The Thrive Spot

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Wollongong, NSW
The Thrive Spot

Where All Children Grow
Providing Multidisciplinary Allied Health Services to children in the Illawarra

27/03/2026

We didn’t just play a game… we made one!

This week, Maddy and her client created their own Snakes & Ladders — and along the way, they worked on so many important skills without it feeling like “work”.

We saw:
- problem solving
- collaboration
- turn taking
- clear communication

They even ran into a few challenges (like making sure everyone understood the rules)… which turned into the best learning opportunities.

You don’t always need fancy resources — just paper, pens, and a little creativity!

Save this for your next rainy day activity 🧡

26/03/2026

AAC doesn’t replace language exposure — it requires it.

Aided Language Stimulation means we model language on your child’s AAC system so they can see how communication works.

And the most important part? It needs to happen consistently.

Here’s how you can start at home
- Model, don’t test!
Instead of asking “what do you want?”, try showing the word on their device while you say it.
(e.g. press “eat” + say “eat time!”)

- Keep it simple
You don’t need full sentences. Start with 1–2 words and build up from there.
(e.g. “go”, “more”, “help”)

- Use it in real moments
The best learning happens during everyday routines:
✔ snack time
✔ getting dressed
✔ playing
✔ out and about

- Repeat, repeat, repeat
Language builds through repetition — not one-off use, think anywhere your voice goes, every day, across the day.

- No pressure to copy
Your child doesn’t need to use it back straight away
They are learning by watching you first!!!!

23/03/2026

Hop on in… our Easter Group is going to be egg-stra fun!

We’re bringing all the Easter magic....think colourful eggs, playful games, creative activities and lots of giggles

But behind all the fun?
Maddy, our wonderful senior Speech Pathologist (plus a few other friendly faces) will be guiding the little ones to build communication, confidence and connection through play!

Think:

🥚 Easter-themed play
🐰 Social games & group fun
🎨 Creative, hands-on activities
💬 Communication support woven in naturally

Perfect for ages 4–8 who love to play, explore and join in!

📅 Tuesday 7th April
⏰ 10:30–11:30am
📍 Dapto clinic
💲 $100 | NDIS friendly

Spots are limited, don’t miss out on the fun! Call us on 0491 174 791 or email admin@thethrivespot.com.au to secure your spot!

18/03/2026

Swallowing Awareness Day!

We know mealtimes can feel really stressful...

When your child is gagging, refusing foods, taking forever to eat, or struggling with textures… it can feel confusing and overwhelming.

But often, there’s more going on beneath the surface.

Swallowing is a complex skill and when we better understand your child’s eating needs, we can support them in a way that feels safe, calm, and achievable.

You don’t have to figure it out on your own.
If something doesn’t feel right at mealtimes, trust that instinct and reach out for support as it can make a big difference!

17/03/2026

🍀 Happy St Patrick’s Day from The Thrive Spot 🍀
Today in our team meeting, we took a moment to celebrate (because we love a good reason to celebrate) by sharing one of Ro’s all-time favourite Irish snacks…Taytos!

It might seem like a small thing, but these little moments are a big part of who we are as a team. Always keen to celebrate whether it be therapy progress or just plain old fun.

Oh and yes if you were wondering — they were as good as she promised 😅

16/03/2026

✨ We’re growing at The Thrive Spot and we’re looking for amazing therapists to join our team!

Right now we are particularly looking for Occupational Therapists and Speech Pathologists who are passionate about supporting neurodiverse children and working within a collaborative, multidisciplinary team.

At Thrive Spot we believe therapy should be:
💛 Child-led
💛 Neurodiversity-affirming
💛 Family-centred
💛 Full of creativity, joy and connection

Our team works closely across speech pathology, occupational therapy and other allied health disciplines, supporting children and families to thrive in everyday life.

If you love working with kids, value teamwork, and want to be part of a supportive and fun clinic culture, we would love to hear from you.

Send your resume and cover letter to
roisin@thethrivespot.com.au
Or tag a therapist who would thrive in a team like ours.

10/03/2026

Sometimes, the way we communicate can make all the difference!

In one of our recent therapy sessions our small master builder was asked to give some instructions to their workers. They said “Make windows out of grass” and got two very different results!

This little exercise shows:
✔️The importance of giving clear, precise instructions
✔️That people often bring their own ideas and creativity to the task

A simple reminder that clarity matters… but so does embracing different perspectives.

02/03/2026

HE SAID HER NAME 🥹

This afternoon with Sharon, one of our absolute rockstars achieved something HUGE…

He said his big sister’s name clearly for the very first time!!!!

We used these spinner tops as a visual prompt to support the starting sound in her name — one of his key speech sound goals. By pairing movement + visual cueing + repetition, he was able to coordinate that tricky first sound and bring it all together.

Moments like this are why we do what we do.
We cannot WAIT to hear how big sister reacts when she hears it 😍

26/02/2026

Building confidence… one 🌸 at a time.

Speech Pathology Brooke used a simple but powerful metaphor in her session with Speechie Sharon last week —Are our thoughts flowers or w**ds ?

Each time their client shared a helpful, kind thought about herself, she added a flower to her garden.

Each unhelpful thought? That was a w**d they could notice and gently reframe.

By the end of the session, they had built a beautiful bunch of flowers — a visual reminder that positive self-talk helps grow confidence.

Because the way we speak to ourselves matters!

And confidence isn’t something we’re given — it’s something we grow.

25/02/2026

🎈🎂 It’s a Thrive Spot Birthday! 🎂🎈

Today we’re celebrating our lovely Brooke!

Brooke, thank you for the smiles that never run out, the positivity you bring every single day, and the beautiful joy you sprinkle through our team. You make our clinic feel warm, fun, and full of heart.

We loved packing your day with cake and celebrations!

The Thrive Spot absolutely wouldn’t be the same without you — we LOVED celebrating with you!

Happy Birthday, Brooke!

❤️

23/02/2026

It doesn’t take much to change someone’s day.

A kind word. A coffee. A note. A moment of patience.

Last week we celebrated Random Act of Kindness Week by choosing joy for our clients, carers, children and colleagues - never forget how much you can change someone's day by something so small!

20/02/2026

Important clinical discussion this week:

Are you a banana therapist or a mango therapist?

In our team meeting we shared our weekly win… and our favourite fruit.

Because yes, we’re evidence-based — but we’re also human.

And getting to know each other outside of therapy roles helps us build the kind of culture where everyone feels safe, supported and a little bit silly

So tell us…

Are you team 🍓, 🍍, 🍉 or something unexpected?

Address

Unit 3, 130-134 Princes Highway, Dapto
Wollongong, NSW
2530

Telephone

+61491174791

Website

http://www.thethrivespot.com.au/

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