Marie-Michèle Girard,
Occupational therapist

• Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Occupational Therapy (Université de Montréal, 2018)
• Member of the Order of Occupational Therapists of Quebec
• Assessment certificate based on the PRPP task analysis system: Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform.

Marie-Michèle in a nutshell…

Marie-Michèle offers a human, functional and collaborative approach, focused on the return to meaningful activities and life balance. She supports a variety of clients, including teenagers, adults, and physically active or athletic people, in achieving their health and well-being goals.

Her experience in rehabilitation centres for people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders has allowed her to develop a solid expertise in functional assessment, mental health and support for changing behaviours and lifestyle habits. She has a great ability to develop individualized intervention plans, adapted to complex and unique realities, with a focus on autonomy, identity and quality of life. Coming from a national-level sports background in judo (black belt, member of Judo-Québec) and remaining very physically active, Marie-Michèle has an in-depth understanding of the realities and challenges specific to athletes and active people. She is particularly interested in injury prevention and rehabilitation, balancing performance and overall health, and developing a healthy relationship with movement.

Recognized for her communication skills, her listening skills and her professionalism, she favors a therapeutic relationship based on collaboration, education and empowerment. Her approach aims to equip clients so that they can regain confidence in their abilities, find a lasting balance and maintain lifestyle habits consistent with their values and goals.

I discovered judo as a child, when I was neither sporty nor particularly active. This sport has become for me a space of affirmation, confidence and self-esteem. Over time, I joined a sport-study program and participated in several competitions at the provincial and national level. This experience made me deeply aware of the importance of a balanced lifestyle in maintaining good physical and mental health. Occupational therapy then became an obvious choice for me, a profession that promotes holistic and person-centred approaches.

Plan for the upcoming years
Develop expertise in mental health, particularly in eating disorders. Ultimately, my goal is to develop an innovative practice in occupational therapy with young athletes and their entourage in the specific challenges of competitive sport (mental health, occupational balance and Eating Disorders).

Hobbies and Leisure activities
Judo (member of Judo-Quebec, black belt 2nd Dan), triathlon, marathon, mountain hiking.