128. What Do You Actually Want to Be Known For as an OT?

What do you actually want to be known for as an occupational therapist? It is a question that most OTs rarely stop to ask themselves. Between paperwork, caseloads, targets and the daily pressure of clinical work, many therapists end up simply trying to get through the week. But according to Beki Eakins, most OTs did not spend years training just to become average clinicians quietly blending into the system. In this episode, Beki invites you to pause and think bigger. Not about your band, job title or professional credentials, but about your identity as an occupational therapist. When someone says your name in a room and you are not there, what do you want people to say about you? And perhaps the deeper question is this. Are you actually living that identity right now? This conversation explores the hidden potential many occupational therapists overlook and why the thing that quietly frustrates you might actually be the work you are meant to lead.   In This Episode We Explore Why many occupational therapists slowly lose the passion that originally led them into the profession The powerful thinking pattern OTs develop that allows them to see problems others miss Why so many therapists underestimate the true value of their skills The surprising place your future niche or business idea often comes from   The Three Clues to Your Unique OT Identity Beki shares a powerful framework that often reveals what an OT could become known for. Your unique direction often sits at the intersection of three things: 1. Your clinical strengths The knowledge and perspective you developed through occupational therapy training and practice. 2. Your personal story The life experiences that shaped how you see people, health and recovery. 3. What quietly frustrates you The problems you see repeatedly in healthcare, education or society that you wish someone would finally fix. Where these three areas meet is often where powerful ideas, services or businesses are born. Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. Learn how to tap into your purpose and create an offer that sells with ease..   Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here   About the Host Beki Eakins is a business mindset and lifestyle coach for occupational therapists. After leaving traditional OT practice, she has helped hundreds of OTs worldwide design aligned online businesses that support freedom, income, and purpose, without burning out.

When a Launch Doesn’t Go the Way You Expected You put yourself out there. You promoted your offer. You hosted the webinar, event, or workshop. People showed interest… and then everything went quiet. If you’ve ever experienced that strange moment after launching something where you start questioning everything, this episode is for you. In this episode of OT Yourself to Freedom, Beki talks about what she calls the post-launch wobble — the emotional drop that many entrepreneurs experience after showing up, being visible, and not seeing immediate results. Most people interpret this moment as failure. But the truth is very different. This episode explains why silence after a launch does not mean your business failed, and how many successful entrepreneurs build momentum by understanding what is really happening behind the scenes. If you have ever wondered whether your launch “worked” or felt tempted to give up after putting yourself out there, this conversation will help you reframe the entire experience.   What You’ll Learn In This Episode • Why the post-launch wobble happens to almost every entrepreneur • The psychological reason your brain interprets delayed results as failure • Why early interest is groundwork, not rejection • The real role of trust and familiarity in selling services • How to interpret your first launches as data rather than judgement • Why many clients come back months or years after first discovering you • How to maintain momentum instead of collapsing after a launch Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose.   Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here   About the Host Beki Eakins is a business mindset and lifestyle coach for occupational therapists. After leaving traditional OT practice, she has helped hundreds of OTs worldwide design aligned online businesses that support freedom, income, and purpose, without burning out.

You do not need more qualifications, more time, or more confidence to start a business. You need to start. In this episode of the OT Yourself to Freedom Podcast, Beki Eakins breaks down what actually matters when starting a business,  and why so many capable people stay stuck in planning mode. If you have been thinking about starting for months (or years), this will challenge you to stop waiting and take action. What You’ll Learn Why you are not stuck — you are avoiding starting The common thoughts that keep you in “planning mode” How to find alignment in your business idea Why your first offer should be simple and specific How conversations lead to sales Why you should sell before you build How to communicate your value without feeling pushy How confidence on social media is actually built Starting a business is not about having everything mapped out. It is about taking the right actions in the right order. In this episode, Beki walks you through the real blockers that stop people from starting — from fear of judgement to waiting for confidence — and shows you how to move forward even when things feel uncertain. You will learn how to create a clear, focused offer, speak to real people, and build momentum without overcomplicating the process. Because clarity and confidence are built through action - not before it. If You Are Thinking About Starting A Business… This episode is your starting point. Not when you feel ready. Not when everything is perfect. Now.   Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. nesses. Learn how to tap into your purpose and create an offer that sells with ease..   Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here   About the Host Beki Eakins is a business mindset and lifestyle coach for occupational therapists. After leaving traditional OT practice, she has helped hundreds of OTs worldwide design aligned online businesses that support freedom, income, and purpose, without burning out.

Did you leave employment for freedom… only to feel more trapped than ever? In this episode of OT Yourself to Freedom Podcast, Beki explores why so many occupational therapists unintentionally build businesses that mirror the very jobs they wanted to escape. If your diary is full, your business looks successful on paper, but you feel exhausted, stretched, and constantly “on” - this episode is for you. Beki breaks down the hidden flaws in traditional OT business models, including unpaid work, client dependency, and systems that quietly drain your time, energy, and income. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why busyness is not a sign of success in caring professions How traditional OT business models create burnout The real reason hiring staff doesn’t always give you freedom Why you can’t “time-manage” your way out of the problem How to start designing a business that supports your lifestyle This is a powerful conversation about stepping back, questioning your current model, and creating a business that truly aligns with your values, energy, and life. If you’ve ever thought “there must be more than this”, you’re not alone, and there is another way. Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose.   Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here   About the Host Beki Eakins is a business mindset and lifestyle coach for occupational therapists. After leaving traditional OT practice, she has helped hundreds of OTs worldwide design aligned online businesses that support freedom, income, and purpose, without burning out.

What happens when your OT career is suddenly put on pause because life takes you abroad? In this inspiring episode of the OT Yourself to Freedom Podcast, host Beki Eakins sits down with occupational therapist and entrepreneur Rachel Dexter to explore her journey from NHS clinician to business owner, after relocating overseas and being unable to practise as an OT. Rachel shares how moving to Denmark forced her to think differently about her career, how she turned her occupational therapy skills into an online business, and how she now balances NHS work with entrepreneurship to create a lifestyle that truly works for her and her family. If you are an occupational therapist dreaming of more flexibility, considering living abroad, or curious about starting a business alongside clinical work, this episode will open your eyes to what is possible.   What You’ll Learn in This Episode In this honest conversation, Rachel and Beki explore: What it feels like to give up your OT role when moving abroad How Rachel used her occupational therapy skills to build an online business from scratch The mindset shifts required when becoming an entrepreneur as an OT Why confidence often comes after action, not before How coaching and support made a huge difference in Rachel’s early business journey Turning 1 to 1 work into scalable online courses, memberships, and digital resources   Key Takeaway for Occupational Therapists Rachel’s story is a powerful reminder that you already have everything you need. Your communication skills, creativity, problem solving, and ability to build relationships are not “just common sense”. They are highly valuable and deeply transferable. You do not need endless extra qualifications to create something meaningful. You need belief, support, and the courage to step outside your comfort zone. Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here Meet Rachel Rachel is an experienced Occupational Therapist who has successfully transferred her OT skills into building and running her own business. Having lived and worked abroad, she brings a broad perspective on identity, work, and what it means to design a life that fits — not just survive one that doesn’t. She founded Healthy English in 2019, a training and coaching business that works with both individuals and NHS trusts. Healthy English supports international professionals to bridge the gap between their clinical knowledge and skills, and their ability to apply them effectively within a different cultural and communication context. Through resources, teaching, workshops, and courses, the work focuses on confidence, professional and social relationships, and navigating the unspoken expectations of UK healthcare. She combines running her business with ongoing part-time work as an Occupational Therapist, using the same core skills across both roles.   Email: [email protected] Website www.healthyenglish.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheldexter/ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthyenglishgroup   About the Podcast OT Yourself To Freedom Podcast helps occupational therapists create a life and business they love. Host Beki Eakins shares practical tips, strategies, and real-world stories to inspire your journey to freedom Love this episode? Subscribe to OT Yourself to Freedom and leave a review! Your feedback helps more OTs break free from burnout and build a business they love.

Have you ever wondered why so many passionate occupational therapists quietly walk away from the profession, even when they still care deeply about their clients? In this powerful episode of the OT Yourself to Freedom Podcast, Beki Eakins explores the real reason behind OT burnout. It is not just workload, staffing shortages, or long days. It is compromised values. If you are an occupational therapist feeling emotionally drained, disconnected from your work, or silently questioning whether you can keep going, this episode will help you understand what is really happening beneath the surface, and what your body has been trying to tell you all along.   What You’ll Learn in This Episode In this conversation, Beki dives deep into: Why many OTs experience moral exhaustion rather than simple burnout What a values ladder is, and how it influences your energy, motivation, and wellbeing How healthcare systems can force clinicians to sacrifice their highest values just to survive Why autonomy, integrity, and human connection matter more than productivity targets How constant documentation and tick-box assessments erode therapeutic relationships The physical cost of misaligned work (pain, fatigue, headaches, nervous system shutdown) Why “burnout” is often actually value grief How losing control over your diary and clinical judgement impacts creativity and fulfilment What changes when you build work around your values instead of the system’s A powerful reflection question to help you identify which value is being violated right now This episode is especially relevant if you have been searching for answers around: occupational therapist burnout leaving occupational therapy lack of autonomy in healthcare emotional exhaustion in OTs creating meaningful work as an OT Key Takeaway for Occupational Therapists You did not train to become an OT to stare at screens, rush human connection, or work against your clinical judgement. You trained because you care. And when your ability to practise with integrity, presence, and purpose is stripped away, your nervous system responds. Often through heaviness, resistance, fatigue, or disengagement. As Beki explains, this is not a mindset problem. It is a values violation.   A Question to Reflect On If you are currently feeling controlled, resentful, or trapped in your OT role, Beki invites you to ask: Which value on your ladder is being sacrificed right now, and who benefits from that sacrifice? Then ask your body: How long am I willing to pay this price?   Considering a Different Way Forward? Beki also shares how occupational therapists can reclaim autonomy by creating aligned, freedom-based online businesses, where you: Control your diary Decide how long you spend with clients Create offers that reflect your highest values Rediscover creativity, energy, and fulfilment If you have: 3 to 10 hours per week: OT Yourself to Freedom Membership 10+ hours per week: OT Freedom Collective (6-month intensive support programme) Both are designed to help OTs build meaningful income without sacrificing their health, family, or values. Links to Beki’s free mindset meditation and programme details can be found in the episode resources.   Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. Learn how to tap into your purpose and create an offer that sells with ease..   Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here   About the Host Beki Eakins is a business mindset and lifestyle coach for occupational therapists. After leaving traditional OT practice, she has helped hundreds of OTs worldwide design aligned online businesses that support freedom, income, and purpose, without burning out.

Starting a business rarely looks like the polished launches you see online. Instead, it’s confusing, overwhelming, lonely, and often deeply uncomfortable. In this episode of OT Yourself to Freedom podcast, Beki Eakins speaks honestly about the messy beginning of entrepreneurship. The fear, the self-doubt, the lack of structure, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with building something from scratch. If you’re questioning whether you’re doing it right, wondering if you’ve got what it takes, or feeling stretched in every direction, this episode will help you understand that nothing has gone wrong. This is the process. Beki shares why chaos is normal at the start, how freedom can feel frightening before it feels empowering, and what really helps you move through this stage faster and with less emotional strain. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why the beginning of business feels messy, disorientating, and intense How entrepreneurship differs from traditional careers. No approval, no safety net, just you Why fear gets louder in your first year and how it actually keeps you sharp How waiting for permission holds you back and how to stop doing it Why most early fears are exaggerated and rarely linked to real risk The impact of loneliness as a solopreneur and why community matters Practical Tip from Beki: Keep a running list of tasks that drain you. Anything repetitive or unenjoyable becomes a future delegation or automation task. This simple habit protects your energy and helps your business grow sustainably. Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. Learn how to tap into your purpose and create an offer that sells with ease.. Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here About the Podcast OT Yourself To Freedom Podcast helps occupational therapists create a life and business they love. Host Beki Eakins shares practical tips, strategies, and real-world stories to inspire your journey to freedom Love this episode? Subscribe to OT Yourself to Freedom and leave a review! Your feedback helps more OTs break free from burnout and build a business they love.  

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of the OT Yourself to Freedom podcast, Beki Eakins challenges one of the most deeply ingrained beliefs in caring professions and entrepreneurship, that burnout is inevitable and even admirable. Burnout is not proof that you care more. It is not a sign that you are doing meaningful work. It is a warning that you are out of alignment with your body, your values, and your life. This episode is an honest invitation to stop normalising exhaustion, martyrdom, and over-giving, particularly within occupational therapy, healthcare, and purpose-driven businesses, and to start taking ownership of the small, daily choices that quietly lead to burnout. If you are already feeling tired, bracing yourself for the year ahead, or telling yourself “this is just part of the job”, this conversation is for you. Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. Learn how to tap into your purpose and create an offer that sells with ease.. Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here About the Podcast OT Yourself To Freedom Podcast helps occupational therapists create a life and business they love. Host Beki Eakins shares practical tips, strategies, and real-world stories to inspire your journey to freedom Love this episode? Subscribe to OT Yourself to Freedom and leave a review! Your feedback helps more OTs break free from burnout and build a business they love.

What really happens when you become a mum, and why does no one talk about the emotional shift? In this episode of the OT Yourself to Freedom Podcast, host Beki Eakins is joined by her client Helen Buteux, an occupational therapist who supports mums through the transition into motherhood using both her professional OT training and her lived experience as a mum of two. This honest and grounding conversation explores the emotional impact of becoming a parent, the loss of confidence many mums experience, and how occupational therapy skills are uniquely placed to support mental wellbeing in early motherhood. Helen also shares how she built a freedom-based online business as an occupational therapist while on maternity leave, navigating broken sleep, identity shifts, and the realities of caring for young children. This episode is a must-listen for occupational therapists who feel called to create work that aligns with their values, lifestyle, and lived experience. Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here About Helen Helen Buteux is a highly specialist paediatric occupational therapist with over a decade of experience supporting babies, young children, and their families in the early years. Her work combines strong clinical foundations with a compassionate understanding of motherhood. Helen supports new and expecting mums to feel calm, confident, and connected during early motherhood by caring for both the baby and the mother. Her work is rooted in three core pillars: Your Body, Your Baby, and Your Bond, recognising that when a baby is born, a mother is born too. Using an evidence-based yet gentle approach, Helen helps mums understand infant brain development, sensory play, motor milestones, emotional regulation, and matrescence, the identity shift into motherhood. Alongside this, she supports mums to protect their own wellbeing, confidence, and sense of self. As a mum herself, Helen understands first-hand how overwhelming early motherhood can feel, particularly when expectations do not match reality. Her work blends clinical expertise with lived experience to create a judgement-free space where mums can stop comparing, start trusting themselves, and feel empowered in their parenting choices. Helen is the creator of The EmpowerMum Method, a preventative and nurturing approach to early years development and maternal wellbeing, designed to help families thrive rather than just cope. You can find Helen on Instagram at @becoming_a_mummy, where she shares honest conversations about motherhood, baby development, and rebuilding confidence in the early years. Email: Email : [email protected] Facebook : Helen Buteaux About the Podcast OT Yourself To Freedom Podcast helps occupational therapists create a life and business they love. Host Beki Eakins shares practical tips, strategies, and real-world stories to inspire your journey to freedom Love this episode? Subscribe to OT Yourself to Freedom and leave a review! Your feedback helps more OTs break free from burnout and build a business they love.

If you're an OT (or allied health professional) still sending paper handouts, long follow-up emails, or stick-figure drawings, this episode will completely shift how you think about home programs. In this powerful and practical conversation, Beki Eakins is joined by Laura Simmons, an Australian occupational therapist turned digital health innovator and founder of Theratrak. Laura shares how she went from paediatric OT to accidental tech founder, building a platform now used by clinics across Australia and internationally to help therapists bridge the gap between therapy sessions and real life, without burning out on admin.  In This Episode, You’ll Learn: - Why paper handouts fail (and what works better)- How Theratrak helps therapists turn session activities into engaging, trackable home programs- How gamification (badges, rewards, avatars) increases child and family engagement- What OTs need to know before building an app or digital product- The real costs of creating an app—and why revenue matters early- How digital tools can reduce travel, time, and cost barriers to therapy- Why therapists feel more confident when they can actually see what happens at home- How Laura manages mindset, confidence, and resilience as a female founder in tech- What “freedom” really looks like when you design a business around your values Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki’s free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell  offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here About the Guest: Laura Simmons Laura Simmons is an Australian occupational therapist, digital health innovator, and founder of Theratrak, a platform transforming how therapists deliver home programs and engage with clients. With more than a decade of experience across paediatric, school-based, community, and clinic settings, Laura has built her career around solving practical challenges faced by OTs, families, and disability service providers. Inspired by the creativity and problem-solving at the heart of OT, Laura developed a passion for paediatrics early in her career. Her clinical work highlighted how much time therapists spent on documentation, follow-ups, and coordinating with families, sparking the idea for Theratrak. Today, Theratrak is used by clinics across Australia and internationally to create programs in minutes, support multi-carer collaboration, enable real-time client updates, and streamline waitlist management. Laura is recognised as a leader in digital transformation, advocating for practical, accessible technology that enhances practice and empowers therapists to deliver more personalised, impactful care. Want a 20% discount? Just mention the OT Yourself to Freedom podcast in the "where did you hear about us?" section, then you will receive a unique 20% discount code. Connect with Laura: Website: https://www.theratrak.co/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theratrak  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theratrak  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theratrak/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-simmons-a0447a95/  About the Podcast OT Yourself To Freedom Podcast helps occupational therapists create a life and business they love. Host Beki Eakins shares practical tips, strategies, and real-world stories to inspire your journey to freedom Love this episode? Subscribe to OT Yourself to Freedom and leave a review! Your feedback helps more OTs break free from burnout and build a business they love.