When Your Brain Isn't Working the Way it Should
You used to be sharp. Now you can't focus in meetings, you lose track of what you were doing mid-task, you read the same paragraph three times and nothing sticks. Maybe there's a diagnosis behind it, maybe there isn't — either way, it's affecting your life and nobody has shown you what to actually do about it.
That's where occupational therapy comes in. I don't treat the diagnosis — I treat the impact. Through a combination of thinking strategies you carry with you everywhere and practical systems in your environment, we rebuild your ability to function at work, at home, and in the life you want to be living.
Do you recognize this?
The daily signs that something isn't right
Cognitive difficulties show up differently for everyone, but the functional impact is often the same. If any of this sounds familiar, we should talk.
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Brain Fog
Thinking feels slow, cloudy, or effortful. Tasks that should be easy take all your energy.
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Can't Follow Through
You start things but can't finish them. Plans fall apart. You know what you need to do but can't make it happen.
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Forgetting Things
Appointments, conversations, where you put things. You're relying on others to remember for you.
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Mental Exhaustion
Your brain runs out of gas by noon. Afternoons are a write-off. Weekends aren't enough to recover.
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Can't Concentrate
You read the same email three times. Background noise derails you. Multi-tasking is impossible.
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Feeling Overwhelmed
Busy environments, long to-do lists, or complex tasks trigger shutdown. You avoid things you used to handle fine.
What We Work With
Conditions We Commonly See
Cognitive rehabilitation isn't one-size-fits-all. The cause of your cognitive difficulties shapes the approach — but the goal is always the same: get you functioning in the life you're trying to live.
Concussion & Mild TBI
Persistent post-concussion symptoms — brain fog, fatigue, light and noise sensitivity, difficulty concentrating — that haven't resolved on their own. You've been cleared medically but you're still not functioning. We address the cognitive, sleep, and fatigue components that keep you stuck.
Adult ADHD
Executive function challenges that affect daily life — task initiation, time management, organization, follow-through, emotional regulation. Whether newly diagnosed or lifelong, we build the systems and strategies that medication alone doesn't provide.
Acquired Brain Injury
Stroke, anoxic injury, tumour, or post-surgical cognitive changes. We work on the functional recovery — rebuilding daily routines, work tasks, and independent living skills through targeted strategy training.
Long COVID Cognitive Symptoms
"Brain fog" that won't lift — difficulty concentrating, word-finding problems, mental fatigue, memory lapses. We combine cognitive strategies with energy management and sleep optimization to help you function while you recover.
Post-Chemotherapy ("Chemo Brain")
Cognitive changes during or after cancer treatment — difficulty with memory, concentration, and multi-tasking. We build compensatory strategies and work routines that accommodate where you are while supporting recovery.
Depression, Anxiety & Burnout
Cognitive difficulties driven by mental health — the fog of depression, the scatteredness of anxiety, the complete cognitive shutdown of burnout. Addressing the cognitive impact directly, alongside the emotional work.
Our Approach
Two kinds of strategies, one clear goal
We build both thinking skills and environmental systems — because the combination is what gets you functioning again.
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Thinking Strategies
Skills that rebuild your ability to plan, focus, remember, and self-correct — tools you carry with you everywhere.
Examples:
Mental rehearsal before complex tasks
Verbal self-cueing to stay on track
A problem-solving framework for when things go wrong
Techniques for encoding and retrieving information
Self-monitoring — catching mistakes before they matter
Attention training for focus and distraction management
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Systems & Supports
Practical tools and environmental changes that reduce cognitive load and catch you when your brain drops the ball.
Examples:
Task management and calendar systems
Work environment modifications for focus
Structured routines that reduce decision fatigue
Energy management and activity pacing
Digital tools matched to your specific needs
Simplified processes for complex tasks
How it Works
Every plan is individualized, but the path follows a proven structure.
1
Assessment
1–2 sessions
We map your cognitive strengths and difficulties, understand how they're affecting your daily life and work, screen cognition and sleep, and set clear, functional goals together. Because sessions happen in your real environment, I see the actual context where problems occur.
2
Intervention
6–12 sessions, weekly or biweekly
We build your strategy toolkit — thinking skills and environmental systems — and practice them in the real tasks and situations where you need them. Work tasks, daily routines, social situations, whatever's most important to you. If sleep is a factor (it usually is), we address that concurrently with evidence-based CBT-I.
3
Discharge or Maintenance
For recovery-oriented conditions (concussion, brain injury, chemo brain), the goal is discharge — you've built the skills and systems, you're functioning, we wrap up. For ongoing conditions (ADHD, progressive diagnoses), we can step down to periodic check-ins to keep your systems tuned and adjust as life changes.
What Makes This Different
Why OT — not neuropsych, not a brain training app
A neuropsychologist tells you what's wrong. A brain training app gives you puzzles. Neither one shows you how to actually function in your daily life with the brain you have right now.
Occupational therapy fills that gap. I don't just assess your cognition — I watch you do the tasks that matter, figure out where and why they're breaking down, and build strategies and systems that work in your real life. Not in a lab. Not in a game. In your kitchen, your office, your morning routine.
And because I'm also a certified CBT-I therapist, I can address the sleep disruption that drives most cognitive complaints — something almost no other cognitive rehab provider does.
Evidence-Based Practice
Grounded in research, built for your life
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Multicontext Approach
Building self-awareness and the ability to use strategies flexibly across different situations and tasks.
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CO-OP Framework
Goal-Plan-Do-Check — a problem-solving approach that works for any challenge, any context.
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CBT-I for Sleep
The gold standard for insomnia — because nearly every cognitive condition is worsened by poor sleep.
Do I need a diagnosis?
No. If cognitive difficulties are affecting your daily life, that's enough to start. Many clients come in saying "something isn't right but nobody can tell me what it is." I assess the functional impact regardless of whether there's a formal diagnosis, and can recommend further evaluation if needed.
How is it different from seeing a psychologist or neuropsychologist?
A neuropsychologist assesses and diagnoses cognitive conditions through standardized testing. A psychologist addresses the emotional and psychological aspects. An occupational therapist focuses on function — how cognitive difficulties show up in your daily tasks and what to do about it. We often work alongside these professionals, each handling a different piece. I'm the one who helps you actually function day-to-day.
I had a concussion months ago and I'm still not right. Can you help?
Yes — persistent post-concussion symptoms are one of the most common reasons people find me. If you've been cleared medically but you're still struggling with brain fog, fatigue, concentration, or returning to work, OT cognitive rehabilitation directly addresses those functional difficulties. I also address the sleep disruption that almost always accompanies concussion and keeps recovery stalled.
I have ADHD. Isn't that just managed with medication?
Medication helps many people with ADHD, but it doesn't teach you systems. It doesn't set up your environment, build your routines, or give you a framework for when things fall apart. OT provides the strategy and structure layer that makes medication work better — or that helps you manage if medication isn't the right fit.
Will my employer's insurance cover this?
Most extended health benefit plans cover occupational therapy. If your cognitive difficulties are related to a workplace injury (concussion, for example), WCB Alberta may cover treatment. For motor vehicle accidents, auto insurance coverage applies. I recommend checking your specific plan, and a free consultation can help you sort out your coverage options before committing.
How many sessions will I need?
Most clients see meaningful improvement within 6–12 sessions. For recovery-oriented conditions (concussion, brain injury), there's usually a defined endpoint. For ongoing conditions (ADHD), we build your systems and then discharge, with the option of periodic check-ins. Sleep improvement through CBT-I typically takes 4–6 weeks along side the cognitive work.