Friday 20 November 2015

cOnnecT with Laura Bulk

Advisory Committee Member: Laura Bulk

Q: How did you become interested in Occupational Therapy
As a young person I said that I wanted to advocate for equity for people with disabilities; to help individuals with disabilities find confidence, skills, and equipment they need to do what’s meaningful to them; and to help challenge perceptions of disability. I thought I’d have to invent a job, until I was introduced to OT!

After getting a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria, I graduated with my Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of British Columbia in August 2014. I’m now working in private practice in the Greater Vancouver area, with the goal of enhancing the lives of individuals in my community. I consider it a privilege to come alongside individuals and groups on the recovery and rehabilitation journey, and I highly value client-driven care.

Being passionate about promoting equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and evidence-based practice, I am pursuing a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences at UBC with a focus on enhancing social and occupational justice. In partnership with a photojournalist, I’m working on the Being Blind in a Sighted World project exploring experiences and challenging perceptions of blindness across international contexts. I am also working on a project looking at the inclusion of people with disabilities in health and human service professions (inclusive_campus.osot.ubc.ca). As an OT, a person with a disability, a scholar, and a social worker, I hope to use my skills to serve as an advocate for positive change at policy and societal levels.

Q: Why do you volunteer 
I believe it is important to treat others as more significant than myself, to look to their needs before my own, and in whatever I’m doing, I hope to serve others in a way that conveys this. I am a dedicated volunteer with several organizations, knowing that volunteers are vital contributors to our community. I joined the CAOT-BC advisory committee in 2014, and I’m excited to continue promoting and advocating for the profession of OT and for our clients; to network with OTs from around the province; to learn from and with knowledgeable colleagues; and to represent concerns brought forward by OTs with whom I interact.

Q: What do you do in your spare time

When I’m not doing any of those things, I enjoy making time to spend with friends and family, go for long walks, bake for youth group, play board games, learn about cultures, and cook for a crowd.

No comments:

Post a Comment