Meet Dr. Meredith Norwood
Education:
Bachelor’s of Science in Occupational Science, 2016, Saint Louis University
Minor in Psychology
Minor in Interprofessional Education
Master’s of Occupational Therapy, 2017, Saint Louis University
Doctorate of Occupational Therapy, 2021, The George Washington University
Professional Experience:
Marshfield Clinic/ Marshfield Children’s Hospital, Inpatient Occupational Therapist
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Inpatient Occupational Therapist
The George Washington University, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Primary Care Research Training Program
Services provided at The Therapy Collaborative:
Occupational Therapy Evaluation
Occupational Therapy Treatment
Developmental Services
Hi, hi!
I’m Meredith Norwood, the founder of The Therapy Collaborative.
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare to help others, but I also wanted a profession that was dynamic, creative, and flexible. That’s when I found Occupational Therapy! After completing my Bachelor’s and Master’s at Saint Louis University, I started working at Marshfield Children’s Hospital in Marshfield, WI. My love for helping children and their families grew as I went to work each day at Marshfield. After a year in Wisconsin, I moved to Chicago after landing a job at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. At Lurie, I was constantly pushed to learn about a wide variety of medical conditions and had to ensure my OT sessions were both safe and effective, for what the child could handle. My skills and knowledge grew tremendously. At Lurie, I developed a special interest for treating children who were enduring chronic pain and those diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder.
At the end of 2022, a mentor approached me about an opportunity in research. I was excited for the chance to learn more about the research process, so I became a postdoctoral research fellow at The George Washington University. The fellowship taught me how to create meaningful research projects to positively influence the healthcare system. During my time as a research fellow, I worked with a team at Lurie to develop and implement a Clinical Care Guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of Functional Neurological Disorder. This guideline ensured that equitable care was being provided to all children with Functional Neurological Disorder. To share our new guideline, our team proudly presented at several conferences and wrote manuscripts about the process.
Despite enjoying research, I have a love for clinical practice. After moving to Bloomington, IL to be closer to family, I realized that my clinical skill set could help families in the central Illinois region. Thus, The Therapy Collaborative was born! I am excited to grow the Collaborative to encompass many different clinicians with excellent therapeutic experience that can serve families not only in their geographical location, but also those across the country with our virtual services.
When I am not researching or practicing OT, I am spending time with my husband (James), son (Oskar), and our dog (Addie). I love all things outdoors! Fun fact, my husband was a professional baseball player for 11 years. The baseball lifestyle taught us how to be savvy travelers, find the excitement in the unknown, and to create a sense of home no matter where you are in the country. It also expanded my OT skills as I helped keep his shoulder and elbow in top form. With constant travel and 162 games per season, we were diligent about recovery and addressing any small issues as soon as they surfaced to ensure his performance wouldn’t suffer. Being a college athlete myself (volleyball at SLU!), I loved helping James achieve his dream of playing in the MLB and am grateful that I was able to support him as a wife and OT!
Enough about me :). I am so excited for the opportunity to meet you and help your family in any way possible!
