Our Approach
Grounded Occupational Therapy provides holistic, child-centered support for neurodivergent tamariki and their whānau.
Principles that guide our practise at Grounded OT include use of the body-based senses as a foundation for both regulation and motor planning, and setting up the environment to invite the child to explore these processes in a safe, fun and engaging way.
Carefully attuning to the child as we track their energy and arousal throughout the sessions allows us to find their earliest point of integration, adapt in-the-moment, and follow their lead as they make adaptive responses to 'just right' challenges in the context of playful activity.
Our relational approach supports collaboration, intrinsic motivation and builds confidence. Children learn to trust and feel safe in their own bodies and explore pathways toward balance in their nervous system, building a foundation upon which all other learning, behaviour and day-to-day functions can unfold.
Continuing the legacy
Growing up in a household of teachers, one specialising in teaching neurodivergent learners in a way that was best suited to them, Julie was primed from an early age to see that kids do well when they can (as Ross Greene might say). Mentored by Emma Ratcliff and Robyn Ritchie, Julie was brought into the world of sensory processing and integration based therapy with a rich internship-like approach directly following her occupational therapy undergraduate degree, at what was then Helios Integrative Medical Centre (now Te Ara Sophia). Going on to work at the Champion Centre alongside Robyn Ritchie and Jan Murphy (a trained speech-language therapist) and under the directorship of both Jan and Dr Susan Foster-Cohen, Julie's paradigm of working curiously and kindly to understand the child before her, and in partnership with families, was further developed. During this time, Julie Wylie also became an esteemed colleague, and musical play became an interdisciplinary thread woven into Julie's OT practise. Currently, Julie spends a morning a week alongside Julie Wylie facilitating community musical play classes with preschoolers.
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What is sensory processing?Our senses tell us about our own inner experience, as well as being our windows to the world. Our inner or 'body based' senses of touch, 'life' (our biological rhythms and interoceptive processes), balance (our vestibular system), and movement (our proprioceptive system) give us our sense of self. They tell us 'this is me', give us a sense of our place in space, and are dual-coded with our emotions. Our sense of smell, taste, vision and hearing bring us information about other people and the world around us. When there are differences in filtering, organising and putting all of these sensations together, we might find it hard to feel at ease in our own skin, in relationships, or in the world we live in. We may feel overwhelmed, or like we are missing bits of information we need. We may have a protective urge to avoid experiences, or an urge to seek out specific sensations to feel okay. As awareness and discernment of our body signals is the foundation for understanding our feelings, it is therefore also the basis for our capacity to regulate, that is: find a sense of inner balance that is congruent with our contextual surroundings. Recognising and understanding our own sensory differences and preferences supports us to regulate in a way that is authentic and sustainable, advocate for our or our children's needs, and choose tools and accommodations with intention.
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What is praxis and dyspraxia?Praxis includes ideation, planning and execution of motor tasks, that is: coming up with an idea or accessing a known idea, organising and sequencing the necessary parts of the idea and our bodies, and coordinating all the necessary body parts and movements to carry out the idea. It is the basis for our ability to use our body and hands in skilled tasks, like we would for playing or using tools (like cutlery, or a crayon/pencil) or daily skills (like buttons, zips or shoelaces). Dyspraxia may include difficulties in the processes of learning new skills, coordinating movements and generalising skills (or parts of the skill) from one context to another. Praxis is connected to our processing of sensory information. The sensory systems gather information from within our bodies and in relation to the world around us, and work together to form an internal 'body map'. As a baby/child explores the world through their senses and responds with motor actions, the networks of this internal 'body map' are patterned and strengthened. Registering, discerning and grading responses to sensations therefore shapes our praxis and motor planning capacities.
Would Occupational Therapy benefit my child?
Does your child need support with:
Tuning into body signals and navigating emotions?
Paying attention or following the steps of an instruction?
Finding a sense of ease in movement-based activity?
Understanding their sensory processing needs and preferences?
Taking part in activities at preschool, kindy or school?
Navigating transitions and daily routines?
Could you benefit from:
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Support to understand your child's behaviour?
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Greater understanding of why daily routines and activities can seem so hard?
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Collaborating on ideas to support your child to be at ease in their body and their relationships and roles?
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Support to advocate for your child's needs in kindy, preschool or school?