2024-2025 Cohort Projects Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone

Increasing the Inclusive Climate in Martial Arts

Capstone Description: This capstone aims to develop an adapted martial arts program to reduce participation barriers for individuals with disabilities. As martial arts participation grows in the U.S., the project addresses inclusion by promoting accessibility and supporting engagement in sports for people with diverse physical and cognitive abilities.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Trials MMA
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Rustin Hughes
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Improving the Continuum of Care: OT Inclusion in Primary Care

Capstone Description: This capstone partners with Aging Gracefully, LLC to enhance dementia care in Idaho primary care settings by integrating occupational therapy services. It includes a needs assessment, provider training, and program evaluation to address gaps in care, improve support for patients and caregivers, and promote continuity through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Aging Gracefully
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Lisa Hong and Joanne Trammel
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

The Acceptability of Occupational Therapy Integrating Equines to Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Capstone Description: This capstone conducts a qualitative study exploring youth perspectives on the acceptability and impact of OTIE, a self-regulation tool for youth with ASD. It examines how OTIE influences self-regulation and occupational engagement during participation in a randomized controlled trial, addressing a gap in current research literature.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Iron Horse Therapeutic Farm and Temple Grandin Equine Center
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Dr. Caiti Peters and Taneal Behm
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman

Development of an Online Resource Hub for Transitioning Occupational Therapy Practitioners and New Graduates Entering into Early Intervention

Capstone Description: This capstone focuses on supporting occupational therapists entering early intervention (EI) by enhancing role competence, confidence, and work engagement. The project aims to develop an online resource hub that centralizes essential information and tools to ease the transition and promote successful entry into EI practice.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Developmental Disability Resource Center (DDRC)
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Stacey Barnes
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Yoga Toolkit Creation for Self-Regulation in Preschools: The Teachers’ Perspectives

Capstone Description: This capstone focused on co-creating a classroom-based yoga intervention with preschool teachers to promote health and self-regulation. Through surveys, interviews, and observations, it explored teachers’ experiences, provided integration education, and developed a yoga toolkit to support long-term benefits for both teachers and students.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Early Childhood Center at Colorado State University, Teaching Tree Early Childhood Center
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Dr. Lisa Fyffe and Dr. Arlene Schmid
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Preventative Sleep Health Intervention for Military Personnel: Integrating Sleep Hygiene, Mindfulness, and Environmental Modifications

Capstone Description: Key findings suggest that active-duty military personnel face unique barriers to achieving adequate sleep. Current interventions in the military to address sleep focus on post-deployment strategies, while preventative approaches remain limited. To address this need, this capstone will involve the development and dissemination of a comprehensive, preventative sleep program tailored to military contexts through occupational therapy.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Holistic Health and Fitness Team on Fort Bliss
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Clarissa Medrano
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Supporting Athlete Transitions: Preparing Athletes for Retirement

Capstone Description: This capstone advocates for early preparation and support for athletes transitioning out of sports. It aims to promote meaningful occupational engagement, support identity development, and reduce identity loss by providing resources that guide athletes toward purposeful post-sport lives across various competition levels.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: The Edge Volleyball Center
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Kristine Resley and Corissa LaPanse
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Care and OT: Enhancing Access to Occupational Therapy for Caregivers in a Skilled Nursing Setting through an Occupational Therapy Program

Capstone Description: This capstone aims to expand occupational therapy services for informal caregivers in skilled nursing settings by developing a caregiver-focused program. It seeks to promote self-efficacy, role competence, and mental health through client-centered OT interventions, addressing gaps in support and reducing caregiver burnout.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Northeast Georgia Health System – New Horizons Limestone
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Rebecca Lesko
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Development of a Resource Hub (Website) to Support the Development of Vocational Skills in Autistic Children Aged 9 through 20 years old

Capstone Description: This capstone develops practical, age-appropriate vocational skills resources for Autistic children aged 9–20 and their parents at an outpatient pediatric clinic in Houston, TX. The goal is to promote early vocational development, support future employability, and raise parent awareness of its importance in daily life and long-term outcomes.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Kids Developmental Inc. – West Clinic
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Kathleen Hernandez
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Creating Collaborations to Support Trauma-Informed Occupational Therapy Intervention for Pediatric Mental Health

Capstone Description: This capstone aims to establish trauma-informed pediatric mental health services through new collaborations between CSU’s Center for Community Partnerships and local organizations. Addressing a gap in OT mental health roles, the project promotes OT involvement in supporting children who have experienced trauma while expanding emerging practice opportunities for students.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Center for Community Partnerships
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Devin Barth
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Community Based Instruction and the Transition to Adulthood Among Students with Disabilities: A Photovoice Study

Capstone Description: The purpose of my capstone project is to improve outcomes for transition age youth with disabilities by contributing their perspectives and lived-experience to the literature to enhance person-centered, student-led services and interventions. The goal is to conduct research, using Photovoice and qualitative analysis, to present the perspectives of TAY with disabilities in Poudre School District (PSD) Transition Pathways.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Poudre School District Transition Pathways
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Andrew Persch
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman

The Role of Occupational Therapy in End-of-Life Care: Promoting Engagement in Meaningful Occupation and Quality of Life

Capstone Description: This capstone advocates for occupational therapy’s role in end-of-life (EOL) care by promoting engagement in meaningful occupation and improving quality of life for hospice patients. It aims to educate OTs, hospice staff, and families through resources that address unmet needs and clarify OT’s value in EOL settings.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Pathways Hospice
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Brooke Rambold and Angie Sickmon
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

OTLS (Occupational Therapy for Library Staff)

Capstone Description: Homelessness is a growing epidemic and individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity often turn to the library for shelter. The purpose of this capstone project is to equip Old Town Library staff with the skills and confidence to provide compassionate support to homeless individuals and families, thereby enhancing assistance for vulnerable library patrons.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Old Town Library
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

A Guide to Occupational Therapy’s Role in Hospice Care: Promoting Participation at the End-of-Life

Capstone Description: The goal of this capstone project is to promote end-of-life care education through the development and delivery of educational programs for occupational therapy (OT) practitioners and students. The programs will provide foundational knowledge on death and dying, explore the application of OT practice to end-of-life care, and discuss how OT services can enhance participation and wellbeing in hospice care.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Providence Hospice
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Kevin Daverman, Kavita Patel, Hillary Espina-Colter
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Providing Caregiver Support for a NICU Transition

Capstone Description: This capstone aims to enhance parental self-efficacy (PSE) after NICU discharge by implementing an educational program that supports caregiver confidence, child-rearing participation, and overall well-being. The project addresses the developmental needs of infants and the emotional challenges faced by caregivers during the transition from the NICU to home.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Rocky Mountain Human Services
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Erica Bauer
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Aquatic Therapy Program Development at TheraSWIM

Capstone Description: This capstone aims to develop a sustainable pediatric aquatic therapy program at TheraSWIM, LLC to enhance social engagement for children with autism and cerebral palsy. Using the Halliwick Method and the Ecology of Human Performance model, the project includes a needs assessment and creation of a mini summer camp series.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: TheraSWIM
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Lauren Spaeth
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Prevention of Postpartum Depression

Capstone Description: This capstone explores gaps in postpartum depression (PPD) prevention and highlights the underutilized role of occupational therapy. Despite known risk factors, current care is reactive and often pharmacological. The project aims to identify opportunities for OTs to support maternal mental health through their expertise in self-care and holistic intervention.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Peaceful Birth Company
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Chelsea Rothschild
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Practice Guidelines for Occupational Therapy in a Community Corrections Center

Capstone Description: Occupational therapy (OT) for incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals is an emerging practice area. When people are incarcerated, they experience occupational deprivation. Once released, these people struggle to find housing, jobs, and build. OTs are experts in client-centered and holistic care, aligning perfectly with the need for support post-incarceration. This project aims to inform occupational therapists about the potential role of OTs when working in correctional facilities.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Larimer County Community Corrections
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Misty Perry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Occupational Therapy in Substance Use Recovery: A Scoping Review of Recent Evidence

Capstone Description: This capstone supports expanding occupational therapy services at SummitStone Health Partners for individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). It aims to advocate for OT’s unique role in recovery, address the lack of OT-specific guidelines, and build a foundation of evidence-based practice to enhance meaningful engagement in life roles.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: SummitStone Health Partners
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Emily Vaughan
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

How2LeadJabiru: A Preparatory Resource Guide for Leaders at Camp Jabiru

Capstone Description: This capstone will address the needs of Camp Jabiru by developing a guide for new leaders, making engagement in the emerging practice area of outdoor and nature-based OT more accessible. This guide will empower therapists to prepare for camp by providing them with resources for review, a recommended action plan, group-specific adaptations, and student management tips.

Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Parvathi Subramaniam
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Navigating Regional Center and Early Intervention Services Through the Forming Years

Capstone Description: The capstone project seeks to explore the experiences of Latino families as they navigate therapeutic intervention services through regional centers and other avenues and how these experiences affect their occupational performance. This includes both family and individual occupations.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Nurture Collective
Doctoral Site Mentor: Silvia Hernandez-Cuellar
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Creating an Inclusive Environment in Group Recreation

Capstone Description: This capstone project aims to enhance inclusion and engagement for all children at The Little Gym® by implementing dedicated class(es) tailored to accommodate diverse needs and through environmental modifications to create an inclusive environment. The project identifies the significance of environmental modifications and social interactions to foster engagement for all children.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: The Little Gym Fort Collins/Timnath
Doctoral Site Mentors: Dr. Lisa Fyffe and Jinger Huffman
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Educating Future Therapists: Enhancing Occupational Therapy Education in Amputation and Prosthetic Rehabilitation

Capstone Description: This capstone project will enhance amputation and prosthetic rehabilitation within Colorado State University’s Occupational Therapy program. Through an evidence-based approach and guided by Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, the project aims to bridge knowledge deficiencies among OT doctoral students, develop comprehensive educational materials, and integrate them into the curriculum.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Department of Occupational Therapy
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Janell Pisegna
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Sleep Health Intervention Implementation in Occupational Therapy

Capstone Description: This research-focused capstone at CSU, under Dr. Aaron Eakman, investigates the use of CBT-I interventions by occupational therapists trained through CSU’s basic course. Using a mixed methods approach and the Theoretical Domains Framework, the study explores barriers and facilitators to implementing CBT-I in OT practice to address insomnia’s impact.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Department of Occupational Therapy
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman

Evaluation of Standardized Assessment Utilized in Occupational Therapy in an Equine Environment

Capstone Description: The use of standardized occupational therapy assessments in an equine environment has not been evaluated. This capstone project will evaluate data obtained from Temple Grandin Equine Center in order to understand whether the current assessments are able to accurately track client progress during therapy and whether improvements translate from the equine environment to daily life.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Temple Grandin Equine Center
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Caiti Peters
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman

Therapeutic Management of Chronic Pain

Capstone Description: This capstone explores and implements occupational therapy interventions for managing chronic pain using a biopsychosocial, non-pharmacological approach. Aiming to reduce opioid reliance and address occupational deprivation, the project highlights OT’s underutilized role in pain management while promoting holistic strategies to support daily participation and overall well-being.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado In Motion
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Sue Dukart
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Hoofprints into the Mountains: The Intersection of Occupational Therapy, Horses and Nature

Capstone Description: This capstone partners with the Combat Recovery Foundation to deliver nature-based, equine-assisted group therapy for veterans. By addressing barriers to nature access, the project aims to enhance well-being, confidence, and empowerment through therapeutic backcountry horseback riding and outdoor activities grounded in evidence-based approaches.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: The Combat Recovery Foundation and Sundance Outdoor Therapy
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Alana Bethune and Jeff Galloway
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Occupational Therapy and Substance Use Disorder Treatment in Rural Outpatient Services

Capstone Description: Substance use disorders (SUDs) pose a public health challenge. Despite the recognition of the interplay between SUDs and mental health, there remains a gap in understanding the role of occupational therapy (OT) in addressing the needs of individuals with SUDs. This capstone proposal seeks to address this gap by exploring the potential contributions of OT in SUD treatment.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Providence Family Medical – Chewelah and Colville
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Caleb Holtzer and Andrea Clark
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Exploring the Relationship Between Adherence to Safety Procedures and Safety Occurrences During Occupational Therapy in an Equine Environment.

Capstone Description: The purpose of this capstone is to evaluate research data from safety survey in order to assess the level of risk associated with OT in equine environments. In addition, provide evidence-based research to support clinical judgment by identifying strategies for managing safety risks and incorporating them into daily practice.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Iron Horse Therapeutic Farm, CSU Spur Education Center
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Dr. Caiti Peters and Stephanie Voorhes
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Fostering Inclusivity in Fieldwork: A Scoping Review to Identify DEI Best Practices in Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education

Capstone Description: There is an existing gap in the literature of OT fieldwork education regarding DEI topics. The purpose of this capstone is to review the literature regarding DEI approaches for clinical education within the allied healthcare field and address the lack of resources in place for Colorado’s OT and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) FW departments to support OT FW education.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Department
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Alison Herman
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman

Strength Through Support: Empowering NICU Families Through Education and Peer Connection

Capstone Description: Parents who experience a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) stay due to the needs of their infants are at risk of unmet mental health needs. My capstone project is to create a peer support group to improve mental health outcomes for parents and families transitioning home from the NICU.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Smooth Way Home
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Jennifer Harrison
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Bridging the Gap: Examining Pelvic Floor Therapy for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals

Capstone Description I will be working with the Mayo Clinic, to develop a standardized protocol for examining the outcomes of pelvic floor therapy in transgender individuals undergoing lower body gender-affirming surgery. This protocol will establish an evaluation method, with the goal of enhancing care quality, streamlining data gathering, and deepening our comprehension of post-surgical pelvic floor health in this demographic..

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Transgender and Intersex Specialty Care Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Danielle Nation
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Standardizing the Assessment and Design of Equine Assisted Programming for Adults and Adolescents with Mental Health Conditions

Capstone Description: This capstone partners with Hearts & Horses to create a standardized program development and evaluation framework. It also supports professional growth through completion of the Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) and Equine Assisted Mental Health and Learning (EAMHL) credentials, building a strong foundation in equine-assisted occupational therapy practice.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Hearts & Horse Therapeutic Riding Center
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Tamara Merritt
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Outcomes from an OT-Led Social Prescription Program for People with Parkinson Disease

Capstone Description: Loneliness is a prevalent issue among individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), impacting their quality of life. The project’s purpose is to implement an occupational therapy (OT) led social prescription program targeting loneliness in PD, assessing its influence on sleep quality, well-being, and participation in social roles.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Department of Occupational Therapy
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman

Instructional Methodology Training for CSU OT Faculty

Capstone Description: Like many universities, there is variability in the knowledge of instructional methods amongst occupational therapy (OT) faculty at Colorado State University (CSU), with many faculty members having limited educational training. My goal is to provide OT specific instructional training to CSU OT faculty members for the purpose of improving the quality of educational experiences provided to CSU students.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Department of Occupational Therapy
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Kim Schoessow
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Occupational Therapy Interventions to Promote Preschool Children’s Social-Emotional Development and Classroom Participation

Capstone Description Social and emotional development, particularly self-regulation, serves as a critical foundation during the preschool years and influences children’s ability to engage in the classroom environment. The purpose of this capstone project is to conduct a scoping review to identify this gap and explore OT interventions that promote children’s self-regulation and participation in class activities, routines, and social interactions.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Early Childhood Center
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Dr. Lisa Fyffe
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Developing a Tailored Assessment for Evaluating Safety and Executive Functioning Skills in Unhoused Patient Populations

Capstone Description: In providing discharge recommendations for unhoused patients in an inpatient psychiatric setting, current safety and executive functioning assessments can present challenges that limit an occupational therapist’s (OT) understanding of a patient’s needs. This project aims to develop an inclusive departmental non-standardized assessment, which will evaluate safety and executive functioning skills of unhoused patients, pre-discharge.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Denver Health Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Dana Kriendler and Ashley Becker
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Enhancing Sensory Processing Inclusivity at Ignite Adaptive Sports

Capstone Description: The goal of this project is to address the gap in catering to sensory-related disabilities within adaptive snow sports programs by enhancing the knowledge and understanding of sensory processing for volunteers and staff at Ignite Adaptive Sports.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Adaptive Sports at Eldora Mountain Resort
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Kevin Wilson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianca Daugherty

Redevelopment of the Center for Community Partnerships’ Belong Program

Capstone Description: This capstone supports the redesign of the CCP’s Belong program to better promote long-term independence and community participation for neurodiverse young adults. It addresses gaps in traditional supportive living models by focusing on inclusive programming, transitional housing goals, and ongoing support beyond residential placement.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Center for Community Partnerships
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Devin Barth
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman

Supporting Neurodiversity in General Education Classrooms

Capstone Description: This capstone aims to empower elementary general education teachers to better support neurodivergent students by enhancing their self-efficacy and inclusive teaching practices. Through occupational therapy expertise, the project addresses training gaps, promotes neurodiversity-affirming strategies, and fosters inclusive classroom environments that improve educational outcomes for neurodiverse learners.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Boulder Valley School District
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Becca Stenzel
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy

Describing Rehabilitation Interventions for a Patient with Disorders of Consciousness in Acute Care: A Case Study

Capstone Description: This capstone explores how rehabilitation practitioners implement real-world interventions for patients with disorders of consciousness in acute and ICU settings. Guided by the PEO model and OTPF-4, the study analyzes treatment strategies and micro-decisions to bridge the gap between theory and practice in occupational therapy.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Colorado State University – Department of Occupational Therapy
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentors: Dr. Jen Weaver, Dr. Janell Pisegna
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Eakman

SensOT: An occupational therapy group for veterans to introduce and explore sensory modulation challenges as a residual following mTBI and PTSD

Capstone Description: This capstone aims to expand occupational therapy services in a polytrauma clinic by developing group programming for veterans with mTBI and PTSD. Using sensory-based, trauma-informed, and culturally competent interventions, the project supports self-regulation, resilience, and improved participation in meaningful occupations impacted by sensory modulation challenges.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Outpatient Polytrauma Network Site
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Michael Voigt, OTR/L- Palo Alto, Jessica Joson OTR/L-Livermore
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Improving the Hospital Experience Within the IDD Population

Capstone Description: This capstone project aims to improve the hospital experience for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by expanding programming that supports their occupational performance and participation. The goal is to develop an adaptable program that can be implemented across various healthcare settings to enhance patient care for this population.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Brianna Williams
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Swink

Integration of Occupation Based Interventions in Hand Therapy

Capstone Description: This capstone project aims to address the gap between recognizing the importance of Occupation-Based Intervention (OBI) in hand therapy and its actual implementation. The introduction highlights barriers hindering OBI integration. The purpose of this project is to develop and implement client-centered OBI protocols with the goal of enhancing hand therapy efficacy and client satisfaction.

Doctoral Capstone Partner: Evans Hand Therapy
Doctoral Capstone Site Mentor: Kimberly Evans
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michelle LeRoy