Horizons Therapy Services

If you are not Autistic,don't assume to know the Autistic experience. If you don't live it, it's not your experience.
We are the experts on our own lives. Don't presume to know us better than we know ourselves

“If as a non-Autistic person you don’t understand, or don’t know, the many deep and complicated narratives that surround us as Autistic people, then you have a responsibility to either learn them, or step back”
Kieran Rose, The Autistic Advocate

Taken from my article;
https://theautisticadvocate.com/awareness-performativeness-and-irony-in-autism/

ALWAYS PRESUME COMPETENCE

This video illustrates this so well. We set people up to fail when assume that they can't do something. Presuming competence is often considered to be "the least dangerous assumption" because intelligence and capabilty are multi-faceted, and communicationa and instruction are important factors when enabling someone to do something.

ASSUME THAT I CAN | World Down Syndrome Day 2024 Our negative assumptions about people with Down syndrome can lead us to treat them in such a way that these assumptions become reality. In sociology, this is...

I have a right!!

Do you know about the start of the Disability Rights Movement? Its powerful stuff!

The Americans With Disabilities Act 1990 is 34 years old this week. While this happened in America in the 90s, it has an impact on the rest of the world.This is a Civil Rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.

At the time, this was a huge landmark as no such law existed prior. Disabled Americans were inspired by the Civil Rights movement of the 60s (against discrimination based on Race) and decided to make their voices heard.

A protest known as the "Capitol Crawl"held by over 1000 people in Washington, was the catalyst to this law. On this day, many people abandoned their wheelchairs and mobility aids and crawled up the steps of the Capitol building to powerfully illustrate the challenges faced by many disabled people when accessing the physical environment, including then 8 year old Jennifer Keelan.

A strong message from a strong community.

Many countries followed suit - some taking longer than others and some yet to act at all today. While this was massive at the time, I think many of the disabled community will say there is still much more needed and much more to go towards equal access, as well as cultural and societal change.

Honoured and excited to speaking at this conference, alongside so many other Autistic speakers I respect and admire.
We are taking control of our own narrative and supporting Autistic mental health

Free conference recording with every ticket - https://mailchi.mp/2bb3d92dc8c2/meet-our-needs-autistic-kids-at-school-13581004

We are recruiting more Occupational Therapists to join our team.
If you are interested, here is the link to the Linkedin job posting.

Horizons Therapy Services hiring Occupational Therapist in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland | LinkedIn Posted 2:14:49 PM. We are recruiting CORU registered Occupational Therapists who are interested in working with…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.

Finally connected with Evaleen from AUsome Training in person, after years of chats and collaborations.
Could have chatted forever. So important to nourish our Autistic community!
Such good food for the soul to share time, ideas and hopes for the future with like minded people. 💞💞

So fabulous to meet up with Katie Kerley from Horizons Therapy Services this evening. ❤️

Even though myself and Katie have worked together and chatted TONS over the past few years we hadn’t met in person til this evening

Always lovely to have people who share our vision

I was already super excited about our upcoming conference which Katie will be presenting at in April but now I’m even more excited 😊

Creating connections and spaces for Neuroaffirmity (which is now a word 😁) is such an absolute joy

There have been many tough times on this journey and making meaningful connections is a total remedy for all of that ❤️

I’m blessed 🙏

Such a beautiful and festive gift! 😍🎄

👏👏

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When charities/ employers/ services are offering something for neurodiverse people. They are saying their project is open to everyone (including neurotypicals). If a service is specifically created for those who are autistic/ADHD etc the correct language is neurodivergent. Lots of places still not getting it right yet.
Neurodiversity = everyone
Neurodivergent = everyone who is not neurotypical 💙

I became an OT 15 years ago this week.
I had no idea what was ahead!
Here with my lovely dad and mam in Trinity College Dublin

Love this!

I will be adding my name,face and profession to this.
If you are an allied healthcare professional, you can too, before midnight tomorrow

otdisruptors

We have a new website. And we are very proud of it!
We needed a wee freshening up....so here it is!

Home Helping people to be their truest and most authentic selves Therapy Services

Image from
CW: death and gen.ocid3

This.
It's been a horror show all along. But it's getting worse.
As healthcare workers (mental health and physical health) this is horrifying.
I follow med student in Al Shifa hospital .lulu , I don't know if he's alive or dead right now and it's gut wrenching. I can't imagine being in his shoes, or anyone else in this situation for that matter.
All of us OTs, SLTs and other healthcare workers did at least part of our training in hospitals, and to think that something this catastrophic could happen while you're there in a supposedly safe and healing environment is thankfully to us

Very excited to be speaking at the AUsome Training conference on 24th and 25th April in the Osprey Hotel in Kildare.
A real pinch me moment to be speaking alongside so many incredible Autistic advocates - maybe see you there?

The line up includes;

Eoin Stephens Psychotherapist and Counseller from Institute for Autism-Informed Therapy & TrainingInf
Jessica K Doyle Assistant Psychologist and Director of Thriving Autistic
Kieran Rose aka The Autistic Advocate, Consultant, Researcher and Trainer
Elaine Mc Greevy, Speech and Language Therapist from Access Communication Ltd.

Siobhán Ui Dhálaigh - Autistic Primary school teacher

Katie Kerley is an Occupational Therapist and clinical director of Horizons Therapy in Dundalk

Katie is multiply neurodivergent (Autistic, ADHD and Dyspraxic) and has a strong interest in supporting neurodivergent people to be their truest and most authentic selves. ❤️

Katie specialises in sensory processing and how it affects meaningful occupation

She is passionate (like REALLY passionate ) 😉 about being neuro-affirmative and is immersed in the Neurodivergent Community in Ireland and is a member of the Therapist Neurodiversity Collective

Get your early bird discount before 15th Dec - attend online or in person

A recording is also included with both tickets

Book your spot https://ausometraining.com/minding-autistic-minds-conference/

We sure do!

Happy to add these little gems from An Post to my uniform

HAPPY OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DAY

What is Occupational Therapy?? It is an evidence based health science which focuses on meaningful occupation -things you do that have meaning or value to you. These things can range from mundane every day tasks like brushing your teeth or getting dressed, to work or study, eating, cooking, paying bills to what you do for fun or to relax. Literally anything that occupies your time! If humans do it, it is an occupation.

We use occupation therapeutically or help you carry out your meaningful occupations should you be impeded by a disability, illness, injury or life event or if you're just having a hard time.

We are person centred, which means that we approach each person as an individual. You, as a unique human being get to decide what is meaningful and important to you and it is up to us to help you experience this in an accessible way
Occupational therapy is for all people, in all environments, throughout all stages of life because all humans are Occupational beings

Our association in Ireland is the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland - AOTI
We are regulated by CORU
And World wide, we are under ( World Federation of Occupational Therapists)

Excited to be part of the Dawn course with AUsome Training alongside so many other Autistic educators and therapists. We are teaching about how to support neurodivergent adults.
I'm specifically focusing on the blended experience of being both ADHD and Autistic, or AuDHD, as well touching on other complexities and experiences.

Katie Kerley from Horizons Therapy Services has delivered some fantastic webinars with us over the past few years.

And now she’s on our team for Dawn Course

Like all of our AUmazing team Katie’s work is rights based and fuelled by the need for better lives for our community

‘Enforcing neuro-normative standards of behaviour and occupation denies an Autistic person the right to their own individuality and the right to choose what is meaningful to them. This is an occupational justice issue as well as a human rights issue’

We love our little team 😍😍😍😍

Excited for this tonight! Myself, Maeve from and Evaleen from AUsome Training are here to answer all your questions on Neuroaffirmative practice. Come join if you're interested!

If you have a question for the amazing therapist please do submit it here
https://form.jotform.com/232226412158045

On Friday 18th Aug at 8pm we invite all adults to join us at a live Q&A with 3 incredible Therapists.
You can join us on Zoom, register on Eventbrite or watch live on Facebook.

For this important conversation we are delighted to be joined by Founder Konfident Kidz and AUsome Training Evaleen Whelton, Dr Maeve Kavanagh Principal Clinical Psychologist at The Adult Autism Practice / Co-Director of Childversity - specialising in Neuroaffirmative Autism assessments for children and Katie Kerley Senior Occupational Therapist, Clinical Director, Co-owner Horizons Therapy Services.

Image includes all the information above

A perk of the job.....very flattering portrait by an effervescent 7 year old. 🤩

An important addition to my uniform. You can be yourself with me. Your whole entire self.

Occupational Therapists talk about roles and identities and it is vital that we acknowledge, accept and validate all the diverse roles and identities our clients embody. Be it neurotype, sexuality, gender identity, social and familial roles, culture, disability, occupational identities ...all important and meaningful.

Also, this is just being a decent human being - you don't have to understand something to accept it.

Sidenote: this not specific to June, I bought this in April! And will continue to wear it after!

Really enjoyed talking to a fab group of parents and teachers in Tullydonnell today.

A webinar I did a few weeks ago for Asiam.ie on Executive Function and Autistic adults - reframing the idea that we have a deficit or a dysfunction, moving to a strength-based approach.
Here I also explain what Executive Function actually is and how the Autistic experience may be different, not less.
I drew a little from the work of Sonny Jane Wise Lived Experience Educator , and the fact that to say we have Executive Function deficits is incompatible with the concept of neurodiversity.

Executive Functioning in Autistic Adults Executive Functioning is frequently brought up in discussions about autistic life as something which autistic people struggle with or even lack. However, the...

My brother Dr. Conor Kerley , an inspiring and powerful person, a supportive brother, as well as all of the things he has listed here. 20 years since he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Happy World MS Day...my 20th World MS day since diagnosis as a fresh faced, innocent 15 year old

I'm one of ~9,000 people with MS in Ireland
One of ~2.5 million globally.

I celebrated today with:
-a gym session
-a berry and spinach smoothie
-quick sunbathing session (Ireland is 'enjoying' a nice sunny few days!)
-a visit to Phoenix Park, where I and my own nutrition product company, Phytaphix, will be exhibiting from Thursday to Monday at
Bord Bia Bloom

And so didn't have time to post anything..until now:

I'm currently on a >250km journey to Cork for the Enterprise Ireland Food & Drink Innovation Start-Up Event

Taking place at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Really looking forward to it!

After the event tomorrow, I make the return journey before bed to be up early on Thursday for last minute prep and then 45 hours over 5 days on my feet exhibiting

It's doing things like this that make me feel Conor > MS 💪

I am working on some nutrition solutions to help those with multiple sclerosis (and other chronic conditions)
If interested, keep up to date via:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/638916750930430
Or
WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LT5o2eUU50e9JTtzL3dhRw

Hope everyone affected by MS in a small or big way had a great day

I am excited to be presenting this with Asiam.ie on Ehlers-Danlos, pain and hypermobility in the Autism community.

The journey to a diagnosis of an Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) or hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) is often a long and challenging road. In this month of May, EDS and HSD awareness month, let’s explore why this is. Is it as hard as we are led to believe? And why are there so many barriers to finding out if you are indeed hyper mobile or have EDS?

We are going explore:

What EDS and HSD and their subtypes are and how they manifest, including hypermobility and other symptoms

What else can be experienced alongside?

Are neurodivergent people more likely to be hypermobile or to have an EDS?

How can you take care of yourself ?

How can we support children in school and at home?

Let’s look at how to enable meaningful occupations and maintain joy in life.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qwaRlnZeQ729ovU_g2wBAA #/registration