Ombrelo 18 years – part 6
This is a true story about how we became Ombrelo. First there was an idea. Then one person. Then two. Then a small group who believed in the same direction. It wasn’t clear what this would become. There was only a feeling that things could be done differently—together. This year Ombrelo turns 18. Of age. But this is not a ceremonial speech. This is a 12-part series about how a community is born. How people find each other under the same shelter. How growth is not just about numbers, but about trust. This is our story.
Vaasan ombrelo was born in 2011. In the beginning, there was speech therapist Sofia and two rooms in a business center. The premises soon changed, first to Olympiakatu and then to the old house on Ratakatu, where we still are. The space has been expanded twice, but no one wants to leave the house. It has an atmosphere that’s easy to grow attached to.
As Vaasa grew, ombrelo grew in many ways. Hanna was the first to bring in occupational therapy, and Lisette was the first Swedish-speaking speech therapist. After Lisette, Ida-Maria and other classmates from Åbo Akademi found their way to Vaasa. A tight-knit group formed, with many already knowing each other from before.
The story of occupational therapy was not straightforward, however. After Hanna, Terhi joined the team. Both stayed for a few years, but then started their own businesses. Supporting occupational therapists with only a speech therapy background turned out to be difficult, and occupational therapy at ombrelo was put on hold for several years. Lessons were learned from that. A new chapter began when Sanna came along, but more about that later.
Cecilia was ombrelo’s first intern. She came to Vaasa in spring 2013 to complete her final practicum in speech-language pathology. At first, it was agreed that if the internship started in the spring, there would be a vacation break in July. When the time came, however, it seemed unthinkable to delay graduation for the sake of a vacation. Cecilia graduated as a speech therapist, stayed with the group, and is still with us.
Those years also hold a special memory: in January 2014, eight people from ombrelo flew to San Diego to study the PRT autism rehabilitation method. In addition to Cecilia, several newly graduated speech therapists from Vaasa and Seinäjoki took part. Also on the trip was Anne-Marie, whose employment at Vaasan ombrelo in practice began on the flight to the United States!
A therapist who is allowed to grow and get inspired meets their clients genuinely, present, and with curiosity. It’s an investment that is immediately visible to the client.