Olivia Meehan Speech, Language & Behaviour Analytic Services

01/25/2025

Time well spent over the holidays learning how to identify and support clients who are Gestalt Language Processors 📚♾️

12/19/2024

Helping Your Child with ADHD, Helping Anxious Children, and Promoting Positive Behaviours in Children programs are being offered by NSHA in Kingston in January!

10/22/2024

09/05/2024

Looking for a part-time co-schooling program for your child? Join us at Learningo: Community, Recreation & Education Society. Limited spaces available 📚✏️

08/19/2024

PSA for those travelling from Windsor direction, taking Exit 8 ⚠️

UPDATE: Mount Denson Bridge
Engineers have assessed and are estimating a minimum of one month closure to complete repairs. No traffic permitted across bridge until repairs are made. Permanent closure barricades enroute. We ask that the public avoid the area and stay completely away from bridge structure. (Source: Paul Maynard; Hantsport Fire)

# # #

Bridge considered "collapsing, weak structural integrity, and generally unsafe" on Highway 1 in Mount Denson over the Halfway River — the bridge coming into Hantsport.

Highway 1 is currently impassable, due to the closure — use Highway 101 to Ben Jackson, or Bog Road.

Public Works advising this bridge will be closed for an "extended period of time." Long term outage.

# # #

Hantsport Fire - All Available Firefighters to the Fire Station — Bridge Collapse - 09:49

RCMP, Municipal & Provincial Public Works to scene. EHS advised.

05/23/2024

We are very happy to (again) be supporting and promoting the "Stronger Together" (previously known as GirlStrong) program designed and facilitated by Kym Hume & Yvonne Rafuse!

It is a unique opportunity to participate in a learning environment with the goal of building self-awareness, confidence, and personal autonomy, all while having a mini-university experience! A supportive, autism friendly environment will be the setting for interactive sessions and special events.

The program will take place July 5-7 at Acadia University. Participants must be aged 15-30 and caregivers are welcome. The cost is $80/person.

**Priority will be given to those females with autism (ages 15-30) and a parent who have never attended the retreat**

For more information or to register, please contact Kym directly, kym.hume@ns.sympatico.ca

05/15/2024

First Provincial Autism Action Plan

Here’s hoping this leads to some much needed (long overdue) change for the autistic community 🧠♾️

Nova Scotians with autism and their families will see improved services and supports with the development of a new provincial autism action plan.

“People with autism and their families deserve to be supported in this province – whether they are under five and just getting a diagnosis, or adults who need support at home or in the workplace,” said Brian Comer, Minister of Addictions and Mental Health. “A provincial autism action plan will give us a clear picture of what supports are out there today so we can identify the gaps and work with our partners to fill them.”

The action plan will:
- describe and identify the current services, supports, interventions and programs for children, youth and adults on the autism spectrum and their families in Nova Scotia
- identify current government strategies, action plans and initiatives that could be used to better support the current needs of Nova Scotians with autism and their families
- identify gaps and make recommendations for supports and services within the public, private and community sectors.

The work will be led by the government in partnership with Autism Nova Scotia and will include input from people with autism and their families, educators, healthcare professionals and representatives from community organizations.

Community engagement will begin this fall and the action plan is expected to be released next spring.

Details about the development of the plan and how to get involved will be available in the coming weeks at: https://www.autismnovascotia.ca/

05/09/2024

Another fun opportunity here in West Hants!

IN-PERSON AccessAbility Silent Disco (Viewing Party) - Windsor, NS

West Hants Parks and Rec is bringing out so many amazing inclusive and accessible opportunities for our community! They are working constantly to bring new ideas to the Municipality...thank you, West Hants Team!

Windsor Community Centre
June 1, 2024
3-5pm

Silent discos have become a great way for many kids and adults to experience a fun dance party without the anxiety of the loud music. Each headphone has its own volume control, so the audio can be as loud or soft (low) as desired.
When you take the headphones off, there aren’t any speakers playing music.

Register and enjoy!
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=CMFoEhOAqkWgCwv5hMoQ-W2Ky05oIaRBsYgg6_tyyWdUNlBNQjFVRVFJV09HU05ZNVo0RktQSEY3OS4u

04/25/2024

We are so happy to share that we are continuing to partner with Windsor & West Hants SchoolsPlus to offer another of our monthly Social Group sessions in Windsor again in Mayl! The group is intended for youth aged 4-11 years and will take place from 6:00pm-7:00pm at Windsor Elementary School (100 Tremain Crescent, Windsor, NS) on May 2nd, 2024.
Parents are welcome to stay, there will be a separate space and hot drinks for you to enjoy while your children play.

Autism Nova Scotia’s Social Groups are a safe space for participants to socialize, make friends, and have fun! Social groups can help build independence, confidence, autonomy, and create a sense of belonging. Autism Nova Scotia’s social groups are open to anyone with a suspected ASD diagnosis, self-diagnosis, or formal diagnosis.

*Please let us know if you would like to attend but cannot make it, and we will include you in our numbers for interested participants for future programs.*

Registration is required: https://forms.office.com/r/RFm9hK5GyD

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to Emelia: evisca@autismns.ca

04/24/2024

04/11/2024

Yes!

02/06/2024

⭐️🎯🦸‍♀️

Don’t forget the kids who are doing the extra work.

The kids whose days don’t end with the final bell, the kids whose breaks don’t follow a school calendar.

The kids who spend their afternoons being shuttled to speech, or PT, or OT.

The kids whose schedules include services and therapies, on top of everything else.

The kids who need extra help and support.

The kids who are struggling to overcome barriers—whether physical, mental, or emotional.

The kids who don’t follow the typical schedules, hit the expected milestones, take the traditional path.

The kids who might need different strategies and tools to help them learn.

These kids are working so hard, too.

They’re tired, too, even if their successes seem smaller or maybe even completely unnoticeable to most.

There likely won’t be any awards for them at the end of the year, or special recognition for how far they’ve come.

But take it from me—they are working SO dang hard.

Don’t forget to acknowledge their efforts.

Because what might be a small hurdle on the track for most kids, could be a Herculean task for a kid who has to try 10 times harder just to make it to the starting line.

These kids might not excel in traditional ways, but there’s nothing unexceptional about them.

Because they work harder for every win, and they don’t take a single bit of it granted.