Voices of the Blog
Get to know our many voices by reading the bios below.
If you prefer to listen, you will find an audio file beneath each portrait.
Peter Simon — Content Creator
OTR
Hi there, my name is Peter. I was a part of the Solidago team in the Fall of 2021 and am so happy to be back– I really have missed this community. I am a person who you can often find me with a book and looking for the coziest spot in a room to feel safe and comfortable in. I do enjoy writing for fun and a goal I have is to write a book someday– I just have to start writing again, but somehow that feels difficult! One of my New Year's resolutions, which is more of a feeling than an actual action item, is to be freer with myself. I really want to understand what that looks like for me (which I think that this community will help so much with, I get so much joy from it).
How do you incorporate play into your life?
I have been trying to incorporate play into my life by recognizing the lack thereof I have of it. As I was trying to figure out how to be an adult after highschool, I initially thought that play could not be part of it and rather that it was something we grow out of. It is a habit and idea I sadly have held onto until more recently. As of now, as I am learning how to play again, I play through being silly with my nephews and niece, going on walks with my friends in Minneapolis, following my whims to try something random that I have always wanted to do (currently, that is knitting), and using different voices with friends for fun.
How would you describe a well-occupied life or community?
To me, a well-occupied life or community looks unapologetic. Sometimes, I think that we as a society can unintentionally trap ourselves or others into this idea of what we think we can do, who we think we are, and who we think we should be. When we allow ourselves and support others to be unapologetic, it can bring about a greater level of authenticity and safety to our lives, allowing us to bring every part of ourselves to the table and the community. It is also knowing that my version of unapolegticness is going to be different from yours– but THAT is the best part. We all show up differently to have a well-occupied and unapologetic life.
Bailey Healy — Content Creator
OTA
Hi friends, my name is Bailey. I am an Occupational Therapy Assistant graduate from Anoka Technical College. I was fortunate to have been a part of the team at Solidago in the Fall of 2022, and I am so very excited to have the opportunity to continue. I enjoy learning new things and trying out new activities and hobbies. My most recent interest is playing with digital art and social media. For me, these are ways that I find joy, but what I love most is to bring joy in others' lives— seeing another person reconnect to their joy is one of my favorite things.
How do you incorporate play into your life?
I try weaving my creativity into everything I do. I enjoy engaging in a variety of activities, but my favorites include painting, embroidery, and drawing. I like to spend time outdoors hiking and camping with my husband, family, and our friends. Our favorite place to visit is the north shore in Minnesota— we find something new each time we venture up there.
How would you describe a well-occupied life?
A well-occupied life is a balance between occupations and activities— caring for ourselves, others, our home, and engaging in work, play, etc. We all find ourselves with full schedules, squeezing things in to make room for more activities, while not leaving room for leisure or rest. Caring for yourself is just as important as caring for others—and you can’t care for others if you haven’t taken care of yourself. Unfortunately, I have learned this the hard way. I hope to bring a greater awareness of, and create more opportunities for self-care to prevent others from risking their health and well-being.
Christy Witkowski — Content Creator
COTA/L
Hello, I am Christy Witkowski. I am a 2021 graduate of the OTA program at Anoka tech. I am also one of three members of Solidago’s inaugural cohort of Fieldwork students.
A few things I would like for you to know about me is, I am a passionate person who enjoys helping others thrive at whatever it is that makes them happy. I am a proud advocate and fundraiser for colorectal cancer. I am lover of sports, especially WI Sports teams. And I am someone who will always find the positive in any situation.
How do you incorporate play into your life?
Professionally, I literally play for a living. I am a pediatric COTA, which means I get to teach amazing children functional life skills through fun client centered activities that often include coloring, playing with play-doh, creating obstacle courses which often includes playground equipment, and/or a variety of toys. Personally, I LOVE incorporating play into my life with my daughter through activities such as riding our bikes, playing catch, doing arts and crafts, binge watching something on a streaming platform, and watching her play whatever sport she is in that season. I also enjoy photography and anything baseball.
How would you describe a well-occupied life or community?
To me, a well occupied life means having a life where you can freely enjoy laughter, joy, and anything else that brings a sense of calm and peace to you physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Hanna Rustin — Content Creator
COTA/L
Hello there, my name is Hanna Rustin. I am a 2022 graduate of Anoka Technical College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program. I first learned of Solidago’s great work in 2022 through my first fieldwork site and quickly connected with the mission of living a life well occupied. I'm originally from Southern Arizona and moved to Minnesota in 2016 after spending several years working in Northern Thailand. My upbringing in a retirement community fostered an affinity for older adults which drove me to pursue a second career in Occupational Therapy. I currently work in Life Enrichment in a senior community in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
When not hanging out with seniors, I enjoy being outdoors, experimenting in my kitchen, exploring new ethnic restaurants with my husband, volunteering at church, and occasionally running a marathon. Infact, I have a lifelong goal of running a race in every state in the US.
How do you incorporate play into your life?
Being out in nature, in the presence of children, and/or in the kitchen inspires a playfulness in me. My newest culinary adventure is all things sourdough. Spontaneous laughter, either at myself or with others, is another form of playfulness in which I delight.
How would you describe a well-occupied life or community?
A well-occupied life is one that is purposeful in its daily and lifelong pursuits. It encompasses and attends to all areas of wellness including physical, social, emotional and spiritual. A person living a well-occupied life defines (and redefines) healthy boundaries and routines that support their most important roles and serve their ultimate meaning.
Furthermore, a well-occupied community is made up of these individuals who live a “well-occupied life,” which in turn fostering a united, secure, and flourishing neighborhood. This group of people are curious about each other and are willing to extend their own resources to benefit each other.
Kim Bradach — Content Creator
OTR/L
I was born and raised in MN. I originally started out as a teacher because I wanted to make a difference in people's lives. I was also a nanny for a mom that is a physical therapist, which led me to my career in occupational therapy. It allows me to work with people of all ages while still making a difference in people’s lives. I am a partner, daughter, sister, friend, and puppy mom living in northern MN. I like the pace and people here, after growing up in the cities. I have a little bit of a wanderlust. I love to travel to new places. There’s nothing better than exploring new places and getting to know new people!
How would you describe a well-occupied life or community?
This year I am focusing on finding the things that bring me joy instead of draining me and putting more energy into those things. Community OT is one of those things and Solidago/ To a life well occupied helps me “fill my cup.” I thoroughly enjoy collaborating and working with a team. I am so thankful I get that opportunity here and get to work with my people!
How do you incorporate play into your life?
Play for me has looked different throughout my life, but one thing that has stayed the same is my love of playing games. I remember sitting at my grandparents’ table in their kitchen when I was little and playing endless card games. I also really enjoy board games. I have a great group of friends from high school that I get together with and have game nights, although not as often as I would like. It’s not only fun but helps us stay connected in our busy lives. I’m struggling a little bit now with what play means for me at this time in my life. I’ve been busy this last year getting married, graduating with a doctorate in occupational therapy, finding a job, and becoming a new practitioner. Once I get my feet planted firmly underneath me again, I will have the time to really figure out what that means for me now. One thing I know for sure is that for me, play always involves other people. I love the social aspect of play and it definitely helps me “fill my cup!”
Marcie Drayton — Content Creator
OTR/L
Hi there! My name is Marcie Drayton. I find joy in simple things like seeing others smile, taking pictures, all things purple, oh and coffee. I am a 2022 graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Doctorate Program of Occupational Therapy. During my graduate studies I joined forces with team Solidago and feel so encouraged by the connections and positive impacts that the team continues to make with the community near and far.
I was born and raised in MN but now find myself waking up on a military base in KY! I am a blissful wife and a playful stay-at-home mama of twin baby girls and two kitties. I love conversations about living a life well occupied and the way I do that best is through living my yoga. My favorite days are spent outdoors with my family, I have a second tongue for Spanish, and once a year if I get lucky you can find me in the deep blue scuba diving.
How would you describe a well-occupied life?
A well occupied life is one that feels so good you can just be present with. A life where you’re not stressing about the past nor the future, but instead attending to the now with intention and stability. I think a life well occupied consists of healthy choices, conversations, and activities that fill our cups while also giving us purpose, insight, and motivation to dive deeper.
How do you incorporate play into your life?
With two infants at home I have plenty of opportunities to play. I play with voices and expressions, and peekaboo is too fun! My affection is very playful too; I kiss them all over until I hear giggles.
Another way I invite play into my life is through my physical activity, specifically how I approach my yoga practice. I don’t follow a structured sequence and instead follow my own flow on each given day. At the end of my practice I call it play time because I alot time for me to explore new movements or poses that I haven’t tried before. I usually look to social media to find inspiration and then try things on my own. It’s a very fun time for me as it gives me time to discover more of myself and practice grace when I fall.