Dr. Shade Ojo 🖤
Ojo Therapy & Wellness
Author: Francis Blackheart
Heart Talks
In this edition of Heart Talks, Calvin Dennis sits down with Dr. Shade Ojo to explore a story shaped by Nigerian American culture, family, education, loss, faith, and service.
Raised in Tallahassee, Florida, Shade grew up surrounded by a strong sense of community and the high expectations of her Nigerian heritage. Her parents helped shape her confidence, work ethic, values, and desire to serve others.
Her professional journey was not a straight line. After initially considering pharmacy, Shade discovered occupational therapy while researching rehabilitation options for a family member. Following the loss of her father, she continued moving forward, eventually earning her doctorate in occupational therapy and building a career helping both children and adults develop or regain the skills necessary for everyday life.
Today, Shade works across two very different environments, helping children develop essential skills within the school system while also helping adults regain independence following strokes, accidents, falls, and other life changing circumstances.
This conversation is about more than a career. It is about culture, representation, family, purpose, service, and maintaining hope through every season of life.
Two words define her story: Resilient Faith.
Watch Heart Talks: Dr. Shade Ojo
Every Heart Stories Interview
Before we get into your career and everything you have accomplished, who is Dr. Shade Ojo?
Shade describes herself first through the roles and relationships that matter most to her. She is a God fearing woman, a Black woman, a daughter, sister, and aunt. She is also an occupational therapist who works with people across the lifespan and someone who tries to appreciate life one day at a time.
How did growing up in Tallahassee shape the person you are today?
Shade shared that Tallahassee gave her a strong sense of community. Even when people attended different schools, there was a familiarity that connected people throughout the city. Growing up in that environment helped build her confidence and taught her how to connect and network with people from different backgrounds. Experiences throughout the Tallahassee community, including attending FAMU events, also helped shape the Rattler spirit she carries with her.
How has being Nigerian American influenced your identity and the standards you set for yourself?
Shade explained that her parents made sure she remained connected to Nigerian culture while growing up in Tallahassee. Nigerian gatherings and relationships with other Nigerian and African families exposed her to a culture of high expectations, education, discipline, and achievement. Seeing those standards around her encouraged Shade to set meaningful goals for herself and expect more from what she could accomplish.
What did your mother and father teach you about life?
Shade remembers her father as a strict, traditional Nigerian dad who believed in high standards and the philosophy of working hard and playing harder. Her mother brought a different energy to the family. She was open, welcoming, and became a mother figure to many of the children who came through their home. Shade believes watching her mother care for others helped influence the love she eventually developed for working with children.
Was occupational therapy always the career you imagined for yourself?
No. Shade originally believed pharmacy might be her path. After taking classes at FAMU, she realized the profession did not fit the kind of life and career she wanted. She knew healthcare interested her, but she also knew she did not want to be limited to one type of environment.
So how did you discover occupational therapy?
Shade discovered occupational therapy while researching rehabilitation options for an uncle who was experiencing health problems. A Google search introduced her to the profession, and she began realizing that occupational therapy combined many of the things she was looking for in a career: healthcare, rehabilitation, human connection, problem solving, and the ability to work in different settings.
How did losing your father affect your journey into occupational therapy?
Shade experienced the loss of her father during an important turning point in her life. About a month after he passed away, she applied to occupational therapy school and was eventually accepted into her doctoral program. One of the principles her father had instilled in her was the importance of acting instead of waiting when something needed to be done. Even after his passing, that lesson continued to push her forward.
For someone who has never heard of occupational therapy, what exactly does an occupational therapist do?
Shade explains occupational therapy as helping people participate in the activities that occupy their everyday lives. Those activities can include getting dressed, eating, writing, going to school, working, organizing daily tasks, using the bathroom, participating in hobbies, or simply being able to function independently. When an injury, disability, developmental challenge, or medical condition makes those activities difficult, occupational therapists help people relearn those skills or find new ways to accomplish them.
What does your work with children look like?
Shade works within the Duval County school system and travels between schools to help students develop skills that can directly affect their independence and success. Her work can include handwriting, feeding, organization, toileting, sensory needs, and other developmental skills. Some of the children she works with are as young as three years old.
How is working with adults in inpatient rehabilitation different?
In inpatient rehabilitation, Shade works with adults who may be recovering from strokes, car accidents, falls, and other serious medical events. She evaluates how independently a patient can perform everyday activities such as getting out of bed, using the bathroom, getting dressed, showering, and eating. From there, the goal is to help that person relearn those activities or develop new ways to complete them as independently as possible.
What is something most people do not know about occupational therapy?
Shade shared that occupational therapy is still a profession many people do not fully understand or even know exists. She did not discover it herself until she was around nineteen or twenty years old. Representation within the profession is another important issue for her. She also explained that people may not realize how much documentation comes with the work. Patient documentation is a legal record, making accuracy and attention to detail an important part of the profession.
What is the most rewarding part of being an occupational therapist?
For Shade, one of the most rewarding parts of the profession is watching children grow and develop. Sometimes what appears to be a behavioral challenge can be connected to sensory needs or skills a child has not yet learned. Watching a child become more independent, improve handwriting, learn to dress themselves, better understand their sensory needs, or develop skills that make everyday life easier reminds Shade why the work matters.
Who are some of the women who have inspired you?
Shade immediately points to her mother and the welcoming spirit and consistency she demonstrated throughout her life. She also credits the cousins, friends, and aunts who surrounded her with guidance, encouragement, and correction when she needed it. Those women helped create the support system that shaped the woman she became.
What do you hope the next generation can learn from your journey?
Shade wants to pass along the education, knowledge, and life lessons she has been fortunate enough to receive. Her hope is that sharing what she has learned can help someone coming behind her make an even better decision for their own life. For Shade, growth becomes even more meaningful when the lessons from your journey can create opportunities for someone else.
Where do you hope your purpose takes you over the next five to ten years?
Shade wants to continue developing specialized occupational therapy skills, including areas such as feeding. One of her larger goals is to eventually build a volunteer or nonprofit effort connected to occupational therapy. She envisions using her knowledge and skills to consistently provide services to people who may not otherwise have access to them, allowing service and impact to become an even greater part of her professional journey.
What does “Every Heart Has A Story” mean to you?
Shade believes the heart represents something living and that so much of a person’s story sits within the heart. The experiences we carry influence the decisions we make and the way we move through life. Our hearts respond to stressful moments, joyful moments, loss, love, and everything in between. Those experiences stay with us, and together they become part of our story.
What words best describe your story?
Resilient faith.
For Shade, faith means continuing to have hope. Resilience means refusing to give up that hope, regardless of what life brings. Together, those two words represent the foundation that has carried her through family, loss, education, purpose, service, and every chapter still waiting to be written.
For Shade, faith means continuing to have hope. Resilience means refusing to give up that hope, regardless of what life brings. Together, those two words represent the foundation that has carried her through family, loss, education, purpose, service, and every chapter still waiting to be written.
Her Story In Two Words
“Resilient Faith.”
Dr. Shade Ojo
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