From psychology to OT: Becca's journey into occupational therapy

Tell us about yourself and the journey that lead you to study occupational therapy. What made you want to be an occupational therapist (OT)?

Hi, I’m Becca Chatterton, a current Masters Occupational Therapy student at Teesside and a student member of RCOT. I started my course in January 2024 after studying Psychology with Criminology and working in various public-facing roles. It was at my last job where I discovered a passion for occupational therapy after working with the admissions team for the occupational therapy apprenticeships. I have always had a desire to help and support people through challenges they may face and thought occupational therapy was a good fit for my skillset.

Tell us about your placement.

My placement entailed working with a community OT who supported adults with learning disabilities who had offended or who were at risk of offending. We went to secure wards and visited service user’s homes to deliver person centred rehabilitations. I was able to observe a variety of interventions and assessment tools throughout my placement and was also able to manage my own projects and presentations within this. I attended this placement for eight weeks, and it absolutely flew by.

How did your placement experience fit into the four pillars of practice?

I was consistently supported and encouraged to use my professional judgement and reasoning when working with service users. I was able to observe how occupational therapy maintains a person's occupations at the centre of rehabilitation, and the creativity and autonomy that my educator had in providing supportive interventions. I was able to work within multiple disciplinary teams and was encouraged to feedback and participate sharing my own experiences and building on supporting the leadership structure whilst on my placement. The nature of the service users I was working with also allowed me to engage with wider socio and political frameworks regarding treatments and interventions.

How did you feel going into your first day on placement?

I had mixed feelings. On one hand I was excited to see occupational therapy in action and adapt the classroom learning into a real-life working environment. On the other hand, I was anxious about what I was walking into and how I was going to navigate an unknown environment.

How did you feel by the end?

I felt confident and comfortable with my abilities towards the end of the placement and felt I had learned so much in such a short amount of time. The placement allowed me to grow and develop my skills as an OT and encouraged me to ask questions and work with a variety of complimentary teams to support in delivering high quality and meaningful support.

Did you come across any specific challenges? If so, how or were you able to overcome them?

It can be overwhelming to switch off how you think you need to behave or the level you think you should be at already. I think especially as I had been in the workplace for many years before returning to study.

What was your biggest learning from the placement?

To go into placement with an open mind and absorb as much information is available to you, including taking every shadowing and training opportunity available. Placement is a great resource for building real life experience and can open up a variety of different OT job roles within teams you may encounter. As occupational therapy is such a varied profession, putting yourself forward for opportunities is an invaluable way of learning as much as you can about how occupational therapy fits into wider scenarios.

What’s your dream occupational therapy role?

I don’t know yet. I've enjoyed the variety that both my placements have provided and maybe a rotational role will be a good way for me to explore where occupational therapy can take me and the different avenues available.

What are the biggest advantages of being a student member of RCOT?

The resources available are great for building on your knowledge and for providing support as you develop your professional skills. The monthly OTNews magazine is also useful for staying up to date with the profession and any additional training.

What would you say to anyone wanting to explore a career in occupational therapy?

Go for it! If you'd have told me this time last year, I would be back in education I wouldn't have believed you. Occupational therapy welcomes people from all disciplines and everyone can bring unique experiences to the role. The variety and potential for development means you can find your passion and run with it all whilst helping others to achieve what they want to.

Interested in a career in occupational therapy?

Becca’s journey highlights the diversity and fulfilment a career in OT can offer - whether you’re drawn to social care, mental health, or justice services. If you’re thinking about OT, now is the time to explore how you can make a real difference. 

Discover more inspiring student and practitioner stories in our ‘OT in action: real stories, real impact’ blog series or explore our resources for students and aspiring OTs.

Ready to take the next step? Learn how we can support you on your path to becoming an occupational therapist.