Nice to meet you.

As an occupational therapist and former Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy at USC, I combine academic knowledge with practical experience in my practice, particularly emphasizing the strong connection between lifestyle and mental well-being. Before my academic career, I dedicated 12 years to being a personal trainer, gaining firsthand insight into how physical activity and healthy habits can enhance mental clarity and emotional resilience. This journey sparked my passion for helping individuals reach their full potential, leading me to pursue occupational therapy. My expertise in Lifestyle Redesign® and ergonomics enables me to create holistic programs that tackle the intricate relationship between daily activities, environment, and mental health. I’m particularly interested in how meaningful engagement can help improve mood, decrease anxiety, and promote a sense of purpose. With a solid foundation in both physical and mental health, I'm committed to empowering individuals to create sustainable lifestyle changes and enhance their emotional well-being through occupation-based interventions.

Publications & Major Public Presentations

  • Marchioni, M., & Valasek, S. (2023). Embodied: Physical Activity as Ends and Means. OT Practice, 28(12), 10-12.


    Marchioni, M.  (2023, April). What makes a leader. Occupational Therapy Association of California Newsletter, 46(2), 5. 


    Parekh, P.*, & Marchioni, M. (2020, November). Chronic conditions management at the workplace. SIS Quarterly Practice Connections, 5(4), 30–33.


    Marchioni, M., Parekh, P.*, & Brown, B. (2020, May). Occupational therapy and workplace stress. SIS Quarterly Practice Connections, 5(2), 30–33.


    Marchioni, M., & Cunningham, R. (2020). Sense of connection: Addressing spirituality in occupational therapy practice. OT Practice, 25(3), 31-33.


    Marchioni, M., Cunningham, R., & Valasek, S. (2019). Sexual health: Addressing identity, expression, and function in occupational therapy practice. OT Practice, 24(3), 31-33.

  • Collins, C. R., & Marchioni, M. (2023). Anxiety. In S. Dahl-Popolizio, K. Smith, M. Day, S. Muir, & W. Manard (Eds.), Primary care occupational therapy: A quick reference guide (pp. 113-128). Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20882-9_1

  • Invited

    Bowles, S., Granado, D., Marchioni, M., Surfas, S. Documentation Essentials. Panel presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California, Webinar.

    Marchioni, M. Work and Industry Special Interest Panel. Panel discussion at the American Occupational Therapy Association Conference, Webinar.

    International


    Roll, S., Becerik Gerber, B., Marchioni, M. Well-being and inclusion in the built environment: Integrating an occupational perspective into an emerging transdisciplinary field. Paper presentation at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) International Congress, Paris, France.

    National

    Marchioni, M., Valasek, S.Occupations in transit: Addressing travel and transportation. Short course presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, Kansas City, MO.

    Bussell, E. , Schiewe, E., Marchioni, M. When our reflections are not our friends: Addressing body image in an outpatient setting. Short course presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX.

    Marchioni, M., Bussell, E. , Valasek, S.Doing happy: Depression management in outpatient occupational therapy. Short course presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, Webinar.

    Valasek, S., Marchioni, M. Psychosocial determinants of weight. Short course presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, Webinar.

    Jalaba, T., Marchioni, M. Lifestyle Approaches for Addressing Adult Mental Health. Short course presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, Webinar.

    Marchioni, M., Valasek, S.Ergonomics: The office and beyond. Short course presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.

    Parekh, P., Marchioni, M. Workplace wellness: An opportunity for lifestyle management in the workplace. Short course presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.

    Marchioni, M. Taking occupational therapy to the office: Exploring opportunities in workplace wellness. Short course presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, UT.

    State/Local

    Marchioni, M., Bussell, E. The Space Between Us: Building Inclusive Environments. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Pasadena, CA.

    Marchioni, M., Scheiwe, E. , Rivera, L. Wired: Considering cognitive performance needs and technology use. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Santa Clara, CA.

    Marchioni, M., Valasek, S. OT on the go: Addressing travel needs. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Santa Clara, CA.

    Rivera, L., San Antonio, T., Marchioni, M., Management of upper extremity injuries: Why lifestyle factors matter. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Santa Clara, CA.

    Schiewe, E. ,Marchioni, M., Pogossian, A. Life(style) on pause: Trends in self-care during COVID-20. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Santa Clara, CA.

    Marchioni, M., Valasek, S. Embodied: Physical activity as ends and means. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Pasadena, CA.

    Marchioni, M., Scheiwe, E. Social participation in the virtual environment. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Pasadena, CA.

    Valasek, S., Marchioni, M. Addressing eating routines to enhance function and quality of life. Short course presentation at the Western Regional Occupational Therapy Spring Symposium, Las Vegas, NV.

    Lombardi, D., Marchioni, M., Valasek, S. Addressing anxiety disorders with lifestyle management approaches. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Spring Symposium, San Diego, CA.

    Marchioni, M., Bussell, E., Allahverdian, M. Environmental factors in the workplace and community. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Pasadena, CA.

    Marchioni, M., Cunningham, R., Valasek, S. Addressing sexual health in occupational therapy practice. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Spring Symposium, San Diego, CA.

    Valasek, S., Marchioni, M. Metacognition: An OT toolkit. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Spring Symposium, San Diego, CA.

    Valasek, S., Cunningham, R., Marchioni, M. Addressing sleep in occupational therapy: A 24-hour approach. Workshop presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Pasadena, CA.

    Lee, M., Marchioni, M. Restoring function, renewing life. Short course presentation at the Stroud Symposium, Los Angeles, CA.

    Marchioni, M., Cunningham, R. Spirituality in occupational therapy practice. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Sacramento, CA.

    Valasek, S., Marchioni, M., Nagata, R. Therapeutic communication: Techniques that promote motivation and participation in therapy. Short course presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Sacramento, CA.

  • Lemus, M., Marchioni, M. Workplace wellness resources for hand therapists in a COVID-19 world. Poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, Kansas City, MO.

    Marchioni, M. Designing for diversity and health. Poster presentation at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) International Congress, Paris, France.

    Marchioni, M., Jalaba, T., Cunningham, R., Valasek, S. Addressing the occupation of sleep: Evaluation methods and interventions for occupational therapy practitioners. Poster presentation at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) International Congress, Paris, France.

    Jalaba, T., Marchioni, M. Addressing health management deficits in adults with mental health conditions. Poster presentation at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) International Congress, Paris, France.

    Marchioni, M., Valasek, S. Embodied: Physical activity as ends and means. Poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX.

    Valasek, S., Marchioni, M., Cunningham, R. Addressing sleep in occupational therapy: A 24-hour approach. Poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.

    Marchioni, M., Valasek, S. Lifestyle management for bipolar disorder. Poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Conference, New Orleans, LA.

    Cunningham, R., Marchioni, M., Valasek, S. Sexual health in occupational therapy practice: Addressing identity, expression, and function. Poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.

    Marchioni, M., Cunningham, R. Spirituality in occupational therapy practice. Poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, UT.

    Marchioni, M. Worker mental health. Poster presentation at the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference, Sacramento, CA.Item description