Ebonee Ozkan

Occupational Therapist

Hello, my name is Ebonee, and I am an Occupational Therapist (OT)

I studied BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy at St George’s, University of London and graduated in July 2023. My 4 clinical placements covered a range of specialisms, including mental health, orthopaedics, paediatric neurodevelopment, and neuroscience (cerebral palsy) as well as Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). I remained with the ME/CFS service as an OT Assistant before embarking on my first Occupational Therapist role in adult social services.

In addition, I have the following qualifications: MSc Special Educational Needs Inclusive Perspectives (2020), British School of Yoga Pre/Post Natal Yoga Teacher (2017) and Hatha Yoga teacher (2016), Award in Education and Training PTTLS level 3 (2015), British Sign language level 2 (2014), and BSc (Hons) Sociology with Psychology (2011). My interest in OT developed from my personal experiences and professional roles working with children and young people in mainstream, special schools, and a specialist unit for D/deaf children which highlighted the power of engagement and participation in meaningful activity (occupation). I have a particular interest in Autism (ASD), Social, Emotional, & Mental Health (SEMH), and the D/deaf community.

Yoga and meditative practice are crucial for maintaining my wellbeing. I have created and taught yoga programmes across the lifespan in various settings, including mother and baby yoga and hatha yoga classes. I plan to further research the benefits of yoga and meditation as a self-regulation tool and hope to share this knowledge through means of delivering professional and parental training, writing articles, and creating accessible resources.

The Words First value that resonates the most with me is “collaboration and support” because in my opinion it embeds all Words First company and professional values. Collaboration is essential for providing holistic person-centered care to meet and promote the needs and wants of young people. This requires respect, sharing of ideas and flexibility. Support is essential for empowerment, wellbeing and quality control of evidence-based practice. These are all key values of Words First.

On a personal note, I am from Caribbean Jamaican heritage, born here in the UK. I have an eclectic music taste from neo-soul to rock ‘n’ roll. One of my favourite quotes from the late Maya Angelou is, “If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be”. This quote connects with me and my mindset of loving yourself unapologetically, flaws and all. I also love to travel, dance, eat (big foodie), and spend quality time with my awesome family and friends. I am blessed to have two beautiful children, who motivate and uplift me daily. If you had to call my best friends and ask them to describe me, I think they’d describe me as fun-loving, resilient, and empathetic.