Sarah Smith Occupational Therapy

15/04/2026

A behind-the-scenes look at OT Supervision with Sarah Smith ✨

OT Sparks offers small‑group supervision for occupational therapists seeking dedicated time to reflect, build clinical reasoning skills, and walk away with clear, practical actions.

Sessions are available either in person at Alike Health in The Junction or online to suit your needs.

Each session includes discussion of real clinical cases, shared learning with peers, and counts for 1.5 CPD hours.

Sarah’s next session takes place on Friday 17th April, with the focus on case studies about assistive technology decisions.

13/04/2026

Reminder: Come and join me this Friday! In person or online

13/04/2026

Knowing when to refer to OT isn’t always obvious.

A lot of people assume it’s only needed when things become quite severe, but often it’s those early changes in function, safety or independence that matter most.

If everyday tasks are becoming harder, routines are falling apart, or someone is starting to withdraw from activities — that’s usually a good time to start the conversation.

OT is about making daily life more manageable, practical and sustainable.

If you’re unsure, it’s always okay to ask.

Enquiries via DM or website link in bio.

08/04/2026

08/04/2026

Come and join me to talk decision making in AT prescription!!!

06/04/2026

Group supervision can be such a valuable part of OT practice.

It creates space to step back from the rush of everyday work, reflect on what you are seeing, think through complexity and learn from the perspectives of other OTs.

I currently offer two group supervision streams:
OT Sparks, for OTs across different stages of practice, and Foundations for Practice, a 12-month stream for early career OTs.

Both are designed to support reflective practice, stronger clinical reasoning and connection with peers.

If group supervision is something you have been curious about, feel free to get in touch via DM or through the website.

02/04/2026

My next OT Sparks group supervision session in on AT decision-making.

This topic feels important to me, as AT decisions can get messy quite quickly. Sometimes there are multiple options that could work. Sometimes the equipment conversation starts before the actual problem is clear. Sometimes you can feel yourself getting pulled towards solving the wrong thing.

For this session, I wanted to take the time to slow things down a bit.

We'll use a case clinic format, so OTs can bring real clinical questions to work through together. We will focus on the reasoning behind the decisions and how we work out whether an option is actually the right fit.

If you work in AT, home mods, vehicle mods, or in other areas where equipment decisions carry a lot of weight, please join us!

📅 Friday 17/04/2026 10-11:30am AEDT
🗺️ Alike Health, The Junction NSW or online
🎟️ Bookings available here: https://events.humanitix.com/ot-sparks-2026

31/03/2026

Home modification decision-making isn’t always straightforward.

In practice, it can be easy to move quickly toward more complex solutions, especially when you’re trying to solve a real problem.

Something that came up in a recent group supervision session was how helpful it can be to step back and work through intervention options in a more structured way.

The Intervention Hierarchy is a framework I’ve been using in practice to support this.

It provides a way to:

start with simpler, lower-cost options
work through intervention choices in a logical progression
support clearer clinical reasoning and justification

I’ve put it together into a free resource that includes:

the framework
guiding prompts
a case study activity

If you’d like a copy, you can access it here --> https://ssoccupationaltherapy.com/intervention-hierarchy

Sarah

27/03/2026

Clinical supervision can provide space to reflect, strengthen reasoning, build confidence and work through the challenges that come with practice.

I offer supervision for occupational therapists at different stages of their career, with sessions available face-to-face in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region or via Telehealth Australia-wide.

Enquiries via DM or website link in bio.

21/03/2026

Coming up this Friday: OT Sparks – Foundations for Practice, Session 3.

Knowing what you want to say as an OT is one thing. Saying it clearly, professionally and with confidence is another.

This practical session will explore communication skills for real-world OT practice, with a focus on clear emails, case discussions, professional conversations and communicating clinical reasoning with confidence.

A great fit for new graduate and early career OTs, clinicians wanting more structure in everyday communication, and 4th year OT students preparing for practice. Student offers are also available on enquiry.

Friday 27 March 2026
10:00am–11:30am AEDT
Alike Health, The Junction NSW or online

Tickets available here -->https://events.humanitix.com/ot-sparks-foundations-for-practice

21/03/2026

Driving is closely linked with independence, community access and everyday life. When there are questions about how a medical condition, injury or disability may be affecting safe driving, an OT driving assessment can help provide a clearer picture.

These assessments are usually requested by a GP or specialist and look at the person’s health, function and the practical demands of driving. The goal is to support safe, informed decision-making about driving now and into the future.

Based in Newcastle and Hunter NSW.

13/03/2026

Functional Capacity Assessments help build a clearer understanding of how someone manages everyday life.

They look at things like daily activities, routines, participation in home and community life, and the supports that may help someone live more independently.

For many people, an assessment helps turn everyday observations into practical recommendations for supports, services and future planning.

As Occupational Therapists, our role is to look at the full picture — the person, their environment, and the barriers that may be affecting participation.

The goal is always to understand what is working well, where support may help, and how to make everyday life more manageable and sustainable.

Based in Newcastle & Hunter NSW.

Enquiries via DM or website link in bio.