Heidi M MacAlpine

I attribute my work and growth to a blend of lived experience and dedicated practice. Supporting my parents through their journeys with cancer, navigating motherhood, and tending to my own health challenges—as well as learning alongside family, friends, and clients—have deeply shaped my perspective and strengthened my empathy.

With more than three decades in pediatric occupational therapy, I have refined my clinical skills while remaining committed to compassionate, person-centered care. I value continuous learning, trust both evidence and intuition, and strive to be fully present with each individual—meeting them with respect, understanding, and care exactly where they are.

Follow your intuition and research the most up-to-date information regarding your concern, both Western and complementary interventions.

I would advise young women entering this field to prioritize self-care so they can fully support others, focus on connection and collaboration, and always meet people where they are without letting a diagnosis define them.

One of my greatest challenges as an occupational therapist working from a whole-person, wellness-based lens is clearly communicating—and advocating for—the value of this approach in systems that often prioritize quick, symptom-focused outcomes. Occupational therapy’s strength lies in our ability to see the full picture—how emotional, physical, social, and spiritual factors shape a person’s ability to engage in meaningful daily activities and community life. However, helping others recognize that true, lasting change requires time, awareness, and individualized care can be difficult. It requires ongoing education, collaboration, and a shift in mindset from both clients and systems. While it would be ideal for these services to be fully supported by insurance, the current system largely operates within an illness-based model rather than a prevention-focused, wellness-centered approach. This gap reinforces the importance of continuing to advocate for the true value of occupational therapy and its role in promoting long-term health, participation, and quality of life.

The values most important to me in my work and personal life are community, compassion, creativity, and connection. I prioritize health and self-care while helping others recognize that they are more than their diagnoses, fostering a shared energy that uplifts and expands everyone around us. I believe in creating and sharing positive energy, building connections that empower both individuals and the collective. At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to advancing the role of occupational therapy within a wellness model. I bring a unique lens that considers the whole person—emotional, physical, social, and spiritual—recognizing how each of these dimensions can either support or interfere with meaningful participation in daily life and community engagement. My approach moves beyond symptom management, focusing instead on helping individuals reconnect to purpose, routine, and the activities that matter most.