Melissa Konat

I’m a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) with over 20 years experience working in clinical healthcare. I currently hold a Bachelor of Arts in Therapeutic Recreation and Recreation and Business and I’m pursing a Master of Health Studies with a focus on Leadership and Health Promotion. My personal and professional values have led me to healthcare and the field of Therapeutic Recreation (TR).  My core values include empathy, wellbeing, social connectedness, engagement, life-long learning, communication, belonging, accountability, and self-motivation.

 

My current role and interest in health promotion is rooted in the Biopsychosocial Model of health, which is a holistic model that acknowledges key determinants of health and the complex integration of biological, psychological and social factors in the assessment, prevention and treatment of diseases (Havelka et al., 2009).

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I have a passion for working with older adults and share the growing concern around population aging and the rise in mental health conditions among this group. Notably, that depression and anxiety in older adults are often underrecognized and undertreated (WHO, 2023). Addressing this gap has become a central focus of my health promotion journey.

 

For the past 9 years I have been an advanced practice champion for Therapeutic Recreation in the Mental Health and Memory Program at my organization. My clinical background has focused on supporting older adults with mental health conditions and neurocognitive disorders that contribute to responsive behaviours and functional decline. Through my work in mental health and behaviour neurology, I have developed a strong foundation in understanding neurocognitive changes and translating this knowledge into innovative care approaches.

 

Last spring I transitioned into a temporary role in LTC (1-year maternity leave). I’m currently providing leadership to recreation and point of care staff through coaching, mentoring and resource sharing to enhance care capacity through therapeutic recreation interventions. I contribute to data collection, reporting, and quality improvement initiatives. I’m deeply committed to advocating for the rights, dignity, and well‑being of older adults and vulnerable individuals.

 

As I work through MHST 631, I’m beginning to grasp the influence of my gender, skin-colour, social status and geographical location on my assumptions, preconceptions, beliefs and values (Sibbald et al., 2025). I'm a White, able-bodied woman (she/her), in my mid-forties born and raised in southern Ontario. I’m in a heterosexual marriage and have two children. As a settler/colonizer, I benefit from multiple forms of unearned privilege, which make up the top portion of Nixon’s coin model of privilege and critical allyship (Nixon, 2019). I understand that some aspects of positionality are fixed, while others are contextual and can change over time. This fluid state underscores the importance of engaging in ongoing self-reflection and reflexive approaches (Holmes, 2020).

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References

Havelka, M., Lucanin, J. D., & Lucanin, D. (2009). Biopsychosocial model--the integrated approach to health and disease. Collegium antropologicum, 33(1), 303–310. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19408642/

Holmes, A. G. D. (2020). Researcher positionality--A consideration of its influence and place in qualitative research--a new researcher guide . Shanlax International Journal of Education, 8(4), 1-10.

Nixon, S. A. (2019). The coin model of privilege and critical allyship Implications for health. BMC Public Health, 19, 1637. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7884-9

Sibbald, K. R., Phelan, S. K., Beagan, B. L., & Pride, T. M. (2025). Positioning positionality and reflecting on reflexivity Moving from performance to practice. Qualitative Health Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323241309230

World Health Organization. (2023, October 20). Mental health of older adults. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults

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