Occupational Therapy Staff
Occupational Therapy Staff Bios
Michelle Lehman, M.Sc. (OT), OT Reg. (NS)
Occupational Therapist and OT Practice Lead
Michelle offers occupational therapy services at Shoreline to both children and adults. She has been working as an occupational therapist since 2020 and has experience working with both adult and pediatric populations. Michelle completed her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Dalhousie University before attending the University of Toronto for her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy.
In addition to her work at Shoreline, she was previously engaged in research at Dalhousie University and is a co-founder of Think Self-Management, a training program for health professionals working with persons with chronic conditions.
Areas of Practice:
Children: fine motor skill development, handwriting, emotional regulation, executive functioning, sensory regulation, sensory processing with feeding and eating
Adults: executive functioning or emotional regulation related to ADHD or brain injury (e.g., stroke, TBI), chronic fatigue management, chronic disease self-management, handwriting related to brain injury (e.g., TBI, Parkinson's)
Mary Ellen Serpanchy, M.Sc. (OT), OT Reg. (N.S.)
Occupational Therapist
Mary Ellen offers occupational therapy at Shoreline to children of all ages. She graduated with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Dalhousie University in 2013. Mary Ellen has practiced in Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario. Mary Ellen has worked with children and their families in home, daycare, school, and clinic settings to encourage independence and success with client’s goals. She has a passion for providing neurodiversity affirming, family-centred care to every Shoreline family.
Areas of practice:
Children: sensory regulation, feeding and picky eating strategies, fine motor, visual motor, and gross motor development, activities of daily living, handwriting, executive functioning, self regulation
Shalyn Henley, M.Sc. (OT), OT Reg. (N.S.)
Occupational Therapist
Shalyn offers occupational therapy services at Shoreline to school-aged children. Shalyn joined the Shoreline team in 2025 following the completion of her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Western Ontario. As a recent graduate, Shalyn is equipped with the most recent evidence-based practices to support both clients and families. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Sciences (Honours) from Dalhousie University. Shalyn has experience working with both children and adults and is excited to bring her experience in providing client- and family-centered services to Shoreline.
In addition to her work at Shoreline, she was previously engaged in research at the University of Western Ontario and is passionate about providing evidence-informed care to all clients.
Areas of practice:
Children: handwriting, fine motor skill development, support for activities of daily living
About Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapists are health professionals who work with children and adults facing physical, cognitive, emotional, or social barriers to functioning in daily life in their self-care (e.g., dressing, moving around, eating), being productive (e.g., school, work, community participation), and engaging in leisure activities. They are involved in the identification of these barriers to functioning, referral to other professionals for further evaluation and/or diagnosis of specific disorders (e.g., psychology and physiotherapy), and treatment to improve functioning.
To do clinical work in Nova Scotia, OTs have a Master’s degree in occupational therapy. Prior to entering a Master's program, they will have completed a Bachelor's degree in a related field (e.g., psychology, kinesiology, biology). Some OTs later go on to earn a Doctoral degree to advance their skills in conducting research.
To practice in Nova Scotia, OTs must be licensed with the Nova Scotia Occupational Therapy Regulator (NSOTR). They may also choose to be members of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, the national professional association for OTs.