Email Lori

I was born and raised in Calgary, moved to Lethbridge for University and have never looked back. For fun I garden, swim and pretend to read my Book Club books.

Supporting children with disabilities is more than my job. It is my passion and my life. My amazing husband and I have the privilege of being parents to three amazing boys, two of whom have Autism. That experience has taught me more than anything else I have ever done. They inspire me every day. They are a constant reminder of the value of believing in children.

Besides raising my own family, I have been supporting families with children with disabilities for more than ten years. I began working with hands-on programming rooted inApplied Behavioural Analysis, which gave me insight and skill in developing responsive programming based on function of behaviour. I also spent five years actively working to support families in planning ‘good lives for their children’ with the Lethbridge Association for Community Living’s Planned Lifetime Advocacy Networks (PLAN).

All of these experiences, both personally and professionally, led me to the creation of Bridges. I provide workshops and individual support on a range of issues, from vision planning to building relationships. I also see first-hand the amazing capacity of families and the creativity and passion they bring to every encounter.  This has inspired the passion I have for building inclusive lives and meaningful responsive supports intended to see people with disabilities lead lives rich in citizenship.

Owning Bridges has been one of the great and wonderful surprises in my life. When we started out, it was an idea. I wanted to build a program where children could gain strong social and emotional skills working in a social setting. The journey from where we started our small pilot project to where we are today has been an amazing adventure. I feel incredibly blessed to be invited into families lives and honored to be a small part of the success of the children we support.

While I was born in Calgary, I have been on a tour of Southern Alberta ever since I was young. Somewhere between graduating from the U of L and having all three of my boys born at the Chinook Regional Hospital, I have managed to establish roots in the Lethbridge area.

I spend most of my free time chasing after some combination of my three sons and my dog Odie. When I’m not doing that I’m creating new and exciting ways of not finishing what my wife has asked me to do. I have been an avid Flames fan my whole life and have recently developed an affinity for Montana Grizzly Football.

The greatest lesson I have learned from being a father to two children with a disability is to take notice of the small things in life. The right choices made – the first steps – are all victories that deserve to be celebrated.  It is entirely appropriate to praise those who have successfully completed positive life change, but we must also applaud those still on their journey. Each step forward is worthy of this kind of acknowledgement. And when we see it in our lives or in the lives of others, we must call it what it is—a triumph worthy of celebration. I am proud to say Bridges has adopted the same philosophy.  All of us look forward to celebrating every step of the journey with our Bridges families.

Email Shey

Born and raised in the Philippines, I moved to Hong Kong in 2008 to continue my studies and work at the same time. When I got my Degree in BS Entrepreneurial Mgmt., I chose to stay in Hong Kong for a couple of more years to work. It is a gorgeous city and I love its East meets West vibe but living there opened my eyes to the reality of life. I learned to appreciate all that life has to offer.

In 2015, I moved to Lethbridge to join my long-distance partner of 6 years to started building our family and life together. I love living here. It is a laid-back city life surrounded by nature.

I am thankful that I got the opportunity to work with Bridges because everyone shares the same vision and is dedicated to the mission. I am so proud that I am part of Bridges and of everyone that works here.

I am a parent/practitioner of an adult son with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and so I share the aspirations and goals that every parent has for their children. My education in NeuroScience at the University of Toronto focused on brain development and the fundamentals of learning. This has provided me with a useful perspective about the science of therapeutic interventions for individuals with learning disorders (LD).

My clinical training in ASD includes training (University of Massachusetts, Lowell) and subsequent qualification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (31/05/2011) with a mastery of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA).

I am a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science (ACBS) which actively promotes interventions based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) both of which are supported by hundreds of positive evidence-based studies.

I work with parents and individuals to help them create positive changes in behaviour. Teaching requires changes in experiences and environments that create the circumstances that support and guide action.

Problem behaviours are often associated with emotional dysregulation and actions that may be considered anti-social through violent, dangerous, and/or destructive actions. It is essential that functional alternative solutions are made part of any intervention in order to provide appropriate guidance coupled with appropriate feedback.

Values must be part of teaching strategies in order to take advantage and use social outcomes to motivate positive actions. Teaching individuals to recognize and be aware of the behaviours that will help them attain their goals in keeping with their family and individual values.

I have training in Triple-P Stepping Stones which offers parents a standardized program to help navigate problem behaviours, together with practical responses to many situations and circumstances.

I’m also a board member with Inclusion Lethbridge, whose mission is to create and promote meaningful social interactions and community for persons with developmental disabilities. It is my hope that my actions can help contribute to an inclusive community that recognizes the value in everyone and acts to valourize the lives of persons with a disability.

I was born and raised in Medicine Hat. After high school, I went to art school in Calgary. I then moved to Lethbridge to complete my bachelor’s degree in psychology and have been here ever since. One of my goals is to combine my love of art and working with children by getting my master’s in art therapy. I love the stimulating and innovative work we do at Bridges. No 2 days are ever the same! Making meaningful connections with the kids and feeling like I’ve made a difference in somebody’s life is very inspiring to me. I’ve been with Bridges since 2014 and it is always heartwarming to see my clients grow and develop.

I grew up in Redcliff, Alberta and moved to Lethbridge to pursue a degree in Psychology at the U of L. My dad is a K9 officer I’ve spent my whole life around dogs. This has made me an animal lover since I was a child.

I’ve always had a strong desire to work with children, and Bridges has given me the ideal opportunity to do this. The kids at Bridges are fantastic and they make my job so much fun. They also definitely keep me on my toes!

Coming soon

My name is Deanna Robins. I have been with Bridges since it opened. I was born and raised in Jaffray, B.C., and moved to Lethbridge in 2003 to attend the University of Lethbridge. I have one brother who is special needs and is a Team Canada athlete in the Special Olympics. He has competed in both South Korea and in Austria, bringing home a total of 3 bronze medals in skiing. He is my motivation to pursue this as my career, his love for life and desire to succeed, inspired me to help other children reach their potential.

I feel so fortunate to be a part of the team here at Bridges, where we are encouraged to always be thinking outside the box and be as creative as we can be in our teachings. The kids here are amazing and I am so happy to be a part of their growth and development into adulthood. The kids have taught me so much, but the biggest would be to appreciate the smaller things in life. Life is short and if we are always focused on the “big picture” we miss out on the opportunity to enjoy so much more.

In my spare time, I am a head coach and board member in the Special Olympics, I volunteer with animal rescue, I enjoy travelling, golfing, camping, swimming and softball. We also have two amazing dogs who like to think they are our kids.

As an educator of more than 30 years and a passionate believer in community and inclusion, I’m so pleased to be a part of the team at Bridges. As the communications and social media person, I’m honoured that I get to help Bridges tell its story of advocacy and education, celebrate the wonderful young people they work with and support its fantastic staff.

I began my teaching career in 1989 as a music specialist in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I completed my Bachelor of Music Education. Since then I’ve been fortunate to have had the chance to teach in Connecticut, Vancouver and Lethbridge. I also conduct community choirs and teach music education at the University of Lethbridge.

I’m also completing another educational journey at the University of Sheffield in the UK. It’s my second Masters’s Degree, this one in Music Education, Psychology and Wellness. I am researching the link between leadership singing, inclusion, wellness and belonging for vulnerable populations.