Gayle Restall, BMR(OT), MSc, PhD

Gayle Restall is an associate professor emerita in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Manitoba’s College of Rehabilitation Sciences. Throughout her career, she has focused on involving individuals in their own health and social care, as well as in program development, research, and social policymaking. Her research aims to explore the social participation needs and aspirations of individuals, particularly in the context of chronic health conditions, and to discover meaningful ways that individuals and communities can engage in their own care.

Restall’s research program is grounded in interdisciplinary and community-based collaborations, with four primary themes: social participation and equity in chronic health conditions; transforming occupational therapy and healthcare practice toward equity, justice, and rights-based approaches; the development of participatory research and evaluation methods; and facilitating research approaches that give voice and control to equity-deserving groups.

A registered occupational therapist, Restall has held diverse clinical, administrative, research, and educational roles throughout her career. She has worked with individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in various institutional and community settings. Her leadership has extended to local, provincial, and national roles in occupational therapy organizations, university committees, and community-based organizations such as the Nine Circles Community Health Centre, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and Realize.

She earned a PhD in Community Health Sciences from the University of Manitoba, where her research focused on the experiences of people living with chronic health conditions and the systems and policy changes needed for full occupational participation. Restall is deeply committed to fostering justice and equity in health and wellbeing for individuals and collectives.

Restall’s teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that teaching is stewardship—an ongoing process of creating a positive and inclusive learning environment. She encourages critical reflection and transformative learning, with a focus on matching teaching styles to students’ diverse learning needs.

Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Muriel Driver Memorial Lectureship from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists in 2023, the Golden Quill Award from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists in 2020, and the Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation’s Doctoral Scholarship in 2006.