Public invited to Milligan lecture on Occupational Therapy and Motherhood

The public is invited to attend a lecture at Milligan University on occupational therapy's role in motherhood. The lecture is part of the university's Faculty Lecture Series and will be presented by Dr. Ashleigh Lingerfelt, area chair and program director of occupational therapy. Lingerfelt's lecture is entitled "Exploring the Role of Occupational Therapy in Motherhood". The lecture will be presented at 6 p.m. Monday in Lecture Hall 202 inside Derthick Hall. The university's press release on the event said "Lingerfelt's lecture explores how occupational therapists are equipped to support mothers by addressing changes in roles, routines, identity, mental health, pelvic floor and physical health, as well as functional participation in daily life. Lingerfelt will share how OT can improve maternal well-being, family functioning and quality of life." "Occupational therapy in motherhood is an emerging practice area that recognizes this phase of life as complex and is shaped by physical, emotional, cognitive and social demands," Lingerfelt said. Lingerfelt recently completed research on occupational therapy in motherhood with a team of Occupational Therapy students in 2024 and will present a poster presentation on the topic at the American Occupational Therapy Association's National Inspire Conference in Anaheim, California, in April. She currently teaches an elective course for the OT program on Occupational Therapy in Women's Health. At Milligan, Lingerfelt's primary responsibilities include teaching courses such as splinting, OT with children and youth, and OT in women's health, in addition to supervising student research projects and student fieldwork at local community sites. Her areas of expertise include pediatric and geriatric occupational therapy, early intervention therapy services, autism, kinesiology taping, women's health, splinting, and manual lymph drainage. She was recognized as a 2024 Healthcare Hero by the Business Journal of the Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia. She received her master of science in Occupational Therapy from Milligan and her doctor of Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. The Faculty Lecture Series provides students and other members of the Milligan community with a glimpse into academic research and writing at Milligan.