Dr Claire Pearce, B App Sc (Occupational Therapist), MSc (Health Sciences), PhD, is an experienced occupational therapist and emerging researcher. She has extensive clinical experience in adult acute and rehabilitation services based in public health services in Australia and the UK. She also has experience as a multidisciplinary team manager and has undertaken health service evaluation and development, and policy roles. Claire was awarded a PhD from the University of Sydney in 2020. Her thesis entitled The Obesity Paradigm and the Role of Health Services in Obesity Prevention: a systems views, explored the link between stigma and the concept of choice and found that the way obesity is framed is hindering health services from playing an effective role in prevention and treatment.

Claire lives and works on Ngunnawal country. She is an Assistant Professor in Occupational Therapy at the University of Canberra. She teaches into the Masters and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy. Claire is convener of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Honours. Claire is also the ACT practitioner Member on the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.

Areas of Teaching

• Professional Reasoning
• Mental Health
• Occupation in Context (occupational justice)
• Practice Education (student placements)

Claire’s research approach focuses on understanding people’s perceptions of an issue to better understand what helps or hinders putting evidence into practice. Her areas of research interest involve exploring workforce innovations to support occupational participation, with a particular interest in:

• The role of occupational therapy in mental health services;
• The utilisation of the allied health assistant workforce to support occupational therapy service delivery;
• Student-led services to support areas of role-emerging occupational therapy practice;
• Partnerships with community-based organisations.
• Understanding the development, application and teaching of professional reasoning

1. Occupational Therapy Role in Mental Health
2. The emerging role of allied health assistants in Australia
3. Student-led Services to support occupational therapy education
4. Understanding the professional reasoning of occupational therapist