Living an Authentic Life. Celebrating your Identity. Meaningful Occupation. Being Empowered to Self-Advocate. Discover our neurodiversity affirming Occupational Therapy (OT’s) in Sydney Eastern Suburbs and Hills District.
Overview: Occupational Therapists (OT’s) are allied health professionals who bring their knowledge of anatomy, physiology, psychology and developmental principles, to empower a person to engage in anything that is meaningful to them, in a way that reflects their unique identity.
OTs are completely client focussed and aim to support well-being holistically. Therapy may involve education, skill building, changing activities, routines and lifestyle habits, and modifying environments.
Regulation: refers to the ability to respond adaptively to emotional and physical challenges to maintain homeostasis. This supports well-being, relationships, function and quality of life. We use a relationship-based approach to regulation, that respects developmental & sensory processing principles.
Sensory Processing: Every person has a unique sensory profile that shapes the way they experience the world! Spot OTs will focus on understanding your sensory profile, so that activities, routines and lifestyle choices, complement your needs.
Fine Motor Skills: These are all the things we do using the small muscles and joints of our hands. They include drawing, handwriting and cutting, self-care activities like managing buttons, zippers and shoelaces, and handling things in the world like door handles, switches and taps!
Gross Motor Skills: These are all the things we do using larger muscle groups or our whole body! They include movement skills (walking, running, skipping), balance (static and dynamic/hopping), ball skills (throwing, catching & kicking), and are also tied to our self-care (dressing, bathing) and independence.
Play is a meaningful occupation for all children, and it is critical to development and learning. Sometimes children face challenges that limit their access to play opportunities, and sometimes carers & educators benefit from support to enter their child’s play – everybody plays differently! Play supports connection, joint attention, regulation, fine & gross motor skill development, and well-being.
Social Communication refers to the ability to communicate for the purposes of building and maintaining relationships. Communication includes verbal speech, gestures, sign, simple Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) such as picture communication, and high-tech AAC. We support our clients to connect with their family and their wider community, in whatever manner is right for them
Writing (Dysgraphia): Writing is an important part of life, especially at school. Handwriting function can be influenced by many factors, including muscle tone, strength, hypermobility, postural stability, visual-motor skills and early literacy skills. Written expression can also be affected by executive functioning, which influences the ease with which people organise their thoughts and plan what they are going to write. At Spot our OTs and SPs work closely to support you with all components of writing.
Independence & Life Skills: Spot occupational therapists will support you to achieve independence through education, skill building, use of assistive technology and environmental accommodations. Goals will reflect what is important to you; dressing, toileting, grooming, eating, cooking, shopping, using public transport & so much more!
Breathing habits link directly to our sleep, regulation, sensory processing, mood, energy levels and executive functioning. If we observe signs and symptoms of dysfunctional breathing in any Spot clients, we will discuss this so that everyone received holistic care that supports their development, physical and emotional well-being.
