Interview with Lori Desjardine, Co-Owner and Occupational Therapist at Pillars of Wellness - Toronto - Canada's Podcast

Lori Desjardine is the co-owner and Occupational Therapist at Pillars of Wellness – a family owned integrated care centre in Burlington ON. Lori completed her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at the University of Western Ontario, graduating with Honours. She then continued her academic journey and completed her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto. Throughout her carrier as an Occupational Therapist she worked in several different healthcare environments, with her role ranging from front line care, to supervising, mentoring and teaching. She started her first company in 2013 – Desjardine Rehabilitation, and then further expanded to opening Pillars of Wellness with her husband in 2018. Lori has spend the majority of her career focusing on complex trauma, neurological disorders, brain injuries, and mental health challenges. Having worked within a variety of healthcare settings and observed the strengths and weaknesses within the various medical/rehabilitation disciplines, Lori was inspired to create a care centre that would serve as a bridge in addressing a very noticeable gap in service. Lori’s vision is to provide truly integrated healthcare services to all clients. While her primary focus is to maximize health, she strongly advocates partnership and knowledge exchange to empower people to manage their own health and make sound care choices. Lori believes that in combination with best practices, coordinated and seamless care, in conjunction with the latest technologies, we can provide clients with the most sound assessments and treatments available; thereby allowing people to maximize quality of life.