TWU Student Occupational Therapy Association stays active in local communities

By Gracie Wells (Denton), Lenetta Svitzer (Houston) and Carolina Ibarra (Dallas)

This season of life has certainly been interesting. With many feeling isolated from their communities and loved ones, we, as members of the TWU Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA), wondered what could make the world a little brighter. We have learned so much from the occupational therapy program, but most importantly the value of occupation.

The need to bring meaning into our lives and the lives of those around us is paramount. When we think about the term “health” as it has been described to us, it is not the absence of disease but encompasses mental, physical and social well-being. We discussed the importance of these aspects of health and relayed ideas for balance in our lives as we navigate our current health crisis. We are so grateful to those who joined SOTA in our quest to make our mark on the great local communities of Denton, Dallas and Houston.

Many participated in advocacy walks to raise money and awareness for causes that encourage occupational participation for marginalized individuals. Others aided in keeping our communities beautiful by cleaning up litter on trails and in their own neighborhoods. We volunteered at socially distanced events for children with special needs and their caregivers like Halloween Trunk-or-Treats and Night to Shine, special cheer events and egg hunts. We volunteered with the Houston Aphasia Recovery Center and SIRE Hippotherapy. Some of our students created pen-pal relationships with the elderly in a local nursing home community, creating bonds to mitigate feelings of isolation for this precious population. We also collected items for local communities and donated to causes such as Operation Christmas Child, Coats to Mosaic in Dallas and food banks in Denton, Dallas and Houston.

We also supported one another through a Zoom movie night, game nights and Valentine’s Day candy grams. We provided professional development opportunities through alumni, hand therapists, NICU occupational therapist speakers and a Carfit certification.

It has been wonderful to see the passion and dedication of our fellow future occupational therapists and the impact that has been made on our communities!