Our Team

  • Socially speaking team - Alison Schroeder,

  • Socially Speaking Team

    Alison Schroeder

    Justine Aldous

    Georgina Hemmings

    Frances Cary

     

     

     

     

     

    • Alison Schroeder
      Speech & Language Therapist, Primary School Teacher, Author, Owner and Executive Director

      Alison Schroeder

      Speech & Language Therapist, Primary School Teacher, Author, Owner and Executive Director

      Alison Schroeder is a New Zealand registered Speech & Language Therapist and Primary School Teacher who founded Socially Speaking in 2003. She has over 30 years’ experience as a speech & language therapist and also teaching students with special needs (New Zealand, UK and Hong Kong). Alison’s comprehensive experience includes screening, evaluating and working with individuals with a wide range of social and communication challenges. She runs Social Clubs alongside her staff and also regularly consults with other professionals and schools working with children with social challenges.

      Alison has attended courses in Melbourne on the Alert Programme (Click here) and Social Thinking (Click here). These programmes are being continually integrated into assessments, therapy and group sessions run by Socially Speaking.

      Alison has written a number of social skills and language resources (including The Friendship Formula, Socially Speaking and Time to Talk books and games) which are published in the United Kingdom and used throughout the world.

      Personal Info:
      • Qualifications:
        Diploma of Speech & Language Therapy and Primary Teaching, Bachelor of Education
      • Language Resources Published:
        Time to Talk Book, Time to Talk Game, Socially Speaking Book, Socially Speaking Game, Friendship Formula Book, Friendship Formula Game, Ginger Bear Puppet, Social Skills, Stickers and Social Skills Posters.

      • Expertise:

        Children/Young People with Social and Emotional Challenges including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Gifted and Talented,  Dsypraxia and Challenging Behaviours

    • Justine Aldous
      Occupational Therapist

      Justine Aldous

      Occupational Therapist

      Justine Aldous is a New Zealand registered Occupational Therapist. She has over 30 years’ experience working in mental health, vocational rehabilitation and paediatrics. Justine certified in Sensory Integration with Anita Bundy. She has worked in New Zealand and Australia with young adults and teenagers experiencing difficulties with managing feelings of stress and anxiety, and has continued to develop her skills in this area over the 15 years she has worked for Socially Speaking.

      Justine enjoys working with children and young people to enable them to develop self-regulation skills utilising sensory processing, physiological and cognitive strategies. This promotes well-being and the ability of children to engage in the everyday roles and functions which are required of them – eg to experience success in school, home and leisure activities to the best of their abilities

      Justine has attended a course in Melbourne on the Alert Programme (see here). This programme is being continually integrated into assessments, therapy and group sessions run by Socially Speaking

      Personal Info:
      • Qualifications:
        Diploma of Occupational Therapy
      •  

      • Expertise:

        Sensory Processing, Managing Stress and Anxiety, Self-Regulation, Activities of Daily Living

    • Georgina Hemmings
      Speech & Language Therapist

      Georgina Hemmings

      Speech & Language Therapist

      Georgina Hemmings is a UK trained Speech and Language Therapist, who moved to New Zealand in 2011. She has a BSc in Clinical Language Sciences (Speech and Language Therapy) awarded by Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK. After graduating, Georgina worked for 7 years, prior to coming to New Zealand, at a private residential special needs school for young people with social communication difficulties, primarily on the Autistic Spectrum, aged 5-19 years old. Whilst in the UK, Georgina specialised in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders, with a focus on complex and challenging behaviour.

      Georgina has worked for Socially Speaking for 9 years. In that time she has run numerous groups in schools focusing on oral language and social and emotional skills. She has also worked with students with complex and challenging behaviours in the school environment.

      Georgina has attended a course in Melbourne on Social Thinking (Click here). This programme is being continually integrated into assessments, therapy and group sessions run by Socially Speaking

      Personal Info:
      • Qualifications:
        BSc In Clinical Sciences (Speech & Language Therapy) Leeds Metropolitan University
      • Expertise:

        Autism Spectrum Disorders, with a focus on complex and challenging behavior.

    • Cathy Bloy
      Child Development, Sensory Processing, emotional regulation

      Cathy Bloy

      Child Development, Sensory Processing, emotional regulation

      Cathy received her Occupational Therapy training in New Zealand, graduating from AUT in 1999. She has over 17 years of experience working across the public health care system, ACC and private practice. Her varied Occupational Therapy roles within communication and learning, child development, and visiting neurodevelopmental therapy give her a breadth of experience to draw from when providing support to children and their families. Cathy enjoys working from a family centred coaching model that empowers parents and caregivers with the tools and knowledge to support their child or young person beyond the therapy session.

      As an Occupational Therapist Cathy’s passion is seeing people engaged in meaningful activity that promotes engagement and wellbeing. In her own life she finds meaning and engagement in activities closely connected to nature and adventurous pursuits and this has led her to explore nature based therapy and experiential learning and to challenge her own children with a sailing trip across the South Pacific.

      Cathy recently completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Occupational Therapy Practice with Distinction.

      Personal Info:
      • Qualifications:
        Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational Therapy) Post graduate Certificate in Occupational Therapy  with Distinction

      • Expertise:

        Child Development, Sensory Processing, emotional regulation