Question 1

What is Occupational Therapy?

Accepted Answer

Occupational therapy is a unique and holistic regulated healthcare profession that focuses on enabling individuals to engage in daily activities. More simply, Occupational Therapy helps you do the things you want to do!

Occupational Therapists hold a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and are registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario. Occupational Therapists undergo rigorous licencing requirements which includes the successful completion of a national exam, college required continuing education, and formal reflection on practice.

At Sonder Therapy, our goal is to enhance your child’s and family’s engagement in meaningful activities through the evaluation of personal, occupational, and environmental factors.

Personal: Occupational Therapists address the physical, cognitive, sensory, and emotional aspects that impact participation.
Occupation: Occupational Therapists analyze tasks and activities to identify the areas of challenge and work to adapt the activity to enhance participation. 
Environmental: Occupational Therapists assess the environment in which your child is required to perform the task and suggest changes to eliminate barriers and foster participation and independence.

Question 2

How do I know if my child needs Occupational Therapy?

Accepted Answer

Occupational Therapists help children do the things they do everyday! This includes playing and going to school as well as day-to-day tasks such as dressing, washing, eating, and participating in activities with their family and peers. Children struggling with attention, social skills, play, sensory processing, emotions, regulation, and behaviours to such an extent that it is impacting participation can benefit from OT intervention.

Question 3

My child just received a diagnosis of autism. Do they need therapy?

Accepted Answer

Not every child who receives a diagnosis of autism needs therapy, however, if your child needs support, intervention is crucial for your child’s development as well as to better understand your child’s diagnosis. As a parent, it is important that you evaluate your hopes and dreams for your child and create a team that enriches your journey.

At Sonder Therapy, Occupational Therapists work in collaboration with you to evaluate your child’s participation in daily routines, focusing on assessing motor skills, sensory processing abilities, routines, and environments. Your child may benefit from OT services if they experience challenges with behaviours, play, academics, transitions, regulation, sleep, eating, or other self care routines.

Question 4

What is sensory processing/sensory integration?

Accepted Answer

Sensory processing/sensory integration is your brain’s ability to take in all the information that comes in through the senses, make sense of it, then generate a response. When sensory processing goes well, children (and adults too), have a predictable and well-organized response. When the sensory processing system is unreliable, it means that the brain is having trouble receiving, interpreting, and/or responding to sensory input.

Here is an example: 
Imagine you are enjoying a mid-summer evening outdoors. Suddenly, you hear a buzzing sound followed by a pinch on your neck. Your brain likely interpreted this sensory input as a mosquito and your hand automatically went toward the pinch to swat the mosquito away. This action would be a typical adaptive response to the described sensory input.

Now, imagine you have a sensory processing disorder. An under-responsive system may not hear the buzzing or feel the pinch, resulting in a body full of mosquito bites by the end of the evening. An over-responsive system may perceive the buzzing as too loud and overwhelming and the pinch as something so offensive it causes significant distress.

At Sonder Therapy, we work with you to assess your child’s sensory processing system, identifying areas of strengths and stretches to determine how sensory processing differences impact participation. Our approach to intervention focuses on educating you and your child about sensory processing, introducing strategies to accommodate for sensory processing challenges, and implementing programming to help your child organize their sensory system.

Question 5

Will my child grow out sensory processing challenges?

Accepted Answer

Although we all change as we mature and develop, research suggests sensory processing challenges is not something that a child will grow out of. Early identification and intervention can make a significant difference in your child’s psychological well being, confidence, and self-esteem. When we understand how a child processes sensory information, we can create individualized plans to help them to manage discomfort and support participation.

Question 6

Can Occupational Therapy help with transition to adulthood?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for older children and teens, OT focuses on life skills such as time management, job readiness, independence, community access, social engagements, and discovering new interests and hobbies to prepare them for adulthood.

Question 7

How long will my child be in therapy?

Accepted Answer

The frequency and duration of occupational therapy will be discussed with you after the initial assessment. Our goal is for parents and children to feel confident in using the skills developed during therapy sessions so they can carry over into their every day lives. Our model of service prioritizes family education and involvement in therapy sessions.

Question 8

What are  your fees?

Accepted Answer

Fees are established based on guidelines outlined by provincial professional associations and range from $150-$180/hour for Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy services. Therapy Assistant Support ranges from $110-$150/hour, depending on program goals and demands for session preparation.  Home visits are subject to travel fees, which will be discussed with you when your treatment plan is developed.Initial Assessment Fee:The initial assessment is minimum $350 and essential for the clinician to gain a greater understanding of your child’s strengths and stretches, what your goals for therapy are, and to develop a treatment plan outlining the goals for service, frequency, and duration of service.Group Services:Fees for group services are variable and depend on the number of participants, staffing needs, as well as material and venue costs.

Question 9

Does OHIP cover my sessions?

Accepted Answer

Our sessions are not covered by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan).

Services offered by an occupational therapist are considered a medical expense by the Canada Revenue Agency and can be claimed on your annual tax return. Occupational Therapy services are HST exempt.

Question 10

Are there different kinds of funding that might be available to me?

Accepted Answer

It is important to research and understand if your child may be eligible for any funding that might offset the cost of therapy sessions.

Ontario Autism Program (OAP) 
The Ontario Autism Program (OAP) offers support to families of autistic children and youth.

Jordan’s Principle 
Jordan’s Principle makes sure all First Nations children living in Canada can access the products, services and supports they need, when and where they need them.

Extended Health Care Benefits.
Some extended health insurance providers cover Occupational Therapy services. It is up to you to contact your benefits provider to determine your coverage. Families pay for our services up front, and may be reimbursed by their benefits provider, if applicable. Sonder Therapy does not direct bill to any insurance provider.

Question 11

How do I pay for service?

Accepted Answer

We ask that all clients have an active credit card on file.  Families are welcome to pay by e transfer but must have an active credit card on file in the event that payment is not received.

Question 12

Do I have to pay for a session if I miss it?

Accepted Answer

Groups: 
Like most community group programs, payment for a group is due upfront. If you have to miss a session, we may be able to offer a 15-minute consultation to review the materials presented in the session missed.

Individual: 
Your appointment time is reserved for you. Our cancellation policy is designed to ensure the efficient scheduling of appointments and to provide fair treatment to both our clients and therapists.

We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, but we kindly request that you provide us with at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Appointments cancelled less than 24 hours are subject to a cancellation fee.

In the event of a missed appointment without prior notice, the full fee for the session will be charged as a cancellation fee. The fee is necessary to compensate our therapists for their time and to cover the cost associated with the missed appointment. If you are unable to physically attend the appointment, a telephone or virtual appointment are available as an alternative.

Note: If you arrive late for your appointment, the session will still end at the scheduled time. Late arrivals may result in a shortened session, as our therapists need to maintain their schedule for other clients.

Question 13

Do you offer individual sessions after school or weekends?

Accepted Answer

Yes, there is availability for individual sessions after school and weekends, however these spots fill up fast.

For your child to gain the most out of their work with a therapist, it is important that they are alert and ready to learn. We understand that missing school for an appointment is not always convenient which is why we offer detailed treatment plans that outline the frequency and duration of services so that you can plan accordingly with your child's educators.

Frequently Asked Questions