Susan chose a career in occupational therapy to work in adult rehabilitation, but had such an amazing level II fieldwork experience in mental health that she has practiced in that area for over 30 years. She has worked in a variety of settings including inpatient units, outpatient clinics, day treatment programs, and community residential facilities, as well as numerous grant-funded projects. Susan has taught in the USM MOT program since 2006. She teaches the mental health practice course as well as courses in research and evidence-based practice, OT theory, the reflective OT practitioner, and group process.
Susan’s scholarly interests include improving quality of life for adults living with serious mental illness; developing occupational therapy assessment and intervention for adults living with hoarding disorder; and facilitating occupational therapy students’ engagement in reflective practice to develop critical thinking and professional reasoning skills. Susan has conducted qualitative research on a volunteer program for people living with hoarding disorder; she has also published and presented on this topic, and was a founding member of the former Portland Maine Hoarding Task Force. She has most recently authored part of AOTA’s updated systematic review on occupational therapy interventions for adults with serious mental illness, and the updated AOTA Practice Guidelines based on this systematic review. She was co-guest editor of the AJOT special issue on mental health, and has served AOTA as both chair and research coordinator of the Mental Health Special Interest Section.
When not teaching, Susan enjoys baking, yoga, dabbling in art, and spending time with her family and adorable dog, Mavis.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Research Coordinator of the Mental Health Special Interest Section (MHSIS) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (2018-2021)
Chair of the Mental Health Special Interest Section (MHSIS) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (2015-2018)
Guest Co-Editor, Special Issue on Evidence-based Practice in Mental Health (October 2018), American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT), Baltimore, MD
Founding member, Portland Maine Hoarding Task Force, 2011-present
Reviewer, American Occupational Therapy Association, conference proposals (mental health content) for Annual Conference 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah
Chair, Mental Health Special Interest Section (MHSIS) Annual Program, “Developing a Private Practice in Mental Health Occupational Therapy,” American Occupational Therapy Association annual conference, March 2017
Editorial Board member (2015-2018): OT Practice, published by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Baltimore, MD
