OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST RESUME
CARLYNN PICKENS MS OTR/L for MAHA
Carlynn Pickens, MS OTR/L
10458 1st St. N
Saint Petersburg, FL 33716
carlynnpickens@gmail.com
706-340-3481
Fellow Americans,
I started my career as a pediatric occupational therapist working in an outpatient clinic in Athens, GA. I absolutely delighted in my work. The day would come that I was ready to have a child of my own. Interestingly, elder care was where I found the flexibility that I needed as a mom. I adored the work but recognized some challenges in Long Term Care. When my daughter turned 10, I followed my dream to return to pediatrics by opening my own practice in a circus-center in Athens, GA. I’m a professional aerialist and wanted to blend my circus arts world with my science and occupational therapy world to deliver excellent OT in a non-clinical, fun environment. Trapeze Therapy was born and was very popular.
Pediatric private practice as a business is challenging due to the many cancellations for very good reasons; sick sibling, birthday parties, car trouble, and vacations to name a few. This inconsistency in caseload, even when you’re in high demand, caused me to close shop. I returned to elder care where I have such passion but continued experiencing resistance in my attempts to provide excellence. I’ve served over 10 nursing homes over the past 20 years. Recently, hurricanes Helene and Milton illuminated the human cost of poor management of these highly profitable skilled nursing facilities and I can’t continue to pretend that elderly Americans in these facilities are safe. I raised my voice in defense of residents and staff prompting a state investigation. Now, I’m compelled to help reform Long Term Care in America.
Thoughtfully, I’ve included additional information about me in this letter because I think it will help you understand me better as you consider me as a nominee for MAHA. I will share things that most colleagues, past and present, don’t know about me but I think you should as it will help you understand what motivates my desire to serve.
I am proud of a colorful career as an occupational therapist weaving between my interest in pediatrics and my commitment to elder care. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career as an occupational therapist at the age of fifteen. My father, retired military, and my mother, a nurse, helped shape my earliest considerations. My father was a Shriner who would insure that my brothers and I would be raised by his brotherhood, the Masons, if something happened to both of our parents. It did, leaving me and my two younger brothers orphaned. I would spend the next six years of my childhood in the Masonic Home of Georgia. I grew up fast, curious, and committed to becoming a professional, to overcome cumulative disadvantages. My father taught me that being an American is the greatest advantage of all. I believe that with all my heart!
My aunt was an OT, whom I greatly admired and emulated. At a young age, I would do my own research in speech therapy and physically therapy before committing to a career as an occupational therapist. As I’ve said, I began my career in pediatrics but I surprisingly developed a passion for serving elders who were grasping for a dignified existence in the face of chronic disease and abandonment. It might be the most valuable work I’ve done but I always felt that I could do more if the system supported excellence. It doesn’t, yet. Elder care in America can be better and I’m committed to this work.
I think my commitment comes from the love I had for my bee-keeping, creative, renaissance- man of a father who was born in 1914 and was retired during my early childhood. He gave me so much love and many life lessons that I developed the compassion and determination, aka grit, that would be needed to survive and carve out a future for myself following his death. It wasn’t easy but I’m creative, courageous, and resilient. Currently, I’m a wife, mom, aerial dance/ circus arts instructor, and community swan mom living in the Tampa Bay Area. The concerns that I’ve had regarding the Long Term Care Industry were undeniable following hurricanes Helene and Milton. I am eager to learn of a role where I can use my experiences, knowledge, and commitment to make a difference in the health, happiness, and peace for aging Americans.
Sincerely,
Carlynn Pickens, MS OTR/L
Experience:
Oct 2024: Heroes Among Us is a fundraiser created by me and my advanced aerial dance students to raise awareness about living with an upper limb difference and to raise money for Hands to Love so that more children and families can come to Hand Camp in the Spring of 2025. The performance was postponed due to hurricanes Helene and Milton. My mentee with an upper limb difference was going to perform for a live audience for the first time.
6/02/22 - present XXXXXXX - Full Time Occupational Therapist, Saint Petersburg, FL
11/1/21 - 6/02/22 Select Rehab - Full Time Occupational Therapist, Saint Petersburg, FL
2022- present: I increased my volunteer involvement in a nonprofit organization called Hands to Love as the dance lead. I also took 3 of my high school students from Dance and Circus Arts of Tampa Bay to H2L camp where they volunteered 2023 and 2024.
2022- present: I began mentoring a young aerialist with an upper limb difference.
2021- present: Aerial Dance Instructor at Dance and Circus Arts of Tampa Bay.
10/3/20-9/21/21 Amedisys Home Health - Full Time Occupational Therapist, Jasper, GA
6/1/20 - 9/30/20 Encore Rehab SNF - Full Time Occupational Therapist Ideal, GA
8/07/17- 3/3/20 Coliseum Medical Centers, Acute Occupational Therapist Macon, GA - Full Time Occupational Therapist
8/07/16- 8/07/17 Delta Healthcare Providers, contracting with Regency Hospital Macon,GA Contracting Full Time as Occupational Therapists
8/01/15 - 9/01/16 Dream Catcher Pediatric Therapy Services: Watkinsville, GA Contract Occupational Therapist
11/01/12 – 9-01-16 Trapeze Therapy, LLC Pediatric Private Practice: Athens, GA Occupational Therapist / Owner Trapeze Therapy provided OT services for children with autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, orthopedic injuries, learning disabilities, sensory processing disorders, and developmental coordination disorder. Trapeze Therapy provided treatments in the creative context of a circus arts center, Canopy Studio, where I worked as an instructor and danced for the company.
9/30/10 – 8/30/13 Guardian Home Care Home Health: Athens, GA Occupational Therapist
9/1/08 - 9/30/10 United Rehab Heritage Healthcare of Athens and UniHealth Post Acute Care Center: Skilled Nursing Facilities in Athens, GA
DOR: Therapy Outcomes Coordinator & Occupational Therapist
8/30/04 - 9/1/08 Elite Rehab: University Nursing and Rehab Center and Social Circle Nursing and Rehab Center in Athens and Social Circle,GA Occupational Therapist
6/30/04 - 8/30/04 Global Healthcare: Contract therapy services Occupational Therapist
9/2/02 - 6/30/04 St. Mary’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center: Pediatrics Occupational Therapist
2002: As an OT at Saint Mary’s , I introduced a baby with gigantism of upper limb to a wonderful organization called Hands to Love. Hands to Love connects kids with upper limb differences to community, care , and a camp each Spring.
2002: Member of “The Repertory” dance company at Canopy Studio in Athens, GA. where I taught aerial dance to children and adults. Here, I spearheaded a program between Saint Mary’s Hospital and Canopy Studio so that OTs from the outpatient clinic could bring children to Canopy dance studio for therapy treatments. This lasted for many years after I was gone from Saint Mary’s. It was a creative vs clinical environment and kids thoroughly enjoyed it.
Education: Brenau University Gainesville, GA 1997 - 2002
Degree Master of Science and Occupational Therapy
