Claire Courtier (OTD ’23) in Ibarra, Ecuador
This summer Claire Couturier received a scholarship from the University of Pittsburgh Nationality Rooms to travel to the beautiful city of Ibarra in Ecuador for five weeks. Over this time, Couturier worked at an occupational therapy clinic, CRECER, where she implemented an evidence-based peer-to-peer support program for the clinic’s parents of children with disabilities. She was also able to visit multiple maternal health clinics (Ecuador’s teenage pregnancy rates are the highest in Latin America) and speak with the directors and mothers to hear first-hand experiences of the urgent needs within Ecuador. “I learned so much about the space and need for an occupational therapy mindset in non-traditional settings during this trip and am inspired to continue learning more about the powerful impact the OT perspective can make anywhere there are people with needs and an OT with passion.”
Written by: Claire Courtier (OTD ’23)