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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Absolutely. Through a neurodiversity affirming lens, Sonder Therapy supports social engagement and participation in group settings.

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.

The neurodiversity affirming approach is a framework that emphasizes understanding and accepting neurological diversity, specifically when it comes to neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others. The neurodiversity affirming perspective challenges the idea that there is a single "normal" or "typical" way of experiencing and processing the world. Instead, it recognizes and values the diversity of neurological differences in individuals. Key principles of a neurodiversity affirming approach: Acceptance and Celebration Rather than viewing neurodivergent conditions as disorders that need to be fixed or cured, this approach celebrates neurodiversity as a natural and valuable aspect of the human variation. ​Individuality This approach recognizes neurodivergent individuals as unique, with their own strengths, challenges, and ways of experiencing the world. Accommodation and Support Instead of trying to force individuals to conform to neurotypical standards, the neurodiversity affirming approach promotes the creation of environments and systems that accommodate an individual's learning styles, executive functioning skills, and sensory preferences. Empowerment Fostering self-advocacy and empowerment for neurodiverse individuals. This involves supporting them in understanding and expressing their needs, preferences, and strengths. Educational and Social Inclusion Promoting inclusive practices in education and society that allow neurodivergent individuals to participate fully and contribute to their communities. Listening to the Neurodivergent Community Involving neurodivergent individuals in decision-making processes that affect them and respecting their insights and experiences.

At Sonder Therapy, we follow the child’s lead and interests when engaged in therapy sessions, weaving in therapy strategies that work for your child toward established goals. Play is an essential occupation as it naturally helps children to learn, engage, and develop critical life skills. If we are doing our job well, a therapy session looks and feels like a play session.

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.

Yes, we often collaborate with teachers, speech therapists, psychologists, social workers and other specialists to provide a comprehensive approach to your child’s development and learning.

Our fees at Sonder Therapy are in keeping with the provincial guidelines for Occupational Therapy Initial Assessment Fee: The initial assessment is $300 and essential for the occupational therapist 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. Individual Services: Individual sessions with an Occupational Therapist is $150 per hour. Home visits outside of the city limits are subject to a travel fee which will be discussed with you when your treatment plan is developed. Group Services: Fees for group services are variable and depend on the number of participants, staffing needs, as well as material and venue costs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.