Outreach Therapy Alberni Valley & West Coast
4325 Neill Street V9Y1E5 Port Alberni, BC, Canada

Friends living in the Greater Victoria Area! Please consider buying yourselves Smile Cookies to support the Children's Health Foundation of Vancouver Island. CHFVI supports kids across the entire Island including programs of Outreach Therapy

Thank you to our Community for providing the therapy team with these face shields!! When we are able to safely resume sessions, we will have another addition to the PPE we need! Thank you to the community for donating funds to the 3D Printer/Design Team, @ Kevin Wright, Houle Printing Inc. #PPE #HealthCare #PediatricTherapy #CommunityWithAHeart.

The Dalai Lama Center is excited to launch the first Heart-Mind Live webinar on supporting parents and children as they return to school. Free. Register through the EventBrite link below. Date And Time: Fri, June 5, 2020, 10:30 AM 11:30 AM PDT Join experts in child and youth mental health, social-emotional learning, and evidence-informed parenting in this one-time-only, free webinar!... Back to school isn't easy in the best of times. As we carve out a new normal in the classroom in the midst of COVID-19, our kids need our social-emotional support more than ever. The Dalai Lama Center is here to help, with a new, special-event webinar on nurturing our children (and ourselves) through the back-to-school transition. This free webinar is designed for parents and caregivers to learn evidence-informed, practical ways to cope with uncertainty and anxiety in order to guide their children through this challenging transitional time.

Thank you so much to the Alberni Valley Lions for the generous donation to Outreach Therapy. Normally we would be able to say "thank you" in person! We are so grateful for this donation and the kindness during these times. We will use this donation wisely for necessary supplies

Dear families and caregivers, you can help by taking 10 minutes to fill out the BC CDC Covid survey. It will help set policy and action plans going foward. Your experience during this time is important, as it will direct the future. Thank you. http://www.bccdc.ca//diseases-con/covid-19/covid-19-survey

Island Health is now encouraging the public to get tested for COVID-19, if you are experiencing any COVID-19 like symptoms. This news release explains how to book testing, and where you can go.

The Children's Health Foundation of Vancouver Island is a #heropartner in making Island Children First. Thank you! Tlecko tlecko !

What are the resources and supports available to you while you wait for your child's Autism assessment? Find out during this Zoom webinar on May 9, 2020.

Setting up for success: At-home learning spaces, schedules and routines! POPARD Family-School Liaison presents: Supporting learning and social-emotional needs at home during COVID: Interactive sessions for parents. Interactive parent training by the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism. Upcoming sessions Tuesday April 21, 2020 from 12-1pm Join Zoom Meeting... Thursday April 23, 2020 from 4-5pm Join Zoom Meeting https://www.actcommunity.ca/provincial-outreach-program-for

Sometimes a story helps :) It's free and downloadable. Stay well, friends.

Not sure what is available for financial help? What applies to you? Check out CBC's interactive benefits summary guide.

One of our partners in Early Intervention Child and Family Services, Preschool Speech Services, has shared this update regarding services during COVID-19. You can reach Preschool Speech Services by the contact information in the poster. One way or another, the Early Intervention Team services are still here for you :)

BC is providing a special fund for children with special needs.

Thank you to all of our families and kiddos working so very hard during this time to keep us all safe

Dear Families, here is a trustworthy, reliable, central resources for all your Corona Virus questions and information about the benefits available. Please always remember to critically consider the source of information you read on social media, there is a lot of mis-information. This database is from Health Canada and the Federal Chief Health Officer. https://www.canada.ca///coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html

In this time of crisis, it is normal to experience feelings that weigh on our mental health. Please reach out to these supports if you need to: Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1888-494-3888 OR BC211 online at www.bc211.ca or by calling 2-1-1 to connect you to any resources you need locally. To our families and kiddos, we are sending a virtual hug, caring thoughts and a wish for you to be well. We will get through this.

Approved by our Early Childhood Mental Health expert: Parenting in the Time of COVID-19 resources from the World Health Organization. 6 beautiful posters that deal with structure, emotional health, physical health and behavior.

We are still here for you during COVID-19. By telehealth, call or email! Early years Physiotherapy & Early years Occupational Therapy 250-723-1117 or [email protected] Early Childhood Mental Health 250-723-1141 or [email protected] And to our daycares, physicians, nurses - we are still taking referrals and calls. To find our referral forms visit www.outreachtherapy.org

A great article written from an OT perspective!

Dear families, Outreach Therapy is assessing our COVID-19 response on a day by day basis. We continue to monitor the directives from the BC Ministry of Health. As usual, our policy is to ask that you do not come to sessions if you or your child is ill. Likewise, our staff do not come to work when they are sick. Currently, staff are looking at ways to reduce contact. This might include not attending meetings, requesting therapy sessions occur in our clinic instead of anoth...er setting, and perhaps phone consultations. We are balancing caution with providing services. If you have questions or concerns, you are welcome to contact our office at 250-723-1117 or email Susan at [email protected]. We will answer your questions as quickly as possible. You are welcome to reschedule your session at any time. You will not lose your therapy space. As well, if we have to reschedule, you will not lose your space whatsoever. As usual, you will receive a friendly phone call if we are rescheduling with you. We will keep you up to date as we learn more. Thank you, and we appreciate your understanding! See more

How to speak to youth and help them manage anxiety about Corona virus. https://www.nytimes.com//coronavirus-teenagers-anxiety.html

How can we as adults, caregivers and educators talk to children about Covid-19? How do we respect the knowledge and concerns children carry from what they have heard, yet assure them when they are worried about those they love and care about? This page from the CDC has good advice.

It's a good time to remind our families about our illness policy. If you or your child are feeling sick or have a cough or a fever, please do not come in for your appointment. Give us a friendly call, we will reschedule. Likewise, if we are sick we will be cancelling with you and rescheduling. And, in terms of Covid-19 ...like any virus, we ask that extra attention is given to hand washing please!

$20 for this online advocacy skills workshop! "For parents of children with invisible disabilities, including autism, ADHD, anxiety and a range of conditions, it is often a challenge to convince those in authority that ones child requires services beyond what a family can typically access. This situation is further complicated when neurodiverse children exhibit behavioral difficulties, which are sometimes attributed to poor parenting by those with limited training in invisible disabilities. The purpose of this workshop is to introduce parents to basic advocacy strategies."

New strategies for children processing negative emotions. A good article.

We are very grateful for the donation of this gorgeous handmade table for our staff area! It was made locally of all local material and donated labor. We love it !

We are grateful to Port Alberni Toy Run for their donation to Outreach Therapy. This donation makes pediatric therapy accessible to all children. Tlecko tlecko! (Thank you!).

Check out this great workshop bundle: How to Advocate for Kids with Special Needs as well as the popular Sexual Health Education for Children K-7 with Special Needs.

Thank you so much to Eta Chi for a generous donation to our wishlist! 'Tis the season ! We offer income tax receipts for any amount

Interested in systems change and shifting the social fabric in a simple, but meaningful way? Be a champion of change for neurodiverse children by signing up as a member of @Outreach Therapy (www.outreachtherapy.org). 35 years of moving the needle for children! In the spirit of reducing barriers, there is NO FEE to sign up. The value to us is much bigger than a membership fee- you are paying it forward by supporting a not for profit - and did you know that your membership he...lps us access grants? That's because you are showing your support by agreeing to be a member. We ask to share ideas with you, for you to share ideas with us, or just to enjoy our newsletter and provide feedback. You might even feel inspired to join our board at some point! Eligibility: *18+ *Not a family member of an Outreach Therapy employee (current or in < two years) *BC Resident *A passion for championing change for neurodiverse children Please contact our Executive Director, Susan Fox, at [email protected] for an easy electronic membership form!

Calling Early Learning professionals ! Two training events have been announced for the popular STARS program! Book your space today before they fill up. One in Port Alberni and one coming to you on the west coat in Ukee! Registration and contact details in the poster.

Check out this great workshop - Waiting for an Autism Assessment. Get your questions answered by a Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA). RASP Certified professionals are your guarantee that your child is receiving services from qualified Autism professionals. This is an amazing opportunity to access a BCBA! Registration details on the poster.

Sept 26 UPDATE! *we are now sold out* Thank you for the interest in the event - we look forward to seeing you ! Dr. Linda Scott is a Master Trainer for Kids Have Stress Too!, a program which helps children, families and educators provide children with tools to manage stress. Lindas career has focused on the Early Years: first as an Early Childhood Educator before going on to work in research, program development and program management. The Psychology Foundation of Canada... recognized Dr. Scott in 2014 with the Award of Excellence for her efforts to support the health and well being of children and families. Register at EventBrite below. Residents outside of Port Alberni are welcome! $100 includes a full day of training tuition, training materials and a certificate of attendance. Limited Registration. (Please bring your packed lunch). https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/kids-have-stress-too-outreach-t

Join us for our Kids Have Stress Too Workshop Saturday Oct 19, 9am-330pm. Space limited to 25 participants. $100 includes training materials and tuition.

Kids Have Stress Too Workshop (Preschool/Kindergarten Focus) $100, Limited Registration - only 25 spaces. Saturday October 19, 9am-330pm. This is of interest to teachers, professionals, foster parents, parents involved in the lives of preschoolers & kindergartners! Register online through Event Brite. (First come, first serve) Did you know? stress can affect childrens physical, emotional, social and intellectual well-being children experience everyday stress in a diff...erent way than adults extreme stress can have a negative effect on brain development in very young children. The Kids Have Stress Too! (KHST!) program is based on evidence that with help, young children can learn practical strategies to relieve stress, and effective ways to respond to stressful situations. By learning to cope with lifes ups and downs, children develop healthy strategies that help them to adapt, self-regulate, be resourceful, feel competent and become more resilient. By participating in an interactive KHST! workshop, participants will: learn how to recognize stress in children identify the key role relationships with parents and caregivers play in helping children learn to manage stress practice age-appropriate stress-management techniques that help teach children to relax and become more resilient learn effective ways to promote positive emotional development and self-regulation in young children. As well as the workshop, participants also receive: a 100 page, full-colour manual, containing background research, implementation tips and strategies access to follow-up support and training tools a workshop certificate attractive, practical, evidence-based material to share with parents

Online Lunch and Learn sign language classes - coming soon!

It's that time of year. How can we support our children who are experiencing back to school anxiety? https://anxietycanada.com//coping-with-back-to-school-anx/

Cynthia Low is offering Sign Language classes in July and again in September. The July class will start on Tuesday July 2 at 645 for about 45 minutes to one hour for 6 sessions. Please contact Cynthia at [email protected] if you are interested or have further questions about spaces or cost.

Check out this podcast for working parents from the Canadian Psychology Foundation. Stress and the working parent and your family. There is also a link to submit your burning questions. https://psychologyfoundation.org//24-7-A-Resource-for-Work