WashU Medicine Occupational Therapy Services

02/06/2026

Did you know? 👀
Occupational therapists are skilled clinicians who work with individuals with low vision. Vision plays a vital role in maintaining safety, independence, and participation in daily activities at home, work, and during leisure.

Even small changes in vision can have a big impact on someone’s lifestyle. Some strategies can be as simple as improving contrast to support visual processing, clearly marking buttons on appliances, or enhancing lighting in dimly lit areas.

While we offer services in the clinic, in many cases it’s most beneficial to visit a patient’s home to ensure their environment is as safe and supportive as possible. Often, these are simple fixes—but ones that can have a lasting impact.

Learn more about low vision occupational therapy services here:
👉 https://otservices.wustl.edu/items/low-vision/

01/22/2026

🌟 Employee Spotlight 🌟

We’re excited to spotlight Karen Balk, a dedicated pediatric and adult Occupational Therapist on our team!

Karen has a strong passion for supporting children and adults with ADHD, anxiety, and self-regulation challenges, as well as executive functioning deficits. Her areas of expertise also include Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), motor and vocal tic disorders, Tourette syndrome, autism, and developmental delays in children. Karen’s thoughtful, evidence-based approach helps clients and families feel supported, empowered, and understood.

Outside of work, Karen enjoys spending time playing board games with family and friends. Her love for games began in childhood when her father introduced her to classics like Risk and Monopoly. That passion has grown into attending yearly board game conventions—a fun reflection of her strategic thinking and love for connection! 🎲

We’re grateful to have Karen’s knowledge, compassion, and enthusiasm as part of our team! 💙

01/16/2026

Our clinicians never stop learning. We consider ourselves lifelong learners, committed to providing the highest quality care. At a recent staff meeting, the Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center Team focused on deepening our understanding of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and the cervical spine—because better knowledge leads to better patient outcomes.

01/12/2026

01/06/2026

Hand Therapy Tip 💡

Dealing with a finger that won’t fully straighten? A Certified Hand Therapist can fabricate a finger belly splint designed to slowly stretch the finger into a more straight position—comfortably and safely over time.

📍 Visit our expert team at the Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center to learn more.

12/30/2025

End of the year means highlighting a few more of our wonderful clinicians ✨ This one feels especially special, as all three women have made a positive impact on our clinical OT team.

Want to learn more about this special family affair within the Occupational Therapy Department? Check out the story of the Perlmutter family and how OT became a generational passion at WashU Medicine Occupational Therapy ⬇️

https://www.ot.wustl.edu/news/a-family-affair-how-occupational-therapy-became-a-generational-passion-at-washu-ot-1570

❤️ if you love OT or if you have worked with any of these amazing therapist.

12/23/2025

Did you know Occupational Therapists (OTs) play a key role in treating Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) 🤔?

OTs support both adults and children with FND by addressing challenges with movement, cognition, sensory processing, and daily activities.

At WashU Medicine Occupational Therapy, our FND program focuses on identifying triggers, managing symptoms, and building strategies to support independence in everyday life—using a collaborative approach with patients and families.

📍 Sessions available in clinic
💻 Virtual visits offered for patients in Missouri and Illinois

👉 Learn more about how OT supports individuals with FND by visiting our website or commenting below!

https://otservices.wustl.edu/items/functional-neurological-disorder-fnd/

12/18/2025

The WashU Medicine Occupational Therapy Clinics recently celebrated the holiday season with an Ugly Sweater Party! 🎄

Check out the photos we were able to capture at a few of our clinics. We’re so grateful for our clinicians and always love a reason to celebrate together.

Show our clinicians some love with a 👍 or ❤️!

12/09/2025

🌟 Employee Spotlight: Macy Stonner, OTD, OTR/L, CHT 🌟

We are thrilled to highlight the incredible work of Macy Stonner, whose passion for brachial plexus injuries, peripheral nerve injuries and rehabilitation following breast cancer treatment as she continues to elevate the level of care we provide.

Macy was recently named Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, where she is shaping the future of the profession through her teaching and mentorship. She also just finished editing Rehabilitation for Nerve Transfers of the Upper Extremity — a remarkable accomplishment that reflects her dedication to advancing clinical knowledge.

✨ Fun Facts About Macy
• Bottomless desk snack of choice: Sparkling water cans + chocolate-covered pretzels.
• Fictional character who’d crush her job: Ted Lasso for his leadership, enthusiasm, and positivity!

We are grateful to have Macy on our team and proud of the incredible work she does every day. 💙🙌

👉 If you know Macy or have had the chance to work with her, drop a comment or give this post a like to help us celebrate her!

11/24/2025

Shoutout to Michelle – we see you out there absolutely rocking it! We’re so proud to have you on our team!" ✨🙌

Michelle Furman (PP-OTD '25) presented at the AOTA Education Summit in Salt Lake City this month on fieldwork educator needs for supporting neurodivergent OT students. Her doctoral work, mentored by Dr. Steve Taff, provides evidence-based strategies for inclusive clinical education.

As the Clinical Education Support Specialist at WashU OT Community Practice, Michelle now implements this research in her fieldwork program leadership role.

This is post-professional doctoral education in action: experienced clinicians developing expertise to drive change in OT practice and education. We are proud to have Michelle as part of our WashU Community!

11/21/2025

PSA: The only thing that should be getting carved on Thanksgiving is the turkey — not your fingers. 🦃🔪 Cuts from carving are a top five Thanksgiving injury!
Keeping knives sharp
Carving in a well-lit area
Not letting kids assist with carving

American Society of Hand Therapists - ASHT has a tip sheet with more safety tips to keep your hands gravy-ready.

https://asht.org/sites/asht/files/docs/2016/Turkey%20Carving%20Tips%202016.pdf

11/20/2025

✨ Recently, our therapist Jane Lavelle, OTR/L, and OTD student Melissa Troy had the pleasure of presenting to a wonderful group of parents on self-regulation for kids.

We always love the opportunity to share our expertise and empower families with tools that support their children every day! 💙🧠