HOME ABOUT LEARN WITH US

OTs Gone Rogue began as a podcast — a space for truth-telling, story-sharing, and reflection. It started with a simple desire: to speak openly about what so many of us were thinking and feeling, yet rarely said out loud.

For founder and host Melissa LaPointe, it was a way to weave her own experiences with the voices of others —  to ask difficult questions about how we practice, and to shine a light on the many ways occupational therapists are quietly leading change around the world.

What began as a storytelling platform quickly became something bigger: a movement, a learning platform, and a community of therapists who refused to settle for business as usual.

Online Business Owner...

High Performance Coach...

Adult Educator...

Occupational Therapist...

Student + Lifelong Learner...

Business Consultant...

Program Designer...

Mother, Wife, Sister + Daughter...

 

I've always struggled with choosing "one hat" and embracing a simple descriptor for "what I do". Which, if I’m being honest, has served me well as an entrepreneur in the online space!

I’m a Canadian girl with a big heart and even bigger ambitions. I came into the OT profession in 2005 as an early intervention paediatric therapist with a non-profit organization. In 2012, I resigned from my position to test the waters of women's health and entrepreneurship... And in 2018, I hung up my clinical hat altogether to advance my career in coaching and consulting.

I'm passionate about many things, including solo road trips, time by the ocean, good coffee, kindred spirits, personal development and coloured pens! 

If you want to read the long version of my story, keep scrolling down...

From Podcast to Movement

Podcast listeners started reaching out, saying: “That episode? That was me.”

They began naming their own “going rogue” moments:

“I knew I was going rogue when I opened my own practice so I wouldn’t have to follow someone else’s rules.”


“...when I realized I could blend somatic work with pelvic health.”


“..when I asked a medical director why he didn’t have OT — and told him he needed to hire me.”

Our conversations took on a life of their own. Your stories became the heartbeat of OTs Gone Rogue. 

Not acts of defiance or rebellion – they were acts of alignment. Courageous steps toward a different way of working, living, and leading. Moments when therapists stopped waiting for the system to change and started building something better instead.

Today, OTs Gone Rogue is a
growing ecosystem —
part podcast,
part learning platform,
part movement,
where purpose-driven therapists are redesigning how they lead, learn, and deliver care.

PODCAST

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, metus at rhoncus dapibus, habitasse vitae cubilia.

Start Listening

LEARNING PLATFORM

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, metus at rhoncus dapibus, habitasse vitae cubilia.

Start Learning

MOVEMENT

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, metus at rhoncus dapibus, habitasse vitae cubilia.

Let's Connect

What It Means to Go Rogue

It isn’t about burning it all down. 

It’s about asking better questions — and being brave enough to listen to the answers.

It’s about choosing creativity over compliance, courage over comfort, and possibility over perfection.

It’s about questioning outdated norms in service delivery and leadership — and to design something better.

It’s about holding space for both head and heart  — because the future of healthcare needs both.

For some, that means creating a coaching program instead of another 1:1 therapy schedule.

For others, it means stepping into leadership inside an organization, championing new ideas from within.

For all of us, it means honoring the work we love without losing ourselves in the process.

Starting My Online Journey

An Integrative Approach to Perinatal Health 

Being a service-based business owner in the start-up phase of entrepreneurship with a toddler underfoot is by far one of the hardest things I’ve ever done!

I was offering cash-based mom + baby groups, prenatal wellness packages, couples' sessions on "Training for Delivery" and postpartum
c-section recovery consultations. 

As I ventured further down the path of women’s health, I was introduced to advanced level training in restorative exercise and functional movement. I made some important changes to my activities of daily living; I ditched my shoes whenever possible, I embraced sitting on the floor and I started hanging from monkey bars. I invested in more training and mentoring and was finally feeling confident in my role as women's health therapist!

As my business grew, I continued to be creative in how I could work from home (or the road) with Max by my side. This led me down the path of digital products and in 2015, after many months of planning, I finally created my first online course for occupational therapists, "An Integrative Approach to Perinatal Health". My love for teaching and mentoring helped me to overcome my fear of the camera, which was a huge personal achievement! Little did I know that this online course was opening a door into a whole new world...

2017: The Year of Resilience

Business Growth, Forest Fire Evacuations + Brain Surgery

This was the year of hitting a glass ceiling in two separate businesses -- a cash-based brick + mortar therapy practice and an online company with a focus on professional growth for therapists. Something had to give. 

In July of 2017, while on vacation with my family, the wildfires hit our region of British Columbia, forcing everyone in our community to evacuate. We embraced our minimalist lifestyle and left our home (and my brick + mortar practice) for over 60 days.

This was a huge hit to my business but also a sign from the Universe for me to follow my heart. I made the tough decision to let go of my brick + mortar practice and re-brand under my own name. I was going all in on my coaching and consulting where I could be location independent. 

The last two months of 2017 would prove to be the most challenging, with my husband’s workplace of 18 years burning down (i.e. our financial stability going up in smoke) and my six-year-old son getting diagnosed with a brain tumour, resulting in us being airlifted to the children's hospital for an emergency sub-occipital craniotomy. Despite all of the financial and utter chaos, I was so thankful to be in control of my schedule, to have experience as a pediatric therapist and to be flexible in working from home! 

2017: The Year of Resilience

Business Growth, Forest Fire Evacuations + Brain Surgery

This was the year of hitting a glass ceiling in two separate businesses -- a cash-based brick + mortar therapy practice and an online company with a focus on professional growth for therapists. Something had to give. 

In July of 2017, while on vacation with my family, the wildfires hit our region of British Columbia, forcing everyone in our community to evacuate. We embraced our minimalist lifestyle and left our home (and my brick + mortar practice) for over 60 days.

This was a huge hit to my business but also a sign from the Universe for me to follow my heart. I made the tough decision to let go of my brick + mortar practice and re-brand under my own name. I was going all in on my coaching and consulting where I could be location independent. 

The last two months of 2017 would prove to be the most challenging, with my husband’s workplace of 18 years burning down (i.e. our financial stability going up in smoke) and my six-year-old son getting diagnosed with a brain tumour, resulting in us being airlifted to the children's hospital for an emergency sub-occipital craniotomy. Despite all of the financial and utter chaos, I was so thankful to be in control of my schedule, to have experience as a pediatric therapist and to be flexible in working from home! 

Growing from the Inside-Out

Post-Traumatic Growth, Online Entrepreneurship + Going Rogue

After my son's surgery, his recovery was nothing short of miraculous. It took me and my husband a bit longer to bounce back from those traumatic experiences but after a couple of years, we found our footing again. I found my groove as an online business owner and enrolled in more coaching programs. I committed to working on my mindset and my performance as a CEO. 

I also did a deeper dive into program development, sales and marketing, growing our business by 20-40% each year with a sustainable business plan and a minimalist approach to our systems + operations. And at the end of 2020, I embraced my role as a storyteller and connector, launching the OTs Gone Rogue podcast.

This road has been anything but easy but I’ve surrounded myself with mentors, coaches and supports that truly see me for who I am: Someone that's a work in progress and doing my best to show up in this crazy world as an authentic version of myself. I'm learning to see my imbalances and quirks as strengths, as I step up to serve the trailblazers and visionaries of the OT profession.

And I'd love for you to join me on this journey! 

Growing from the Inside-Out

Post-Traumatic Growth, Online Entrepreneurship + Going Rogue

After my son's surgery, his recovery was nothing short of miraculous. It took my husband and I a bit longer to bounce back from those traumatic experiences but after a couple of years, we found our footing again. I found my groove as an online business owner and enrolled in more coaching programs. I committed to working on my mindset and my performance as a CEO. 

I also did a deeper dive into program development, sales and marketing, growing our business by 20-40% each year with a lean time and a minimalist approach to our systems + operations. And at the end of 2020, I embraced my role as a storyteller and connector, launching the OTs Gone Rogue podcast.

This road has been anything but easy but I’ve surrounded myself with mentors, coaches and supports that truly see me for who I am: Someone that's a work in progress and doing my best to show up in this crazy world as an authentic version of myself. I'm learning to see my imbalances and quirks as strengths, as I step up to serve the trailblazers and visionaries of the OT profession.

And I'd love for you to join me on this journey! 

Fun Facts About Me

01.

I DON'T LIKE BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT

I prefer being behind the scenes which is why my business has been growing "slow + steady" over the years. With each stage of growth, I need time to acclimatize and do the work needed to show up for my audience!

02.

I ABSOLUTELY HATE CELERY

I'm not a fussy eater and quite enjoy expanding my palate. I'll eat a lot of things... Except for celery. I can smell it a mile away and the taste completely overwhelms my tastebuds, raw or cooked. Blech!

03.

I HAVE A PHOBIA OF MICE

I love pretty much all animals and when I was little, thought I would be a veterinarian when I grew up. Except. For. Mice. If I suspect there's a mouse in my vicinity, I freak out and lose all ability to think rationally.