OT lecturer: self-care is vital to well-being

Feb. 19, 2026 — DENTON — Douglene Jackson, PhD discovered well-being practices as a student. As a college athlete, she appreciated the revitalizing impact of massages and thought about how she could offer that therapy to others. With a nine-month break before starting her master’s degree in occupational therapy, she decided to go to massage school. 

While an OT student, she discovered yoga as a way to manage stress. And that led her to explore more wellness options to incorporate into her life. 

“I stumbled upon qigong and I loved it,” Jackson said, referring to a broad system of individual exercises, involving breath, posture and meditation.  “I love the breath work behind it. It was very much a moving meditation. I then also did tai chi. So I'm always learning, not just so that I can teach it to others, but so I can embody it in my own practices.”

It is fitting that Jackson calls herself a lifelong learner. The award-winning occupational therapist has over 25 years of experience in health, well-being and rehabilitation. She is a world-renowned speaker, trainer, researcher, author, leader and advocate.

Jackson will bring her integrative well-being expertise to Texas Woman’s Dallas campus when she speaks at the 33rd annual Fanny B. Vanderkooi Endowed Lectureship on Friday, February 20 at 1 p.m. 

The lectureship is open to TWU students and faculty as well as local occupational therapists and alumni. Admission is free but you must register to save a space. 

Jackson said she was honored when asked to be the next speaker for the Vanderkooi lecture and thought it was a wonderful opportunity to talk to the next generation of practitioners

“I went into rehabilitation because I felt that that's where I could have the greatest change and impact in giving others that opportunity to live a life they want to love as well as lead,” Jackson said.

While Jackson has spent her entire career discussing and practicing self care, it is only in recent years that topics surrounding mental health and well-being have become more public. 

“I think society is more open to embrace and hear about not just serving and doing, but taking care of that person who's always pouring out, who's always giving, because it's not sustainable,” Jackson added. “So when we think about workforce well-being, it's not just as a worker, it's as a human being, as a collective.”

Jackson calls herself a well-being warrior because it’s not just central to her work, it’s central to the way she lives her life. 

“I am my number one client, right?” said Jackson. “I live the things that I preach. I live it, breathe it, do it, and that is what sustains me.”

Jackson travels with her yoga mat. She admits she is not great about hydrating but plants water bottles in several locations to make sure she gets enough water. She won’t touch a laptop in the morning until she engages in a wellness practice.

Her lecture at Texas Woman’s will delve into the conscious CARE framework, a holistic approach that centers the well-being of OT practitioners and students as a critical element in the sustainability of the profession. 

Attendees will gain insights into caring for the caregiver and the client, along with practical strategies for embedding conscious CARE into daily practice, supporting a healthier workforce and stronger therapeutic relationships.

“We understand that we are healers, but who heals the healer?” asked Jackson. “We have to be intentional to allow opportunities to heal ourselves.”