Family Connections Centre

Who We Are

Sabrina White
Lisa Beck
Danielle Setlakwe

Sabrina joined the Kamloops team in 2015 and is now the Kelowna office manager. After graduating from University of Victoria with an undergraduate degree in Psychology, she set her sights on completing the Master of Occupational Therapy program at UBC. Sabrina is experienced in medical-legal functional capacity evaluations for both Plaintiff and Defence, and she’s been accepted to provide expert witness testimony in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Sabrina is also experienced in Return to Work services, equipment assessment and prescription, exposure therapy treatment for clients with PTSD and anxiety, as well as treating clients with chronic pain. Sabrina keeps active all year round with running, squash, curling, softball, golf and hiking with her family. 

Qualifications and Memberships

Master of Occupational Therapy– University of British Columbia
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology – University of Victoria
Member of the British Columbia College of Occupational Therapists
Progressive Goal Attainment Program (PGAP)
Matheson Functional Capacity Evaluator
P.I.E.C.E.S Certificate (Adult mental health)
Concussion Management


Areas of Practice

Case Management
Community Rehabilitation
Chronic Pain Rehab
Dysphagia
Functional Capacity Evaluation & Critiques
Cost of Future Care Assessments & Critiques
Post-Concussion Rehab
Seating Assessments and Prescription
Spinal Cord Rehabilitation
Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Work Hardening and Work Conditioning Programming
Job Site Visits and Job Demands Analysis
Return to Work Coordination
Ergonomic Evaluations
Progressive Goal Attainment Program Services (PGAP)
Residential care contract services
Exposure therapy (Anxiety/PTSD)
Orthopaedic

Lisa joins us from Charlottetown, PEI and is now working out of our Vancouver office! Lisa’s areas of interest are in stroke rehabilitation, cognitive communication, and augmentative and alternative communication. She’s found her passion in providing functional, client-centred speech-language therapy. She loves learning what is important to her clients and using this information to create personal and meaningful therapy goals that will benefit them in their everyday lives! Ask Lisa about her buttons.

Qualifications & Memberships

Master of Science, Speech Language Pathology – Dalhousie University
Bachelor of Science, Neuroscience – University of King’s College
Bachelor of Science, Physics – University of Prince Edward Island
Registered member of the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC
Registered member of Speech-Language and Audiology Canada
Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under 6

 

Areas of Practice
Pediatric Services
Autism Services
Speech sound therapy (articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech)
Language therapy (expressive and receptive language skills)
Stroke and brain injury rehabilitation
Cognitive communication intervention (conversational topic maintenance, attending to others, memory, solving problems, planning etc.)
Reading and writing therapy
Fluency / stuttering therapy

Danielle brings experience in chronic pain, mental health, developmental disabilities and cognitive impairments to our Kamloops team. By way of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, she completed her Bachelor of Science – Biology at Acadia University and went on to complete her Masters in Occupational Therapy at Queen’s University. A recent transplant to the Kamloops area and an avid runner and skier, she’s looking forward to exploring all that BC has to offer. She also states that she’s a major Harry Potter fan!

Qualifications and Memberships

Masters in Occupational Therapy – Queen’s University
Bachelor of Science (Biology) – Acadia University
Member of the British Columbia College of Occupational Therapists
Member of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Prevention and Management of Elder Abuse – Certificate
Brief Action Planning Certificate
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training
Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under 6

 

Areas of Practice

Case Management
Community Rehabilitation
Chronic Pain Rehab
Mental Health
Pediatric Services
Autism Services
Developmental Disabilities
Post-Concussion Rehab
Seating Assessments and Prescription
Spinal Cord Rehabilitation
Stroke Rehabilitation
Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Work Hardening and Work Conditioning Programming
Job Sit Visits and Job Demands Analysis
Return to Work Coordination
Ergonomic Evaluations
Universal Home Design

Meagan Almond
Brook Dorin
Clare Miller

Meagan grew up in a small rural town in northern Alberta before moving to the big city to complete both her Bachelor in Recreational Therapy and her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology. Meagan has lived and studied abroad in both the UK and Japan. Her love of language has led her to study French, Spanish, Japanese, and most recently, sign language. She loves celebrating growth in her clients and building relationships with the families she treats. Outside of work, she can be found spending time with her son. She also enjoys keeping busy with martial arts, dance, yoga, and fitness.

Qualifications and Memberships

Bachelor Degree in Recreational Therapy, Concordia University, Montreal
Master Degree in Speech-Language Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax
Certification in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL)
Member of College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC
Member of Speech and Audiology Canada
Member of American Speech and Hearing Association
Concussion Management Workshop
Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under 6

 

Areas of Practice

Pediatric Services
Autism Services
Speech sound therapy (articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech)
Language therapy (expressive and receptive language skills)
Social skills training
Reading and writing therapy
Fluency / stuttering therapy

Brook comes to us from Grimsby, Ontario and has her Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science of Language from McMaster University and her Master of Health Science from University of Toronto in Speech Language Pathology.

In Brook’s spare time, you will find her shopping, watching the Toronto Raptors or taking ballet classes. Brook enjoys building lasting relationships with clients and families and seeing clients develop their skills in a way that allows them to do the things they want to do every day. 

Qualifications & Memberships

Honours Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science of Language from McMaster University 
Master of Health Science from University of Toronto in Speech Language Pathology  
Member of the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC 
Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under 6 (supervised)

 

Areas of Practice
Pediatric Services 
Speech sound therapy (articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech) 
Language therapy (expressive and receptive language skills) 
Stroke and brain injury rehabilitation 
Dysphagia assessment and intervention 
Cognitive communication intervention (conversational topic maintenance, attending to others, memory, solving problems, planning etc.) 
Social skills training 
Reading and writing therapy 
Voice therapy 
Fluency / stuttering therapy

 

Clare grew up in central Alberta and has a degree in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies from the University of Calgary. She completed her Masters of Science in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Alberta.

She enjoys supporting children and families in building skills and fostering growth and independence. Clare works from a strengths-based lens and is committed to neurodiversity affirming treatment.

Outside of work, Clare enjoys spending time with her family, cross-stitching, and going for walks with her dog, Clover.

Qualifications and Areas of Practice

Therapy Assistant Diploma- Speech Language Pathology from MacEwan University

Bachelor of Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies from the University of Calgary

Masters of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Alberta

Member of the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC (CSHBC)

Certified Member of Speech-Language and Audiology Canada

Member of Speech and Hearing BC

Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under 6

 

Areas of Practice

Pediatric Services/Early Intervention Speech sound therapy (articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech) 

Language therapy (expressive and receptive language skills)

Alternative and Augmentative Communication

Cognitive communication and executive functioning intervention (conversational topic maintenance, attending to others, memory, solving problems, planning etc.)

Stroke Rehabilitation

Neurodiversity-affirming social communication therapy

Reading and writing therapy

Laura Gini
Jessica Novecosky
Mandy Burton

Laura earned her Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences in Athletic Therapy at Sheridan College, before going on to complete her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy at Western University in London, Ontario. Growing up in Kelowna, Laura was excited to move back with her husband to the Okanagan after living in the greater Toronto area. As an OT, Laura loves being in a position where she can work with a variety of different client groups and get to help empower and enable each of them to make changes in their lives, big or small. She also loves that she works with such a great, supportive team that always makes coming to work so much fun. In her spare time, Laura loves to play and watch basketball, tennis, and pickleball, spend time with her family and unwinding with a great movie.

Qualifications and Memberships

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy – Western University


Honours Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences (Athletic Therapy) – Sheridan College


Member of the British Columbia College of Occupational Therapists


Member of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists


Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) Certificate


ANOVA: Trauma and Sexual Assault Disclosure Certificate


Areas of Practice

Case Management
Community Rehabilitation
Chronic Pain Rehab
Post-Concussion Rehab
Seating Assessments and Prescription
Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Ergonomic Evaluations
Long Term Care and Complex Care contract services
Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under 6

Jessica earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at Brock University before completing her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Queens University. Originally from Vancouver Island, she loves to be outdoors doing activities such as hiking, cross country skiing and swimming. Jessica loves that being an OT allows her to build meaningful therapeutic relationships with her clients and help empower them to achieve their goals!  

Areas of Practice:

Autism Services

Pediatric Services

Qualifications: 

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy – Queens University 

Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology – Brock University 

Member of Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) 

Member of the British Columbia College of Occupational Therapists 

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Certification 

Motivational Interviewing Level I Certification 

Mandy has always had a passion for working with people, and received her Rehabilitation Aide Certificate in 1997. Over the last 20 years she has worked with people of all different ages and abilities as an Education Assistant, Community Support Worker and Long term Care Aide. She also took her passion for people to the United States and Zambia where she did volunteer work for 1 year. Mandy also works as an rehab assistant and SLP assistant on our pediractic team, helping children meet their goals and reach milestones. In her free time Mandy enjoys playing soccer, doing Zumba and spending time with her husband and children.

Qualifications and Memberships

Rehabilitation Aide Program –
Development Instructor Training Program
BCRPA Fitness Theory course
Occupational First Aid
Non-violent crisis intervention

Areas of Practice

Work Hardening and Work Conditioning Programming
Gym-Based Exercise Programs
Aquatherapy
Community Integration Programs
Post-Concussion Exercise Programs
Traumatic Brain Injury Programs
Complex TBI and orthopedic rehabilitation
Lifeskills & Return to Homemaking Programs
Walking programs

Speech Language Areas of Practice:

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Pediatric services (autism services, early language development etc.)
Speech sound therapy (articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech)
Language therapy (expressive and receptive language skills)
Stroke and brain injury rehabilitation
Dysphagia assessment and intervention
Cognitive communication intervention (conversational topic maintenance, attending to others, memory, solving problems, planning etc.)
Social skills training

Why we use treatment blocks

OT and SLP services are done in treatment blocks.  Typically, these are once per week for 1 hour and run for 10 weeks total (unless otherwise indicated)We’ve designed the therapy-block system to balance out the need to reduce the wait time for services, but also be able to provide each family with sufficient 1:1 time with a therapist so that they can make progress with their child. Some families will not require the full 10 sessions and some will benefit from more than one therapy block over time. 

How to get the most out of your treatment block

Improvement occurs in accordance with two principles of change:  

  1. The more you practice something the better you will be 
  2. Receiving consistent instruction from multiple sources results in faster learning.

Because of these principles, we build therapy teams that consist of experts and of those closest to the child.  Our teams consist of: 

  • the child 
  • the child’s Champion of Change (the therapist), 
  • and the child’s Agent(s) of Change (often caregivers).  

The structure of our teams ensures that change occurs beyond the therapy room. As a member of your child’s therapy team, you will receive coaching and instruction from the therapist on how to work with your child between therapy sessions on the identified goals, and you will be provided with a detailed home plan after each session. Consistent, regular practice of the principles and skills learned in each session will yield greater and long-term improvement/change for your family.  

Where Sessions Take Place

Sessions can take place in a variety of locations, depending on the needs of your family. Currently, our therapists are able to conduct services in your home, at the Meridian Rehab clinic in Lower Mission, or via telehealth if in-person sessions are not appropriate for you and your family. The Family Connection Center will have its main location at the Capri Mall; this location is currently under renovation but once open, we will be able to conduct sessions in this space as well.  
 
 
For the “is my child eligible” – Once we are fully open, everyone is eligible and can self-refer, but currently we are not open to the general public so I don’t want to address this question now. We can include that further down the line when the FCC is fully open and open to the general public. 

Occupational Therapy Treatment Areas

  • Sensory regulation
  • Fine and gross motor skills
  • Balance and coordination
  • Emotional regulation
  • Social skills
  • Self-care skills (dressing, toileting, etc.)
  • Feeding
  • School readiness (cutting, printing, gluing, etc.)
  • Play skills
  • Planning and organization (following routines, completing daily tasks, etc.)

Speech-Language Pathology Treatment Areas

  • Language development (vocabulary, grammar, understanding)
  • Speech sound development
  • Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
  • Voice and resonance
  • Fluency (stuttering)
  • Play skills
  • Pre-literacy and literacy skills
  • Writing and spelling
  • Social skills
  • Emotional regulation
  • Feeding and swallowing

F.A.Q.

Frequently Asked Questions

Call us at 250-542-3089. Refer to the “Contact us” page for more options.

Contact the Meridian office to which you would like to make a referral. Contact info for each office can be found under “Contact Us” on the main menu bar at the top of this page.

Meridian also offers assessment services such as functional driver evaluations, and adult therapies such as kinesiology. Check out our Services home page to find out more.