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Dr. Dorothy Kessler PhD, MSc OT (Post-Professional). BMR, OT
Dr. Dorothy  Kessler
Position(s)
Associate Professor
Contact Information
Louise D. Acton Building, Room 210
Internal telephone extension: 36551
External telephone: 613-533-6551

 

Please note , I am not accepting students for the 2023 admission year.

Areas of research:

·         Coaching in occupational therapy practice

·         Use of coaching in stroke rehabilitation

·         Self-management support for people living with Parkinson’s disease

·         Low vision rehabilitation

 Research

Dr. Kessler’s research focusses on understanding the experiences of people living with chronic health conditions, as well as developing and testing of interventions and models of care to improve community reintegration and participation in personally valued activities among people with chronic health conditions such as stroke and Parkinson’s’ disease. Her research is centered on interventions and approaches that engage and empower the person to manage their care.

Teaching

OT 827 Enabling Occupation in Older Adults

OT 853 Coaching and Counseling for Occupational Change  

RECENT ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS (*denotes students)      

Askari S, Pappas C, De Smit C, Jackson E, King E, Kessler D, Finlayson M. Comparison of goals set by people with multiple sclerosis during two fatigue management interventions. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, (In press March 2022). doi: 10.1080/11038128.2022.2051600

Hastings-Truelove A, Ghahari S, Coderre-Ball A, Kessler D, Turnnidge J, Lester B, Auais M, Nancy Dalgarno, DePaul V, Donnelly C, Finlayson M, Hopkins-Rosseel D, Kolomitro K, Norman K, Lawson T, Stockley D, Van Wylick R, Woo K. Barriers and Facilitators to Older Adults’ Engagement in Healthy Aging Initiatives: A Scoping Review. Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics (accepted Feb 2022).

*Aterman S, Ghahari S, Kessler, D E. Models of peer-based interventions for individuals with neurological conditions: A scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation (in press Jan 2022). doi: 10.1080/09638288.2022.202891

*Hatch S, Kessler D, Finlayson M, Rej S. Video-delivered emotion-focused mindfulness therapy for late- life anxiety: study protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial. Pilot Feasibility Studies. 2021: 7;169. doi:  10.1186/s40814-021-00905-0

*Jaiswal A, Santhakumaran S, Walker S, Sukhai, MA, Packer TA & Kessler D. A Scoping Review of Vision Rehabilitation Services in Canada. British Journal of Visual Impairment. Early on-line July 11, 2021. doi: 10.1177/02646196211029344

*Fraser T, *Karon L, Lund A, Sveen U & Kessler D.  Examining components of community psychosocial stroke interventions using concept mapping. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2021;48(8):488-96. doi: 10.1080/11038128.2021.1933172

Kessler D, Anderson N & Dawson D. Occupational Performance Coaching for stroke survivors delivered via telerehabilitation using singe-case experimental design. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2021;84(8) 488–496. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022620988471

Mestre T, Kessler D, Côté D, Liddy C, Thavorn K, Taljaard M & Grimes D. Pilot evaluation of a pragmatic network for integrated care and self-management in Parkinson disease. Movement disorders. 2021;36(2):398-406. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.28332

Kessler D, Hatch S, Alexander L Grimes D, Côté D, Liddy C & Mestre T. The Integrated Parkinson's disease Care Network (IPCN):  Qualitative evaluation of a new approach to care for Parkinson's disease. Patient Education and Counseling. 2021;104(1): 136-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.07.002

Egan M, Kessler D, Duong P, Gurgel-Juarez NC, Linkewich E, McEwen S, Sikora L, Daly S, Montgomery P, Chopra A. Stroke rehabilitation participation-focused interventions that utilize metacognitive and self-management approaches: A scoping review protocol. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports 2020Aug31.

*Setoguchi M, *Motruk S, *Frank V & Kessler D. Review of mobile applications to enhance coaching in occupational therapy. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2020;83(9):549-560.

*Ahmadi Kahjoogh M, Kessler D, Khankeh HR, Akbarfahimi N, Hosseini SA, Fatemeh S, & Naser H. Occupational Performance Coaching: Goal barriers and beneficial facilitators. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 2020;27(6):2-11. https://doi. org/10.12968/ijtr.2018.0092

Lamarre J, Egan M, Kessler D, Sauvé-Schenk K. Occupational Performance Coaching in Assisted Living. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Geriatrics. 2020 Jan 2;38(1):1-7.

Kessler D, Hauteclocque J, Grimes D, Mestre T, Côté D, & Liddy C. Development of the Integrated Parkinson’s Care Network (IPCN): using co-design to plan collaborative care for people with Parkinson’s disease. Quality of Life Research 2019;28(5):1355-1364. doi: 10.1007/s11136-018

*Ahmadi Kahjoogh M, Kessler D, Hosseini, SA, Rassafiani M, Khankeh H & Akbarfahimi N Randomized controlled trial of occupational performance coaching for mothers of children with cerebral palsy. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2018;82(4): 213–219. doi: 10.1177/0308022618799944

Kessler D, Walker I, Sauvé-Schenk K & Egan M. Goal setting dynamics that facilitate or impede a client-centered approach. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 2018;26(5): 315-324.. doi: 10.1080/11038128.2018.1465119..

Kessler D, Walker I, Sauvé-Schenk K & Egan M. Goal setting dynamics that facilitate or impede a client-centered approach. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 2018 Apr 19:1-10. doi: 10.1080/11038128.2018.1465119. [Epub ahead of print].

Kessler D, Egan M, Dubouloz CJ, McEwen S & Graham F. Occupational Performance Coaching for stroke survivors: Understanding of mechanisms of actions. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2018;81(6), 326-337. doi.org/10.1177/0308022618756001

Graham F, Ziviani J, Kennedy-Behr A, Kessler D, Hui C. Fidelity of Occupational Performance Coaching: Importance of Accuracy in Intervention Identification. OTJR: occupation, participation and health. 2018;38(1):67-9.

Kessler D, Afkham AK, Bourgoin A, Gocan S, Hurtubise AJ, Sivakumar B, Windsor ME, Liddy C. An electronic referral initiative to facilitate referral to a Chronic Disease Self-Management program for persons with transient ischemic attack. Applied Clinical Informatics Open. 2017;1(01), pp.e1-e6.

*Ahmadi Kahjoogh M, Kessler D, Hosseini, SA, Rassafiani M, Khankeh H & Akbarfahimi N. Occupational Performance Coaching for Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 2017;24

Kessler D & Liddy C. Self-management support programs for persons with Parkinson’s disease: An integrative review. Patient Education and Counseling. 2017; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2017.04.011

Kessler D, Egan M, Dubouloz C-J, McEwen S, Graham FP. Pilot trial findings of Occupational Performance Coaching for stroke survivors. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2017; 71, 7103190020p1-7103190020p7. doi:10.5014/ajot.2017.024216

BOOK CHAPTERS

Graham F, Kennedy-Behr A, Ziviani J  & Kessler D. Chapter 5 Threshold concepts  in Graham F, Kennedy-Behr A, & Ziviani J  (Eds.) Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC): A Manual for practitioners and researchers. 2020. Oxford; Routledge.

Martini R, Kessler D. Dynamic performance analysis. In M. Curtin, M. Egan & J. Adams (Eds.). Occupational therapy for people experiencing illness, injury or impairment: Promoting occupation and participation (7th ed.). 2017(pp. 207-16). London; Elsevier.

Kessler D, Sauvé-Shenk K & Metcalfe V.  Practice scenarios for stroke. In M. Curtin, M. Egan & J. Adams (Eds.). Occupational therapy for people experiencing illness, injury or impairment: Promoting occupation and participation (7th ed.). 2017(on-line edition). London; Elsevier.

 ABSRACTS (selected)

*Setoguchi M, *Motruk S, *Frank V & Kessler D. Utility of mobile applications to enhance coaching in occupational therapy. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Conference, June 22, 2018. Vancouver, B.C.

Kessler D, Walker I & Egan M. Client-centred occupation-focused goal setting conversations – What helps, what hinders? Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Conference, June 21-14, 2107 (June 23). Charlottetown, PEI.

Kessler D, Cote D, Grimes D, Mestre T & Liddy C. Activation and Perception of Self-Management Support in a Parkinson’s Disease Tertiary Care Centre. University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Day, June 1, 2017, Ottawa, ON.

Kessler D, Liddy C. Self-management programs for persons with Transient Ischemic Attack or Parkinson's disease: An integrative literature review. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Dec2016; 97(12): e37-e37.

Kessler D, Afkham AK, Bourgoin A, Gocan S, Hurtubise AJ, Sivakumar B, Windsor ME, Liddy C. Electronic referral to facilitate access to a Chronic Disease Self-Management program within the Champlain Local Health Integration Network following Transient Ischemic Attack. International Journal of Stroke; 2016 Sep 1 (Vol. 11, pp. 44-44).

Bonnell J, Kessler D, Orosz Z, Ozer R, Bartlett L, Donnelly B, Kucherepa N, Mageau-Pinard C, Tessier JA, Timpson D, Yang C. Integrating Community-Based Stroke Rehabilitation Into Smaller Communities and Rural Areas. International Journal of Stroke 2016 Sep 1 (Vol. 11, pp. 17-17).

Kessler D, Egan M, Dubouloz CJ, Graham F & McEwen S. Occupational Performance Coaching for stroke survivors: Preliminary results. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Conference, Winnipeg, MB, 2015

Kessler D, & Graham F. Coaching in occupational therapy: Current use, evidence and future directions. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Conference, Winnipeg, MB, 2015

Egan M, Rudman D, Ceci C, Kessler D & McGrath C. Moving beyond the risk of dependence to advance stroke rehabilitation. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Conference, Winnipeg, MB, 2015

*Phillips M, *Ineza I, *Patel H, Kessler D & Dubouloz, CJ. A Pilot Evaluation of Occupation Performance Coaching Intervention Following a Stroke. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Conference, Victoria, BC, 2013

Kessler D, Egan M & Kubina LA. Peer support for stroke survivors: A pilot evaluation (p1.109). Stroke 2013; 44: e174-e228. DOI: 10.1161/​01.str.0000438095.11293.72

Egan MY, Dubouloz C, Kubina LA & Kessler D.  Very low income and participation post stroke (P150) Stroke 2012; 43(11): e115–e162. DOI: 10.1161/01.str.0000422054.44193.87