Fin arrives at his occupational therapy sessions carrying the weight of transition anxiety. Almost every Monday afternoon, getting into the car to come to the therapy centre is hard. He finds reasons, resists, says he is tired or that he does not want to go. And yet, his “mum”—his
As occupational therapists, we often meet families carrying stories of resilience and heartbreak. Today, I want to share a session that reminded me why innovation and empathy matter so much in our work. It’s about two siblings—Rosie and Joshua—and a new therapeutic approach I’ve been using
During a sensory integration session in the clinic, the therapist worked with Angie, a thoughtful and sensitive girl who had been adopted, alongside her supportive mum. Angie often showed intense emotional reactions to physical discomfort—sometimes lashing out or withdrawing—especially during moments of minor pain. These responses were not
May 2019. First sensory integration session with this adopted young man, aged 14 years. I felt a knot tighten in my stomach as I read through his file before we met. The reports were troubling: violent outbursts toward his mum and female teachers, exclusion from school since January, and an
It's Monday, and as you might already know every other Monday morning, I have an assessment at the clinic. This time with an 8-year-old girl, named Zoe, who is in foster care (not officially adopted yet, but that's probably going to happen soon) with two wonderful
Σήμερα το πρωί ήρθαν δυο διδυμάκια, με καταγωγή από Τζαμάικα, υιοθετημένα από ένα ζευγάρι Βρετανών, ο Τζέσυ κι ο Τζόσουα, 4 χρόνων, για αξιολόγηση στην κλινική. Κλασικά, πριν τους δω, πρώτα τον Τζόσουα και μετά τον Τζέσυ, διάβασα τους φακέλους τους για να ξέρω κάποια πράγματα για αυτούς. Attachment και
This morning, Yiannis, 8 years old, came for an assessment in clinic. My friend, the psychologist who saw him last week, told me, 'Yiannis is super good, he doesn't look traumatised. His adoptive mother takes care of him very well and has found the right strategies to
Masie is a 6 years and 8 months old girl who was referred to our clinic for an Occupational Therapy assessment. I read her file, like I always do before the assessments, and I see no diagnosis, no educational and health care plan, no learning difficulties, and she is fully
