Page 69 - LIN DEC WEB

ordann Poteet’s path to becoming an occupational therapist
is one that The Naples Players (TNP) is proud to be a part of.
JInitially, Jordann arrived at TNP to volunteer backstage. In
high school, she participated in theatre and volleyball and
decided she wanted to pursue stage management after being the
Assistant Stage Manager (ASM) for her last school musical.
As fate would have it, while Jordann started her first year with
TNP, Director of Community Education & Wellness, Craig
Price, was also starting his first year of implementing a program
that helped to address the challenges of those impacted by ASD
(Autism Spectrum Disorders) by using improv.
Jordann’s interest in working with people with developmental
disabilities is personal and starts with her own journey. Since
childhood, she has had to learn to navigate visual, auditory, and
sensory processing disorders, ADHD, and dyslexia. In addition to
these challenges, she is on the autism spectrum. When she was a
child, Jordann struggled with generalized anxiety disorder, panic
disorder, and major depression. “At one point I even had a service Jordann Poteet, in red shirt, teaching a class at TNP.
dog but through the combination of finding God, occupational
therapy, visual therapy and involvement in activities like theatre
with special needs. It’s made such a huge impact. It’s a unique
and volleyball, I no longer suffer from these conditions.”
experience that most people don’t understand. For me, even if the
Reflecting on her childhood and navigating these disabilities
person is experiencing this disability at a higher degree than I do, I
she says, “Some people say - ‘I wish I could be a kid again!’... I
still always ask myself ‘how can I help?’”
don’t! I hated being a kid. I was bullied a lot as a child and that’s
Jordann explains that there is a balance to uphold when
how I got into advocating for people like me. They would call me
teaching people with disabilities. “You have to have empathy for
‘stupid’ and I would try to educate them. I realized that I knew
what they’re going through while still holding them to a certain
what my own experience was with my disability, but I didn’t know
standard. In reality, it’s not just for this group, it's what all kids
too much about it. That led me to read and research all about it
need.”
and better understand and inform other people.”
The only thing left for her to complete before attaining her
When Jordann was younger and first diagnosed with dyslexia,
degree from Keiser University as an Occupational Therapist is field
her mom signed her up for a theatre performance. “My Mom
work which has been delayed due to COVID-19. “None of my
signed me up for a show to trick me into reading and it worked!”
classmates have completed their field work yet because no one is
This was not the only time theatre helped her sharpen her skills.
accepting students. Once completed, I hope to work in pediatrics
“Stage Managing helped me with my ADHD - it taught me how
with neurodevelopmental disorders.”
to be on time and how to communicate efficiently with other
Jordann has been able to infuse TNP’s Wellness classes with
people.”
what she has learned from her degree courses. “It has helped me to
She crossed paths with Craig Price at TNP, and began to
downgrade or upgrade the activities to fit the students' needs. This
assist in teaching his Wellness Program classes. Jordann says, “I’ve
is something that we have to do on the spot. I think it’s fun - I like
been really passionate about working with children and adults
thinking on my feet. Our goal is to make our therapeutic activities
valuable to the individual. Recreational therapy like improv is great
- they don’t actually know that it's therapeutic.”
Craig says that wonderful people like Jordann “just started
coming into my path and made the Wellness Program possible.
When I first talked to Jordann, our schedules worked out perfectly
because she could teach first in the afternoons and then do her
stage management duties afterwards in the evenings.” Craig adds
that, “everyone who teaches in this community gets so much back
from it; not just the students.”
To learn more about The Naples Players Wellness Program,
please contact Craig Price at cprice@naplesplayers.org
or call 239.434.7340 ext. 103.
Jordann Poteet, in red shirt, teaching a class at TNP.

Life in Naples | December 2021 69