Kristen Gilbert

Hi!  I'm Kristen, and I'm passionate about facilitating meaningful occupation (anything you do) and supporting people in enhancing their quality of life.  I do think OT is a tragically misnamed profession, if we were called Functional Therapists that would be much easier to comprehend and save us hours of finessing our quick definition to the inevitable question, "What is it you do, exactly?"

I have been an OT for 12 years, working in the mental health sector for 8 years.  I have experience with working with adults who have schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, depression, substance use/addiction and personality disorders.  My unique skill set includes (but is not limited to) completing various standardized assessments, vocational assessment and placement, presence practices (ie. mindfulness, yoga, forest bathing).  In recent years I've noticed that trauma can be a huge functional barrier, and have therefore completed Gabor Mate's Compassionate Inquiry program in February 2023.  I am also completing Somatic Relational Therapy training in 2023 to further build my  capacity to facilitate trauma healing.

Beyond working as an OT, I am also a musician and am co-author of Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual, being published in March 2023.  I have done research and facilitated many panels at music conferences about mental health for musicians.

I believe that all humans can experience wholeness within themselves, and I have many tools in my wheelhouse to support people in becoming their best selves.