Ep 37. How the OT Mindset Shapes Life, Motherhood, and Beyond with Gabriella Thalin
Show Summary:
What happens when the career path you trained for becomes the foundation for a totally different kind of life? In this episode of The Money Matters in OT Podcast, I’m joined by Gabriella Thalin—pediatric occupational therapist, homemaker, and soon-to-be published children’s book author—to explore how an OT education (and mindset) can shape far more than just your career.
Gabriella always knew she wanted to be a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, and chose OT as a stepping stone to help her thrive in that role. Today, we’re diving into the emotional and financial journey of going through grad school, paying for an advanced degree, and then choosing a nontraditional path—while still finding deep purpose and impact in the OT identity.
We talk about the mindset shifts that come with stepping away from clinical work, how OT skills show up in parenting, faith, creativity, and community, and how Gabriella’s training helped her build a life full of intention—even when it didn’t look like what she originally imagined.
Whether you're a therapist considering a new season of life, questioning your degree ROI, or just looking for encouragement that your OT skills are never wasted—this episode is a beautiful reminder that your path is valid, valuable, and full of purpose.
In today’s show, we’re chatting about:
Why Gabriella chose OT knowing she wanted to be a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom
The emotional side of stepping away from traditional OT work after grad school
How OT skills continue to serve her in parenting, entrepreneurship, and faith-based community work
What inspired her debut children’s book How to Become a Knight and how her OT lens shaped it
The power of goal-setting, process-building, and problem-solving in everyday life
Encouragement for OTs questioning if their degree was “worth it” outside of clinical work
Guest Bio:
Gabriella is a homemaker, mama, pediatric occupational therapist, and storyteller. Her debut children’s picture book, How to Become a Knight, will be available this summer. She is also launching a podcast with her husband and partner, Matt Thalin. Meditations for Children is a variety-style podcast designed to nourish young minds with godly truths through stories and music.
Resources
Follow Gabriella on Social Media: Instagram
Connect with Meditations for Children: Instagram Community
Join the new FB Group: Money Matters in Occupational Therapy
Get in touch
