About

Diane Imabeppu, BA, BSc (OT)

Occupational Therapist, Integrative Health Practitioner, Neurodiversity Advocate, Speaker, Teacher, Student of Life

Hello! I’m Diane Imabeppu, a Registered Occupational Therapist and Integrative Health Practitioner, with a focus on whole person well-being: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and energetic wellness.

Looking back, I have always had a special appreciation of babies and children. I was a child that would sit for hours, “just” staring at a sleeping baby! I went from nurturing my stuffed animals, to caring for neighbourhood children, to working with children with autism. It seemed natural to pursue a career in pediatric occupational therapy.

For many years, I practiced solely in pediatrics in treatment centres for children with disabilities. The focus was primarily to enhance development and participation = DOING more and DOING better. I learned a great deal from my physiotherapy and speech-language pathology colleagues.  I was fairly confident in my understanding of children’s needs and how to optimally support their development, yet something was missing…

When I became a parent, I was completely humbled both personally and professionally. Experiencing puzzling health complications for both myself and my children, I learned first-hand, indescribable love, deep despair, the joys and sorrows of the parenting journey. This inspired me over the next 10 years to explore mental-emotional health and whole person well-being. I understood that FEELING better helps people DO better. When conventional treatments were insufficient, I turned to alternative treatments, which thankfully were powerful and effective for all of us. I felt compelled to train in these modalities myself, which brought my work to a new level. I now treat all ages of clients, from those unborn to those in palliative care, using innovative, gentle, yet potent methods.

As a lifelong learner, I have an inquisitive and active mind. For over twenty years, I have learned about exceptional children (autism, ADHD, sensory processing, giftedness, developmental and learning differences), feeding therapy, attachment, mental health, birth psychology, conscious parenting, trauma and stress-related issues, ancestral healing, energy medicine (including Reiki 1 & 2, Animal Reiki, Integral Healing, BEAM Therapy, Medical Intuition, Emotional Freedom Technique, soul work), mindfulness, meditation, consciousness, intuition, natural living, animal communication, dog training and grooming! This is in addition to my university training at the University of British Columbia (Bachelor of Arts – Double Major in Psychology and Family Science- 1996) and the University of Toronto (Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy -2000). Working with clients, raising my children, and teaching at EOK children’s treatment centre, TDSB, Montessori schools, Tyndale University and other community groups have deepened and expanded my understanding of whole person health and wellness.

There are some lessons that we do not actively pursue, that life unexpectedly brings across our path. Life circumstances forced me to learn about loss and grief, death and dying, cures vs. healing, ancestral and intergenerational wounds, self-compassion, and the serious effects of environmental toxicity on the body. I was a reluctant learner in most of these situations but found trusted help and unexpected silver linings, which I would call “miracles.”

My ideal day would include: wholesome meals, a walk through a big forest, warm tea with friends (old and new), running errands with my teenage boys, browsing through a health food store (with a generous giftcard!), family movie night with homemade popcorn, and reading with my little dog curled up on my lap. My friends and family would describe me as: friendly, patient, curious, perceptive, and having a very hearty laugh!