Team Feature: Elle Gunderson, OT
This month we are featuring one of our exceptional Occupational Therapists, Elle Gunderson.
Elle has worked in childhood development for nearly 20 years in the areas of education, management of a non-profit charity for adolescents, tutoring, aquatics, recreation, as well as Occupational Therapy. In that time, Elle worked for six years as a clinician in water safety, lifeguarding, Speech-Language Pathology based tutoring, and as an Occupational Therapy doctorate student. After a clinical rotation with Tilton’s Therapy for Tots, Elle knew she wanted to join the team after graduating.
Elle was originally called to work in healthcare, but as tried different disciplines on, none quite fit. Her issue was not that she dislikes any of the professions she tried on, but she actually liked them all! When she discovered Occupational Therapy with its emphasis on holistic treatment, Elle knew she had found the right profession. Elle frequently refers to Occupational Therapy as the “Swiss Army Knife of healthcare” and Occupational Therapy practitioners as “jacks of all trades, masters of FUN…ction.”
In the course of her career, Elle’s clinical experience is varied and has covered such areas as hospice, school-based, inpatient rehab, subacute, vision therapy, and mobile outpatient pediatrics.
During her doctorate studies in Occupational Therapy, Elle became even more enamored with her profession than when she began. For her capstone project, Elle partnered with Valley Health System in the areas of women’s health and mental health. Learn more about her capstone program at happybirthdayprogram.com. The OT quote that encapsulates why Elle is drawn to the field is, “Occupational Therapy is where science, creativity, and compassion collide.” — Jessica Kensky
When asked what aspect or theory Elle likes most about her profession, she responded, “true to form, I am influenced by many theories and find myself using them all.” She emphasized that just as humans are rich, layered, and dynamic, so to must be their path to wellness. Occupational Therapists’ focus on and mastery of social determinants of health bring the most excitement to the profession for Elle.
“After all, empowering clients to use their everyday activities to heal and make well is truly magical.”
Throughout her career thus far, Elle has mentored many Occupational Therapy students and continues to encourage young graduates to consider the profession for themselves. In fact, Elle’s niece is currently attending Occupational Therapy Assistant school! Above all else, Elle’s efforts are to increase the field’s visibility at every chance she gets, including her PTSD-prevention website, New York Times comments, lovingly educating her own physicians about Occupational Therapy, and beyond. Elle wants all people to have the power to lead healthful lives.
Born in Utah while her parents attended college, Elle moved to California’s central valley when she was just three months old so her father could attend graduate school. After her father graduated, her family moved to a small Yosemite town called Groveland. After spending the last 29 years as a resident of Las Vegas, Elle recently relocated her family to Northern Nevada.
When Elle isn’t working with clients, she enjoys hiking, taking her miniature poodle (Oskar the Grouch) on walks, traveling, water sports, visiting the beach, going shopping, to Disneyland, all while dragging her kids along for all of it. Elle is first and foremost a mother to 4 wonderful children, including 3 who have various disabilities. While Elle has navigated the Silver State’s healthcare system for many years as a longtime Nevadan, it wasn’t until she began pursuing diagnoses and treatment for her children that she understood the full weight of frustration locals often feel.
Elle is passionate about the outdoors, rooting for the underdog, and imbibing the human need to create. Some of her self-professed silliest passions include eating things that look gross, learning things that seem nonsensical on the surface, and exploring the underrated — because she likes to make up her own mind.
