Speech & Language Services

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The practice of speech-language pathology is the assessment of speech and language functions and the treatment and prevention of speech and language dysfunctions or disorders to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment oral motor or communicative functions.

Scope of Practice:

Speech-language pathologists are concerned with the identification, assessment, treatment and (re)habilitation and prevention of communication and/or swallowing disorders in children and adults. SLP’s scope of clinical practice includes the provision of assessment, treatment and consultation services for:

• Language delay and disorders

• Speech delays and disorders including apraxia, dysarthria, developmental articulation/phonology and motor speech impairment not otherwise specified

• Communication disorders related to autism, developmental delays, learning disabilities, stroke, head injuries, cognitive disorders, hearing impairment and progressive neurological diseases

• Literacy

• Written communication

• Swallowing disorders

• Voice and resonance disorders

• Stuttering

• Alternative and augmentative communication needs

• Psychogenic communication and swallowing disorders

• Structural anomalies of speech and voice mechanisms

Taken from: https://www.caslpo.com/

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Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) Services

Falling under the Speech-Language Pathologist scope of practice, Red Arrow Wellness provides technology support and programming services, as well as training.
 

AAC means all of the ways that someone communicates besides talking.

 

People of all ages can use AAC if they have trouble with speech or language skills. 

 

Augmentative means to add to someone’s speech. 

 

Alternative means to be used instead of speech.

 

Some people use AAC throughout their life. Others may use AAC only for a short time, like when they have surgery and can’t talk.

 

There are a lot of different types of AAC. No-tech and low-tech options include things like

• gestures and facial expressions,

• writing,

• drawing,

• spelling words by pointing to letters, and

• pointing to photos, pictures, or written words.

 

High-tech options include things like

• using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate and

• using a computer with a “voice," sometimes called a speech-generating device.

 

A person may use different types of AAC because there are many ways that we all communicate. An AAC system means all of the tools of this type that a person uses.

Here are some of the areas that research has helped us understand.
 

Age, Skills, and Timing

Some people wonder if children need to be a certain age before they can use AAC. Research shows that AAC helps people of all ages (even those younger than 3 years old)! You can use AAC early. There are no thinking skills, test scores, or other milestones that you need to reach before AAC can help.

 

Talking and Motivation

A lot of people wonder if using AAC will stop someone from talking or will slow down language development. This is not true—research shows that AAC can actually help with these concerns! People who use AAC can also learn how to read and write.

 

Movement

You might wonder how someone can use AAC if they have trouble moving their arms and hands. There are many ways to use an AAC system besides touching it. Your SLP may work with occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) to find the best way for each person to use their AAC system.

 

taken from: https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/AAC/ Social Work Services 

Social Work/Mental Health Services

Social workers are regulated health professionals who work with individuals, families, groups and communities to improve individual and collective well-being. They respond to social issues like racism, poverty and unemployment. As well, social workers advocate for social justice, human rights and fair access to health and social services. 

Canadian social workers share the following core values:

1. Respect for the inherent dignity and worth of persons

2. Pursuit of social justice

3. Service to humanity

4. Integrity in professional practice

5. Confidentiality in professional practice

6. Competence in professional practice

Social workers believe people are resourceful, resilient and able. Working in a variety of settings, social workers help people attain physical, mental and spiritual well-being. They also address broad social issues like oppression, discrimination, domestic violence, unemployment and poverty. They do this in many different ways, including:

• Therapy/Counselling

• Social policy analysis

• Community capacity building

• Health promotion

• Research

• Collaboration with other professions

Scope of Practice:

Direct intervention with kids struggling with:

• anxiety/worry,

• grief,

• loss,

• dysregulation/behaviour challenges,

• social skills,

• self esteem,

• bullying,

• school issues (avoidance, behaviour), 
   

Social workers support children, youth and families facing challenges arising from FASD, ASD, developmental delays, foster care/multiple placements experiences, trauma, seeking diagnosis, etc.

Social Workers also advocate for and connect individuals with needed services and supports.

Taken from: https://www.casw-acts.ca/en

Psychotherapy Mental Health Services

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RAW provides adult RPN Psychotherapy services that are rooted in fundamental principles such as compassion, love, humility, and respect. It offers a safe, heart-centered environment that enables individuals to link their current circumstances with past experiences. 

 

Through tailored support, our services guide clients in their healing journey, self-reflection, and mindfulness, empowering them to discover their own insights instead of imposing solutions. Our philosophy believes that true healing requires embracing one’s entire being, finding peace with the past, and looking forward to a hopeful future. 

 

What Topics Can Be Explored in Psychotherapy?

Anxiety

Depression

Stress

Addiction

Self-esteem challenges

Persistent self-doubt

Relationship issues

Intergenerational trauma

Parenting difficulties
Stresses of Supporting children/Supporting Children with disabilities/needs
Residential Schools

Intergenerational Trauma

Path to Reconciliation

Person-Centred Psychotherapy

This journey is distinct for each person, shaped by our unique experiences and viewpoints. Together, we can identify the patterns that no longer benefit you and gently let them go, making space for growth and new opportunities.

 

As we traverse this path, we will concentrate on empowering you to:

 

Establish Mindfulness Practices

Build Resilience in Challenging Situations

Enhance Emotional Intelligence

Connect with Your True Self

Envision Your Future

 

Keep in mind that this is a safe environment where you can express yourself openly and delve into your inner landscape without fear of judgment. We are here to support you at every turn, providing encouragement and insights that align with your individual journey.

 

Nurturing the Inner Child: A Path to Healing

 

Healing the inner child requires acknowledging and caring for past wounds to cultivate

compassion and safety within. This transformative journey of reconnecting with your inner child enhances self-awareness, promotes a sense of wholeness, and empowers you, resulting in healthier relationships and a more satisfying life. Embracing this journey is a courageous step that fosters personal growth and happiness.

 

Exploring Residential Schools, Intergenerational Trauma, and the Path to Reconciliation

 

By taking the time to share, feel and embrace vulnerability regarding these raw emotions and past experiences, we can begin to release these wounds. In that sacred space, true healing has the potential to occur, prompting a re-patterning of our neural pathways. As we let go of these memories and emotions, we gain insight into the history and the pain experienced by those who perpetuated it, paving the way for forgiveness, compassion, and understanding.

 

This is how we break the cycle of intergenerational trauma.

 

The healing journey is fundamentally about self-acceptance rather than seeking validation from others. It involves embracing who you are and where you come from by connecting with the parts of yourself that you might want to reject, offering them the love and attention they crave. This is a personal journey; it is about your acceptance of yourself! Once you embrace this, the external world will begin to align because when you learn to love every aspect of yourself, external influences lose their power over you, transforming an identity crisis into authentic connection.

 

By loving those parts of yourself, you will stand confidently in your power and identity. You will take pride in sharing who you are and your origins, as they reflect the strength and resilience that have brought you here to share your knowledge and history with the world. This, in turn, enables you to connect with every human being, transcending race or creed, heart-to-heart.

 

Occupational Therapy Services 

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Occupational therapy (OT) is an allied health profession that involves the therapeutic use of everyday activities, or occupations, to treat the physical, mental, developmental, and emotional ailments that impact a patient’s ability to perform daily tasks. 

Healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists are practitioners who use therapeutic techniques to improve, rehabilitate, or maintain a patient’s motor skills and overall ability to perform everyday activities. 

Occupational therapy differs from other healthcare professions like physical therapy or nursing in its focus on treating the whole patient, rather than treating a particular injury, ailment, or physical disability. For example, after a surgery a nurse might assist a patient with pain management, dressing changes, and care during recovery. An occupational therapist, on the other hand, will assess the types of activities that are important to the patient and teach them how to become independent again following the surgery, so that they can resume the roles that define who they are. 

Scope of Practice: 

As discussed above, occupational therapists work with their patients by taking a therapeutic approach to everyday activities. Broadly, this means that occupational therapists are responsible for helping patients develop, recover, improve in regards to a condition or injury, as well as maintain the skills needed to execute daily activities. But, what does this actually entail? 

In general, OTs are responsible for a wide range of duties and tasks related to patient care. 

Occupational therapists help people to: 

• learn new ways of doing things 

• regain skills and develop new ones 

• use materials or equipment that makes life easier, or 

• adapt their environment to work better for them.
  These solutions help people to do as much as they can – safely and effectively – at home, at school, at work or in other settings.
  Depending on the setting in which they work, the roles of an OT often include: 

• Evaluating a patient’s condition and needs 

• Developing treatment plans to address a patient’s needs and help them meet specific goals 

• Assessing a patient’s home and/or work environment and recommending adaptations to fit the patient’s needs and improve independence 

• Training patients and their caregivers to use special equipment 

• Assessing and documenting progress for evaluation, billing, and reporting purposes 

• And more
  The day-to-day activities that occupational therapists take part in will also likely be influenced by the settings in which they work. Many occupational therapists work in hospital or private practice settings, however, there are many opportunities to work in other environments. For example, some practitioners work in educational settings to assist in child development or with the elderly to lessen the struggles that come along with aging. Those with an entrepreneurial spirit may even choose to open and manage their own private practice. 
   

Music Therapy Services

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Music therapy is a discipline in which Certified Music Therapists (MTAs) use music purposefully within therapeutic relationships to support development, health, and well-being. Music therapists use music safely and ethically to address human needs within cognitive, communicative, emotional, musical, physical, social, and spiritual domains.

Scope of Practice

The services performed by a certified music therapist (MTA) include the application of music therapy interventions within the context of a therapeutic relationship. This relationship is developed through music-based, verbal, and/or non-verbal communication. Certified MTAs use music to address human needs within cognitive, communicative, emotional, musical, physical, social, and spiritual domains. They conduct client assessments, develop treatment plans, implement therapy processes, and evaluate progress. This scope of practice includes a range of procedures, actions, processes, roles, and responsibilities that a certified MTA can safely and effectively perform.

Who benefits from Music Therapy?

Music therapy is used with individuals of various ages, abilities, and musical backgrounds in clinical, educational, community and private practice settings. 

Please see the below link for information regarding Music Therapy supports for Indigenous children and youth:

https://musicheals.ca/music_therapy/music-therapy-for-indigenous-youth/

The list below includes examples of medical conditions, living conditions and goal areas that might lead to someone accessing music therapy.

• Acquired Brain Injury

• AIDS

• Autism and other Pervasive Development Disabilities

• Critical Care

• Developmental Disabilities

• Emotional Traumas

• Geriatric Care

• Hearing Impairments

• Mental Health Difficulties

• Neonatal Care

• Obstetrics

• Oncology

• Pain Control

• Palliative Care

• Personal Growth

• Physical Disabilities

• Speech and Language Impairments

• Substance Abuse

• Teens at Risk

• Victims of Abuse

• Visual Impairments
   

Music therapy can be used to address needs in various domains. 

Cognitive

• Attention/Concentration

• Development/establishment of activities of daily living (ADLs)

• Executive functions (e.g. decision-making, organization, reasoning, etc)

• Inhibition

• Memory recall and facilitation; reminiscence

Speech/Language and Communication (Verbal and Non-Verbal)

• Articulation

• Expressive communication

• Oral motor development

• Pacing

• Receptive communication

• Respiratory control/strength

• Vocalizations

Emotional

• Emotional regulation

• End-of-life emotional support

• Relaxation

• Self-awareness

• Self-expression

• Skills for coping with anxiety

Physical

• Balance and coordination

• Breath and heart-rate regulation

• Endurance

• Fine motor skills

• Gait training

• Gross motor skills

Sensory

• Auditory sensitivities

• Pain management

• Proprioceptive input (ability to understand where the body is in space)

• Spatial awareness

• Vestibular input (sense of balance, spatial orientation)

• Visual/Auditory/Tactile/Olfactory stimulations & sensations

Social

• Initiating/sustaining social interactions

• Turn taking

• Leading/following directions

• Sharing

• Waiting

Taken from: https://www.musictherapy.ca/ (Canadian Association of Music Therapists)

 

Physiotherapy Services 

 

Physiotherapy is an evidence-based, client-centered health profession dedicated to improving quality of life by enhancing mobility, managing pain, and supporting overall wellness across the lifespan. Physiotherapists are primary care providers who assess, diagnose, treat, and prevent a wide range of acute and chronic conditions, focusing on optimizing function, independence, and physical performance.

 

Scope of Practice:

Physiotherapists support patients through various interventions aimed at promoting, restoring, and maintaining optimal health. Key aspects of physiotherapy practice include:

    •    Enhancing Mobility and Function: Using movement-based therapies and exercise programs to improve physical activity levels and support independence in daily life.

    •    Preventing Injury and Disability: Educating patients on safe practices, ergonomics, and body mechanics to prevent recurrence of injuries and reduce the risk of new conditions.

    •    Managing Acute and Chronic Conditions: Designing individualized treatment plans to address issues such as pain, limited mobility, and decreased function, often involving therapeutic exercises and manual therapy.

    •    Rehabilitation: Providing specialized support for recovery from injuries, surgeries, and the effects of chronic illnesses, helping patients regain strength, endurance, and mobility.

    •    Education and Health Promotion: Teaching patients and their caregivers techniques to maintain health and prevent decline, empowering them to actively manage their well-being.

 

Key Responsibilities:

In different healthcare settings, physiotherapists may:

    •    Assess and Diagnose: Conduct comprehensive evaluations of physical abilities, limitations, and overall health status to inform care plans.

    •    Develop Individualized Treatment Plans: Tailor interventions to each patient’s needs, goals, and condition, using evidence-based techniques.

    •    Guide Recovery and Rehabilitation: Use therapeutic exercises, manual therapy, and assistive devices to enhance healing and prevent complications.

    •    Support Self-Management and Prevention: Educate patients and families on strategies for long-term health maintenance and injury prevention.

    •    Collaborate with Health Teams: Act as leaders or members of multidisciplinary teams, coordinating care for optimal health outcomes.

 

Physiotherapists at Red Arrow Wellness in Thunder Bay, Ontario, are dedicated to providing personalized, evidence-based care within a collaborative, community-focused environment. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team, physiotherapists at Red Arrow Wellness support clients in achieving their health goals through tailored treatment plans that emphasize mobility, function, and long-term wellness. By combining innovative techniques with a commitment to client-centered care, the team ensures that each individual receives high-quality, accessible services that meet their unique needs and enhance their overall quality of life in the Thunder Bay community, and surrounding areas.

 

Rehabilitation & Behavioural Support Services 

Rehabilitation Behavioural Support Assistants provide functional and goal‐oriented services. They also teach and support clients and parents/guardians in learning or practising skills, lead activity sessions or provide education to clients, families and caregivers.

Scope of Practice:

• Works under the direction of Regulated Health Care Professionals (eg. Speech-Language Pathologist, Social Worker)

• Provides treatment services and support in a community setting (home, school, daycare, etc.).

• Provides one-on-one services in the community to allow children to remain in daycare, school, community, etc. for longer periods of time throughout the day/week

• Provides one-on-one supports/respite in the home

• Promotes support to increase and develop individual skills, abilities and independence