BHSC is extremely fortunate to have some of the best and most-dedicated staff on our team. Gretchen Kamke is an occupational therapist who works in the preschool and sensory clinic helping children build up their sensory and motor skills to more effectively interact with their environment in meaningful ways. She has been with BHSC for eight years.
What is your favorite memory at BHSC?
It’s difficult to find one memory that tops all of the others. I think I could easily come up with a favorite memory with each relationship I’ve made with clients and coworkers, though. For the clients, it is often the first time they look at me with a gleam in their eye and realize that we can have a lot of fun during their OT sessions. For my coworkers, it’s the fun that we get to cultivate in order to make our school an enjoyable environment for everyone within it.
How do you hope to grow in your position at BHSC or how have you grown?
Over the last eight years I have worked really hard to learn as much as I can to better meet the needs of the individuals that I’m serving. Growing is something that I value greatly and there is still so much more out there for me to learn!
Describe to us how Telehealth therapy has worked during COVID?
Telehealth has been a great opportunity to stretch outside of my comfort zone and expand my skill set. The best part of telehealth is working more closely and regularly with the families. For me, telehealth looks like joining a family virtually with what they’re doing at that time, and trying to encourage them to work on various activities that are meaningful to the child and family. The activities often focus on helping the caregivers strengthen their relationship with their child, fine/gross motor skills, and activities that support overall development. Following a child’s interest is something that is very important to me and this also works through telehealth. It is so rewarding seeing caregivers connect with their children through the screen!
How do you measure success?
I’m not convinced that success is something that is always easy to measure because some of the most important parts of life are not measurable – they’re felt. What we do at BHSC is help people find meaning in their lives and cultivate curiosity in order to help kids fall in love with learning. Success looks different for every person, but if I can help someone feel more confident and competent with how they interact and engage with their world – I feel successful.
What advice would you give to young people who want to enter into your field?
I’d encourage young people to spend time learning about all of the various ways that occupational therapists get to support others’ in becoming their best selves. The business side of therapy professions seems to have taken over and I think it’s up to the younger generations of therapists to remember the heart of the profession – and to get back to the reason we do what we do!
