Presentations, Performances & Exhibitions
Developing a Sensory Health Screener for Community Mental Health
- WFOT Congress 2026
· February 9, 2026
- February 12, 2026
International Meeting or Conference
World Federation of Occupational Therapists,
Bangkok, Thailand
ABSTRACT:
Introduction: Over the past few decades, there has been an explosion of neuroscience research demonstrating that adults with serious mental illness experience atypical sensory processing patterns. Research in occupational science and occupational therapy has shown that these atypical processing patterns can have a significant impact on occupation and can sometimes be major barriers to participation. Although several sensory processing assessments exist in occupational therapy, there are no available instruments to quickly screen adults for their sensory health needs.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop a sensory health screen for use in community mental health settings.
Methods: To explore sensory health needs and identify the most important items to include in a screen, we are conducting 8 focus groups with the following cohorts: (1) caregivers of adults with serious mental illness, (2) occupational therapists in community mental health, (3) providers of community mental health services, and (4) leaders of teams providing community mental health services. We are also performing semi-structured interviews with approximately 20 adults with serious mental illness. Data are being analyzed using open and focused coding.
Results: Analyses are currently in progress to understand the sensory health needs of adults with serious mental illness in the community in order to identify items to be included in a sensory health screen.
Conclusion: This study is developing a sensory health screen for adults with serious mental illness in the community. We are using participatory processes and an implementation science approach to further develop the screen and enhance its usability in community mental health.
Introduction: Over the past few decades, there has been an explosion of neuroscience research demonstrating that adults with serious mental illness experience atypical sensory processing patterns. Research in occupational science and occupational therapy has shown that these atypical processing patterns can have a significant impact on occupation and can sometimes be major barriers to participation. Although several sensory processing assessments exist in occupational therapy, there are no available instruments to quickly screen adults for their sensory health needs.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop a sensory health screen for use in community mental health settings.
Methods: To explore sensory health needs and identify the most important items to include in a screen, we are conducting 8 focus groups with the following cohorts: (1) caregivers of adults with serious mental illness, (2) occupational therapists in community mental health, (3) providers of community mental health services, and (4) leaders of teams providing community mental health services. We are also performing semi-structured interviews with approximately 20 adults with serious mental illness. Data are being analyzed using open and focused coding.
Results: Analyses are currently in progress to understand the sensory health needs of adults with serious mental illness in the community in order to identify items to be included in a sensory health screen.
Conclusion: This study is developing a sensory health screen for adults with serious mental illness in the community. We are using participatory processes and an implementation science approach to further develop the screen and enhance its usability in community mental health.
The Role of Nature-Based Occupations in Adolescent Health and Well-Being (poster presentation)
- WFOT Congress 2026
· February 9, 2026
- February 12, 2026
International Meeting or Conference
World Federation of Occupational Therapists,
BANGKOK, THAILAND
Introduction / Rationale:
This scoping review explores the impact of nature-based occupational participation on adolescent health and well-being, emphasizing its effects on physical, mental, and social development. While historically rooted in ancient medicine, modern research provides evidence supporting its benefits. Structured outdoor occupations reduce stress, enhance emotional regulation, and foster social connections. Eastern medicine has long integrated these approaches, while Western medicine has been slower to adopt them due to gaps in standardized assessment tools and long-term studies.
Objectives:
This review aims to examine the impact of nature-based occupational participation on adolescent health and well-being. Specifically, it investigates how nature-based interventions influence physical health, mental health, and social participation while identifying existing gaps in research and differences in practice between eastern and western medicine.
Methods / Approach:
A review of existing literature was conducted, analyzing studies on forest therapy, horticultural therapy, nature-based education, and ecotherapy. The review focused on measurable health outcomes, theoretical frameworks and barriers to accessibility. Additionally, gaps in research, including the lack of standardized assessment tools and longitudinal studies, were identified.
Results / Practice Implications:
Findings indicate that nature-based participation reduces stress, improves emotional regulation, enhances immune function, increases physical activity, and strengthens social connections. However, limited quantitative assessments and long-term studies restrict integration into mainstream healthcare. Occupational therapists can advocate for structured nature-based interventions, promote accessibility, and contribute to developing standardized evaluation tools.
Conclusion / Significance to the Occupational Therapy Profession:
Nature-based therapy presents a promising avenue for enhancing adolescent health and well-being using a holistic approach to promote participation and development. Addressing current research gaps will support the integration of nature-based interventions into practice, further expanding therapeutic options for adolescent populations.
This scoping review explores the impact of nature-based occupational participation on adolescent health and well-being, emphasizing its effects on physical, mental, and social development. While historically rooted in ancient medicine, modern research provides evidence supporting its benefits. Structured outdoor occupations reduce stress, enhance emotional regulation, and foster social connections. Eastern medicine has long integrated these approaches, while Western medicine has been slower to adopt them due to gaps in standardized assessment tools and long-term studies.
Objectives:
This review aims to examine the impact of nature-based occupational participation on adolescent health and well-being. Specifically, it investigates how nature-based interventions influence physical health, mental health, and social participation while identifying existing gaps in research and differences in practice between eastern and western medicine.
Methods / Approach:
A review of existing literature was conducted, analyzing studies on forest therapy, horticultural therapy, nature-based education, and ecotherapy. The review focused on measurable health outcomes, theoretical frameworks and barriers to accessibility. Additionally, gaps in research, including the lack of standardized assessment tools and longitudinal studies, were identified.
Results / Practice Implications:
Findings indicate that nature-based participation reduces stress, improves emotional regulation, enhances immune function, increases physical activity, and strengthens social connections. However, limited quantitative assessments and long-term studies restrict integration into mainstream healthcare. Occupational therapists can advocate for structured nature-based interventions, promote accessibility, and contribute to developing standardized evaluation tools.
Conclusion / Significance to the Occupational Therapy Profession:
Nature-based therapy presents a promising avenue for enhancing adolescent health and well-being using a holistic approach to promote participation and development. Addressing current research gaps will support the integration of nature-based interventions into practice, further expanding therapeutic options for adolescent populations.
Threat or Opportunity? Social Prescribing and Implications for Occupational Therapy
- Skip Nav Destination AJOT Authors & Issues Series
· November 24, 2025
- November 24, 2025
Interview
American Journal of Occupational Therapy,
virtual
Sensory Health in Community Mental Health
- SSO:USA Annual Conference 2025
· November 6, 2025
- November 8, 2025
International Meeting or Conference
Society for the Study of Occupation,
Galveston, TX
The purpose of this study is to explore the sensory health of adults with serious mental illness and its impact on their occupational participation.
Nature-based Occupations as Catalysts for Well-being: Exploring the Transactions Among Youth, Environment, and Participation
- SSO:USA Annual Conference 2025
· November 6, 2025
- November 8, 2025
International Meeting or Conference
Society for the Study of Occupation:USA,
Galveston, Texas
This paper explores the role of nature-based occupations as mechanisms for fostering well-being and social participation among youth, particularly those experiencing systemic barriers to engagement. Drawing on an occupational science framework, we analyze the dynamic transactions between young people, the natural environment, and meaningful participation, 95 underscoring how engagement in nature-based occupations (e.g., horticulture, animal care, ecotherapy) can enhance resilience, identity formation, and social inclusion.
Occupational Alienation in an Acute Mental Health Setting: How one group of therapists experienced hegemony
- Annual Conference
· October 19, 2024
- October 19, 2024
International Meeting or Conference
Society for the Study of Occupation:USA,
Durham, North Carolina
Breaking Free from Fear: How Risk Aversion Impacts Mental Health Care
- Fear Less
· September 11, 2024
- September 11, 2024
Interview
Mountain Valley Treatment Center,
online podcast
In this episode of the Fear Less Podcast, host Zack interviews Professor Mary Beth Gallagher from Duke University. With over 25 years of experience in occupational therapy across the U.S. and abroad, Mary Beth shares her insights on how fear shapes and impacts mental health care systems. The conversation highlights the risk-averse nature of mental health care environments and how fear of litigation often leads to conservative treatment decisions, which can hinder patient progress. Mary Beth discusses her perspective on occupational therapy’s role in promoting well-being and how practitioners can balance safety with evidence-based interventions.
The episode also delves into the systemic challenges faced by mental health professionals, particularly in hospital settings, where fear can limit innovation and personalized care. Mary Beth shares examples of how risk aversion affects therapeutic interventions and emphasizes the need for more dialogue and flexibility in the mental health care system. She also introduces a community-focused nonprofit which she helped co-found, the Center for Community Connection (C4CC), which aims to provide holistic, occupation-based interventions to foster well-being and connection at individual, family, and community levels.
The episode also delves into the systemic challenges faced by mental health professionals, particularly in hospital settings, where fear can limit innovation and personalized care. Mary Beth shares examples of how risk aversion affects therapeutic interventions and emphasizes the need for more dialogue and flexibility in the mental health care system. She also introduces a community-focused nonprofit which she helped co-found, the Center for Community Connection (C4CC), which aims to provide holistic, occupation-based interventions to foster well-being and connection at individual, family, and community levels.
Creating and Assessing Classroom Climates and Teaching Practices that Support Learning Through Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
- Duke AHEAD Education Day
· March 24, 2023
- March 24, 2023
Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium
Duke University
Covid-19 and social justice movements of the last three years created monumental changes in education. These changes provided opportunities for exploration and innovation in the new Duke occupational therapy doctorate program. Duke OTD received a grant from Duke Learning Innovation to establish a professional learning community (PLC) to engage in inquiry, reflection and action toward fostering classrooms and program systems characterized by equity, inclusion, and belonging. This poster presentation shares the results of the this practice based learning inquiry, fostering inclusion in the classroom and antiracism in our teaching.
Practice Based Enquiry in Acute Mental Health
- AJOT Authors & Issues Session 14
· February 6, 2023
- February 6, 2023
Interview
American Journal of Occupational Therapy,
virtual interview
This session of AJOT Authors & Issues features guests MaryBeth Gallagher (Duke University), Nancy Bagatell (UNC Chapel Hill), Kimberly Conrad (UNC Health), and Darren Peters (UNC Health). They discuss their article published in Volume 77, Issue 1 of AJOT entitled: Using Practice Based Enquiry to Enact Occupation-Centered, Justice-Oriented Practice in an Acute Mental Health Setting.
Link to Open Access article:https://research.aota.org/ajot
Link to Open Access article:https://research.aota.org/ajot
Mobilizing Occupational Science Knowledge in Everyday Occupational Therapy Practice
- Annual Conference
· October 20, 2022
- October 22, 2022
Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium
Society for the Study of Occupation:USA,
San Diego, CA
“Ruffling Feathers”: How engaging in a practice based enquiry motivated a team of mental health OTs to enact occupational justice.
- WFOT Congress 2022
· August 28, 2022
- August 31, 2022
International Meeting or Conference
World Federation of Occupational Therapists,
Paris, France
Paper is based on a practice based enquiry in an acute mental health setting. Practicing therapists as co-researchers explored their own practice with a view to change. In the process, the therapists encountered their own occupational injustices and collectively sought and discovered ways to create change at the micro and meso levels.
Practical Tools for Cultivating an Inclusive Culture in Health Professions Education
- Practical Tools for Cultivating an Inclusive Culture in Health Professions Education
· March 31, 2022
- April 1, 2022
Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium
Duke AHEAD,
Duke University
Poster presentation of experience of TBL and ULD to foster inclusion in the the classroom in the first cohort in the Duke OTD.
Community Building Activities for Learners and Fun for Educators
- Duke AHEAD Education Day
· March 11, 2022
Other
Duke AHEAD,
virtual
Panel presenter
Carrying the Innovation Forward to Teach Diverse Learners
- Teaching IDEAS Series/Learning Innovation Panel
· November 4, 2021
- November 4, 2021
Other
Duke Learning Innovation,
virtual
panelist presenter
Practice Based Enquiry in Mental Health: Justice, Hope and Action
- OT Summit of Scholars
· June 23, 2021
- June 25, 2021
National Scientific Meeting
Colorado State University,
virtual
Reclaiming Occupation: A Practice Based Inquiry in Mental Health
- Annual Conference
· March 30, 2021
- March 30, 2021
Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium
North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association,
virtual
Leadership During a Crisis: Creating an Employee Wellness Program
- Annual Conference
· March 20, 2021
- March 30, 2021
Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium
North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association,
virtual
The Shaping of Occupational Choice and its Impact on Health and Wellbeing in Acute Mental Health
- Annual Conference
· November 9, 2018
- November 11, 2018
Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium
North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association,
Lake Junaluska, NC
A Collaborative Model of Student Education
- Annual Conference
· November 11, 2017
- November 11, 2017
Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium
North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association,
Raleigh
The Importance of Life Skills Within an Acute Psychiatric Population
- Annual Conference
· April 22, 2017
- April 22, 2017
Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium
North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association,
Raleigh
Service to the Profession
Membership Chair
·
January 1, 2026
- December 31, 2028
Committee Service
Society for the Study of Occupation:USA
Guest Presenter, Annual Ethics Event
·
April 30, 2025
- April 30, 2025
Other
UNC Division of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science,
virtual
Annual ethics event for occupational therapy practitioners for fulfillment of required ethics continuing education.
Reviewer
·
2024
Editorial Activities
Journal of Occupational Science
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Reviewer
·
2023
Editorial Activities
British Journal of Occupational Therapy
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Reviewer
·
2023
Editorial Activities
American Journal of Occupational Therapy
United States
United States
Service to Duke
North Carolina
Leadership & Clinical Positions
Duke OTD Academic Review Committee 2022 - present