+ Which suburbs do you service for home visits?

Western suburbs of Brisbane including Kenmore and surrounds such as (but not limited to) Moggill, Pullenvale, Brookfield, Indooroopilly, Graceville, Taringa, Oxley, Toowong and Centenary suburbs. Travel is available to greater Brisbane suburbs but is charged at the hourly rate of the session.

+ How much does it cost?

Sessions are charged at $195 per hour, or $193.99 for NDIS clients.

Travel for home visits outside of Kenmore and surrounding suburbs is charged at the hourly rate of the session.

Reports - standard reports and progress updates are charged at the same hourly rate.

Medicare clients with a referral under Better Access to Mental Health or Chronic Disease Care Plan can receive a rebate for sessions. A GP referral is required.

+ Do I need referral?

No, if you are a private client, you do not need a referral. If you want to claim a rebate under the Chronic Disease Management Plan (provides 5 sessions per calendar year), or Better Access to Mental Health (10 sessions per year), you will need a GP referral prior to your first session.

+ Information for referrers?

I can take Medicare referrals under Better Access to Mental Health (I am an endorsed Occupational Therapist under this scheme) as well as the Chronic Disease Management Plan. The rebate under Better Access is currently approx $85.20 per session, and under Chronic Disease is approx. $60.35.

+ What types of clients do you commonly see?

Neurodivergent adolescents and adults with autism, ADHD and developmental conditions, people with mild to moderate intellectual disability, co-occurring mental health and physical health conditions.

+ Do you see people with mental health conditions?

Natalie often sees people who have co-occuring mental health conditions, especially in relation to Autism and ADHD and is endorsed to provide focused psychological strategies under Better Access to Mental Health. Natalie does not see people for treatment of a primary diagnosis of acute psychotic disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and OCD .

+ What recent professional development has Natalie undertaken?

• Reframing Autism Summit - June 2024
• Driving and Neurodiversity OTA - Feb 2024
• Allens Cognitive Levels - June 2024
• Generative AI in OT practice - July 2024
• Creating Inclusive Environments Masterclass - Feb 2024
• Bathing Solutions webinar - Feb 2024
• Best Practices for Interoception Based Supports - Jan 2024
• OT Australia Mental Health Modules - Jan 2024
• Autism at Work Summit - 2022, 2023
• Advanced Occupational Performance Coaching May 2023
• Supporting Autistic People with Eating Disorders and ARFID seminar 2023
• OT Practice in Building Better Routines - Muriel Cummins, March 2023
• Toileting, Interoception and Nutrition - Kelly Mahler, Aug 2023
• Interoception through the Lens of an Autist Adult - Sep 2023
• Specialist Disability Housing - OT Roles and Responsibilities - Jane Galvin - July 2023
• 3-Steps to Improving Interoception - An Evidence-based Approach - Kelly Mahler
• Interoception Through the Lens of an Autistic Adult - Kelly Mahler
• Advanced Sensory Processing - Verve OT
• Emotional Regulation - Verve OT
• Autistic Flourishing Seminar - 2022
• Specialist Disability Accommodation 101 & 201 - Jane Galvin
• Occupational Performance Coaching - Assoc Prof Melissa Nott
• Functional Assessment & Psychosocial Disability - Muriel Cummins
• Suicide Prevention Summit, Mental Health Academy - 2022
• Autism and Mental Health, Autism Qld - April 2022
• Mental Health of Adolescents - William Lambert
• Sensory Processing Approaches - OT Australia
• NDIS and AT, OT Australia forum
• Executive Function and Dysfunction - Dr Chris Chapparo
• Allied Health Report Writing and NDIS - DSC
• Managing Risk In Assistive Technology OTA - May 2022
• Australian OT Paediatric OT Virtual Conference
• Mental Health, Pschosocial Disability & NDIS - Muriel Cummins
• Assistance Dogs and the NDIS - Verve OT
• Is My Young Adult Ready for Driving - Driver Rehab Institute
• Better NDIS Conversations - DSC
• Social Emotional Learning - Nicole Quint OTCEU
• Life Skills Profile Training - AMHCON
• Meeting the Needs of Autistic Adults - OTCEU
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment Training - Moca
• OT Australia Telehealth Summit
• Supported Independent Living and Independent Living Options Seminar - Verve OT
• OT Australia Introduction to Functional Assessment
• Making the Most of the Adult Sensory Profile - Pearson
• Paediatric MAT Assessment Made Easy - Sunrise Training
• Handwriting and Co-op Approach - Co-op Academy

+ How do you support neuro-divergent clients in your practice?

Natalie aims to provide neurodiversity-affirming practice, but is still learning from her clients! Natalie appreciates and celebrates neurodiversity, and hopes this shines through in her approach to her work and clients. She works in a highly person-centred way, and is flexible in how she interacts with clients, meeting them at locations that suit them when possible, and allowing for varying ways of delivering sessions (timing, length, pace, breaks, animals, outdoors, sensory tools, varying locations). Communication is supported by asking clients about what works best for them - for example, sometimes people prefer to write responses, or prefer telehealth, or may need more information before sessions such as photos or questions ahead of time, or may need additional processing time and visual supports. Reports are written in a non-stigmatising way, using identity-first language. Our clinic space has options for being flexible in the need for additional space, sensory supports, or the outdoors (weather and privacy allowing).

+ Do you provide treatment sessions for children?

Yes, individual treatment sessions for children are provided, however Natalie focuses on parent coaching and support to enable parents to implement strategies within their daily routines. Home visits and school visits are provided to see the child in context, and enable and support those who are supporting the child.

+ Do you see NDIS participants?

Yes, Natalie sees plan managed or self-managed clients, but is not an NDIS- registered provider. NDIS client referrals will be screened on an individual basis. Natalie can see clients for functional assessments and treatment, and has experience in writing Functional Capacity Assessment reports, SDA and SIL reports, reports for NDIS access or reviews to support client's goal-setting for planning meetings and reviews. Parent consults for children with developmental issues may be able to be provided under 'capacity building' funding.

+ How do your parent consults work?

As a parent of neuro-divergent children, as well as an occupational therapist, I believe that parents, with support, are best-placed to bring change in their children's lives. Parents hold the keys to understanding their child and implementing the day to day strategies that will help their child.

I use an Occupational Performance Coaching approach to help parents identify what is most important and then we collaborate to identify specific goals and strategies that are do-able for your child and family. I help parents consider the person in context, considering their skills, the task requirements and the environmental context.

Things I can help with include identifying strengths as well as areas to work on, setting goals as a family, adapting parenting, building home routines, addressing skill deficits, using the child's natural motivation, dealing with transitions, building self-esteem and connection, finding a support network, securing and using funding, helping with advocacy at home and school and putting in place strategies that work for the child and family.

I aim to consult, coach and collaborate so that parents are empowered to raise neuro-diverse children and families can thrive.

+ What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapists (OT's) are qualified health professionals who are uniquely placed to understand human functioning, illness, disability and the impact of these on a person's life. OT's are trained in human biology and neurology, mental health and paediatrics, and have expertise in understanding how these conditions specifically relate to function and may impact everyday life. Occupational Therapists are trained to use 'occupation' to help people develop, recover, improve and maintain the skills for daily living, health, wellness and happiness. Occupational Therapists may work to help you maintain function so you can continue to live independently, regain skills after an illness or injury or develop new skills when illness, disability, learning or health problems interfere.

+ What experience does Natalie have?

Natalie graduated from the University of Queensland in 1998 with honours and has worked as an Occupational Therapist ever since. Her career has included working in major tertiary teaching hospitals in Australia and England in specialist areas such as spinal cord injury rehabilitation and neurology, as well as in community services providing home based rehab, home modifications and equipment prescription. She has worked in Clinical Team Leader positions at Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital and Salisbury Spinal Injuries Unit (UK), and established the paediatric service to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford, England. She has worked at Autism Queensland in the school and outreach team, as well as working with neurodivergent teens and adults in her private practice in more recent years. In addition to clinical work, Natalie has also worked in strategic health service planning for Queensland Health.

Natalie's current private practice focus is on helping people with disabilities, especially those with diagnoses of autism, ADHD and intellectual disability. Natalie has lived experience of autism and ADHD and has been working specifically with autistic people since 2017 and this includes at a flagship statewide autism outreach team and school, as well as in private practice in the community. Her background in physical health rehabilitation and as a mental health provider is well-suited to this client group's co-occurring physical health and mental health conditions. She is also an endorsed mental health provider under Better Access to Mental Health.

Natalie also has high level report writing skills and an understanding of broader health systems and services. She has had Clinical Educator roles with Qld Health as well as worked in strategic planning for Qld Health and been involved in the writing and development of statewide health service plans. In the NDIS space she has experience writing successful SDA and SIL reports, reports for AAT as well as doing independent assessor reports for the NDIA, along with regular Functional Capacity Assessments.

+ Do you provide clinical supervision?

Natalie provides clinical mentoring for other occupational therapists seeking to increase their skills and capacity to work with neurodivergent clients. Mentoring involves the development of a supportive, caring relationship with the Mentee and the sharing of professional knowledge, skills and experiences in order to develop and enhance the knowledge, skills and confidence of the Mentee. Mentoring is distinct from clinical supervision, in that in the provision of mentoring there is no performance evaluation and the Mentor takes no responsibility for the competency of the Mentee. Mentoring enables the possibility of 'big picture' conversations, where the Mentee can reflect on personal and professional goals. It also enables teaching and the transfer of skills, resources, insights and the linking of theory to practice.

Natalie works in a flexible and non-authoritarian way, and aims to offer guidance, support and encouragement. Her mentoring offers a career function in that she aims to expose Mentees to new professional arenas and provide resources and knowledge, as well as providing a psychosocial function of cultivating competency, motivation, confidence and reducing professional isolation and burnout.

+ Where is the clinic location?

Located at 8 Bejimba St, Kenmore. Easy, on street parking and welcoming, relaxed setting.