Heather Dobell Occupational Therapy

Heather is a fun, active member of the Active Life family.  She enjoys participating in many of the Active Life classes (e.g. Push Your Pace, Pilates, Kickboxing, and recently Barre class) and feels strongly in the physical and mental health importance of exercise for people of all ages and all abilities.  Heather loves being outside and active and enjoys the healing and rejuvenating influences of nature that have been taught to her since a child.  Heather’s passion is children- her own and the ones she has the privilege of spending time with personally and professionally- helping them to grow, learn and play.  Heather graduated from the University of Waterloo before pursuing post-graduate studies at McMaster University in Occupational Therapy (OT).   Heather has been a regulated health professional as an Occupational Therapist  (OT Reg. Ont.) for over 23 years serving babies, young children, adolescents of all abilities and their families in the Simcoe County area.   Heather worked in school based rehabilitation services for over 15 years and has over 10 years of experience specializing in pediatric outpatient services through Orillia Soldiers Memorial Hospital (OSMH) and the Children Treatment Network (CTN).  Heather has enjoyed her journey specializing in the pursuit of evidence-based treatment options for children experiencing difficulties in sensory processing skills, feeding difficulties (picky and problem feeders, SOS certified), self-regulation, attention/focus, fine motor/handwriting challenges as well as working to determine where delays or limitations are coming from in the areas of fine motor, cognition, executive functioning, play, social skills and self-care so that children can participate in their ‘occupation’ as a child- to grow, learn and play.