Today we’d like to introduce you to Bianca Reed
Bianca, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey to becoming an occupational therapist (OT) began in my teenage years when I watched a 20/20 episode about a little girl receiving physical therapy (PT) after an accident. This inspired me to pursue a career as a PT. However, while I was seeking observation hours for PT school, I was temporarily placed in the OT department. There, I was drawn to OT’s holistic approach and its focus on helping people engage in daily activities. This transformative experience led me to switch my path from PT to OT. Since becoming a licensed OT, I worked in several practice areas including a school district, a daycare for medically fragile kids, an in-patient and rehab hospital, and in the community with adults with intellectual disabilities. Now, as the owner of a solo pediatric OT practice, I work with children with varying disabilities and their families, helping them to become more independent.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a private practice owner has not always been easy. In graduate school, we are not taught how to run a business. Managing a therapy practice can be challenging, especially when dealing with insurance billing. While some therapy practices only accept cash or checks, I wanted my services to be accessible, so I decided to accept insurance. Finding a larger space for my practice was another significant step. It involved a steep learning curve as I balanced seeing clients, billing insurance, marketing myself, and ensuring I could meet my lease obligations. Fortunately, as my business grew, many aspects became easier. Balancing family life and running a business can still be challenging at times.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I appreciate the variety in my practice. I have a small clinic where I see children after school, a contract with a local charter school, and I also work as a contractor with the state’s early intervention program. This allows me to work with a diverse range of children, from babies learning to roll over to toddlers improving their fine motor skills, and adolescents focusing on self-regulation and self-care skills.
Over my 13-year career, I’ve gained experience working with children with various disabilities, which has led me to consider myself a generalist OT. My primary goal is to help each child achieve as much independence as possible. This could mean supporting a child in advocating for sensory breaks, teaching them how to sequence tasks like brushing their teeth, or helping them improve their coordination so they can comfortably participate in sports with friends.
In the past 3-4 years, my practice has evolved, and I aspire to be recognized as an occupational therapist who embraces neuro-affirming therapy. I have recently begun exploring feeding therapy and am excited to expand this aspect of my offerings.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
If you know an occupational therapist or speech therapist, we tend to be Type A people, but I’m more of a Type B person. I strongly believe that my flexibility, patience, and laid-back personality have helped me in my business and therapy journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.busybodytherapy.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bianca-reed-otr-l-7aa17a75
Image Credits
Headshot- Sunira Photography
