Celebrating the tenacious spirit of women who carve their own paths, International Women’s Day showcases the achievements and aspirations of females around the globe.
In this inspiring light, we delve into the experiences of Caitlin Mumme, Konekt Rehabilitation Consultant and Occupational Therapist, whose journey commenced in the halls of academia and thrived into a professional career.
Caitlin recounts the pivotal experiences that bridged her academic pursuits with her professional role in occupational rehabilitation—a field she’s very passionate about.
She provides valuable insights for students and graduates aiming to make a similar leap.
Her story not only highlights the importance of mentorship and practical application of occupational therapy principles but also captures the essence of International Women’s Day—acknowledging the contributions and success of women like Caitlin in sectors far and wide.
Could you share your experience on how you started with Konekt as a student, and what were the key factors that contributed to your seamless transition from an academic environment to a professional consultancy role?
I started at Konekt for my 10-week student placement in 4th year of university, whilst also completing my Honours project on the occupational therapist’s lens in functional capacity evaluations.
I’ve always held a strong interest in occupational rehabilitation due to a family member’s personal experience with rehab consultants post-service.
As I continued my placement, I fell in love with the link between key occupational therapy (OT) principles and theories and direct application of such into real world scenarios.
I strengthened my passion for occupational rehab quite early on, thanks to my wonderful supervisor, Jess Bobbinmarsilio, who carried such a strong interest and drive for OTs in the occupational rehab area.
She pushed me to work harder and aim higher, as I admired her genuine care and in depth knowledge across various areas.
From the day I met Jess, I knew she was the exact type of OT I wanted to be and put myself forward for any and all feedback and opportunities to expand my knowledge early on.
After my placement, I was offered an opportunity to become a rehabilitation consultant assistant, whilst completing my final year of university.
I used this time to truly enhance my knowledge in preparation for my grad year.
I put myself in a place where I wasn’t afraid of being wrong or making mistakes – as I knew they were the exact moments I would learn from and grow as an OT.
I really see my time as a student/RCA as a ‘warm up’ for my grad year, to ensure I was well equipped to handle the basics and begin developing on more intermediate opportunities.
Winning the Best Student Award in 2024 was a significant achievement. Can you tell us more about what this award recognised, and how did the skills and knowledge that led you to win this accolade have been applied in your current role as a rehab consultant?
Being nominated (let alone winning) this award was truly such an honour.
I was really appreciative to know my hard work had paid off.
It gave me such a confidence boost to continue aiming higher and working to be the best OT I could be.
And that is an OT that is active and present for their clients, and continues to advocate for what is needed to ensure true support and stability for people in workplace environments.
I think it showed that utilising opportunities right in front of you is the best way to jumpstart your career, and that you get out what you put in.
Having my key skills and strengths recognised by not only my employer, but an entire panel of regarded professionals solidified the values I wanted to continue working for.
In what ways have you seen your role evolve since you first joined us? Could you give examples of how you’ve grown professionally during your time here?
Whilst in my early years of developing fundamental OT knowledge, I’ve adapted the mindset of not being afraid to be new at something.
No one walks into an area fully competent, and although hard, I came to accept that I will only grow by putting myself forward to work across new and (at times) challenging referrals or circumstances.
Starting at Konekt so early in my professional journey meant I could put myself out there and not be afraid to fall and fail.
I had the confidence to admit I wasn’t sure and worked hard to find the answer to continue expanding on my clinical and professional judgement.
I had amazing support and encouragement from my leaders and co-workers, who pushed me to succeed.
I built resilience by facing situations I perceived as uncomfortable or awkward.
Overtime, this developed my confidence, and rather than becoming afraid of not knowing the answer, I became flexible in the journey of identifying solutions.
This shaped me into a young professional with strong drive to overcome any barriers and provide the best care possible to my clients.
You’ve been doing exceptionally well in your new role. What do you believe are the qualities or practices that have contributed the most to your success, and what challenges have you overcome to maintain your high performance?
I think a big challenge I’ve faced moving into the professional world relates to being a young neurodivergent woman in a neurotypical world.
I always set prejudice for myself that I could never achieve as high as I wanted because people don’t take young ADHD women seriously, so I often hid that part of myself in order to gain respect from peers and clients.
Moving into a primarily woman-led team was very empowering, as it demonstrated that knowledge and confidence is key.
If you know what you’re doing and can demonstrate knowledge, people generally don’t care about the rest.
For me, moving from flexible environments such as working in a casual support work role and studying at university, to moving into the structured world of full-time employment was a big jump.
Something I’ve really enjoyed about Konekt is the array of opportunities I’ve had from quite early on.
I’ve always been someone who wants to jump straight into the next thing, rather than appreciate where I am currently.
I found a lot of my challenges stemming from this related to staying organised, maintaining effective communication, overcommitting myself or hyper-fixating on one thing at a time.
This often led to a large string of rushing to get everything done and forgetting simple steps.
However, I was able to learn from this through my student and new graduate year, to make sure I had appropriate tools in place to keep me moving at a steady pace, without rushing too far ahead.
I’ve also learnt to sit and appreciate where I am now – still early on in my career with countless opportunities for growth.
I’ve learnt that I grow every time I make a mistake or encounter new challenges, as it expands my knowledge and overall skillset.
It helps working with other health professionals, where our entire job is based around client-centred care and supporting people’s needs, as this helps me recognise it’s not a bad thing to have different traits or needs.
This realisation also helps me identify my strengths as an OT – I’m good at thinking outside the box and love problem solving.
It goes hand in hand with my strong interest in advocating for clients and making sure every voice is heard.
Work is so important for so many individuals, it’s where we spend most of our time.
I never want anyone to feel like they’re being ignored, or their needs aren’t being met in the workplace, which is why I love being able to support so many individuals and their stakeholders across all environments- whether it’s a physical, sensory or psychological need.
As a talented professional who has already achieved considerable success early in your career, what are your long-term goals within Konekt, and how do you plan to contribute to the company’s vision and mission in the future?
I definitely plan on being with Konekt for the long run.
I love that I’ve been given opportunities to work and educate in areas I’m passionate about – particularly providing neuro-affirming care in the workplace.
I bring a lot of lived experience (through both myself and family members) in this area, so like to think my advocation stems from actual neurodivergent values.
Although our modern society is acknowledging the presence and needs of neurodivergent people, there can still be such a high stigma around it – particularly in workplaces.
I’ve noticed a lot of people still carry the belief that neurodivergent traits are something that can be ‘shut off’ or covered up, which whilst somewhat true, is not healthy nor should it be an expectation.
I really want to continue promoting truly neuro-affirming care and education to others, as it is something increasingly prevalent in modern society.
I think developing a neuro-affirming lens really enforces key health principles of working from a client-centred practice, as we want to promote and adapt to the needs of an individual to make them comfortable, rather than worry about how to change the individual in order to make other people comfortable.
It’s not a healthy or realistic way to move through life, so I appreciate every opportunity I get to promote this mindset.
I see myself expanding this knowledge and sharing more of it through my years with Konekt.
Caitlin Mumme
Rehabilitation Consultant and Occupational Therapist
