Jo-Ann Trudeau
I provide key vocational career and rehabilitation counselling services, in both official languages, to assist individuals with the physical and psychological impact of injury, illness or disability in achieving successful and enduring results in health and employment. I am a skilled and experienced helper dedicated to assisting you in life’s greater challenges; health and employment. I am warm, fair, authentic and honest with helping you return, remain or find new employment all the while assisting you navigate your mental health. Regardless of disability, my services are for everyone.
My business name is COMPASS Vocational Rehabilitation Services. The symbolic meaning of the word “Compass” is to ‘step together’ or to ‘journey together’. It evokes hope and inspiration as it represents guidance, safety, and security.
The services provided respect your autonomy and are designed to enable you to regain or learn new skills, resources, attitudes and set new expectations needed to compete in job interviews, maintain that job all the while managing your health and wellness. Utilizing trauma informed counselling approach, we find solutions respectfully and with compassion. I strive to reflect the impact of disability on a person’s life especially the importance that work and education play in achieving inclusion, autonomy, optimism and self-worth.
In addition, I also provide return to work coordination and disability management services to employers/businesses who strive to provide an inclusive, diverse and accommodating work environment for individuals recovering and returning from the impact of illness, injury or disability. Furthermore, I also prepare reports for government and insurance companies, law firms and private rehabilitation assessment firms. I can assess an individual’s potential for employment and provide professional opinions on the individual capabilities and the vocational implication of a medical impairment. I can administer, score and interpret vocational assessments and assess worker traits along with employment and training potential.
I took a personal and professional pause during the pandemic and determined a new life direction for myself. I now strive to balance spending more time with my husband and provide vocational rehabilitation consulting services. I offer over 25 years of experience in public health and wellness, case and disability management, human resource management, and vocational rehabilitation services. I have worked with individuals find their resilience, grit and hope during difficult health and employment challenges and strive to live a better life. I am grateful that my profession provides me with continuous learning and the ability to work with clients who require the acquisition of new skills and/or regaining skills in everyday living activities.
When I am not working, I enjoy cooking, scrapbooking, water colour/acrylic painting and especially hot yoga and meditation as these practices help me along my journey of wellness and balanced living. I also love spending time with my husband taking day trips in the classic car, gardening, bicycling and sitting by camp fires laughing.