We first met Eleanor at the 2018 New York State Occupational Therapy Association Conference. Eleanor has visited us at the booth every year since then. We look forward to her impactful conversations and learning more about her with each visit. Something we love most: her amazingly fun personality!
Eleanor Leyden is an international school high school teacher who after living and working throughout Latin America, Asia and the Middle East decided to return to the New York Metropolitan area to change careers. She chose Occupational Therapy as her encore career as it builds on her experience making activities and skills accessible to all people. Her education includes a BA in English, an MA in French, teaching certification in English, French and Spanish. Soon she will have her MS in OT from Dominican College of Blauvelt. She is a native New Yorker and is really happy to be back home. During graduate school she was able to volunteer at a therapeutic riding center and also in a memory care unit enrichment group. Being able to help others live life fully is a joy!
Eleanor’s tip of the month
Advocacy is such an important element of our profession. As OTs we need to advocate for our discipline, for our clients and for ourselves. I highly encourage all students, COTAs and OTR/Ls to not only join AOTA and your state association but to become involved in committees and help to provide legislative and other actions that will improve the lives of many. We have a huge role to play with COVID survivors who are suffering long-term neurological and physiological deficits (think energy conservation, activity pacing, memory logs) but we can’t do it if no-one will pay for it. We need to make that happen. We need to be acknowledged for our role in providing social and occupational justice. We can be OT STRONG!!!
