 |
| 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.
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