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Welcome to 2025: A Year of Community and Wellbeing!

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Girl Enjoying the outdoors - promoting community wellbeing

WELCOME TO 2025: A YEAR OF COMMUNITY AND WELLBEING!

Welcome to 2025: Explore and Soar is focused on community wellbeing!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Welcome to 2025! As we step into this new year, we’re thrilled to kick off our January School Holiday Group Programs and Intensives, starting January 13th. We can’t wait to see you all there!

Our Annual Theme: Community for Wellbeing

This year, Explore and Soar is focusing on community wellbeing by fostering strong connections within our local communities.

For us, being an active part of both the Explore and Soar and Occupational Therapy communities enriches our connections, support, and resilience, allowing us to provide the best practices for our clients and families. This highlights the importance of communities remaining connected to promote our collective wellbeing.

Every member of our Explore and Soar team is part of their own community outside of work—whether through hobbies, volunteering, or local activities. This community provides them with joy and support. When you think about “Community for Wellbeing,” what comes to mind for you?

What Does Community Mean to Us?

A community can be defined in many ways. While it’s more commonly known as a ‘geographical location or place of residence’, at its core, it’s about relationships that bind people together.

In occupational therapy, there are many definitions of community, but this one stands out for us:

“to do something that cannot be easily done in isolation

(Scaffa, 2001, Pg.8)”

It highlights that the basis of a community is in the relationships of people who come together. A community built around wellbeing thrives when its members come together to share values and cultures and support each other. For us, engaging in our community through jobs, schooling, sporting activities, volunteering, shopping locally, or advocating for community improvements (such as new parks or pathways) are just a few ways we can connect and support one another to achieve common goals.

When we contribute to something meaningful and can use our unique skills and talents within our community, we not only find joy but also enhance our contribution and connection within our community to help improve our health and, ultimately, our wellbeing. 

Understanding Wellbeing

Wellbeing is a personal and multifaceted journey. It is defined by what, how, and where each person is in a positive state. Wellbeing encompasses many aspects of our lives: Occupational/Work, Emotional, Financial, Social, Environmental, Intellectual, Spiritual, and Physical health. Each of these elements plays a vital role in our overall wellbeing, helping us find purpose, contribute, and find meaning in what we do.

When we actively work towards improving our wellbeing, we improve our health and enhance our everyday lives, by finding more motivation and meaning to keep going. 

Now, don’t get me wrong — improving our wellbeing isn’t always easy. It requires consistency, support, and adaptation. Some days, I find balance; other days, I need to focus on my social connections or my physical health. 

It is important to remember that everyone’s version of wellbeing and where they find meaning is unique, and that’s perfectly okay!

Building Connections for Your Wellbeing

Where can you start building connections to enhance your wellbeing? Consider your current relationships. Do they bring you joy, and are they conducive to my wellbeing? What areas could you improve? Reflect on the time you can dedicate to nurturing these connections.

These are all great starting points to direct yourself towards where you want to start building these relationships. 

Here are some great ways to enhance your wellbeing through connection:

  • Volunteer at your child’s school to meet other parents and teachers – This is both rewarding and helps build connections.
  • Say hello to someone who walks at the same time as you are taking a morning stroll – Connect over shared interests.
  • Join a group or activity that sparks your interest.
  • Sign up for a local team sport to enjoy camaraderie and physical activity.

Building relationships in your local community can significantly enhance your community wellbeing, helping you achieve a more balanced life.

Explore and Soar’s Commitment to Connection

At Explore and Soar, we are deeply committed to supporting our local communities and fostering meaningful connections. To learn more about our team, values, and the work we do to enhance community wellbeing, we invite you to visit our About page and discover how we’re making a difference in the lives of our clients and families.

Some ways we do this are:

  • We have continued to develop group programs to support our clients in socialising and engaging in fun activities with children of similar ages, consistently offering these opportunities within our local community in Branxton.
  • We have attended local community events and school expos. 
  • We have sponsored local sporting associations. 
  • Education has also been our way to connect. Volunteering our time to offer online and in-person educational talks to parents of children transitioning into Kindergarten and teacher education and training to further enhance their connection with our clients within the classroom and playground environments. 

Exciting New Initiatives!

We are continually creating opportunities for our clients and their families to connect, share their lived experiences, empathise, and feel supported in their communities.

This year, we’re excited to announce the launch of a Parent and Caregiver Support Group. Join us for coffee, conversation, and connection in a warm, welcoming environment. Keep an eye out for details in the coming weeks.

We cannot wait to see you there!!

Tracking Your Wellbeing Journey

Our own Jess Rodgers has been working behind the scenes to develop a Wellbeing Planner designed to help track goals and wellbeing progress. This planner originated during the rapid changes of 2020-2021 when Jess realised she needed a way to stay accountable and look after her health and wellbeing. 

Jess created a Wellbeing Planner to achieve this goal!

Our Explore and Soar team will utilise this Wellbeing Planner throughout the year to support our journeys and remain accountable for our health and wellbeing to ensure we are happy, healthy, and present to support you, our clients, and our families. And we’re thrilled to offer it to you as well.

If you’d like to join us on this journey, purchase your Wellbeing Planner today. With the new Wellbeing Planner, we hope this will help our clients track and improve their health through intentional goal-setting.

Wellbeing Planner for sale - https://www.jessrodgers.com.au/

We look forward to being part of our community this year, providing support, education, and engagement for all our clients and families.

By focusing on community wellbeing, we hope to inspire you to start building meaningful connections, too!

Stay tuned for exciting events and monthly blogs filled with valuable information just for you!

Until next time, 
Jess and the Explore and Soar Team

PUBLISHED DECEMBER 2024

References

  • Hyett, N., McKinstry, C. E., Kenny, A., & Dickson-Swift, V. (2015). Community-centred practice: Occupational therapists improving the health and wellbeing of populations. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 63(5-8).
  • Scaffa, M. (Ed.). (2001). Occupational Therapy in Community-Based Practice Settings. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.

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Embracing Transitions and Growth: A Year of Learning and Achievement

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EMBRACING TRANSITIONS AND GROWTH:
A YEAR OF LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT

Embracing Transitions and Growth Fuels Our Success!

As we approach the end of the year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve shared. All I can say is, “What a year it has been!”

It was a year of exploring ways that we transition throughout our lives. From significant life changes such as transitioning into adulthood, moving homes, transitioning into a new school year (especially Kindergarten or year 7), starting new careers, trying a new sport, or managing health conditions to the everyday transitions we experience, like transitioning from home to school, catching the bus, transitioning from playtime to dinner, or switching off technology devices. The list is endless.

Every transition, big or small, contributes to our growth and learning.

By embracing transitions and growth, we develop new skills and gain valuable experiences at each stage of life.

Celebrating Success in Life Transitions

At Explore and Soar, we understand that embracing transitions is essential for both children and their families. Each step forward is a sign of progress.

What truly stands out this year is the unwavering support from parents and caregivers. Your dedication, love, and hard work in helping your children navigate these transitions have been truly inspiring. The effort, persistence, and love you pour into supporting your children as they reach their goals is a beautiful sight. We’ve witnessed the joy and pride on their faces as they master new skills – a testament to your hard work. We also recognise the challenges you face, and in those tough moments, please remember – we see you, we hear you, and we are here to help!

For more on managing life transitions, check out our previous blog to learn more about transitions in therapy.

Explore and Soar: Growing Together

This year, Explore and Soar has expanded its horizons! We introduced a fresh new look and broadened our age range to better support clients transitioning from school to university, work, or community life. We were also thrilled to open our new space in the Kurri Kurri clinic for therapy sessions when home or community settings aren’t ideal.

These transitions wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration and commitment of our families and, most importantly, the continuous work of our dedicated team, who tirelessly support these transitions and consistently assist our families in new and evolving ways.

End-of-Year Celebrations & Transition Ahead

As we wrap up the year, the Explore and Soar team celebrated with a joyful Christmas party, creating beautiful macrame pieces and enjoying a delicious dinner. We had so much fun!

We also held our Annual Reflections and Projections Day, where we identified our achievements and worked toward an actionable plan for the new year. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, share ideas, and commit to growing together as a team while continuing to support each other, our families, and our communities.

Important Dates: Holiday Closure & Upcoming January School Holiday Programs

At the end of each year, our team takes a well-deserved break to rest, recharge, and spend quality time with our families and friends!

This year, our Christmas closure will begin at the end of business on Friday, December 20th. We will return with our January School Holiday group programs starting Monday, January 13th, 2025!

If you’d like to join our January programs, be sure to secure your spot today! These fun and engaging programs will run from January 13th to 17th and again from January 20th to 24th, 2025. We cannot wait to see you there. Click here to see more about the programs and secure your spot!

Looking ahead to the new year, embracing transitions and growth will remain a central focus at Explore and Soar.

Until next time, we wish all of our Explore and Soar family a joyful Christmas break filled with quality time with loved ones, sunshine, and relaxation. Look after yourselves, and we can’t wait to reconnect in the New Year and continue this journey together!

Wishing You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Until next time, 
Jess and the Explore and Soar Team

PUBLISHED DECEMBER 2024

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Parenting – You’re the expert; we are here to support the transition!

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PARENTING – YOU’RE THE EXPERT, WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE TRANSITION!

As the sun rises on a new week, we hear the hum of school routines resuming, marking the return of familiar patterns.

During the past week or so, many of our families will have returned to school and the routines that it brings with it. For some of our families, February is a transition period where new routines and ways of balancing life are being forged as their child starts daycare or preschool, kindergarten or high school or even a child not being back at school because they have finished or commenced in a type of employment.

How do transitions feel for parents and children?

This transition period can be a daunting time – a rollercoaster of emotions not only for our children as they learn their new environment and the expectations that go along with it. But it is also a rollercoaster as a parent as we navigate a shift in our role; a moment of letting go but also sometimes the fear of the unknown. Our journey into parenthood commences with dreams, hopes, and a multitude of expectations, but from the moment we commence on our journey to become parents, the road ahead is filled with dips and hollows that we can genuinely not prepare ourselves for; however, acknowledging and recognising the transitions within our parenting journey allows us to adapt and grow.


What types of transitions are there?

Some of those significant transitions that we can anticipate during parenting might include:
● Bringing your newborn baby home for the first time
● Starting at daycare or preschool
● Starting kindergarten or high school
● Puberty
● Our child starting their first job and seeking more independence.
● Our child turning 16 and seeking to get a driver’s license.
● Finishing school
● Moving out of home.

But there are also many transitions that we do not anticipate happening during our journey as parents – a child becoming unwell, a diagnosis that wasn’t expected, a death, a separation. All of these heart-wrenching trials require us as parents and individuals to stop, pause, reassess and pivot in our roles and in our way of doing things. Explore & Soar stands as a beacon, acknowledging and respecting the unique narratives of every parenting journey. We recognise that transitions can be tough, change can be challenging, and the journey is as diverse as the individuals embarking on it, so no one’s story or journey is the same, and we respect that here at Explore & Soar.

How, then, can we, as OTs, stand beside you and support you as parents on this rollercoaster?

A Holistic Approach to Transitions

During our university studies, we learn in-depth about the interaction between how, where and why we do things and the positive and negative impact this can have on an individual’s overall health. When we work with a child and their family, we consider the whole person; we consider what strategies, interventions and approaches we are going to use. At Explore and Soar, we want to be able to support you just as much as your child in their journey towards their goals! Sometimes, therapy sessions can provide that space so that you can take a breath, sneak a quiet cuppa in the corner, and recharge while the therapist is working with your child.

It’s also important to ensure that, as parents, we are scheduling our own self-care time – it’s the flight safety briefing message – you need to put your oxygen mask on first before you can help those around you! Checking in with ourselves, noticing our own regulation patterns and adapting our responses also helps to show our children different strategies or ideas they can use when they feel overwhelmed, exhausted or touched out.

Empowering Parents with Self-Care

Next time your therapist recommends some home program exercises, consider them as not just a task for your child but as opportunities for you to connect – Try to do them with your child! See how they make you feel before and after completing them. Talk to your child about them and compare feelings.

At times, we do have those uncomfortable conversations around things we have noticed or ideas on what could make a difference in helping your child with their goal. Our therapists are noticing things from the outside and through our trained eyes. It is not from a place of
judgement but rather a place of working alongside you to build you up. As a parent, you are your child’s biggest advocate and teacher. You have the expertise in your child; it is our role as OTs to help refine this, adjusting and adapting to different transitions across your parenting journey.

Embracing Change Together

As we navigate the ebb and flow of February’s transitions, let’s remember that parenting is a continuous journey of learning and growth. Embrace your experiences, connect with others sharing similar paths, and let’s soar through these transitions together. Share your stories, seek support, and revel in the collective strength that arises when we navigate as a community.

May your journey through 2024 be filled with resilience, adaptability, and the unwavering support that Explore & Soar offers. Here’s to embracing the rollercoaster of parenting with open hearts and a community that understands that every twist and turn is a part of our unique and beautiful story.

If you’d like to chat more, please don’t hesitate to contact us today! Call us on 0477 708 217 or email admin@exploreandsoar.com.au

Until Next Time,
Lori

PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2024

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Life Transitions and The New Year

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LIFE TRANSITIONS AND THE NEW YEAR

Happy New Year! We hope you have enjoyed the end-of-year celebrations with some yummy food, rest and spending time doing things that bring you joy. 

Annual Theme – Life Transitions

Progressing from a year of developing Safety for Vulnerability for ourselves, our team, clients, and their families and communities has shaped us into this next phase of ‘Life Transitions’. For myself, our team, and many of our families, they are all going through new life transitions. Life transitions are powerful and have the potential to shape who you were, who you are and who you are becoming.

What are life transitions?

Life Transitions can also be described as ‘Transitional stages of life’.

It is defined by significant changes in roles, responsibilities, and routines requiring you to adapt to new circumstances. It can also involve a constant flow from one temporary state to another, resulting in each of these changes being a transition or a “passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another” (Transition, 2018).

Transitions in everyday life can be meaningful or a part of everyday life. Different types of transitions, for example;

Smaller everyday life transitions:

  • Engaging in an everyday conversation – transitioning in and out of a conversation with someone.
  • Commuting to school or work – leaving home, travelling, then entering the office or school grounds.
  • Transitioning from different classrooms or from the classroom to recess and back again.

Significant Life Stage Transition:

  • Transition to preschool, Kindergarten, Year 7 and transitioning out of school.
  • Experiencing puberty. 
  • Beginning a relationship. 
  • Moving home: moving from one home to another.
  • Moving Communities: moving from one town to another.
  • Changing sporting clubs or sports.
  • Changing careers, jobs or being promoted with different responsibilities.
  • Entering the workforce.
  • Commencement of University and a significant life transition for us adults is
  • Parenthood. 

Do you have any new life transitions happening this year? Or What life transition are you experiencing or in at the moment?

This year, we have a few of our clients coming to the end of their schooling years, some making the big transition into Year 7 and others who are transitioning into Kindergarten. 

Personally, this year, I am making the new life transition into parenthood alongside my husband. A new life transition for us that you all are already on, and I am thrilled to be joining you. 

For the team, many of us are going through our own life transitions as well and have shaped many of our conversations together by sharing our experiences and different strategies that have helped us along the way.

Explore and Soar’s Life Transition

As Explore and Soar approach our sixth year with you all, we are thrilled to be growing alongside our clients and families! We are excited to be sharing with you an extension of our services and an ability to continue to support you as you continue to grow. 

For Explore and Soar, we, too, are in a new life transition; we have decided to share with you an extension of our service to continue to support our clients as they make the new step and life transition into adulthood. That transition from school to work. That transition to independence, living alone, being self-sufficient and living a meaningful and best life! We are so excited to continue to work with our clients now to the age of 24! This is an exciting opportunity for us to continue to build our occupational therapy team with therapists who are experienced in supporting our teenagers and young adults in these big life transitions!

To mark these life transitions for all of us, you will see our new Explore and Soar logos, socials and website updates, and a uniform change this coming month. We are loving these changes and are excited to share them with you. So keep an eye out, as they are coming soon!!

How Explore and Soar can help you?

Please know you are not alone; each person at different ages and stages in their lives go through different transitions based on their personal life experiences. Each of our clinicians is trained in providing strategies, interventions and support through any life transition, meaningful activity or everyday task. We love to problem solve and help no matter the question or concern. 

Each month this year, you will also have access to a different blog that will go through different life transitions, big or small and have a range of different strategies or ways to support you through those moments. 

We are always here to help in a range of different ways. If you’d like to chat more, please don’t hesitate to contact us today! 

0477 708 217 or admin@exploreandsoar.com.au

Articles:

Adler, A. B & Castro, C. A. (2019). Transitions: a Theoretical Model for Occupational Health & Wellbeing. Occupational Health Science. 3:105-123.

Until next time, 
Jess

PUBLISHED JANUARY 2024

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Navigating the Transition to High School: A Parent’s Guide

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NAVIGATING THE TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL: A PARENT’S GUIDE

Over the past few weeks, we have visited many of our local schools to talk to parents and families of children starting kindergarten in 2024. During these talks, we provide lots of information about how you can support your little person for a successful transition to big school. You can click here to read more about the transition to kindergarten.

We understand that your child’s journey through the educational system is filled with milestones and transitions from the very beginning; however, the preschool to kindergarten transition isn’t the only transition in our schooling lives. One of the next big milestones is transitioning from primary school to high school. 

This move can be filled with just as many emotions and feelings – excitement for finishing primary school, growing up and what lies ahead. It can also be anxiety-provoking at the thought of changing schools, changing routines and the challenge of friendship groups changing and needing to make new friendships. All of which are valid feelings and thoughts!

In this blog, we’ll explore the various challenges your child may encounter during this transition and provide practical strategies to support them as they step into high school life.

Some of the challenges your child may face could include:

  • New Friendships – Making new friends or friendship groups changing; having to be vulnerable in talking to other people we don’t know or feel comfortable around just yet.
  • New Routines – High school bell times may be slightly earlier or later; how will this impact upon the daily routines of your child?
  • New Environment – Navigating their way around a new school can be overwhelming, knowing where the toilets are, where to go for help, or where their next class is. Or even navigating their way to and from school.
  • New Rules and Expectations – Having multiple subjects with different teachers in a new school can be daunting, being unsure of what the expectations are in and out of the classroom.

So, how can we best support our children in this transition to high school?

  • Get to know the school: Talk about it; arrange additional transition days to allow your child to feel more comfortable in this new space if needed.
  • Practice any new routines:  Practice ways to get to and from high school; make sure your child knows which bus to catch or where they will be dropped off or picked up from.
  • Visual Aids: Create a visual schedule or simple checklist to determine what they must take each day. Timetables can be tricky to work out! Break it down into what they need each day and then for each subject.
  • Map out the school: Get a copy of the school map if possible and colour code important areas such as the library, toilets, canteen, office etc.
  • Prepare for Social Interaction: Create “cheat cards” for conversation starters and role-play how to introduce themself to others. Remind them that it is highly likely that other children in the group are just as nervous about making new friends as they are.
  • Time Management and Assignments: Help them schedule, plan and prioritise how to complete assignments. Keep in communication with their teachers to know when things are due and how you can support your child.
  • Advocacy: Advocate and encourage your child to advocate also for their needs! A new school means new teachers who don’t know your child’s cues or needs. Provide as much information as possible to support consistency for your child across their teachers.

As your child embarks on this exciting journey to high school, remember that you are not alone. We are here to support you. If you would like more information about our group program, click here to check out the flyer. You can also reach out to us on 0477 708 217  or admin@exploreandsoar.com.au. 

We would love to see you in our groups!

Until next time, 
Lori

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 31, 2023

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