Kristin (Beil) Cowgill, occupational therapy ’07, uses creativity and an empathetic heart to improve the lives of individuals in developing countries despite limited resources. Learn more about her travels and experiences as she has made a difference across the world.

Describe a day in your life as an occupational therapist and how you are making a difference in people’s lives

Most of my work as an occupational therapist has been in the public schools, which I love. Working the traditional school schedule has allowed me to do some traveling and volunteering for Non-Governmental Organizations that work with individuals with disabilities in developing countries.

My first summer volunteering was with an organization in rural Uganda doing outreach, caregiver training and therapy for children with disabilities. This experience taught me just how much we take for granted here in the United States. We had to get very creative with what we had to work with by creating parallel bars with tree limbs and adaptive seating from banana trees.

Another experience I had was volunteering in a rehabilitation clinic working with earthquake victims in Haiti. In this experience we had more equipment from donations but we worked with many amputees who were waiting on prosthetic limbs. I really had to remember that these patients had been through a very traumatic event and were now dealing with this new life changing condition. Hearing their stories was a big part of the experience and helped us to gain rapport with the patients.

The third place I have traveled to as an occupational therapist volunteer was Cusco, Peru. Because many of the students and families I work with in the public schools speak Spanish, I really wanted to improve my Spanish speaking skills. Going to Peru and immersing myself there for a month really helped me to improve those skills. In Peru, I volunteered at a school for children with disabilities and I helped train the local teachers on fine motor skill development and sensory processing strategies to use in their classroom. I also helped out with integrating a group of adolescents with disabilities in the community.

All of these experiences were eye opening and life changing. These experiences have also helped me become a better occupational therapist and better person in my day-to-day life by helping me to get creative with the things I have, listening to the stories of the students and people I work with and not take anything for granted.

What is your most memorable occupational therapy moment?

My most memorable moment was making a swing for a child in rural Uganda at her home. She was non-verbal and probably had autism. The swing ended up being one of her favorite occupations.

What are you particularly proud of in your occupational therapy career?

I have been given the chance to work with many different types of people from children to older adults of various backgrounds. I am most proud of serving people who are in poverty because I feel they are often the most grateful and I can make a bigger difference.

What inspired you to become an occupational therapist and what continues to inspire you?

I initially was inspired to be an occupational therapist when working a summer job with students with autism. I was able to observe an occupational therapist set up the environment in order to help them be successful in the school setting. I continue to be inspired by seeing my students/patients/clients make progress and increase their independence which helps give them a bigger sense of purpose in this world.

Being an occupational therapist has really taught me to be a life-long learner. I have found that I am never done learning and there is always something new to improve upon.

The Department of Occupational Therapy is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.