By Jill Garaffa, Professional Certified Coach, Seeds of Change Coaching
When people think of occupational therapy, they often picture rehab after an illness or injury—or maybe an OT working with children on handwriting, sensory issues, or developmental delays.
No matter what the setting, Occupational Therapists (OTs) are masters at helping people function better in their daily lives. We guide clients to adapt to their environments, modify tasks, and build the skills they need to thrive with greater autonomy, purpose, and independence.
When people think of professional coaching, they often imagine goal-setting, personal empowerment, mindset shifts, and accountability—the kind of partnership that helps someone get out of their own way and become who they’re meant to be.
But what if you could have both—blended seamlessly?
That’s exactly what an OT Coach offers.
OT Coaching: The Best of Both Worlds
As an Occupational Therapist, I’m trained to understand how people function—from movement and mental health to executive function and emotional regulation. I can break down complex tasks into manageable pieces and identify what’s getting in the way of optimal performance.
As a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), I help people clarify what they want, explore what’s holding them back, and take consistent, meaningful action.
When these two approaches come together, the results can be truly transformative.
Who Benefits from an OT Coach?
You might benefit from working with an OT-Coach if:
You’re a Professional Facing Burnout, Boredom or Chronic Stress
Why it helps: OT Coaches address the impact of stress on the body and brain, offering real-life tools like energy conservation, sensory regulation, and sustainable habit change, not just mindset advice.
You Live with ADHD or Executive Function Challenges
Why it helps: OT Coaches blend clinical training in focus, organization, task management, and self-regulation with coaching strategies to build both structure and self-trust.
You’re Returning to Work After Illness, Injury, or Major Life Change
Why it helps: We support your return to productivity with a blend of emotional insight and functional strategies—so you can reintegrate with confidence, clarity, and care.
You’re Navigating a Career or Life Transition
Why it helps: Coaching provides clarity and direction; OT brings insight into habits, identity, roles, and routines—helping you move forward with both vision and grounding.
You Lead a Team or Organization Focused on Well-Being and Performance
Why it helps: OT Coaches help address barriers like cognitive overload, fatigue, chronic medical conditions, mental health, sensory needs, or neurodiversity—creating healthier, more inclusive workplaces.
Why It Works
OTs are trained to assess the full picture:
The person: mind, body, spirit, values, interests, goals, roles, habits, and routines
The task: context, complexity, process and purpose
The environment: physical, sensory, social, and virtual
Coaches are trained to spark awareness, highlight blind spots, and empower transformation through deep listening, powerful questions, and accountability.
Together, these skills offer more than encouragement—they offer insightful, practical, transformational whole-person support grounded in psychology, neuroscience, behavior change, and real-life application.
If you’re feeling stuck, burned out, overwhelmed, or bored, or you are wondering if there’s someone who truly gets it—and gets you—I want you to know: There is. I see you. I hear you. And I get you.
This work is deeply personal to me. It is not only my passion, but my life’s mission. After more than 30+ years helping clients as an occupational therapist—and the past 20+ years working as a professional coach, walking alongside people through life’s biggest challenges and transitions —I bring compassion, clinical knowledge, and deep, experiential wisdom into every session.
Jill Garaffa, MS, OTR/L, PCC, ELI-MP
Occupational Therapist, Registered/Licensed
Professional Certified Coach
Energy Leadership Master Practitioner
Personal Coaching for Professional People. info@seedsofchangecoaching.com
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732-859-6962
https://seedsofchangecoaching.com/what-is-an-ot-coach-and-why-might-you-or-your-business-need-one
