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Meet Logan, an occupational therapist at Solace Pediatric Home Healthcare. A member of the Solace team for nearly two years, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and his master’s degree from Colorado State University.

Meet Logan | Occupational Therapist

November 4, 2021
 | 
Mike Ralston
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Meet Logan, an occupational therapist at Solace Pediatric Home Healthcare. A member of the Solace team for nearly two years, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and his master’s degree from Colorado State University.

Describe your role at Solace.

If you ask an occupational therapist to describe what they do, you’ll never hear the same answer twice. And ultimately, that’s what I love about being an OT. It is an art within a science, which to me means that we have the clinical understanding to address a wide variety of issues, but to do it in a way that can be highly individualized. Specifically at Solace, I tell families that my role is to be a facilitator/collaborator to help their child reach their greatest potential, and assist others within that child’s environment to be part of that process. Those needs might be sensory, behavioral, coordination, motor skills, feeding, socialization, sleep, handwriting, age-appropriate learning skills, self care, or so much more.

What do you like most about your job?

The relationships that are built with kiddos and their families is one of my favorite parts of my job. Because we have the ability to provide consistent and ongoing support as warranted, we become a part of their lives and vice versa. I’ve received photos of the kiddos I work with in their Halloween costumes or hunting Easter eggs. I see videos of them opening their holiday gifts and have been there for milestones such as first independent steps or the first time trying a new type of food. Building relationships also means creating an environment where kiddos feel safe and supported which increases the likelihood of positive outcomes.

What are your hobbies?

Spending time with my wife, Mackenzie, my 3-year-old daughter Lydia and 1-year-old son Leo tops my list. And we are getting ready to welcome our 3rd kiddo sometime around the end of this year or early next! Additionally, I enjoy getting up to the mountains to hike, ski, and just generally de-compress. I also value spending time with friends and extended family, live music, traveling whenever I can get away, exploring breweries, keeping up with current events and landscaping/gardening.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I’m going to say tricking my awesome wife into marrying me and starting our family together. I’m still not sure how I managed that.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

Easily, it would be my mom. While she was in college, she recognized that no place in central Nebraska offered services to women/children affected by domestic violence or sexual assault, so she and a few of her classmates started an organization from the ground up to offer these services. She grew this organization and was its executive director for many years, and they now serve over 500 individuals a year. And while building/running this organization, she was an incredible single parent. She has more strength and guts than I ever will.

What might someone be surprised to know about you?

After working exclusively with adults for approximately 11 years, it was less than two years ago that I made the transition to pediatrics. In fact, until I met my wife I wasn’t even sure I wanted kids of my own. Transitioning to pediatrics was difficult at first, but I’m so glad I did it.

How would someone describe you?

Introspective, stubborn, sincere, organized, intuitive, reflective, extroverted, adventurous, compassionate, and energetic with a solid “dad-jokes” sense of humor.

What would you be doing if you weren’t working at Solace?

Operating a brewery/event center in some small, idyllic mountain town. With a flagship west-coast style IPA and at least one bourbon barrel-aged selection goes without saying.

What is your go-to order at your favorite restaurant(s)?

Being a native Nebraskan, I try to visit a Runza anytime I’m back across the state line, and the swiss cheese mushroom Runza is alone worth the drive! Locally, the pineapple curry at Udom Thai or the nachos at Blue Spruce Brewing are in their own class. Good sushi is also a winner.

What are your three tips for a new clinician?

(1) Don’t be afraid to ask questions and use the many resources that Solace provides including your clinical mentor, RCM and other therapists.
(2) Do as many co-treats as you can…there is so much that I’ve learned from other disciplines that have made me into a better clinician.
(3) Keep intervention as play-based as possible. Kids are much more likely to engage in therapy if they don’t recognize it as “therapy” in the traditional sense.

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