About Us

Our Team

Our team is made up of highly skilled occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and a dietician, working as a collaborative team to ensure a well-rounded treatment approach for every client. Every therapist on our team has extensive experience, training, and education in the responsive feeding approach.

Carla is the owner and CEO of The Responsive Feeding Centre of BC. Carla has been practicing in speech language pathology since 2007. She has a passion for working within a neurodiversity-affirming framework and is also leading the clinical team at Victoria Speech and Language Centre in learning from autistic voices and unlearning many of the ableist ways clinicians are taught in graduate school. This work has led the team to dive into neurodiversity affirming ways of supporting our most anxious and restricted eaters. She is passionate about supporting families and mealtimes in a way that prioritizes the child-parent relationship and reduces overall mealtime stress. As a mom of 2 active boys, she has seen many responsive feeding strategies improve her own family’s and friends mealtimes and allow her boys more autonomy in exploring new foods at their own pace. She has learned from her many years of working with families how stressful the simple act of feeding their children can be and is committed to supporting life long mealtime peace and providing parents with the strategies to help their child learn the skills needed to feel safe in exploring new foods.

Carla Willock
Clinic Owner/CEO, Registered Speech-Language Pathologist

Shannon is an Occupational Therapist who graduated with her MSc.OT from Queen’s University in 2018. She has extensive experience working with neurodivergent individuals of all ages. Shannon feels passionately about the area of feeding therapy because she is a sensory eater herself! Most of Shannon’s life she was only able to tolerate eating 10-15 foods, and was quite familiar with being called a “picky eater”. Only in the last few years did she start intuitively implementing all of the strategies used in the responsive feeding program to feel safe exploring and trying new foods. Think, tiny microscopic bites, preparing food for someone else with no demand to eat it, smelling new foods, licking new foods, etc. This lived experience helps Shannon understand how sensory eaters might be feeling, and can help parents and caregivers understand how to help. Shannon has also completed extensive training in various responsive and sensory feeding and eating approaches, including Responsive Feeding Pro, and the Get Permission Approach to Anxious Eaters and Anxious Mealtimes. Shannon is passionate about helping individuals and families build a happy and healthy relationship with food and eating. Shannon has taken the following professional education courses related to feeding and eating therapy:
-The Get Permission Approach To Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes: The Get Permission Institute
-Responsive Feeding Therapy: The Foundational Series: Responsive Feeding PRO
– Foundations of Feeding for OTs: Anatomy, Physiology, Terms and Tools
– Feeding and Nutrition Intervention for Children on the Autism Spectrum
– Mouth Moves: Helping Parents Support Oral Motor Development in Their Children for Pediatric Feeding Success
– Collaboration of OT (occupational therapy) and RD (registered dietician) in the Treatment of Infants and Toddlers in the Pediatric Clinical Setting
– Crumbs as a Tool in Pediatric Feeding Transitions

Shannon Taylor
Clinical Director/Occupational Therapist

Tieghan is a speech-language pathologist who graduated with her masters degree from the University of Alberta. She has clinical experience working with neurodivergent children and teens ranging from 18 months to 16 years, and also has experience assessing feeding and swallowing with adults. Tieghan really connected to the responsive feeding approach and how it prioritizes felt safety and building trusting relationships with food and the people we explore food with. Tieghan has enjoyed learning how to incorporate a neurodiversity affirming approach into her therapy and honouring all different kinds of communication and participation styles. She feels passionate about helping children expand their ability to communicate about food, no matter what modality, and find a way to participate in mealtimes that feels right for them. She is excited to help families support their children in developing happy, healthy relationships with food. Tieghan has taken the following professional education courses related to responsive feeding:
• The Get Permission Approach to Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes, Get Permission Institute
• Responsive Feeding Therapy: The Foundational Series, Responsive Feeding PRO
• AEIOU: An Integrated Approach to Paediatric Feeding, Food Smart Kids
• Parent Coaching Skills for Paediatric Feeding Specialists (Level 1), Responsive Feeding PRO
• Assessment of Picky Eaters, Get Permission Institute

Tieghan Baird
Registered Speech-Language Pathologist

Georgia is an occupational therapist who was born and raised on beautiful Vancouver Island in the city of Nanaimo. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. She has clinical experience working with neurodivergent children and teens ranging from ages 3-17 and also with adults in mental health settings. Georgia is passionate about responsive feeding approaches due to its foundational focus on positive mental health, autonomy, and relationship building. She believes that everyone deserves to enjoy experiences with food, connection-building opportunities, and rituals that mealtimes offer. Georgia recognizes the importance of using family-centered approaches in progressing towards goals especially as it relates to meeting families where they are at in their child’s feeding journey. Georgia has taken the following courses related to responsive feeding:
-The Get Permission Approach to Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes, Get Permission Institute
-Responsive Feeding Therapy: The Foundational Series, Responsive Feeding PRO

Georgia Lundy
Occupational Therapist

Jillian is a speech-language pathologist who graduated with her master’s degree from the University of Northern Texas. With lots of clinical experience working with neurodivergent children and teens, Jillian is passionate about helping children develop positive relationships with food. As someone who navigates her own food sensitivities, Jillian understands firsthand the challenges that can arise around mealtimes and brings a unique blend of professional expertise and personal experience to our responsive feeding centre. This personal journey fuels her dedication to empowering children with the tools that they need to explore food comfortably and confidently. Jillian’s approach focuses on reducing the stigma around seeking help for feeding challenges and creating a supportive environment for food exploration.
Jillian has taken the following courses related to responsive feeding:
-The Get Permission Approach to Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes, Get Permission Institute
-Responsive Feeding Therapy: The Foundational Series, Responsive Feeding PRO

Jillian Caldwell
Registered Speech-Language Pathologist

Celise is our registered dietitian with the Responsive Feeding Program of BC, and is registered with the college of dietitians of BC. Celise earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Food Nutrition and Health from the University of British Columbia and has been serving as a pediatric dietitian at BC Children’s Hospital since 2017. Throughout her tenure, she has undertaken diverse roles, honing her skills in assessing and treating pediatric nutrition and feeding challenges, including selective eating, sensory sensitivities, food aversions, and feeding tube dependence. Her compassionate approach emphasizes building trust and confidence in children as they explore new foods and eating experiences.
Celise collaborates closely with families, caregivers, and multidisciplinary teams to
develop personalized nutrition plans when addressing feeding issues. Drawing on evidence-based strategies and innovative techniques, Celise empowers families with practical tools and resources to foster positive mealtime experiences and promote healthy relationships with food which ultimately preserves a child’s nutritional wellbeing.
Currently residing in Vancouver, Celise also does great work with the Sunny Hill Health Centers Feeding team. When she is not supporting families with their feeding goals, Celise can be found spending quality time with her husband and two children as well as biking, hiking, and beekeeping on her rooftop garden.

Celise Dent
Registered Dietician

Alison is an occupational therapist who graduated with her masters degree from the University of British Columbia. Alison has experience working with neurodivergent children and youth of all ages and their families. Alison’s passion for supporting individuals on their feeding journeys began from her own personal experience as a sensory eater and her sister’s experience with complex feeding needs. Alison spent the majority of her childhood as a ‘very picky eater’ and is now able to have a positive, fulfilling relationship with various foods! Her personal experience is the driving force behind why she values the Responsive Feeding Approach and she is excited to support others in discovering their own safe and comfortable relationship with food. Alison has taken the following professional education courses related to feeding and eating therapy:
– The Get Permission Approach to Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes: The Get
Permission Institute
– Responsive Feeding Therapy: The Foundational Series: Responsive Feeding PRO
– Food Chaining Therapy – Northern Speech Services
– Pediatric Feeding & Swallowing: Managing Complex Issues – Sherna Marcus

Alison McBride
Occupational Therapist

Izzy is a speech language pathologist who graduated with a Master’s degree from the University of British Columbia. As someone who comes from a family with a diverse food background, Izzy knows the value of having the strategies and tools to navigate through new foods. Izzy is passionate about developing positive relationships with food for people of all ages, and loves creating opportunities to have fun exploring new tastes and textures. Mealtimes play an important role in life for all of us, and Izzy is excited to be part of the responsive feeding team to aid in making meals a joyful experience.
Izzy has taken the following courses related to responsive feeding:
-The Get Permission Approach to Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes, Get Permission Institute
-Responsive Feeding Therapy: The Foundational Series, Responsive Feeding PRO

Izzy Wrinch
Registered Speech-Language Pathologist
My son easily established rapport with Shannon, and their collaborative work is tailored to his needs. Shannon’s ability to listen, adapt sessions, and offer valuable suggestions creates a positive and engaging environment, making her a valuable asset. Our longstanding connection with VSPL has consistently provided satisfactory services, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone in need.
Melissa’s neurodiversity-affirming approach at Victoria Speech and Language Centre transformed our Autistic 5-year-old’s mealtimes, reducing meltdowns and creating a positive experience with gradual food introductions.
This course was really informative! I began to understand how and why my child struggles with food. Most helpful was the nonjudgmental approach from the facilitators.
Adopting Melissa’s techniques, our family at Victoria Speech and Language Centre has seen remarkable progress in our Kiddo’s approach to food, fostering a positive change and addressing picky eating.
I have done the parent course offered by the Responsive Feeding Centre and found it to be extremely helpful in understanding how to approach food and eating challenges with my son. Connecting with other families who are dealing with the same issues was really beneficial.
I highly recommend responsive feeding centre for any parents and caregivers who are looking for ND affirmative service provider.
Through Melissa’s collaborative and respectful feeding therapy, our Kiddo became more curious and less anxious about different foods, expanding their flavor palette at Victoria Speech and Language Centre.
Cannot recommend highly enough, it transformed our thinking of food with our kiddo, and opened lots of new doors. Highly recommend!
I really enjoyed it and loved the lens of personal experience that Shannon brought to our group. I learned a lot about not only my kids but also my own sensory profiles. Really great resource for families.
Shannon was really great, I like that she taught the course because of her food sensory so it was nice to be able to hear it directly from someone who struggles with certain foods and it gave us some hope that soon our son will experiment and try new foods to grow his safe list.
I learned a lot about not only my kids’, but also my own sensory profile. Really great resource for families.
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Proudly serving families across all of British Columbia.

Our commitment extends beyond treating feeding challenges, aiming to empower both children and parents with the tools and knowledge to create a lasting foundation for a lifetime of healthy and enjoyable eating experiences.