Dee is a registered occupational therapist working part-time at Play in Motion.  Dee graduated from the University of Liverpool (UK) with a Bachelor of Science, Honours Degree, in Occupational Therapy (2006).  As soon as she graduated, Dee returned to her home country of Ireland to work with children with physical and developmental challenges and their families.  From there, Dee’s love of travel brought her to live in New Zealand with opportunities to work in areas of OT practice such as acute care, orthopaedic rehabilitation, and community rehabilitation.  On arrival to Canada, Dee pursued work at Vancouver General Hospital to gain further knowledge of the healthcare system in a supportive team environment.  There she played a key part in establishing the OT role within the ICU and high acuity units, alongside experience in the areas of burns / plastics, surgical, medical, and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre.

Since moving to Squamish and having her own children, Dee had the wonderful opportunity to work with schools along the sea to sky corridor with school-aged children, before coming to work with children at Play In Motion.  She believes that children learn and connect through play, with each child’s potential realized using an interest-based and family-centred approach.

In her spare time, you will find Dee exploring backyard trails in Squamish on foot or mountain bike, and enjoying quality playtime with her family.

Chella is a registered speech-language pathologist. After completing her undergraduate degree in Linguistics at the University of Alberta, she attained her Communication Sciences and Disorders master’s degree from Western Carolina University in North Carolina (2010). She enjoys exploring through traveling, hiking, skiing, and gardening, and loves learning and trying new things.

Chella offers services for speech sound errors, language disorders, stuttering, and orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD). She is very passionate about her career and has a strong interest in stuttering and OMD. Orofacial myofunctional disorders and speech – When there is a combination of an orofacial myofunctional disorder and a related speech error, it is often difficult to correct the speech problem through traditional speech therapy, until the OMD has been corrected.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is a neuromuscular re-education of the muscles in the face, lips, mouth, tongue, and neck. Therapy focuses on oral habit elimination, habituation of nasal breathing, correct oral rest posture, and oral phase swallow. This supports airway development and optimal oral and facial muscle function, balance, and development.
This is also recommended pre- and post-frenectomy.

Stuttering– is a neurophysiological difference that is significantly impacted by motor speech, language, auditory feedback, and emotional regulation. There has been a lot of research focusing on the causes of stuttering and that research continues. The research has found that people who stutter have differences in their brain wiring and functioning. Though other factors do not cause stuttering, there are many factors that can contribute to a person’s stuttering.

Her approach is to address emotional and physical barriers that inhibit spontaneous talking. Through addressing these barriers and learning strategies the goal is to help clients become confident spontaneous communicators.
Chella works with all ages from preschool to adulthood.

Christiana grew up in Whistler, BC, and developed a deep love for the mountains. However, her passion for horses led her to spend much of her teenage years in Pemberton, BC.

In 2014, Christiana graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Biology. During her studies, she volunteered at Arion Therapeutic Farm, which sparked her passion for working with individuals of all abilities. After graduating, she joined the Whistler Adaptive Sport Program as the Programs Coordinator, where she helped people discover their potential through outdoor activities. This experience solidified her decision to pursue a career in occupational therapy.

Christiana went on to earn a Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of Sydney in 2020. Shortly after graduating, she returned to Pemberton, where she settled into family life, got married, and had two children. Now, she’s excited to join the Play In Motion team and bring her expertise in occupational therapy to the community.

Candace is a registered speech and language pathologist who has been working privately in Squamish since 2013. She, her husband, and twin girls moved to Squamish to pursue a quieter lifestyle that was more in line with their love of the outdoors and their desire for a greater sense of community and well-being. From a very young age, Candace knew she wanted to work with young children and entertained many options before discovering the field of speech and language pathology. She completed her undergraduate degree in linguistics and biology at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2004 and continued her studies to earn her Master’s Degree in Science (Speech-Language Pathology) at the University of British Columbia in 2007.

Candace has had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings; she worked in the community health centre and the school district in West Vancouver before working privately in Vancouver for two years. She provides therapy to range of pediatric clients with a variety of needs and is most passionate about early intervention, speech sound disorders, autism intervention, and social thinking.

On the days she spends with her daughters, Candace enjoys exploring all the fun things Squamish has to offer a young family and in particular enjoys visiting the Sea to Sky Gondola. She also enjoys hiking, kayaking, and simply being by the ocean. Cooking, reading, and watching sci-fi shows with her husband are also ways she likes to relax.

Candace is a certified member of Speech and Audiology Canada (SAC), a registrant with the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC (CSHHPBC), as well as a Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP). Currently, Candace works part-time at Play in Motion and also travels to see clients and their families in their homes or childcare/preschool environments.