Spotlight: Jill Clancy, OTR/L, CNS
Jill Clancy, OTR/L, CNS is an occupational therapy (OT) practitioner in Long Island, New York working in geriatric and pediatric home care as well as a skilled nursing facility. She is also a Certified Neuro Specialist, Reiki Master, student for yoga instruction in somatics, and founding member and leader of Occupational Therapists for Environmental Action (OTEA). An asset to the organization, Jill brings a plethora of experience and a heart of gold to everything she does.
Recalling her early interest in climate change and occupational therapy, Jill shared about her undergraduate thesis and master's capstone. The first was an investigation of ergo-ecology and how it supports sustainable wellness. Ergonomics and green building, or ergo-ecology, considers the sustainability of buildings themselves as well as the wellbeing of those who work in them. As part of this project, Jill also developed a survey to measure student knowledge of climate change and OT and later drew from the experience when working on the OTEA Student Needs Assessment Project in 2021. Expanding on the impact of environment and wellbeing, Jill’s master’s capstone explored various contexts, from snoezelen multi-sensory rooms and nursing facilities to natural environments, and their impact on human wellness. All the while, Jill incorporated green practices in her own life, joining Citizens Climate Lobby and exploring low-waste lifestyles. Driven by the principle of doing no harm, Jill allowed her interest in climate action to flourish early in her professional and personal life.
In practice, Jill addresses climate by thoughtfully incorporating nature into her therapy sessions. During her time at a pediatric clinic, she developed a class titled “Learn Through Nature” to bring clients closer to their natural environment. One session focused on the life cycle of trees and involved collecting leaves, conducting bark rubbings, reading a story about leaves, and identifying leaf types. In another session, centered around a Halloween theme, clients measured dimensions of pumpkins, learned about how they grow, dug them out of dirt-filled bins, washed them, and decorated them. The activity’s success inspired Jill to implement a similar session with her clients at the nursing home. Reflecting on these experiences and sources of inspirations, Jill emphasizes the use of nature-based, biodegradable materials in therapy to bring clients closer to nature while simultaneously reducing waste. Additionally, Jill notes the importance of empirical evidence in shaping sessions and conversing with inquiring colleagues. As she continues in her OT career, Jill plans to “build in a more sustainable, holistic model and role for [herself] as a therapist, incorporat[e] nature spaces, and encourag[e] others to do the same”.
For practitioners interested in including more nature in their therapy sessions, Jill has the following suggestions:
Explore the evidence around nature, wellbeing, occupational therapy, climate, etc.
Here are some of Jill’s favorites:
Natural light and sleep
Brown T. M., Brainard, G. C, Cajochen, C., Czeisler, C. A., Hanifin, J.P., et al. (2022) Recommendations for daytime, evening, and nighttime indoor light exposure to best support physiology, sleep, and wakefulness in healthy adults. PLOS Biology, 20(3): e3001571. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001571
Nature-based education and wellbeing among college students
Nisbet, E., Zelenski, J., & Murphy, S. (2011). Happiness is in our nature: Exploring nature relatedness as a contributor to subjective well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 12(2), pp. 303-322. doi: 10.1007/s10902-0
Plants in nursing home rooms
Rappe, E., & Topo, P. (2007). Contact with outdoor greenery can support competence among people with dementia. Journal of Housing for the Elderly, 21(3/4), pp. 229-248. doi:10.1200/J081v21n03-12109197-7
Course through Occupationaltherapy.com
Investigate your own relationship with nature and try working it into your daily occupations
Jill suggests picking one green practice, implementing it over 2-3 weeks, then adding another or modifying the practice to better fit your daily life
Practice self-care to manage eco-anxiety
Join a climate organization
Hopeful for the future of the profession and the planet, Jill concluded with a reflection on the role of OTEA saying, “I think [OT] is one of the professions [where] most people have a love of learning and will continue to learn…That can be seen in how we support each other.”
You can learn more about Jill and her work on her LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-clancy-ms-otr-l-cns-624a71107/.
Spotlight written by Madelyn Yoo, OTS