Driving is one of the most complex occupations that humans engage in, requiring a combination of physical, cognitive, neurological, and mental skillsets, which makes it a field that occupational therapists are uniquely suited to provide support in. 

 In this third episode of our five-part bilingual OT Month accessibility series, Tamalea Stone and Maura DuLong, OTs with decades of clinical experience in the field, explore the state of driver rehabilitation practice in Canada, join host Justine Jecker to discuss opportunities to advance clinical, academic, and research work in this area, and reflect on why driver rehabilitation is a cornerstone of occupational therapy practice. 

This November, join OTs and other driver rehabilitation specialists from across the country at the Canadian Driving Rehabilitation and Transportation Conference in Ottawa, alongside the launch of the Canadian Driving Rehabilitation Practice Network.

The will host participants from across Canada representing the full spectrum of mobility industry stakeholders, including occupational therapists, driving instructors, mobility equipment dealers, manufacturers and suppliers of adaptive driving equipment, researchers, regulators, clients, family, community, educators, decision makers, and funders.

Would this work? CTA could be: Register now!  CAOT / ACE

From environmental assessments to inclusive policy development, occupational therapists have a unique role to play in making air travel more accessible.  

Our guests this episode join us from Université Laval: Ernesto Morales is an OT and professor with a background in architecture and design whose research focuses on inclusive accessibility and design solutions; and David Gotti is a PhD candidate and occupational therapy student who has researched accessibility and inclusion in international air travel extensively.

Together, with host Justine Jecker, they explore strategies such as educating airline staff, advising on environmental modifications, and advocating for accessible aircraft design to reduce barriers in air travel. Listen in for insights on the evolving role of occupational therapy in creating accessible, supportive travel experiences in this second episode of our five-part bilingual OT Month accessibility series.

The Canadian Driving Rehabilitation and Transportation Conference in Ottawa will host participants from across Canada representing the full spectrum of mobility industry stakeholders, including occupational therapists, driving instructors, mobility equipment dealers, manufacturers and suppliers of adaptive driving equipment, researchers, regulators, clients, family, community, educators, decision makers, and funders.

Register now!

CAOT / ACE

From education and practice gaps to interprofessional collaboration, learn how occupational therapy can expand its role in shaping inclusive spaces, services, and tools that enhance accessibility in the first episode of our five-part, bilingual OT Month series on accessibility!

OTs Teresa Platt and Jaime Jones join us to discuss accessibility in the Canadian occupational therapy context. Together, they unpack what accessibility truly means – the meeting point between people’s capacities and the design and demands of built environments – and explore why OTs are uniquely positioned to identify and address barriers.

Join us for this thoughtful conversation on advancing accessibility skills and expertise within occupational therapy practice and beyond.

CAOT / ACE

Since their first presentation in 2021, occupational therapists and scholars Marie-Lyne Grenier and Janna MacLachlan have engaged thousands of health professionals in rethinking the ways documentation can uphold or challenge systems of power. In our latest episode, they join host Justine Jecker to reflect on how anti-oppressive documentation is reshaping occupational therapy practice.

Learn what anti-oppressive documentation means, explore lessons learned from students and practitioners, and consider the profession’s next steps, including the implications for continuing education, and core occupational therapy curricula. This conversation invites us to imagine documentation as a tool for equity and meaningful change.

You can also learn more about anti-oppressive documentation with Janna and Marie-Lyne through their upcoming CAOT workshop on November 28th, 2025.

Resources:

• Brady, J., & Gingras, J. (2025, October) Changing care: Advancing social justice in the health professions. University of Regina Press.
• MacLachlan, J., & Grenier, M-L. (2022, March). Accounting for our words: Anti-oppressive documentation in occupational therapy practice. Occupational Therapy Now, 25, 27–30.

• Boivin, L., & MacLachlan, J. (2019, July) Reflecting on Indigenous access to informed consent. Occupational Therapy Now, 21, 11-12

• Tsang, A., MacLachlan, J., Cameron, D., Cockburn, L., Fourt, A., Langlois, S., Sangrar, R., Stier, J., & Trentham, B. (2023, May). Accountability within: Conversations on oppression and resistance experienced by occupational therapists. Occupational Therapy Now, 25(3), 20–22.

• Starr, D., & MacLachlan, J. (2021, September)  Plenary recap: Acknowledging and addressing white supremacy in occupational therapy—A dialogue on taking action for change. Occupational Therapy Now, 23 (5), 20-22  (Video of the plenary also available here)

CAOT / ACE

La sexualité — un sujet aussi essentiel que délicat. Trop souvent absente des discussions cliniques, elle demeure pourtant une composante importante du bien-être occupationnel.

Dans cet épisode, notre animatrice Soëla Bandaly s’entretient avec Louis-Pierre Auger, ergothérapeute, pour explorer le rôle de l’ergothérapie dans l’accompagnement de la sexualité et de l’intimité, notamment en contexte de limitations fonctionnelles, de maladie ou de transitions de vie. Ensemble, ils explorent les obstacles à son intégration en pratique et proposent des pistes concrètes pour l’aborder de manière éthique, inclusive et respectueuse. Un échange riche qui invite à voir la sexualité comme une occupation légitime et fondamentale de la santé.

⁠ACE / CAOT

Rooted in person-centred, values-driven care, occupational therapy supports individuals facing life-changing circumstances to live fully—at every stage of their journey. In this episode, occupational therapist Julie Wilding and physician Dr. Samantha Winemaker join host Justine Jecker to explore the role of OT within a palliative approach to care.

Together, they discuss how OT’s holistic lens aligns with palliative principles to enhance quality of life, uphold dignity, and support ongoing engagement in meaningful activities. Discover how working collaboratively, welcoming the unknown, and leading with presence can reshape your relationship with, and understanding of, palliative care.

CAOT / ACE

We often describe occupational therapy as both an “art” and a “science”—but how often do we truly integrate arts-based methods into our practice?

In this episode, host Justine Jecker is joined by occupational therapists Nichol Marsh and Justin Monton to explore what it means to practice arts-integrated occupational therapy. Drawing from their experiences as both artists and clinicians, they discuss how creative expression—through visuals, sound, movement, touch, and more—can serve as a powerful tool for healing, connection, and meaningful engagement.

The episode opens with a land acknowledgment for Manitoba, recognizing the impact of wildfires on Indigenous communities and our shared responsibility to care for the land.

CAOT / ACE

Découvrez les stages réalisés en milieux émergents et aux rôles novateurs en ergothérapie. Ces expériences, souvent en dehors des cadres traditionnels, permettent d’ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives pour les personnes étudiantes et de faire valoir la profession dans des contextes peu explorés. Avec nos personnes invitées, Benjamin Pandev-Girard, ergothérapeute, et Ève Thibeault, étudiante en ergothérapie, nous abordons les apprentissages, les défis, et surtout le potentiel transformateur de ces stages pour la pratique et l’avenir de l’ergothérapie. Une invitation à imaginer, créer, et investir là où les besoins sont bien réels… mais encore peu comblés.

ACE / CAOT

With over 80% of people in Canada using substances, it’s time to reframe the conversation and recognize substance use on a spectrum that centers health, not illness, as the foundation for care and equity in our healthcare system.

Join health systems educator Shawn Fisk and OT leader Gord Unsworth, with host Justine Jecker, to explore how adopting a substance use health lens can help dismantle systemic stigma. Together, they challenge the dominant “addictions-only” approach that delays care until crisis and advocate for a more inclusive, health-centered model.

Tune in to learn and reflect on ways you can incorporate or acknowledge substance use health in your practice. 

CAOT - ACE

Explorez un enjeu critique, méconnu et trop souvent ignoré : la violence conjugale et les traumatismes craniocérébraux chez les femmes survivantes.

L’animatrice Soëla Bandaly s’entretient avec l'ergothérapeute et chercheuse Carolina Bottari pour examiner les répercussions profondes de ces blessures invisibles sur la santé, la sécurité et les occupations quotidiennes, tout en incitant à réfléchir au rôle de l’ergothérapie dans leur accompagnement. Participez à cette conversation incontournable pour approfondir votre compréhension, enrichir votre pratique et soutenir une approche plus humaine et éclairée.

Ressources:

• Violence, femmes et handicap : responsabilité sociale de l'Ergothérapie? (p. 23, 2023)
• Du refuge au foyer et au-delà : comment les ergothérapeutes peuvent devenir plus responsables vis-à-vis des femmes en transition. (p. 30, 2022)
• Outil de dépistage HELPS* peut identifier les survivantes qui risquent de subir ou ont subi une blessure au cerveau.
• Suivre les travaux de recherches de Carolina Bottari sur le sujet sur ou communiquer par courriel à [email protected].

Découvrer les Documents de pratique en ergothérapie de l'ACE.