Lina Lou Berdijo

Hello, my name is Lina.

I graduated with a degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2018. Over the past eight years, I have had the privilege of working with children and young people across a variety of settings, from private paediatric clinics in the Philippines to a specialised Sensory Integration clinic in Malta, and now within SEN schools across Southwark. These experiences have allowed me to support children from the early years through to post-16, with a wide range of developmental, sensory and learning needs.

Early in my career, I had the opportunity to support children with complex needs, which sparked my interest in Sensory Integration and Feeding. Seeing the positive impact these approaches could have on a child’s participation and quality of life inspired me to continue developing my clinical skills. I began my training with CLASI in 2019 and became a certified Ayres Sensory Integration® practitioner in 2021. In the same year, I also completed training in the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding and Oral Placement Therapy, further developing my knowledge and practical skills in supporting children with complex feeding and oral motor needs.

Working as a Senior Occupational Therapist in a specialised Sensory Integration clinic in Malta was an important milestone in my career. It gave me the opportunity to strengthen my clinical reasoning, mentor others and further develop my skills in applying the Ayres Sensory Integration framework with school-aged children.

More recently, my work in SEN schools across Southwark has broadened my perspective even further. Supporting pupils from EYFS through to post-16 has highlighted the importance of working collaboratively with teachers, families and multidisciplinary teams to enable children and young people to participate meaningfully in their education and everyday lives.

The Words First value that resonates most with me is being Research Driven. Throughout my career, I have learned that effective Occupational Therapy combines compassion, creativity and strong clinical evidence. Every child has their own strengths, challenges and aspirations, and I believe evidence-based practice provides an important foundation for making thoughtful and individualised clinical decisions.

I also value remaining curious, reflective and open to learning, continually developing my practice to provide the highest quality support for the children, young people and families I work with. Being part of a team that shares this commitment to research and lifelong learning is something I find both inspiring and motivating.