About Us
Together OT’s Story
Together OT was established in 2021, beginning with a single Occupational Therapist, Christy.
Initially, we operated as a mobile service, but we soon established a small clinic in Queanbeyan and later moved to Deakin in late 2022. Our growth was driven by the increasing demand for our services in the Canberra and Queanbeyan areas. Our team now includes occupational therapy assistants, occupational therapists, and administrative staff. Our team based approach is innovative, with a strong emphasis on play and connection as the foundation for therapy, which is reflected in our name, Together OT.
Our Values
These values guide our decisions, actions and interactions, and are the foundation of our commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of the children and families we serve.
Compassion
We create a safe environment for children and their families.
Teamwork
We work together to ensure a coordinated and holistic approach.
Development
We always seek professional growth and stay updated with research.
Individualised Care
We modify treatment plans, use different techniques, and adjust our approach for different needs.
Adaptability
We tailor our interventions to meet each child’s specific needs.
Holism
We understand the interconnectedness of physical, cognitive, sensory and emotional aspects.
Respect
We treat all individuals with respect, dignity and integrity while maintaining confidentiality and ethical standards.
At Together OT, our mission is to empower children and their families with the skills and abilities they need to thrive in their daily lives.
What makes Together OT unique?
We are a neuroaffirming and forward-thinking paediatric clinic, committed to providing exceptional care through a play-based bottom-up developmental approach.
Our team is a mix of dedicated occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants and administration staff who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of the children we serve. Our innovative co-therapy model ensures a greater consistency in delivery of therapy to your child - the clinical team works together to ensure that each client receives the therapy that best serves their individual goals.
Unlike some other Occupational Therapy services, we:
implement a co-therapy model with OT/OTA teams for each client.
use a developmental bottom-up approach that focuses on sensory processing and play.
see children in clinic. Specific goals for children may require a once-a-term school observation visit.
have parents join in each therapy session, as parent capacity building is a core part of the Together OT service model.
Our Team
We are a neurodiverse team from a range of backgrounds. Our collective expertise includes occupational therapy, early childhood education, a psychology undergraduate degree, trade certificates, and being mothers of neurodiverse children.
Christy Vagg
Senior Occupational Therapist and Director
Christy is an occupational therapist with over 17 years experience covering rehabilitation, community and paediatrics. She is a sessional marker at University of Canberra and has taught at Canberra Institute of Technology. Christy is proud of the team and in creating a supportive, neruoaffirming workplace.
Jaime
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Jaime is currently studying a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Canberra. She also has 6 years experience teaching children ballet and acrobatics.
Pixie
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Pixie has 20+ years experience in Early Childhood and is currently working on a Masters of OT. She has a knack for building rapport with very young and neuro diverse children, and is usually carrying bubbles!
Eddie
Finance Officer/
Co-practice manager
Eddie creates amazing workflow systems including online forms and business processes. He also designs unique client handouts and business resources.
You?
We love getting in touch with talented new professionals. Check our Employment page to apply to current positions, or leave an Expression of Interest for future opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Together OT might be the right choice for your child if you value a play-based approach that makes therapy enjoyable and engaging. The clinic encourages parental involvement, fostering a collaborative environment that supports your child's growth. Additionally, Together OT employs a co-therapy model using both Occupational Therapists and OT Assistants to provide comprehensive care.
-
No, all regular therapy sessions are conducted in our clinic because we have found that children achieve better outcomes in an environment specifically designed for therapy. Regular school therapy sessions typically occur outside the classroom and do not involve direct interaction with the teacher. However, our Occupational Therapists do perform observational school visits once a term or semester. During these visits, they observe your child in the classroom setting and communicate with the teacher about your child's needs. We have found this approach to more effective than regular school sessions.
-
We are a neurodivergent workplace embracing neuroaffirmative practices. Our focus is on recognising and building upon each child's strengths to support their development. We educate and support children, parents, teachers, and the community in neuroaffirming practices. This is reflected in our values of holism, individualised, development and respect.
-
We firmly reject the notion that autism and neurodivergence require fixing. Our play-based, strengths-focused approach fundamentally contrasts with ABA, as we emphasise nurturing each child's unique abilities through engagement and supportive play, and educating the world around the child to provide what is needed to support the child. The world needs to support the child to bring out their best, not the child needing to meld to suit an unsupportive world. Our value of teamwork is reflected in our logo with the child, guardians, teachers and the therapy team all working together, hence the pieces in a circle.