Olivier Occupational Therapy

26/09/2024

Happy OT Week! May we continue to serve the children sent on our paths with unwavering dedication and a passion for diversity and inclusion in this ever-changing world.

03/04/2024

25/03/2024

Before this occupation, I too found it very difficult in public to react towards people with special needs in ways that are both caring and would seem “normal”
Having my own children seeing friends with special needs coming in and out of the practice gave us the opportunity to normalise disability for them
I’ve asked the parents of some of these friends to give advise on what you can say to your own children when seeing other children with disabilities in public settings.

18/03/2024

It’s Cerebral Palsy awareness month! To all my little friends and their parents living with CP- you inspire me to look at life differently.
A reminder to those who do not know the condition- it’s a brain problem, making it exceptionally difficult to simply just improve- these kids work very very hard to train their brains, not train their bodies a many would think
MAES Therapy

Let’s be kind and see beyond arms and legs and see other amazing abilities our CP friends have

17/03/2024

Super proud! A mother stepping into her advocate role. By parents, for parents. Keep an eye out for more information about the event.

09/02/2024

Thank you Instopp for yet another insightful mentorship session. Today was about Postnatal Mental Health and the role of the OT and it hit in a very deep place. One thought came to mind, as I am not an OT Working in Mental Health but rather in the Pediatric field-

If the Mom’s of our country were healthier and more whole, our children might also be healthier and happier

18/12/2023

And just like that the year has drawn to a close!
May your family seek out rest and joy together. May your Christmas Season be blessed and may you enter the new year refreshed

Practice opens 15 January 2024

10/10/2023

Let’s get going with TERM 4!

An interesting one- things start to slow down, but times go fast!
It’s time to finish up final goals and finish the year strong

11/09/2023

💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

14/08/2023

👶🏼👶🏿👶🏽(Typical) Development is more like a river than a ladder👶🏽👶🏿👶🏼

The comment above changed my approach to early development, both as a mom and as a therapist. It changed the way in which I viewed children- giving them space to develop their ebb and flow and curves of their river when they are neurologically ready.

Upon completing a course in neuro-development and movement analysis in 2021 my focus shifted entirely from knowing which movements are necessary and perfomed to WHY children are moving and the QUALITY with which they are performing those movements.
For me this meant not viewing a young, developing child through the lenses of “what is to come next”, but rather what their movements are communicating about where they are now and what they will need to continue developing their river.

There are certainly physical and neurological hindrances to development and that requires intervention. Should your baby have a need for such intervention you are welcome to give me a call 📞

📸Explore Adore Photography

07/08/2023

My favorite Dad comment:

“In my days we didn’t have all of these diagnoses and these therapy things. I was also like this and I turned out fine”

Dads, I hear you. It’s tough for any parent to face challenges with your child, but times have changed somewhat.
In “your days” children did not know about cellphones or tablets or televisions. You did not have a remote controlled gate and you rarely played inside. In fact - you actually played all the time and everywhere.
Pressure in schools and on social platforms were not nearly as high as it is now and you had the liberty and time of just having fun for the sake of having fun. Not a scheduled out, filmed for social media kind of fun. Just fun.
In “your days” you had a conversation with a parent without competing with a Facebook post or Instagram swipe.

By saying this I am not saying that diagnoses made by professionals have no validity. There are still children (there always was and will be) who’s brains work in a more colourful way and who need more support in some areas. I am saying that many attention, creativity and motor challenges our children face inside classrooms today must be viewed in the light of what are doing and not doing when outside of classrooms.

What you have control over, Dad (and Mom), is putting your phone away, being more present, go for a walk or bike ride with your family or teach them about what you did in “your days”.

26/07/2023

Hi!
I’m Chánte, therapist and practice owner of an OT practice with special interest in paediatrics.
Three years ago I started Olivier Occupational Therapy after working in private practice for some time.
When I started the practice these four pillars were what the practice was built on;

⚪️ connect before correct: this term only hit home when I had my own babies. In many systems and in society there is a big emphasise placed on fixing, improving and achieving. I’ve learnt through the years of working with children, and raising my own, that making a heart connection first makes all the difference.

⚪️ Colossians 3:17: my faith is the purpose and strength of everything I do.

⚪️ good fit activities: Occupational Therapy is art and science. We rely on analysing activities to provide a just right challenge. The child engaging in that activity with the right amount of assistance is propelled towards learning and growth.

⚪️ our part in development: children are made to grow and develop- this is magical! All of us privileged to witness this magic- parents, teachers, therapists- have a responsibility to protect and to assist as needed in these stages.

26/07/2023

👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

03/06/2023

Nature Valley Canada recently sat down three generations of families and asked them one simple question, "What did you like to do for fun as a kid?" Take a mome

01/06/2023

❄️❄️❄️FLOOR IS FROZEN❄️❄️❄️

Today we changed up the classic “floor is lava” game for a fun freeze and hold game on this brrrrrr Bloemfontein day!

Instead of burning your feet when you touch the floor, you freeze and try to stay in the same position for a while.
Keep an eye out for more winter activity inspiration!

And also, how great is my friend Explore Adore Photography! 📸

29/05/2023

Our Comprehensive Nanny Training Workshop is around the corner!
And with comprehensive I mean ⭐️CPR and First Aid ⭐️Three afternoons and three mornings ⭐️5 different health care professionals type of comprehensive.. This sounds like you?

Email co.mommy@olivier-ot.co.za to register
Limited space available!

07/05/2023

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Good news!
Prices for 2023 Comprehensive Workshop stays the same

Registrations are now open- Training starts 17 June.

Email Co.mommy@olivier-ot.co.za to register.