Get to know us!
Hillary Carr - Owner
Hillary is an experienced Pediatric Occupational Therapist with a special interest in helping children with emotional regulation and sensory processing difficulties, developmental trauma, and developmental delays to increase their confidence and independence in play, learning, and self-care activities (including toileting, feeding, and dressing).
About Hillary
Hillary graduated from Dalhousie University in 2016 with her Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. Prior to this, she attended Acadia University where she attained a double Bachelors of Science (BSc) degree in Biology and Psychology.
Hillary worked within the field of pediatrics in both Prince Edward Island and British Columbia before moving to London, England, in 2019, where she split her time working between a private clinic and a special school. Hillary has provided services for learners between the ages of 3 and 19 years that have severe/profound and multiple learning difficulties and/or disabilities, as well as learners who are additionally on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD) with complex needs. She has experience working with both children and adults in a community setting.
Hillary's special interest lies in helping children with emotional regulation difficulties, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorders, and developmental delays to increase their confidence and independence in play, learning and self-care activities. She believes that therapy must be targeted towards the child’s developmental level and building on their strengths to achieve their maximum potential. Hillary follows a sensory motor framework as well as uses play and emotional connections to support the development of motor, behavioural, cognitive, and social skills. She is registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of Nova Scotia.
Hillary has the following professional development trainings/certifications:
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DIR Floortime 202 - “DIR Floortime Proficient Certificate"
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DIR Floortime 201 - "DIR Floortime Basic Certification"
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DIR Floortime 101 - Introduction to Floortime
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3 Steps to Improving INTEROCEPTION, led by Kelly Mahler with additional webinars for Toileting, Interoception, & Nutrition and Theory of OWN mind.
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Lego®-based Therapy
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Zones of Regulation led by Leah Kuypers
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Autism Level Up - Supporting emotional and sensory regulation
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Developmental Trauma in Children & Families - Beacon House
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The Body Keeps the Score - A Deep understanding of the effects of trauma on brain development and attachment systems
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The SCERTS Model for Autism, Two day course led by Emily Ruben
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Therapeutic Listening : Listening with the Whole Body - Vital Links
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Therapeutic Listening: Quickshift: Revolutionising the use of sound in Sensorimotor integrative treatment - Vital Links
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Transitioning to Adult Care for Youth with Chronic Health Conditions and Disabilities
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Basics of Paediatric Feeding and Swallowing
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Wheelchair Seating and Positioning in Community
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Power Mobility Client Assessment
Nick Lauder - Owner
Nick is an experienced Occupational Therapist with a passion for assisting adults to reach their functional goals, facilitate independence, prevent injuries, and promote healthy living.
About Nick
After receiving his Bachelor of Kinesiology from Acadia University, Nick graduated with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Dalhousie University in 2016.
Nick started his career working in the areas of in-patient general medicine, palliative care, and outpatient stroke rehabilitation. However, Nick soon branched out into other areas of interest and spent several years working as a case-manager and medical-legal assessment provider within British Columba. During this time, Nick became a Certified Work/Functional Capacity Evaluator through both Matheson and Metrics certification programs.
From there, Nick moved to London, England, where he worked in a Wheelchair Service to provide postural assessments for adults and children experiencing various health conditions and postural complexities. Nick also worked in a community setting to assist adults with complex disability needs to maximize functional independence in activities of daily living within their homes. This included the prescription of specialist disability equipment, minor home adaptations, and making recommendations for major adaptations to the service users’ home.
Nick assists clients with in-home assessments to determine needs for equipment and/or adaptations, seating and postural management (including wheelchairs and static seating), and functional rehabilitation. Nick completes ergonomic assessments and provides complex case management services for return-to-work planning.
Allie MacEachern
Allie is an occupational therapist with a passion for helping individuals reach their occupational goals through evidence based practice and patient-centred care. She is eager to bring this passion to the pediatric population. She will focus on treatment for sensory processing differences, emotional-regulation needs, handwriting skills, as well as adolescent mental health needs, all of which improve confidence with self-care, learning/development, and play/socialization.
About Allie
Allie received her Bachelor of Kinesiology degree from Acadia University in 2018. Through various volunteering opportunities with children and adults, she found a passion for using a functional approach to helping individuals reach their goals. This led her to pursuing a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Dalhousie University, where she graduated in 2020. She was fortunate enough to gain clinical experience with the IWK Children’s Hospital during her degree, which sparked her interest for pursuing a career with the pediatric population.
Allie has been working for a multi-disciplinary clinic since graduation, where she has been providing occupational therapy services for individuals who are returning to work, or life, while experiencing a physical or mental health injury. She works with individuals in their home, workplace, and clinic setting to best meet their needs.
Allie’s interests lie in helping individuals overcome the barriers which prevent them from regular participation in everyday life. She will be working with children who have different sensory, motor, and emotional needs to help ensure they are able to reach their goals. This includes independent play and playing with others, learning and development in the school and home setting, and self-care needs such as dressing, feeding, and toileting. Allie is certified in several mental health treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (best practice for treatment of anxiety and depression), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. Allie plans to use these treatment modalities to provide mental health services to adolescents (age 10-19), who are experiencing depression, and anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and social anxiety. Her personal OT goals include furthering her education in sensory processing for children, and certifying in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy.
Xavier is an Occupational Therapist versed in practice areas of pediatrics and adult mental health. Of particular interest to him is supporting children and youth with complex trauma, sensory processing and self-regulation needs, and developing skills that promote independence in activities of daily living.
Xavier prides himself from practicing from an evidence-informed, strengths-based, and person-centered lens; he also maintains core values of respect and appreciation for diversity, anti-oppression, and inclusion.
Xavier Hartley
About Xavier
Xavier completed both his BSc in Psychology (2016) and MSc in Occupational Therapy (2018) through Dalhousie University. Following his graduation as an Occupational Therapist, he moved to rural Alberta where he worked in schools providing consultative support for children and youth ages 3-18 with severe-to-profound developmental, cognitive, social, and learning-based needs (e.g., ADHD; Autism; Global Developmental Delays; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; Down Syndrome; and complex trauma). From there, he moved to Calgary, Alberta, and worked as part of a multidisciplinary team in a specialized, not-for-profit early intervention school providing direct assessment and therapy to children ages 2-6 coming from backgrounds of trauma, abuse, neglect, and poverty.
Since moving back to his home province of Nova Scotia in 2020, Xavier has worked in several Occupational Therapy roles with Nova Scotia Health, including the Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI) Program where he provided direct therapy to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. After his work with EIBI, Xavier transitioned to working in adult mental health, including with the Forensic Mental Health System and, more recently, in a community setting with adults living with Severe and Persistent Mental illness.
Some of Xavier’s pediatric-specific training include Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Neurosequential Model in Education (NME), Zones of Regulation, social skills interventions, and psycho-sensory interventions for trauma and mental health. He also holds additional training in adult mental health, such as Motivational Interviewing and Good Psychiatric Management.