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THE ALTERNATIVE OT BLOG.

Online Therapy for Women - October 2026

When life changes and you no longer feel like yourself

Sometimes, the hardest part of a health condition or life transition is what happens to your everyday life.

You may still be getting through the essentials: caring for your family, working, making meals, answering messages and keeping things moving. Yet the activities that once brought you joy, connection or a sense of yourself have quietly slipped away.

Perhaps becoming a mother has changed how you spend almost every hour of your day. Perhaps fatigue or pain means that familiar activities now require more energy than you have available. Or perhaps your circumstances have changed, and the way you used to live no longer fits.

You might find yourself thinking:

“I’m managing, but I don’t feel like me.”

This is something we can explore through occupational therapy.

What everyday life tells us

In occupational therapy, “occupation” means the activities that fill our lives and matter to us. It includes paid work, but also parenting, friendships, cooking, gardening, creativity, rest, learning and being part of a community.

These activities do more than occupy our time. They can help us express who we are, feel connected to others and experience meaning.

When access to them changes, our sense of identity can change too.

A woman who previously enjoyed spontaneous walks, evenings with friends and creative projects may now find that every available moment is taken up by caring responsibilities. Someone living with a long-term condition may have enough capacity for essential tasks, but little left for the things that make those tasks feel worthwhile.

Understanding this means looking beyond a list of symptoms. It means asking what life actually contains—and what is missing.

Making life more sustainable

When you feel overwhelmed, advice often centres on adding something: another routine, a wellbeing practice, an exercise plan or a better system.

But adding more may create another demand.

My starting point is to understand the relationship between your daily responsibilities, your available capacity and what matters to you.

What takes the most effort? What helps you recover? Which roles receive most of your energy? What support is available? What could be adapted, shared, simplified or put down?

The answers may lead us towards practical changes in your routines, surroundings or expectations. They may also help you recognise why something has become difficult, rather than interpreting that difficulty as a personal failure.

Occupational balance is individual. A sustainable pattern for one person may look very different from another’s, and your needs may vary from day to day.

Reconnecting with what matters

Feeling more like yourself does not necessarily mean returning to your previous life.

You may want to reclaim certain activities or roles. You may also discover that some no longer fit, or that new interests and priorities are emerging.

We can make space to consider both.

If creativity matters to you, we might explore how it could become accessible within your current circumstances. If friendship has disappeared from your week, we might look at the energy, timing and support that would make connection possible. If your days are dominated by responsibility, we might consider where you have choice and what would help you experience more of it.

The aim is to identify changes that are meaningful to you and realistic within the life you are living.

What working together looks like

Through The Alternative OT, I offer online occupational therapy for women navigating motherhood, health changes and other life transitions.

We begin with an occupational assessment, exploring your roles, routines, capacity, environment, strengths and the activities that matter to you. Sessions can be paced to accommodate fatigue or concentration needs.

I then share my understanding with you. Together, we check what feels accurate, consider what is missing and agree therapy goals before deciding on any ongoing work.

Those goals might involve developing more sustainable routines, adapting daily demands, reconnecting with valued activities or making room for aspects of your identity that have become less present.

There is space for reflection and emotion alongside this practical work. Where you need support beyond the scope of my service, we can discuss involving another professional.

An invitation to begin

You do not need to know exactly what needs to change before getting in touch.

You might simply know that everyday life feels harder than it used to, or that there is very little room for you within it.

If this sounds familiar, you are welcome to email contact@thealternativeot.com with the subject “Remote OT enquiry”. Tell me briefly what has changed and what you hope to get help with, and we can explore whether this service is a suitable fit.

Kate Knox — HCPC-registered Occupational Therapist, The Alternative OT

why work with me? - October 2025

Because my approach looks beyond the traditional boxes of occupational therapy.

With a background in neurorehabilitation, brain injury and trauma, I know how important it is to restore independence and rebuild everyday life after illness or injury. But I appreciate that recovery isn’t only physical. Our emotions, energy and spiritual wellbeing are all deeply affected by what we go through.

That’s why my work blends:
✨ Occupational Therapy – practical, evidence-based strategies for daily life and function
✨ Energy practices like Reiki and sound – to support nervous system regulation and release what’s held in the body
✨ Wellbeing coaching – to help people reconnect with meaning, joy and purpose

This isn’t about being “woo woo.” It’s about recognising that healing is multi-layered. By integrating therapeutic science with energy awareness, I support people to feel not just functional again — but whole.

Why ‘The Alternative OT’ - August 2025

As I enjoyed a slow Sunday cosy in my PJs on this bank holiday Sunday, I had some time to consider speaking on something which I’ve been wanting to address.

Especially as The Alternative OT socials and website get more visits and views.

Why ‘The Alternative OT’?

What do I feel makes me ‘alternative’?

Whether this title puts off or draws people in to want to work with me?

(Although this last question I leave to trust - that I’ll always be guided to the people I’m meant to meet ❤️)

I started my career over 20 years ago as a therapy assistant in the NHS.

Working mainly within a medical model - something felt as if it was missing within my practice.

It wasn’t until a couple of years into my service that I started to explore the true medicine of meaningful activity during my Occupational Therapy MSc research. I started to feel the importance of honouring the real essence and spirit of the people I would serve.

But despite holding this knowledge I returned to the health service as a qualified Occupational Therapist for the national health and thereafter within private services where this gnosis wasn’t prioritised. Or dare I say understood or acknowledged by the larger system itself.

As I walked alongside clients in their recovery, I noticed something WAS missing.

Healing was never just about movement, memory, or function. People carried invisible wounds - spiritual, emotional, energetic - and that didn’t show up on scans or in medical notes, but held them back just as much.

And so The Alternative OT was born.

An Alternative way of seeing and serving my clients.

I hold space for people to reconnect with their body, honour their spirit, and create a life that feels meaningful after illness, injury or trauma.

It isn’t “woo woo.” It’s about recognising that every experience leaves an imprint - on our nervous system, on our habits, on our energy. By weaving together science, therapeutic practice and energy work, I help people restore not just function, but wholeness.

❤️

Excited to be meeting new clients – February 2025

Today has been such an exciting day, and I’m so grateful for all the opportunities that come my way to support new clients.

I’m so thankful to be receiving new referrals, on my return from maternity leave and cannot wait to get going on setting and achieving some fantastic occupational focused goals with my wonderful clients.

My aim, as always is to support all of my clients live authentically, find their passion and purpose and to feel empowered by helping them return to the activities, roles and relationships which are meaningful to them 🤍

A note for 2025…. January 2025

I wanted to start the year off by thanking the supporters of this page since its creation and for the all the lovely people who contact me in the DMs and comments sharing their appreciation for the thoughts, feelings, advice and insights I share.

Everything I share on here comes from a place of love and shared because of the passion I hold for the true potential of occupational therapy and working with the heart ❤️

I’m starting 2025 off a bit differently within my professional life after taking the decision to step away from the other professional roles I’ve worked in for nearly 10 years to be able to focus solely on my souls mission which is to support my clients remember their true potential and to work with them to build a life which feels truly meaningful, through Occupational therapy and coaching

Becoming a mother has cracked my own heart wide open and has given me the shake up I needed to live fully awake - things needed to change! Forever grateful for my girl for bringing me clarity and confidence to take another big leap 💕

I’ve stepped away from non-therapeutic responsibilities to dive deep into providing a heart led OT and coaching service.

I have made some great connections in the last couple of months in the world of OT and am excited to be working collaboratively with them in order to support more clients to live authentically, with a deep knowing of who they are and recognition of what lights them up and gives their life true meaning 🫶🫶

So much gratitude for the opportunities available in 2025

Let’s go!! ✨✨✨

I see you Mama 🤍 - November 2024

2024 welcomed my mama era… a new version of self as I’ve had the honour of being chosen by the most beautiful spirit to be her mother and have experienced the true magic and miracle that is growing and birthing new life.

My word GRATITUDE doesn’t even cut it ✨❤️

Our baby girl was born several weeks early on the 27th February 2024 and as parents all over the world will be able to resonate with - our worlds changed forever.

I have been BLESSED with being able to focus my heart and mind on nurturing our new family whilst I took some time away from work…

However recently, during the last few months I’ve been able to spend some time reflecting on what direction I see my business life going in and have been feeling into some big changes that need to happen 💥 or at least there’s a call to evolve

I have over 15 years therapeutic experience  and still hold a passion for supporting individuals live a life that feels RIGHT to them deep down in their hearts and to support them to be able to participate in roles, activities, jobs, relationships and hobbies that are meaningful to them and give their life PURPOSE - no matter what their circumstance!

But I’m also a believer in serving from where you are and what you’ve experienced so I intend to weave my own experiences of being an expectant mother and new mother in to my offerings.

It’s been wonderful and beautiful journey and it’s also been tough, emotional and sometimes traumatic for me ( as I’m sure many new mums will understand). But through learning to remember the importance of Trust in myself and our souls path my mind and heart have been blown open and I’ll be forever grateful for the journey we were taken on to have what we have now ❤️

I want to use what felt like somewhat of a turbulent landing into motherhood to help others and what better way than through my professional training and platform.

Although the exact nature of how this will look still needs some exploration and thought… I know that it’s important for me and my business to be an advocate for new mothers to live within their sovereignty and power, helping others to know their worth and trust their intuition during their journey.

Im excited to see motherhood through an occupational lens as im confident about how occupational therapy can help new mothers engage in all that comes with this life changing and soul expanding role… from preparation to welcome in new life and  understanding ALL of YOUR options and choices to nursing, feeding and caring for your babes, to building community and support networks, balancing wellbeing and health with the responsibilities of nurturing new life and finding the time and ways to participate in the roles and activities outside of motherhood that are meaningful.

I look forward to returning to work in January 2024 with all this in my heart and mind and as I return to supporting clients through occupational therapy, coaching and energy work… I welcome in all that feels aligned; new clients, new collaborations and new learning 🤍

🤍