Charisse Courteau

I think my drive and the fact that I come from a really strong family work ethic. My family, my mom - we're just boots on the ground every day. We just have a good work ethic. Being true to your profession is really important to me. That foundation from my family has really shaped how I approach my work and has been a key factor in my success.

The best career advice I've received is to open doors as they come and don't be afraid to say no. Be willing to say yes and look for managers that are leaders rather than just managers - I think that's really an important one. Just stay positive and be willing to fight the good fight. These pieces of advice have really guided me throughout my career and helped me navigate different opportunities and challenges.

I think it's important to be willing to learn and never let your continuous learning and curiosity stop you. There's no silly question, and you should get clarification when you don't understand something. It's okay to make mistakes because that's how we learn. This is advice I gave to the occupational therapy assistants I taught at St. Kate's, and I really believe in it. And most importantly, enjoy the ride! The journey is just as important as the destination.

One of the biggest challenges I've faced is when you don't have support through administration or leadership, and not being heard and not being believed. Sometimes you're alone on an island in your setting as an occupational therapist - you're the only one at that establishment or site, the only one in your field. A lot of times you don't have on-site support other than administration and leadership, which can be really challenging. On the opportunities side, with an occupational therapy degree you can work in almost any setting and it's very diverse. The industrial setting that I work in is a growing niche, and you can work in schools, hospitals, rehab, pediatrics, long-term care, retirement communities - it's pretty endless what you can do with an occupational therapy degree.

Having strong ethics and doing the right thing are really important to me. I value being honest and providing as much expertise and care as I can to my patients, clients, and injured people. Being truthful to people is essential. I also believe in providing feedback out on the floor - giving positive feedback along with constructive feedback, and then layering it with more positive. Values such as honesty and integrity are at the core of everything I do, both professionally and personally.