The word "Aloha" is a beautiful Hawaiian word that means both "Hello" and "Good-bye." Our Patient Experience Manager Dustin remarked “there is undeniably a bittersweet quality to Aloha. It simultaneously welcomes the new while saying a very fond farewell to what came before.” This essence defines how we are ending May and welcoming June at Aurora Pediatric Therapy.  Over the next few weeks bid farewell to several esteemed colleagues and welcome new and returning team members.

We extend our heartfelt goodbyes to:

• Heather Cardenas, BS RBT

• Mikaela Conces, MA OTR/L

• Rachel Eriksen, MA OTR/L

• Taylor Ballard, MS, CCC-SLP

We are deeply grateful for their contributions and wish them all the best in their next chapters.

At the same time, we are excited to welcome back and introduce the following team members:

• Michaela Bolosan, MA BCBA, returning from maternity leave

• Katrina Ingalls, AA, Financial Executive Assistant

• Liam McQuade, RBT, back from school for the summer

• Ashley Irving, MA, BCBA, transitioning from PRN into a full-time role

• Nicole Torres, BS, BT, a recent graduate from the University of Illinois with a degree in Clinical/Community Psychology

This May/June bridge also marks an exciting milestone for us: we are officially expanding into Yorkville, IL! We’re thrilled to bring our ABA, SLP, and OT services to a beautiful, innovative new space, continuing our commitment to excellence in collaborative, integrative therapy for Yorkville and the surrounding communities.

I also wanted to share with our community a recent message I sent to our staff about how we honor the close of one routine and embrace the beginning of another—while recognizing each individual's unique experience. Leadership through change is essential, and I’m proud to share our approach with you.

The space between honoring the end of one story and the start of another feels almost sacred, like we should pause and honor the gap.  Shifting in team dynamics can be unsettling as any change in routine can be. This not only applies to new folks to our team but those who are leaving, so when situations feel like they are unsettling or "shifty" at best, how do we as a team respond and move forward in the ethos of cultivating a culture that honors transformative growth as we honor that each individual becoming the best version of themselves may be transitioning away from our organization to begin again somewhere new.  

Step 1: Acknowledgement. Acknowledge that our beloved teammate and friend's departure and new teammates arrival will generate a temporary gap in our daily routines and (in some cases) processes. This gap may be uncomfortable. We can stand in uncomfortable spaces together. 

Step 2: As my mentor Louise Atthey says, "Slowly/Gently." Move slowly and gently. Be patient with yourself and go slowly. Find opportunities in your day to intentionally move slowly. As we move through this transition together, give yourselves time and patience knowing that some days the "work" is literally just showing up for your patients and their caregivers. 

Step 3: Cultivate kind thoughts for yourself and kind thoughts for your teammates. If you feel comfortable, bring your hand to your heart and feel your heartbeat. Feel the warmth of your chest against your hand.  Imagine yourself in a situation that makes you smile or bring a positive memory from a previous therapy session to mind.  As you hold this image of yourself in your mind's eye, send yourself kind thoughts such as: may I be happy, may I be healthy, may I have peace, may I have joy.   Now, think of your coworker (familiar or unfamiliar), and cultivate kind and compassionate thoughts towards them. Take a moment to envision your friend smiling, happy, and reaching for all good things in their life. Send those same thoughts to those folks: May you be healthy, may you be happy, may you have peace. May kindness, gentleness and joy surround you as you move forward into this next chapter. 

By acknowledging the reality of our lived experiences, moving slowly and gently, and cultivating kindness and compassion for ourselves and others, we can respond to the changes around us rather than react. This mindful approach helps us build resilience and develop a positive regard for ourselves, others, and change itself.

Aloha my friends! Dr. Laura