyed the enthusiasm and positivity of the conference planning committee co-chairs, Mary Kay Eastman, PT, MS and Molly Dodge, OTR/L. These women and their tireless team planned another stellar conference. Throughout the conference, Holly Bartholomew, conference coordinator, kept things running smoothly behind the scenes.

This year, Therapro authors, Bhanu Raghavan, MS, OTR/L and Ginger McDonald, OTR/L were included on the roster of speakers. Their dynamic presentation featured their publication, “Self-Care with Flair! A Step-by-Step Guide to Teaching Self-Care Skills to Children with Disabilities.” They presented their unique method for increasing independence with self-care skills, teaching the skills of dressing, grooming, toilet training, and eating by using a uniform approach with pictures and rhyming while employing visual, verbal, and tactile/kinesthetic cues.

The gregarious Ohio therapists spent time lingering at the Therapro exhibit area, sharing their opinions about products and creative uses for them in the classroom setting. They returned this year with endorsement of products they purchased at last year’s conference, including Wobbledeck, Crayon Rocks, and Fanta Color Jr. Many of Therapro’s new items, including WriteRight pencil grip Yogarilla Cards, and Stretch and Match Geoboard, won rave reviews.

It was a whirlwind 2 days in Columbus! I am eager to learn what the OT/PT Institute will be planning for next year. Thank you for a terrific conference! I look forward to returning to Columbus again next August.

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L

August 20, 2014
22_otpt_conference

Bullying: Understanding the Basics

Events & Conferences, , ,

On May 17, 2014, Therapro concluded its Spring Saturday Seminar Series with a compelling presentation by Iris Leigh, CAGS, OTR/L, Assistant Clinical Professor at Boston University’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Her seminar, titled “Bullying: Understanding the Basics,” offered valuable perspectives on identifying and addressing bullying behaviors in educational settings.​

Understanding the Basics: Defining Bullying and the Core Components

Iris Leigh began the session with an interactive anti-bullying quiz, sparking thoughtful discussion among attendees. She emphasized that bullying is a deliberate “power game” characterized by three key elements:​

  • Intent to Harm: The bully aims to cause physical or emotional distress.
  • Power Imbalance: The bully holds more power, whether physical, social, or psychological, over the victim.
  • Repetition: The harmful behavior occurs repeatedly over time.​

Such behaviors often manifest during unstructured school times, including lunch, recess, bathroom breaks, and bus rides.​

The Broader Impact of Bullying

A critical takeaway from the seminar was the recognition that bullying affects not only the direct victim but also bystanders and the overall school environment. Witnesses to bullying can experience feelings of fear, helplessness, and anxiety, highlighting the need for comprehensive prevention strategies.​

Strategies for Prevention and Support

Iris Leigh provided attendees with practical tools to support children who are targeted by or witness bullying behaviors. While understanding the basics of bullying is key, she stressed that preventing bullying is a collective responsibility, requiring active involvement from educators, therapists, professionals, and caregivers. Implementing clear policies, fostering open communication, and promoting inclusive activities are essential steps in creating a safe and supportive environment for all students.​

Attendees, including teachers and occupational therapists, praised the seminar for its practical strategies and insightful resources:​

“Very well put together – easy strategies.”

“Applies to work…and life.”

“Lots of good resource info – this lady knows her stuff!”​

For more information and resources related to this seminar, visit Therapro’s official website.

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L

May 17, 2014

Life Skills Program for Deaf Students with Complex Support Needs

Events & Conferences, Life Skills and Transition Planning, ,

Therapro hosted its very first international speaker for the Saturday Seminar Series on February 15. A post professional master’s student at Tufts, occupational therapist Jill Massey, from the United Kingdom, presented her talk entitled: A Life Skills Program for Students, 10-19 years of Age, Who Are Deaf and Low Functioning. On a day that threatened a snowstorm, a brave and focused group of attendees learned how this therapist went about developing a program in a facility that had never had an occupational therapist on its staff and learned of her vision for a life skills approach to the Deaf, low functioning students at her school.

Jill’s seminar provided a brief overview of OT practice in the UK within community based pediatrics. She also discussed understanding and awareness of issues for children/young adults who are Deaf and introduced a Life Skills Program for this population. Jill clarified the difference in the use of the two terms “deaf” and “Deaf” when discussing Deaf culture. The quote she documented from the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities says: “Persons with disabilities shall be entitled, on an equal basis with others, to recognition and support of their specific and linguistic identity, including sign language and Deaf culture.”

Jill’s position at Oak Lodge School was a brand new service to the students, with no budget. She had her work cut out for her and has worked tirelessly in conjunction with the school speech and language therapist to educate staff as well as provide evaluation and class-based intervention for the students Her work became focused on real world integration of the students and empowering parents to work with their children to promote independence. Evidenced based studies were shared that indicate that context-based exposure in building life skills is key to success. Her goal is to do international research in this area of practice to demonstrate the efficacy of a program that is directed to student independence in life skills at home and in the community.

Jill taught us Deaf etiquette through a true-false quiz, gave us tips for providing optimal environmental adaptations with Deaf students, and offered practical suggestions on how to communicate effectively with a Deaf person. It was quite an interesting seminar!

Here are a few of the comments received from attendees:

“Presenter is an advocate, trailblazer, and passionate about her work. She is dedicated to research.”

“Even though I don’t work with a lot of deaf students, all the info could be applied to other school life skills.”

“Very informative. I learned a lot, especially about Deaf awareness/culture.”

Thank you, Jill!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L

February 15, 2014