Pediatric Occupational Therapists

Clare is Happy Chatter’s Senior Pediatric Occupational Therapist and our Occupational Therapy Team Lead. She is a certified practicing Occupational Therapist with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia and registered with APHRA. Clare graduated from La Trobe University in 2016 after completing her Master of Occupational Therapy. Since graduation, Clare has worked in a range of settings including the community setting, private practice, and working overseas at a camp for children with disabilities.

Clare works with a wide range of clients from the ages of 1 up until young adults. She completes 1:1 therapy sessions, non-face-to-face parent support, and group therapy. She is also the clinical supervisor for the Allied Heath Assistants (OT) at Happy Chatter. Her additional skills and training includes: 

• CO-OP Training – Cognitive Orientations to Occupational Performance
• Traffic Jam in my brain by Sensory Tools
• Supporting People with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families
• Social thinking concepts using the We Thinkers Social Thinking program by Michelle Garcia
• The complex intersection of ADHD, Sensory Processing and Dysgraphia: Assessment and Intervention
• From Sensory Processing to Executive Functioning – Le Roux Academy
• DIR/Floortime – ICDL
• Principles of Assessment and Intervention Occupational Therapy for Children

Clare is always up for trying something new, and also enjoys staying home with her latest craft project. Clare likes to see the positive side of things and aims for herself and those around her to live life at its best.   

Emily is enthusiastic about early intervention, specifically seeing children develop and reach their personal goals. Emily utilises play-based pediatric OP therapy through games, pretend play, and crafts, whilst targeting goals. She has experience working with children in schools, the community and private practice. Her caseload includes children and adolescents aged 2-18 years, many with children with diagnoses of ASD, ADHD, intellectual disability, and/or developmental delays.

She works with children to develop their social skills, fine and gross motor skills, handwriting, emotional regulation, sensory processing, self-care skills and executive functioning. Her additional training includes:

• Social thinking concepts using the We Thinkers social thinking curriculum.
• Emotional regulation through the Zones of Regulation program.
• Certificate in Trauma Informed Practice.
• Sensory processing through the Traffic Jam in My Brain course by Genevive Jereb.

Outside of work, you will find Emily in a dance studio or performing on stage in dance concerts. Emily also enjoys spending time at home with her family, friends and pets. She loves a warm and cosy day on the couch cuddling with her cats!

Chey is a certified practicing Occupational Therapist with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia and AHPRA. Chey graduated from Australian Catholic University in 2021 after completing her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy. Since graduation, Chey has worked in a range of settings including the community setting, private practice and specialist education settings.

Chey works with a wide range of clients and is passionate about supporting early intervention through a play-based approach to therapy. Chey has experience supporting children with backgrounds of ASD, ADHD, intellectual disability, and/or developmental delay. Her additional skills and training include:

• Hartley Knows How To Write Level 1 – Handwriting program
• Traffic Jam in my Brain by Sensory Tools
• DIR/Floortime 101 – ICDL
• Talking Toileting – OTA
• SleepAbility – OTA
• Understanding Child Development 0-5 years – OTA

Outside of work, you will find Chey relaxing reading a book or attempting a new baking/cooking recipe. Chey also enjoys spending time with her friends and family and finding new places for a weekend or day trip.

Katherine is a certified practicing Occupational Therapist, registered with AHPRA and a member of the Australian professional association. Katherine graduated from a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and since then has spent a decade in aged care homes and found her niche in dementia care.

Katherine decided to take a leap of faith and go into paediatrics earlier this year. Which she believes isn’t as different as you would first think! She enjoys working with families to make a positive difference in their daily lives and likes to encourage brightness in all her clients. She brings a massive smile to the clinic every day and feels extremely lucky to watch the progress of each client. Katherine always expresses how proud she is of client’s accomplishments big or small.

When she is not in the clinic, Katherine, mother of 2 boys, enjoys spending time with her family, playing board games, and watching musical theatre. Her little boys definitely keep her busy with playdates and birthday parties, however, in any spare moment she loves to snack on her favourite food, cheese!