Faculty

My teaching in the Program is complimented by a private practice in Wellness Coaching and Speaking Engagements. Visit my web site at www.powerofwellness.com . Being part of a profession that so effectively co-creates health and happiness with those we serve is both my privilege and my joy!

My passion for therapeutic recreation and recreation is constantly fueled by the exciting changes and advances in the recreation, health, social service and education sectors across Canada. As the benefits and value of recreation are being documented and highlighted through Active Living and the Benefits Approach, the Therapeutic Recreation field is being recognized and validated.

Involvement in the TR Program has given me a wonderful opportunity to share my excitement and passion for Therapeutic Recreation as well as my knowledge and experiences. It is inspiring to be involved with the future leaders of this profession. Opportunities for using Therapeutic Recreation are endless and there has never been a time where the benefits of leisure have been more accepted. I believe the TR profession will continue to grow, change, develop and blossom!

For the last 15 years I have been actively engaged in research and advocacy in health promotion with a particular focus on the experiences of disadvantaged groups. I am interested in how a person's social context and status influence her or his health and wellbeing. In my program of research I focus on health inequalities, access to leisure and recreation, and community-based research. I have taught and worked towards "democratizing" research, or, in other words, increasing the ways that people use and engage in research so that the research itself is relevant, meaningful, and action-oriented.

Transitioning into therapeutic recreation has been hugely rewarding and I am excited about building bridges to health promotion and community-based research. I am eager to learn and grow into TR with its passion for leisure, health, and wellness.

It has been a privilege to have spent over 25 years applying my knowledge of psychology, education and wellness to the development of therapeutic recreation as a most dynamic and valued profession.

My academic areas of specialty include; communication theory and practice; helping skills and leisure counseling; group dynamics and leadership, leisure education and the body, mind, spirit approach to health and wellness.

Contributing to the curriculum for our new baccalaureate in Therapeutic Recreation (TR) has been a challenging and most rewarding part of my work over the past few years. Currently, one area of focus for my work is with the TR Scholarly Activity Committee as we aim to increase our involvement in community based research. An additional area of interest for me is health promotion and developing community service learning opportunities for TR degree students