A bit about me!

Hi I'm Melissa, I live in the west end of Toronto, between High Park and the Junction. I'm a city girl at heart and love the tight-knit community that is central to our neighbourhood. I have 2 active kids, a daughter 8 and a son, 11 and an energetic, fun-loving golden retriever named Brewster! I also have a wonderful husband who is going to cheer me on throughout this adventure so a shout out to him as it's going to get even more hectic! We've had an eventful summer - I've been recovering from lumbar spine surgery which was a great success. I can't to tell you how thrilled I am to get my life back. It was a humbling experience being on the patient side of health care, but also frustrating and disheartening at times

Onto my profession - I'm a certified recreation therapist working in geriatric mental health at Baycrest Hospital. I just celebrated my 20 year anniversary which still shocks me! I have had the opportunity to work in various clinical settings including complex continuing care, palliative care, behaviour neurology and in-patient mental health. I'm fortunate to work alongside a strong allied team where roles are often blurred as we strive to support the complex needs of vulnerable patients. This really came to light during the Pandemic. I lead the hospital recreation therapy team in professional practice initiatives, research development and collaborate with academic partners to support student practicums across the centre. As a rec therapist in mental health, I integrate TR principles and theories with interventions for anxiety management, pain management and cognitive behavioural therapy. I love teaching leisure-education with a focus on strengthening social connections and community engagement (I try to practice what I preach and make time for self-care, mostly in the form of walks with our dog).

My journey to pursue a MHS is rooted in my desire to achieve higher learning with greater breadth and depth of healthcare knowledge. I was drawn to the program because it offers a broad leadership and health promotion focus with a specialization in teaching. The courses offered closely align with my professional development interests and I am eager to bring my learning to practice. Furthermore, the interprofessional nature of the program is an added benefit, and I look forward to collaborating and learning with all of you!