Module 3: Health Promoting Behaviors

Just for OT: Practitioner to Coach Program

An 8-hour fully self-paced series. Learn what health-promoting behaviors are, how much is recommended, and how occupational therapy practitioners can support them within daily routines.
Module 3 focuses on foundational health-promoting behaviors that influence health status and functional capacity across the lifespan. Occupational therapy practitioners frequently encounter clients who understand what they “should” be doing for their health but struggle to integrate these behaviors into daily routines in sustainable ways. This module provides the background knowledge needed to understand what health promotion behaviors are, how much is recommended based on current guidelines, and why these behaviors matter for health and occupational performance.

This module is delivered entirely through self-paced learning and is designed to complement the coaching skills developed in Modules 1 and 2 by strengthening practitioners’ understanding of core health behavior domains.

Format

Self-paced online lectures

Total Hours

8 hours

Target Audience

Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Occupational Therapy Students, Occupational Therapy Assistant Students. 

Level

Introductory

Category

Occupational Therapy Service Delivery, Professional Issues, Foundational Knowledge

Instructional Methods

Recorded lectures with presentation slides, Curated additional resources, Practical application exercises, Self-reflection activities

A few words about this course

This self-paced 8-hour continuing education course provides occupational therapy practitioners with practical, evidence-informed knowledge about health-promoting behaviors that commonly influence client health and functional capacity across practice settings. Rather than focusing on behavior change techniques, the course emphasizes understanding what health promotion behaviors are, how much is recommended based on current guidelines, and why these behaviors matter for health and occupational performance.

Learners explore core health behaviors including physical activity, diet and nutrition, sleep and rest, stress management, mindfulness, spirituality, and community and belonging. Content is grounded in occupational therapy practice and highlights how health behaviors are embedded within daily routines, roles, and environments. Throughout the course, learners examine realistic clinical scenarios and consider how occupational therapy practitioners can support engagement in health-promoting behaviors using scope-appropriate, occupation-based strategies.

This course is designed to strengthen clinical reasoning related to health management and maintenance and to help practitioners more confidently integrate health behavior knowledge into evaluation, intervention planning, and interprofessional collaboration.

Agenda

  • Physical Activity (1 hour)
  • Diet & Nutrition (1 hour)
  • Sleep & Rest (1 hour)
  • Stress Management (1 hour)
  • Mindfulness (1 hour)
  • Spirituality (1 hour)
  • Community, Relationships, & Belonging (1 hour)
  • Technology to enhance (not hinder) health (1 hour)

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this module, participants will be able to:

1) Describe health-promoting behaviors and current evidence-based guidelines for the recommended amount of each behavior.

2) Explain how engagement in health-promoting behaviors influences health and well-being.

3) Identify scope-appropriate occupational therapy strategies to support client uptake of health-promoting behaviors.

Course Completion and Cancellation Policy

Course Completion:  To receive CEU credit, participants must complete all 8 instructional hours.

Participants must pay for the module 3 in full, complete a post-course evaluation, and complete an exam with a passing score of 70% to receive credit.


Learner Cancellation: A full refund is available if cancellation is received at least 24 hours prior to the start of Module 3. No refunds will be issued once Module 2 has begun.


Program Cancellation: If the course is canceled by Aspire OT, all registered participants will receive a full refund.

Special Needs and Accommodations: Please contact the Program Director for any special needs or accommodation requests at jschwartz@aspireot.us

What OTs and OTAs are saying

“It’s relevant in the field of OT as it can directly affects our patient’s daily lives and activities as well as functional ability, treatment, performance and outcomes.”


— Occupational Therapy Practitioner in Jaclyn's Course OTs Role in Medication Management

“I would recommend this course to other practitioners to educate them on our role with medication management and how we can help patients and also our treatment as well.”

— Occupational Therapy Practitioner in Jaclyn's Course OTs Role in Medication Management

“Very organized and informative overview of the topic; included information to take and apply immediately.”

— Occupational Therapy Practitioner in Jaclyn's Course OTs Role in Medication Management
Instructor bio
Click here to check out Jaclyn's company "Health Coach OT": https://www.healthcoachot.com/

Listen to her podcast: https://healthcoachot.podbean.com

Jaclyn Schwartz, PhD, OTR/L 
Aspire OT Instructor

Dr. Jaclyn K. Schwartz, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, NBC-HWC is an occupational therapy practitioner and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach with over 15 years of clinical experience across acute care, early intervention, outpatient, and community-based settings. In her clinical roles, she has used coaching-informed interventions to support behavior change, self-management, and follow-through with individuals and families managing complex health needs.

Dr. Schwartz completed advanced training in health and wellness coaching and holds board certification through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching. Her coaching practice is grounded in evidence-based behavior change theory and integrated within occupational therapy services, rather than practiced as a separate or parallel role.

As a clinician-researcher, Dr. Schwartz has led NIH-funded research focused on medication adherence and health behavior change, with an emphasis on translating evidence into practical, ethical, and scope-aligned approaches that can be implemented in real-world practice. She has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and is recognized for her contributions to the profession, including induction into the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Roster of Fellows.

Dr. Schwartz teaches in the Just for OT: Practitioner-to-Coach program, where she focuses on helping occupational therapy practitioners develop coaching skills that strengthen collaboration, support client autonomy, and enhance professional sustainability within occupational therapy practice.


DISCLOSURES
Financial: Jaclyn is compensated as an Aspire OT instructor
Non-financial:  Jaclyn is the Director of Health Coaching at Health Coach OT in Collaboration with Aspire OT
Logo AOTA Approved Provider
Aspire OT is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID# 15572. This Hybrid activity is offered at 0.8 CEUs, Introductory Level, Occupational Therapy Service Delivery, Professional Issues, Foundational Knowledge.
The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA or indicate AOTA approval of a certification or other professional recognition.
The 8 self-paced hours in this module are

Registered with CE Broker

Aspire OT reports directly to CE Broker for those states that require it: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

  • CE Broker Tracking Number: 20-1380925
  • Individuals must complete the required steps to set up their Aspire OT account. You can view those steps here. 
  • Course completions are reported within 48 hours.
  • Refer to our FAQ for more information.

Course Author

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This course is being offered by Aspire OT.