In this episode of Finding Your Direction, Emma welcomes Dr. Áine O'Dea, who shares her dynamic career journey from being an occupational therapist in the UK and Ireland, focusing on mental and children's health, to facing a life-changing car accident.

Áine discusses the impact of her injury, her struggle with chronic pain and fatigue, and how she pivoted to a new role. She recounts her decision to pursue a master's and PhD, the challenges during COVID-19, her venture into academia, and finally establishing a business offering clinical supervision and training for health professionals and coaching.

Áine's story is a testament to resilience and adaptability in the face of career adversity.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:15 Áine's Career Journey in Occupational Therapy

02:34 A Major Career Shift Due to an Accident

04:05 Coping with Career-Ending Injury

07:03 Pursuing Further Education and New Opportunities

12:52 Starting a Business and Adapting to COVID-19

16:23 Advice for Career Transitions

19:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Things that you will learn more about in this episode:

1) How to identify alternative career options when something out of your control forces a change.

2) The challenge of separating your identity from your career.

3) The importance of the first step in career change, even when you are not sure of the end goal.

4) The importance of resilience in career change.

5) What to do if you have invested time and money in studying for a qualification and you realise that is not what you want to do.

6) How you can use a PHD outside of academia.

Connect with Dr Aine O'Dea

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/draineodea/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.aineodea/

Website: https://radianceconsultinghub.com/

Connect with Emma:

Instagram: @emmalynchcoaching

Website: www.emmalynchcoaching.com

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