What parents say…
Since bringing my son to Oak Therapies, I can honestly say he has developed on so many levels, which includes his motor skills, confidence, and even listening!
He loves being part of a team and making friends (even though he’s non-verbal) as it gives him an opportunity for much-needed social interaction outside of a school setting; it has helped him gain self-confidence.
We as a family have learned to notice when he becomes ‘overstimulated’ and what triggers affect his behaviour. We have also learned tools to help soothe and calm him through breathing and by allowing larger movements.
It has helped us all to understand and work with my son to help him when he needs it most. Oak Therapies, thank you.
Parent of a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder
We first encountered O.T. Caroline Parfitt and Oak Therapies when we were desperate parents of a child experiencing high anxiety levels at school. Our 11-year-old was experiencing debilitating panic attacks, and we had tried counselling, sensory processing therapy, and social coaching. With its focus on being outside in a beautiful environment while tending to horses and their needs, Oak Therapies was a magical way of providing the perfect combination to help our daughter access therapy which she hadn’t been able to do in an indoor setting.
Oak Therapies was healing, and Caroline worked her wonder and got our daughter back to school for the beginning of Secondary Education. As a family, we are forever indebted to Caroline, who helped us see a bigger picture of how undiagnosed Autism was making secondary school such a difficult place for Ellie, where the struggle to mask all day was having a profoundly negative effect on our daughter’s mental health.
Caroline supported us in very difficult multi-disciplinary SEND meetings, being the voice of an experienced, kind and, most importantly, supremely professional occupational therapist. Caroline also helped us understand how we can help Ellie and ourselves survive and thrive in such difficult times.
Parent
I am a ward manager of an adult female personality disorder ward and we have been working in collaboration with Oaks to incorporate sensory attachment therapy on the ward and to increase staff understanding and awareness of it. Since working with Oaks, their professional and flexible approach has been commendable and the whole patient and staff group have benefitted from their sessions.
Oak Therapies has been a fantastic resource for the ward that is supportive in nature and the staff in the team have been able to adapt their teachings to fit into the ward dynamic and needs at the time for us to get the best out of the sessions. Oak Therapies have tailored their approach to suit the wards’ needs and I cannot recommend them enough.
Joanne Austin
Ward Manager at Cygnet Health
What professionals say…
Oak Therapies have been incredibly supportive, responsive and kind in all of our interactions. We reached out to them for some bespoke support for one of our wards, and Caroline was very helpful, creative and passionate. We are extremely thankful for the help Caroline has given, and look forward to continuing to work together to provide the best services for our patients and staff members.
Louisa Powell Hospital Manager Cygnet Hospital Maidstone
What professionals say…
Hi Caroline,
I am so sorry it has taken me a while to get this to you.
Please let me know if there is anything you want me to change/take out.
I was recommended Oak Therapies by a friend as I was struggling to understand my eldest daughter’s behaviour and to know how to help her. I had been trying for many many years to get someone to listen to me and to understand that she appears to be a wonderfully calm, well behaved child at school but at home we were getting a completely different child.
We have been working with Caroline for a number of years now and I can honestly say I do not know where we would be now without her help and support. My daughter started working with Caroline doing therapy sessions with the animals. Caroline worked with the whole family not just my daughter. As they spent more and more time together it was decided that we would try for an assessment for Autism and ADHD, my daughter has not been diagnoses with both. During her transition to secondary school life was incredibly tough, with increasing challenging behaviour and school avoidance. Caroline was there supporting us the whole way, even joining meetings with my daughter’s school to help her attend. Caroline would also have sessions with me on my own to check how I was doing and allow me a safe space to vent.
My daughter is still working with Oak Therapies but is now working with Jo doing art therapy. My daughter now has a better understanding of herself, why she does the things she does and is beginning to learn how to self regulate and have the confidence to speak up at school when she is not ok.
My youngest daughter has now started working with Polly to help with her sensory difficulties, selective mutism and her separation anxiety. Her first session at Oak Therapies (she has been there many times prior to her own session) she was more than happy to go off with Polly and was happily chatting away, this is a true testament to how happy she is to be there.
Both girls feel incredibly comfortable at Oak Therapies and are able to be themselves and there is never any judgement. In the past we have tried so many different therapy options and I feel Oak Therapies have been the only ones to truly listen to us and to work with the whole family not just my daughter. I would 100% recommend Oak Therapies and already have done. We certainly have come a long way over the last few years and would not have been able to achieve it without Oak Therapies by our side.
Kind Regards,
Lucy
Louisa Powell Hospital Manager Cygnet Hospital Maidstone