CATHLEEN LITZ
Oak Lawn,IL
Summary
Talented occupational therapist bringing a clear understanding of healthcare standards, procedures and best practices. Familiar with program development, team leadership and training. Looking to leverage several years of experience in the field to take on a challenging new position at a successful organization.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Inpatient Mental Health Occupational Therapist
Chicago Behavioral Hospital
Des Plaines, Illinois
10.2025 - Current
- Implemented therapeutic interventions using evidence-based practices and adaptive techniques.
- Assessed patient needs and therapy goals to tailor individualized treatment plans.
- Facilitated group therapy sessions to enhance skill development and promote socialization among patients.
- Participated as the sole Occupational Therapist on hospital-wide Falls Committee, contributing an occupational lens to fall prevention initiatives and environmental safety assessments across inpatient units.
Travel Occupational Therapist
CompHealth
Anchorage, AK
08.2024 - 07.2025
- Empowered pediatric patients through tailored outpatient OT services, collaborating with families to align treatment with their values and beliefs, ultimately enhancing patient engagement and satisfaction.
- Assessed patient needs through comprehensive evaluations, crafting tailored care plans that improved health outcomes and enhanced patient satisfaction.
- Collaborated with treatment team to streamline treatment processes, resulting in enhanced patient care and faster recovery times.
- Specialized in feeding therapy, addressing oral motor challenges and sensory-related eating issues to improve mealtime function and reduce anxiety.
Travel Occupational Therapist
CompHealth
Mason, WA
01.2024 - 03.2024
- Assessed patient function, developed personalized treatment plans, and facilitated recovery and independence in complex, fast-paced environments.
- Delivered high-quality acute care services to diverse patient populations, enhancing recovery times and overall patient satisfaction rates.
- Delivered adaptive equipment training and ADL interventions while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to improve patient independence.
- Evaluated children with developmental delays, autism, mental health conditions, and sensory processing disorders to identify functional limitations and create tailored treatment plans.
- Applied evidence-based assessments to set achievable short- and long-term goals for children from birth to 18 years, aligning with family-centered objectives.
Travel Occupational Therapist
CompHealth
Anchorage, AK
03.2023 - 08.2023
- Managed outpatient caseload of 30 pediatric patients weekly, from birth to 23 years old, implementing individualized treatment plans that addressed specific developmental needs.
- Developed strong relationships with patients and families across diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, fostering collaborative treatment goals.
- Provided effective treatment for neurological and developmental conditions and various mental health issues, leading to improved patient well-being.
Travel Occupational Therapist
CompHealth
Soldotna, AK
10.2022 - 05.2023
- Delivered targeted occupational therapy to five schools weekly, enhancing fine motor skills and promoting student well-being.
- Collaborated on IEP goal development, providing insights that improved student progress and learning outcomes.
- Actively contributed to regular IEP meetings by providing insights and strategies that enhanced educational outcomes for students, addressing their unique occupational therapy needs.
- Evaluated, screened, and provided therapy to children with motor and sensory processing delays, addressing their specific therapy needs.
Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Level II
Advocate Children's Hospital
Oak Lawn, IL
10.2017 - 09.2021
- Successfully managed an outpatient caseload of 30 patients weekly, utilizing tailored therapy techniques for diverse age groups, from infants to young adults, while ensuring positive patient outcomes and satisfaction.
- Actively engaged as a key member of a multidisciplinary team, collaborating with developmental pediatricians and therapists to enhance patient development plans, resulting in improved outcomes for children.
- Developed strong relationships with patients and families from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, fostering collaboration on treatment goals.
- Mentored and supervised new therapists and graduate students, enhancing clinical skills and improving client satisfaction through targeted training initiatives.
- Consistently achieved department productivity measures, contributing to overall team success.
Early Intervention Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Sensable Kids
Chicago, IL
09.2016 - 03.2020
- Delivered specialized, community-based therapy services to children and families, aged 0-3, enhancing developmental outcomes.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary team to develop Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs), ensuring tailored support for families.
- Supported infants and toddlers in DCFS foster care, addressing challenges from abuse, neglect, and drug exposure to promote healing and growth.
Travel Occupational Therapist
Comp Health
Prophetstown, IL
05.2016 - 08.2016
- Delivered occupational therapy services across eight facilities weekly, addressing diverse patient needs ranging from young adults with severe
neurological conditions including TBI, SCI, MS, and various psychological diagnosis (major depression, anxiety, schizophrenia) - Employed motivational interviewing techniques to enhance communication with patients at different acceptance stages, fostering engagement in their treatment.
- Tailored therapeutic approaches to align with individual patient acceptance levels, ensuring effective intervention.
- Developed simulation activities for independent activities of daily living before real-life outings.
Education
Master of Science - Occupational Therapy
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago12.2015
Bachelor of Science - Kinesiology, Psychology Minor
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago05.2013
Skills
- Patient-centered care
- Assessment techniques
- Therapeutic interventions
- Treatment planning
- Comprehensive assessments
- Evidence-based practices
- Specialized feeding therapy
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Falls prevention initiatives
- Patient Education
- EMR systems: EPIC
- Care Connections/Cerner
- Medbridge
- Fusion
- Proficient in Microsoft office
- Team Collaboration
- Specialized feeding therapy
Timeline
Inpatient Mental Health Occupational Therapist
Chicago Behavioral Hospital
10.2025 - Current
Travel Occupational Therapist
CompHealth
08.2024 - 07.2025
Travel Occupational Therapist
CompHealth
01.2024 - 03.2024
Travel Occupational Therapist
CompHealth
03.2023 - 08.2023
Travel Occupational Therapist
CompHealth
10.2022 - 05.2023
Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Level II
Advocate Children's Hospital
10.2017 - 09.2021
Early Intervention Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Sensable Kids
09.2016 - 03.2020
Travel Occupational Therapist
Comp Health
05.2016 - 08.2016
Master of Science - Occupational Therapy
University of Illinois at Chicago
Bachelor of Science - Kinesiology, Psychology Minor
University of Illinois at Chicago