The Functional Fix! Meet Nicole

Hi all - welcome back to The Functional Fix!

This week we are shining a spotlight on a fabulous member of the FPT team, Nicole! Nicole is a Senior Occupational Therapist who has recently stepped into the role of Occupational Therapy Team Lead. Anyone who’s met Nicole knows just how genuinely passionate she about Occupational Therapy. If you haven’t had the pleasure yet (or you’d simply like to learn more about this legend), read on!

What’s your go to coffee order?

A chai latte, especially on a chilly morning.

What's your current TV show, podcast, or book recommendation?

I’ve been enjoying spending time with baking cookbooks lately, they’re a great source of inspiration for trying out new recipes in the kitchen.

What would you choose: A beach holiday, mountain retreat, or city escape?

A mountain retreat, with its fresh air and beautiful views.

What's something people often misunderstand about Occupational Therapy?

Many people imagine OT as simply practising everyday tasks, navigating a morning routine, managing household tasks or transitioning between tasks and environment until they somehow get easier. But the heart of OT sits well beneath the task itself. When we step into someone’s day, we’re looking for the things that shape their experience, the cognitive load they’re carrying, the sensory experience they’re navigating, the fatigue that creeps in, the layout that works against them, the routines that don’t quite fit. The task becomes a doorway into understanding the person, their environment and the invisible barriers between them.

If you could bust one OT myth forever, what would it be?

That OT is just “common sense.” From the outside, our recommendations can look simple, almost obvious, but they’re anything but. They come from assessment and clinical reasoning. They come from really understanding how a person moves through their day, the cognitive load, the sensory world they’re trying to filter, the fatigue patterns that quietly shape their capacity, the motor planning behind every tiny action, the executive functioning that keeps things on track and the emotional regulation that influences how someone moves through their world. We’re also paying attention to the routines and environments that shape a person’s experience and influence how they move through their day. What looks straightforward from the outside is usually the result of understanding how all these moving parts interact in real life.

What's your favourite therapy resource, tool, or hack?

Active listening helps you catch the functional clues people don’t always know how to express, the tasks that overwhelm them, the routines that fall apart, the points in their day where things start to unravel. When someone feels genuinely heard, they open up about what’s really getting in the way. It’s why active listening is one of my favourite therapy tools. When you’re fully present, people reveal what truly matters in their day.

What's a piece of advice you give to new clinicians?

To slow down and trust the learning process. You don’t need everything figured out early on, clinical reasoning grows through experience, reflection and asking questions. Stay curious, actively listen and reach out for support when you need it. Skills develop gradually and confidence builds with time, not pressure.

What makes a great therapist?

A great therapist brings together clinical expertise, empathy and compassion. They listen deeply, build strong relationships and stay curious about what will best support each individual, while continually learning and adapting their practice.

Most-used strategy in therapy?

There’s no single strategy that fits everyone. Sometimes the first idea works and sometimes we need to adjust it, simplify it, or try a different angle. Your feedback matters because you’re the one living it day to day. When you tell me what’s helping or what isn’t, we can shape the approach, so it actually works for you.

Biggest community therapist challenge: finding parking, finding coffee, or finding the closest toilet?

Definitely a tie between locating a toilet or finding somewhere to park.

What's always in your therapy bag?

A measuring tape, snacks, a pen that’s doing its best and at least one random item I forgot to take out from last week.

What's one item you couldn't survive a workday without?

My car keys. They’re the one thing that guarantees I can actually get to the people I’m supporting.

If you could leave Participants, families, and support teams with one piece of advice, what would it be?

Change builds in small, steady steps and those steps deserve to be noticed. What matters most is understanding what’s important to the person and working alongside them in a way that supports their goals, strengths, and everyday life.

Thank you so much for reading the Functional Fix; here is a fun fact before you go!

To graduate and gain registration as an occupational therapist, you must complete 1000 hours of (unpaid) placement. That is 25 weeks, or 175 days. We sure do commit to the bit!