ND-Affirming Occupational Therapists
Meet Our Team
Everyday OT's team of registered OTs support Autistic and AuDHD children, teens, adults, caregivers, and their families across Canada. We integrate evidence, deep clinical expertise, and lived experience with clients at every stage, from recent diagnosis to assessment to participating in daily life.
Luc Jeanneau
he/himLuc has worked with Autistic, AuDHD, and neurospicy clients for 12 years. He believes that everyone deserves to live a joyful and authentic life. As a multiply neurodivergent clinician, Luc brings lived experience to his work. He believes it is essential for ND-folks to be understood and validated in their experience. Luc aims to build a foundation for lasting positive change by supporting self-understanding and facilitating mutual understanding between neurotypes. Luc’s experience as a school-based pediatric clinician ultimately left him yearning to be able to deliver services that were more aligned with his clients’ way of being. Starting a private practice that works through the lens of the Neurodiversity Paradigm was an obvious fit.
Enthusiastic, playful, and fast-paced. He likes to create a peer-to-peer feel rather than an expert-client dynamic.
Megan Shields
she/herMegan Shields is a health leader. She is the former Deputy Registrar of the College of Occupational Therapists of BC (COTBC), overseeing provincial OT practice supports, quality assurance programs, and cultural safety initiatives. Megan is Clinical Faculty for the UBC Master of Occupational Therapy Program, and has held roles as Health Programs Manager and Provincial OT Clinical Advisor for the Mental Health Unit of WorkSafe BC. Additionally, she has clinical experience and certifications in trauma supports, leadership and clinical coaching, and vocational rehabilitation.
Megan is a hyper-empath with a direct and pragmatic communication style. She is function and possibilities-oriented clinician, adept at applying practice frameworks to practical scenarios.
Tessa Goldberger
she/herTessa has 6 years of experience working with Autistic children, teens, adults and caregivers, and has additional experience with co-occuring neurological disorders, developmental delays, orthopaedic injuries, chronic pain, mental health and trauma. Her experience in private-practice, school-based therapy, and community based support via the BC Centre for Ability, has further increased her passion for neurodiversity and all that it encompasses. Tessa is dedicated to creating a safe space for children, youth and adults to explore connection, engagement and functional skill building through meaningful occupations.
Tessa’s approach is calm, patient, and structured.
Shay-Lynn Smith
she/herShay has 7 years of experience as an OT and is uniquely experienced and trained as one of BC’s few PDA-specializing OTs. She has additional experience working in long term care, pediatrics, and mental health services. Shay is passionate about working with ND children and adults, as well as the overlap that commonly happens between mental health and neurodivergence. She focuses on developing a strengths-based relationship and mutual regulation as a pre-requisite to goal focused work. Clinically, she draws on trauma-informed practice.
Shay’s temperament is thoughtful, honest, and encouraging. Shay was drawn to OT due to the focus on meaningful activities and focuses her own life on valuing her own meaningful occupations. She regularly learns new art projects, plays games on her switch, and explores the outdoors.
Lori Keith
she/herLori has over 20 years of experience working as an OT in the fields of mental health and vocational rehabilitation, including, work-place support and accommodation. She is passionate about partnering with individuals who wish to explore living in the most authentic and healthy way possible, and is excited to tackle the challenges that living with neurodivergence presents. Lori envisions a world where communities embrace diversity, and she is dedicated to collaboratively working towards this goal. Interest areas include recovery from trauma, depression and anxiety supports, work life balance, return to work planning, workplace accommodation, mental wellness at work, and health promotion.
Lori's approach is calming, methodical, and determined. Lori is genuinely interested in people, and appreciates open and direct communication.
Emily Thompson
she/theyEmily is an Australian born and trained OT with 8 years of experience working as a partner, ally and advocate for Autistic clients and has provided neurodiversity-affirming occupational therapy across diverse settings including clinics, homes, hospitals, schools, workplaces and long-term care homes. She is passionate about providing relationship-centred health care that meets people where they are at, recognizes and values their unique strengths and needs, and supports them in the things they want to and need to do in a way that is authentic and meaningful to them.
Emily's approach is affirming, non-judgmental, and creative. Emily enjoys working through approaches including art, play, writing, self-compassion, embodiment and nature connection.
Laura O'Donnell
she/herLaura has 6 years of experience supporting neurodivergent clients of all ages and levels of support need across Alberta, BC, and Ontario gaining insight into the cross-jurisdictional gaps that can hinder clients' access to services. Laura is a dynamic therapist passionate about addressing these gaps and helping clients develop the skills that matter most to them, including confidence and authentic self-expression. Her areas of interest include assistive technology, self-advocacy, mental health, daily living, and vocational skills.
Laura is approachable, understanding, and reflective. Outside of work, she enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, skiing, and camping, as well as indulging in documentaries, books, podcasts, and a well-curated playlist.
Sonya Kelly
she/herSonya has 22 years of OT experience, and since 2014 she has specialized in supporting ND-children and their caregivers, passionately advocating for ND-affirming practices, challenging ableism, and creating inclusive environments where everyone feels seen and empowered. As a late-identified, multiply neurodivergent adult and parent, Sonya combines professional expertise with personal insight, using a strengths-based, PDA-informed approach to help individuals and families in Squamish and across BC to understand and embrace their unique nervous systems.
Sonya is compassionate, authentic, and insightful. She enjoys finding balance between quiet downtime and adventures with her partner, two school-aged kids, and their dog—who's convinced he's a furry human. She's happiest connecting with friends and family through shared interests and outdoor exploration.
Tami Nolan
she/herTami has over 20 years of experience working as an OT with children and youth in home, community, telehealth OT, and early childhood program settings. She has supported Autistic and neurodivergent preschoolers, school aged children and teenagers over the course of her career. As a late identified, neurodivergent adult, Tami brings a big picture perspective and seeks to build partnerships with children and families.
Tami is is reassuring, open-minded, and intentional. Tami enjoys outdoor adventures that engage all her senses and serve as opportunities for personal growth. She is happiest when on a mountain ridge, in a forest, or when enjoying a shared moment with friends with view of the land or sky.
Rachelle Beleznay
she/herRachelle brings over 15 years of OT experience supporting neurodivergent children across school-based and private practice settings. Her approach is family-centred, play-based, and creative. As a mother of three kiddos, she developed a deep interest in sleep (go figure!), and has woven that curiosity and lived experience into her clinical training to offer ND-informed sleep consultation.
Rachelle is versatile, syncretic, and attuned. Outside of clinic, she is happiest at home with her family or lost in a craft creation, whether that's miniature building, quilting, sewing, or whatever has caught her interest that week.
Yes. All of our OTs provide services via telehealth, which means you can work with us from across Canada, including provinces and territories with limited local access to neurodiversity-affirming OT (excluding QC and SK).
It means we don't treat neurodivergence as something to fix. Our OTs work from the understanding that Autistic, AuDHD, and otherwise neurodivergent ways of being are valid. Sessions focus on reducing barriers, building skills that matter to the client, and supporting authentic participation in daily life.
Both. Our team supports clients across the lifespan, from early intervention for young children through to adults navigating employment, daily living, and late-identified diagnoses.
Yes. We regularly work with clients at every stage, including those who have just received a diagnosis and are figuring out what that means for their daily life.
Our clinicians are registered across multiple provinces and collectively serve clients in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Our discovery call process is designed to match you with the right clinician based on your goals, neurotype, age, and province. You can book a discovery call directly from any clinician's profile on our team page.
Yes. Caregiver coaching is a distinct service we offer, separate from child-focused OT. Sessions focus on understanding your child's neurotype, navigating daily challenges like demand avoidance, sleep, transitions, and meltdowns, building sustainable strategies, and reducing caregiver burnout. You don't need to be bringing your child to sessions for caregiver support to be valuable.
OT focuses on function and daily life: how someone moves through their day, manages tasks, regulates their nervous system, and participates in the things that matter to them. Where a psychologist might focus on diagnosis or mental health treatment, and a counsellor on emotional processing, an OT is asking what's actually getting in the way and what to do about it.
For Autistic and AuDHD clients, that often includes sensory processing, executive functioning, energy management, and building environments and routines that work with someone's neurotype rather than against it. Many clients work with an OT alongside a counsellor or psychologist — the roles complement rather than duplicate each other.