Integrate OT

31/03/2026

This term has been full. My eyes are looking tired!

Two DIR 101 trainings, continued growth of Integrate OT, and the exciting addition of Gemma Lacey (OTA) to the team. We have also been exploring the growing interest in social groups, and what this could look like in a way that feels genuinely aligned with connection and development.

Alongside this, on a more personal note, we have had some emotional moments with family members in and out of the hospital, and the ongoing, ever-evolving role of supporting my own children through different ventures and social and emotional stages.

It is at times like this, when life feels particularly full, that I find myself reflecting most on the idea of capacity.

Not just how much we can hold, but how we recognise when we are at capacity, how we advocate for ourselves, and how we make intentional space for what nourishes us.

For me, that continues to come back to my family, time in nature, my dog Albert, and noticing the quiet beauty of connection in everyday moments... and in the lives of the families I have the privilege to walk alongside.

Always grateful for the highs and the messy bits- as this is a gentle reminder that growth is dynamic, in all its forms, and asks us to stay connected to ourselves and to what matters most.

30/03/2026

29/03/2026

Small moments of connection create big developmental change.

26/03/2026

Love this. Thank you Em

26/03/2026

🌿 Supporting Children Through Change

There’s a lot happening right now in the world of early childhood supports, with NDIS reforms and the rollout of Thriving Kids beginning to shape how families access services.

For many families, this can feel uncertain.
For some, it may bring new opportunities.

What remains constant is this:
🌱 Children grow best through safe, connected relationships
🌱 Development is dynamic, not linear
🌱 Regulation comes before learning

The DIR framework sits quietly and steadily within this space, offering a way to understand your child beyond labels, funding models, or systems.

It reminds us to focus on:
💛 connection before correction
🌀 following your child’s lead while gently supporting growth
🌿 building strong foundations in regulation, engagement, and shared meaning

As systems evolve, our role remains the same to see the child in front of us, to listen deeply, and to support development in a way that feels respectful, neuroaffirming, and sustainable.

24/03/2026

Now Taking Expressions of Interest – Limited Spots

Nature-Based Social Participation Group
📍 Allambie Scout Hall
📅 Mondays (Term 2) | ⏰ 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
👧 Ages 4–8 | 👥 Max 4 children

A small, supportive group focused on:
✨ Social connection and shared play
✨ Emotional regulation through movement
✨ Nature-based exploration and creative activities

With only 4 places available, early expressions of interest are encouraged.

📩 Contact Louisa Hunter at louisa@integrateot.com.au for more information or to secure a place. 🌱

24/03/2026

How awesome 👏

Daniel and Ashton Toole will undertake six hikes around the world, totalling more than 1,300 kilometres, this year.

The father and son duo from the NSW south coast are "indirectly" raising awareness for Tourette syndrome.

Full story: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-22/father-son-bushwalking-year-raising-awareness-for-tourettes/106442694?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web

23/03/2026

Real change happens when we replace compliance with connection and invite children to their own sense of agency.

19/03/2026

🚨 1 week to go. Final call to register!

In just 7 days, this 2-day immersive DIR Floortime® workshop begins in Sydney, and registrations are closing soon.

🗓 28–29 March 2026
📍 Harbord Diggers, Freshwater NSW
👩‍🏫 Led by Louisa Hunter, Paediatric OT & registered DIR® Floortime Training Leader

If you support neurodivergent children and want practical, relationship-based strategies you can implement immediately, this ICDL-registered training is your opportunity.

✨ Secure your seat now → https://buff.ly/4lUzySB

19/03/2026

DIR is child-led, but adults are supported to be actively engaged, responsive moment to moment, and intentional.

We:
🌟 observe carefully through waiting, watching and wondering
🎯 join, expand and challenge playfully
🔄 co-regulate through interactions
💡 scaffold new skills

It’s a partnership a dance between adult guidance and child initiative.

17/03/2026

Nature-Based Homeschool Social Participation Group | Now accepting expressions of interest

A small, supportive group designed for young homeschoolers to connect, move, and explore through nature-based play.

📅 Mondays | Term 2 | Starts April
⏰ 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Allambie Scout Hall
👧 Ages: 4–6 and 6-8 year olds
👥 Small group: Maximum of 4 children

This gentle, nature-inspired session focuses on supporting children to build confidence in social participation while connecting with their bodies, each other, and the natural environment.

The sessions will support:
✨ Social participation and shared engagement
✨ Emotional regulation through movement and connection
✨ Building curiosity and appreciation for nature

Activities may include:
🌳 Gross motor play and familiar playground-style games
🎨 Nature-based craft and exploratory activities
🤝 Opportunities for co-regulation, turn-taking, and playful interaction

With a small group size and flexible structure, each session can respond to the unique needs and rhythms of the children on the day.

📩 Expressions of Interest Now Open
For more information, please head to website https://buff.ly/h74iS06 or contact Louisa Hunter at louisa@integrateot.com.au

A beautiful opportunity for young homeschoolers to play, connect, and grow together in nature. 🌱

15/03/2026

🌈 This week, we celebrate neurodiversity.
Every brain is unique, and that’s something to embrace, not change.

At Integrate OT, we take a neuro-affirming approach, seeing each child’s differences as strengths to be understood, not deficits to be “fixed.”

💡 When we nurture individual differences and build connections, children flourish in their own beautiful way.