Our Team
Meet Emily
Emily is an experienced and AHPRA registered Occupational Therapist. Emily obtained her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) through Deakin University. Emily undertook her honours degree in paediatric research regarding the use of assessments to measure children’s play and leisure. Emily’s research has since been published in the Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention.
Emily has worked both in Werribee and Geelong as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, within the private sector as well as for a non-for-profit community organisation. Emily has experience working with children and young adults from 2 years to 25 years of age.
Emily has worked with children and families from a diverse range of backgrounds, needs and diagnoses. She has experience assisting children and families with intellectual disabilities, cognitive delays, regulation difficulties (emotional & sensory), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), attachment challenges, anxiety and depression, among many others.
Emily has a particular interest in working with children and young adults to develop and enhance their skills they need to undertake a range of activities within the areas of:
- Fine motor (strength, precision, coordination, dexterity, control, etc.);
- Handwriting (pencil grasp, pressure, letter formation, endurance etc.);
- Gross motor (running, jumping, riding, kicking, throwing, catching);
- Self-care (hygiene, dressing, toileting, self-feeding, etc.);
- Play (turn taking, imaginative, etc.);
- Social skills (forming and maintaining friendships, understanding appropriate interactions, etc.);
- Community access (reading public transport timetables, coordinating transport, planning public transport trips, etc.);
- Life skills (cooking, cleaning, organizing, time management etc.).
Meet Luna
Luna is our newest employee who is a therapy dog.
She loves to play tug, bubbles, balloon catch and chasey.
Luna is a big advocate for cuddles, pats, shakes and high 5's.
Luna loves all humans, animals, soft toys and plants no matter the shape or size.
What Can Luna Assist My Child With?
Research has found that dog-assisted therapy can assist through the unconditional acceptance an animal brings. With this it can increase motivation and engagement in sessions, as well as reduce anxiety levels in children. It can reduce a child's stress of making mistakes or getting something wrong. The following outlines some (but not all) of the activities Luna may assist with:
Fine Motor
- Cut up treats for Luna
- Write letters to Luna with correct letter formation, spacing and legibility
- Draw pictures for Luna using pre-writing shapes which are the building blocks for handwriting
Self-Care
- Change over Luna's bandanna (press studs/Tying)
- Take on/off Luna's harness (clip buckle)
- Take on/off Luna's collar (buckle)
- Dressing up with Luna to assist with dressing
Gross Motor
- Aiming a ball or toy at a specific location for Luna to catch and/or retrieve
- Luna can demonstrate how to move through an obstacle course
- Develop kicking skills to pass a ball to Luna
Social Skills
- Take turns when playing a game
- Take turns rolling a ball back and forth
- Luna may assist children to open up and improve interaction, manners, ability to follow rules, and social skills
Sensory Input
- Tactile: patting, brushing
- Propioceptive input: Luna sitting/leaning on a child
- Olfactory: Spraying Lunas dog perfume
- Auditory: Reacting to different levels of sound
Self-esteem and Confidence
- Reading to Luna
- Showing Luna completed work
- Luna provides support and/or motivation when attempting a new or challenging tasks
Regulation
- Luna can model when it is appropriate to be excited and/or when we need to be calm and ready to learn
Sequencing and Memory
- Give Luna a sequence of commands
- Touch Luna's ears, back etc. for body part recognition, and to develop the ability to follow a sequence of steps/instructions