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News

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Congratulations Scarlett and team!! This looks like such a beautiful, calm, safe space . I’m sure everyone who visits will absolutely love it . Can’t wait to come and play myself 🌈🥰🦄 ... See MoreSee Less

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Another great resource from Neurowild for parents/adults to use when talking to their non-autistic kids about their autistic sibling(s) 💕 Happy Autism Acceptance Month ☺️ ... See MoreSee Less

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I love this 🥰

Kids with non preferred behaviors are NOT bad kids. We are responsible for taking the time to ask “WHY” the behaviors are occurring. This resource from neurowild is a brilliant and quick way to reframe an entire situation and support these kids appropriately in the way they need and deserve xxHeyyyy.

I put this
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I love this 🥰

Kids with non preferred behaviors are NOT bad kids. We are responsible for taking the time to ask “WHY” the behaviors are occurring.  This resource from neurowild is a brilliant and quick way to reframe an entire situation and support these kids appropriately in the way they need and deserve xx

🍃Are you a professional looking for a calm, relaxed environment to work in?

🍃 Based just outside of Skirlaugh, approximately 9 miles from Hull city centre, Willow Tree Therapy Services has rooms available for hire.

🍃 The building is set within just under 5 acres of land, where staff and clients can have access to both indoor and outdoor spaces, if wanted.

🍃 There are
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Comment on Facebook

Gorgeous space Rachel!!! I wish we lived closer!!! 🤗

Lovely room to hire so peaceful ☺️

Looks incredible Rachel

The sensory room at Willow Tree Therapy Services is open to everyone ❤️

🐾 Over half term there is more availability on booking times than usual.

🐾 Each booking costs just £10 and you get exclusive use of the room for 1 hour for you and your child/children.

🐾 In addition, on 13th, and 15th February anyone who books a session in the sensory room will also get the chance
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Comment on Facebook

Hi I’ve just come across this page and looks brilliant. Can I just book the sensory room for an hour for my autistic toddler? X

Wow Rachel this looks brilliant 🥰🥰

Where is this place

Lovely ❤️ photos

Hi Thanks for the Invite to your Group Like Page. Thanks again Paul Forestiero 🙂

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2 years ago

My best day as a speech and language therapist

As a neurodiversity affirming therapist I always presume competence as the least dangerous option for the children and young people that I see in school and in clinic. This means that I assume that the person I see in front of me has the capacity to think, learn, and understand. I will never think they are inherently incapable; rather they
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My best day as a speech and language therapist

As a neurodiversity affirming therapist I always presume competence as the least dangerous option for the children and young people that I see in school and in clinic. This means that I assume that the person I see in front of me has the capacity to think, learn, and understand. I will never think they are inherently incapable; rather they just need the right supports and systems put in place in order to help them succeed. Presuming competence is about giving someone a chance—and helping them to take that chance in any way you can.

Many of the children I see in clinic are non speaking or minimally speaking autistic - a client group whose intelligence and capabilities are very often underestimated. We all too often link an inability to speak with an inability to think. This is wrong......and potentially very harmful. 

Every week the children that visit, allow me to see some massively momentous moments for them, for me and for their families. Often these moments, these steps are so small, but nonetheless, always significant in their own journeys. Last week however, I was blessed not only to witness but to play a part in one of the best moments in my (very) long career, with a non speaking child I have been seeing for about a year now. 

Every week they come into clinic and play, most of it alone, with some shared moments of connection, but not many. They babble and jargon to themselves and sometimes say a single word in isolation, but never really to communicate with me. They even sometimes say numbers whilst counting bears. or buses, or bricks......counting is a favourite activity, as is posting, fixing things, exploring, climbing.

Last week was very different, as well as pointing very appropriately to the rain on the window and the car outside and saying very clearly, rain and car, they then went on to point to the clock on my wall and say, 1, 2, 3.  I took it off the wall expecting them to possibly point to the numbers and count them, not because they knew them but because I knew they liked to count things. 

What they actually did was so much better. They physically took my hand and guided it through the numbers, sometimes in order, sometimes not, and they labelled them - all 10 (they never count past 10). They then matched some numbers to picture cards and then took all the numbers and put them in order on the floor, even manipulating and experimenting with the numbers 6 and 9, turning them to read correctly to fit their own preferred pattern. 

This may not all sound much to some, but to them, to their mum and to me, the speech therapist, this was such a mind blowing, significant occasion, that reduced the two adults in the room to happy tears. This child who barely uses words, signs or gestures, doesnt often engage, and when they do, it is for very short periods of time, was interacting with me, looking at me, engaging, connecting, showing joy in social interaction. AND they were demonstrating to me and to mum that they could recognise and label every number from one to ten AND they loved it! Showing off their talent proudly.  

This is why presuming competence matters. This is why access to numbers, to letters, to pictures, to objects, to symbols, to signs and gestures - visuals of all shapes and sizes, is so vitally important for these kids. They need us to focus on their potential, acknowledge and respect all communication styles, and put appropriate strategies in place for them. They need us to believe they can shine, and they will

Comment on Facebook

A very rewarding job, moments like that make all the hard work worth it, well done x

This has choked me. Never stop believing!! You are facilitating miracles. It takes someone special ❤️xx

What an amazing job you do Rachel 🥰

Still so proud and have talked about it everyday since to family, friends and colleagues! ❤️ 🌟 I even had a work colleague in tears when I told her and showed her the photo…(she has very much endured George’s journey with me and is my work family) He is doing amazing and as his mummy I will be beside him and behind him all the way 💪🏼 Thank you so much Rachel you’ve been a huge help to George and us as a family xxx

You are an amazing person keep doing what you are doing well done 👏 😘

This is wonderful <3 xx

You are a REAL life Angel Rachel Galvez and the world is better place because of YOU! I was emotional just reading this. Your kind, sweet, patient, loving, caring nature along with your abundance of knowledge is helping transform these families lives forever! I will always be your biggest cheerleader! “You Rock Rach” Huge love to you as ever 😘xxx

Very inspiring 👏❤️

💗

This is amazing. I know how much this meant to mum. I'm crying happy tears again xxx

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When we moved to our smallholding nearly two years ago now, we did it so I could realise my dream of working with children AND animals together. I have always known the special power that animals have, the mutual wellbeing and benefits that both the humans and animals involved in therapy together can receive, and even though the animals we have so far are not officially working alongside me yet ... See MoreSee Less

Comment on Facebook

They’re so lovely, this is wonderful Rachel Galvez. So happy for you 🫏 ❤️ xx

Hooray! I’m glad they’ve finally arrived. 😀🫏🫏

They are gorgeous <3 xxxx

Lucky donkeys x

So beautiful xxxx

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