Welcome to Connecting Dot, I am so pleased to have you here! It’s an exciting time as we launch our new website and social media pages. I’d like to tell you a little bit about us!
Who are we? Connecting Dots was started in 2015 by me, Sara Turner, a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), Elizabeth Beaugrand, an Occupational Therapist (OT) and Claudia Ng, a Psychologist (Psych). We had all been working in private practice for several years, sometimes working together and sometimes not. We often referred families to one another when we realized they needed more than just one of us.
We really enjoyed working together (and still do of course!) Elizabeth and I would say the exact words the other was thinking. One time a parent had to stop us and get us to tell him what was going on, as nobody had actually finished a sentence! Obviously the 3 of us were thinking along the same lines in terms of Therapy interventions and what recommendations we would have for the family.
Over time, we realized it was hard for our families to individually find all of the services that they may need for their families. So we had this idea. What if families could find all they needed in one place? A one stop shop for all their Therapy and support needs! We worked well together and enjoyed it, and so Connecting Dots emerged. We officially launched in the spring of 2015.
Since then, we have grown to a staff of 11 registered health professionals, 1 amazing office manager and an ever growing team of behavioural aides. Our team members at Connecting Dots come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience, with at least 8 different languages spoken among us. We are always learning from each other (I can literally hear Elizabeth’s voice in my head), and we have great multi-disciplinary teamwork.
What do we do? All Therapists at Connecting Dots provide play based, family centred care in home or community locations. All of us owners are active Therapists and continue to work directly with clients. We provide any combination of Speech-Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Psychology and Counselling Services to families in need. Programs are highly individualized to make sure we take into account each child and family’s challenges and strengths.
One of the things I love about our team is that everyone takes an interest in the other areas. I am always learning new things from OT and Psych, and vice versa. We value and respect each other’s knowledge, opinions and approaches. We really believe in a collaborative approach to providing the best service possible to children and their families.
Where does this happen? Well, I always say I live and work out of my car, but really we provide support in your family home or a community location. Children learn best in their natural environments, so we meet them where they are most comfortable. For families that may have other children at home, this is often an easier way for them to access services. Some of the highlights of the most interesting locations I have worked with families include: the library, the grocery store, the playground, the sandbox, on a tractor, in the forest and at a playgroup. We serve clients in Calgary, Alberta, and surrounding area.
When do we work? Families are busy. We want to make sure you are getting the service you need when you need it. That means we work with your schedule to find a time that works for you, as well as for your Therapists. We can book first thing in the morning and throughout the day, with last appointments usually being at 6 pm. Sorry no weekends – I am usually at the rink!
How does it work? When you contact us, you hear back from a registered health professional within 2 business days. Through emails or phone calls, we gather information from you to figure out what services you need and which of our Therapists would be the best match. We want to make sure that all parties are right for each other. If needed, we connect you with other resources that may be helpful for you as well.
Why do we do what we do? The truth is, I love kids; everyone at Connecting Dots does. Kids have so much life in them and so much ahead of them in life. We believe every child has the right to achieve their potential and be able to participate to the fullest in whatever they do. The most important job kids have is to play; and we want to help them do that. We also want to empower parents to do their best, advocate for their children and move forward to have a successful life without Therapists. I also learn so much every day from the children, families and Therapists I have the good fortune to work with.
Thanks for being here, contact us anytime if you want to know more. Keep an eye out for upcoming blogs as well!