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Calling all 6-9year old fussy eaters! Come join in our Christmas cooking lessons with Sam, our Dietitian, to explore nutrition and learn about why our bodies and brains need certain foods, learn food preparation skills, and have some hands-on fun exploring a variety of nutritious foods. Tune-in to your tastebuds for a Christmas themed sensory adventure!

Enrolments open Friday 29th November. 

Contact us at [email protected] for more information. 

Occupational Therapist 

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays

Meet Katrina!

Katrina is a mother to three young children, the founder of Sense OT, and Senior Paediatric Occupational Therapist. 

Katrina completed her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy in 2008. A dream in the making to become a Paediatric OT since she was 14 years old! 

Over the past 16+ years Katrina has worked in a combination of private practice and non-for-profit disability agencies, both nationally and internationally, joining the journeys of hundreds of young children (0-18 years) and their families. 

Prior to graduating from La Trobe University, Katrina worked for various paediatric disability agencies as a personal carer and recreational/respite program leader.  

Since graduating, Katrina's Melbourne-based OT roles have included: Developmental Playgroup Facilitator and Coordinator, Private Therapist, Early Childhood Intervention Key Worker, and Disability Inclusion Support Consultant. In 2011 Katrina ventured overseas chasing her working-abroad lived-experiences in Canada as she secured a Case Manager and OT liaison role at Children's Autism Services of Edmonton, then moving into a Consultant role within the Edmonton Public School Board supporting inclusive education throughout rural Alberta, Canada, before returning home in 2012. 

In 2021 Katrina joined Monash University in a part-time role as an OT Teaching Associate, supervising 3rd and 4th year OT Students in their clinical placements. 

Sense OT was established in 2021!

Katrina strives to provide a friendly, approachable, and professional service for her clients, and is passionate about helping families and educators better-understand each child's unique sensory and learning profile, with intention to support optimal inclusion for each young person in their homes and learning environments. 

Katrina’s professional development and interest areas have seen her participate in the following learnings:

• Neurodiverse-affirming practice (Learn Play Thrive)
• Supporting clients with a PDA profile
• ADHD/ASD Inclusive Classrooms
• DIR Floortime (Stanley Greenspan)
• Sensory Processing & Emotional Regulation (Winnie Dunn, Genevieve Jereb, Lisa Scott, Suzanne Wakefield, Tina Champagne)
• Handwriting and Fine Motor
• Interoception (Kelly Mahler)
• Zones of Regulation (Leah Kuypers)
• Social Thinking (Michelle Garcia Winner)
• Positive Behaviour Support
• Mental Health Professionals Network: Paediatric Special Interest (Autism) and Engaging Parents of School Aged Children
• Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention, Family Centred & Strength Based Practice, Inclusive Learning
• Making Sense of Mealtimes: Engaging Your Senses (Gillian Griffiths & Dr. Denise Stapleton)
• Autism & ADHD Conferences: Edmonton 5th Annual Conference (Winnie Dunn, Emily Rubin), Asia Pacific Autism Conference, Brisbane QLD, ADHD Conference VIC.
• Paediatric First Aid and CPR 2024

Occupational Therapist 

Wednesdays & Fridays

Meet Mel!

 Mel is an experienced Occupational Therapist of 14 years and graduated with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy from Monash University in 2009. Since then, Mel has worked in a variety of roles primarily in public health across acute, subacute and community. Mel brings her friendly, patient, and professional attributes to her clients and their families and we are thrilled to have her join us at Sense OT.

 Mel is also a mum to two young kids and understands the demands and joy that motherhood brings. In her spare time Mel enjoys spending time with her family, walks on the beach, catching up with friends and bike riding. Mel is also a Kingston local and knows the unique environment it offers families. 

Mel’s special interest areas:

• Occupational therapy assessment and analysis including Functional Capacity Assessment
• Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus (PANDAS)/Paediatric Acute onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)
• Positive parenting strategies: “The Whole Brain Child” Dr Dan Siegal and Tina Payne Bryson, “Circle of Security” Glen Cooper, Kent Hoffman and Bert Powell and “Discipline without Damage” Dr Vanessa Lapointe

October 2024 - Mel is currently taking bookings for adult and paediatric Functional Capacity Assessments. 

Sleep Consultant

 Fridays & Weeknights 

Meet Jess!

We are so lucky to have Jess on board with us at Sense OT this July onwards. Jess is an experienced Sleep Consultant who has been supporting hundreds of families across Australia for 4 years now. Jess is very passionate about the topic of sleep and has completed the Sleep With Disability course. She enjoys keeping up to date with latest research within the paediatric sleep realm. Alongside this, Jess is a paediatric nurse who has worked across a range of settings including acute, rehabilitation, practice nurse within a GP clinic, and more recently has spent the past 5 years supporting children with disabilities within the school-system. 

Outside of these roles Jess is a mum to her three children.

Jess is friendly, easy to talk to, and prides herself on her ability to join families to support their sleep goals, working at the unique pace each family-unit requires, one step at a time towards improved sleep for all. Jess works closely with caregivers to address a wide variety of sleep-related issues impacting the well-being and development of infants and toddlers up to adolescents. We value Jess’s holistic approach, and we are sure you will too. 

OCTOBER 2024 - Jess is currently taking initial consultations. Initial consults are available Fridays, then after hours weekday follow-up appointments will be scheduled directly with Jess via appointment only.

Dietitian

 Mondays & Wednesdays

Meet Sam!

 Sam joins us as an Accredited Practicing Dietitian, graduating with her Master of Dietetics from Deakin University in 2022.

Since then, Sam has developed a keen interest within the paediatric field and invests her career developments toward her special interests in evidence-based feeding therapy, taking a hands-on approach that involves food exploration through food-play and cooking to help fussy or restrictive eaters increase their food repertoire and improve their overall nutrition. Sam is also passionate about supporting families to make mealtimes less stressful and more enjoyable to facilitate positive mealtimes as well as healthy eating routines.

Sam values a holistic approach to nutrition, believing that all foods fit, and that small, realistic changes are key to sustainable, lifelong good nutrition.

Sam has completed further studies in paediatric nutrition through the RCH Certificate in Paediatric Nutrition & Dietetics and has trained in the AEIOU approach to feeding which prioritises autonomy and independence at mealtimes.

Outside of her role, you'll find Sam spending time with her dog (Nola), completing another arts/crafts project or gaming!

Come and meet Sam! She is friendly, easy for talk to, passionate and professional. Welcome to the team Sam, we are thrilled to have you on board at Sense OT. 

October 2024 - Sam is currently taking initial consultations for our existing families, as well as new paediatric intakes. To book an appointment with Sam, please contact out team at [email protected] today. 

Allied Health Assistant-OT

Mondays, Thursdays & Fridays

Meet Josie!

Josie joins us with a wealth of professional and life experience as she completed her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy in 2010 in Chile, South America, her home country. Josie's clinical profession saw her supporting children and adults in hospital, community, and education settings. For the past 5 years, since moving to Australia, Josie has been studying English and working in various disability support roles with children and adults with a variety of occupational support needs. Josie will join us at Sense OT in a senior Allied Health Assistant position supporting our clients' occupational goals, while continuing working toward her goal of having her OT qualifications transferred to Australia - lucky us!! Josie will assist some of Katrina's clients by implementing OT-goal focused session plans with your child in their homes, education settings, or at our clinic. 

Josie is passionate about mental health and well-being for all ages, supporting strong safe relationships for our clients to support developing emotional regulation strategies for optimal engagement and enjoyment in childhood play, learning and self-care skills. Josie shares an interest in human rights and diversity-inclusion.  

Josie loves venturing local parks and beaches with her young family, and she enjoys being creative with a wide range of art and crafts, as well as recycling and horticulture. 

Josie’s professional development and interest areas have seen her participate in the following learnings:

• ADHD/ASD Inclusive Classrooms
• Intersectoral working and social participation in mental health
• Dialectical behaviour therapy, DBT (a form of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy)
• Family centered Health Promotion
• Bach flowers therapy (Complementary therapy)

We very much look forward to having Josie on board with us at Sense OT!!

Education Specialist 

By appointment only

Meet Chad!

Chad graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in Physical Education and Biological Sciences with Honours First Class at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. 

Chad furthered his studies at the University of Melbourne, completing his Master of Instructional Leadership in 2018. Chad's early years in teaching saw him working in diverse settings, including both the public and independent sectors, with experiences in classrooms as well as physical education. Here, he took a special interest in adaptive, positive, and inclusive teaching strategies.

Chad manages a team of emerging and established Education Specialists. His role includes coaching and upskilling his team's knowledge and application of therapeutic teaching strategies, with a focus on safety within learning, as well as inclusion.  Chad's teaching and leadership roles within schools has included both forensic health and youth justice facilities, as well as mainstream education settings. Chad has managed a state-funded program delivering safe approaches and strategies essential for children living in out-of-home care, returning to their education setting. Chad works closely with external youth supports including Department of Families, Fairness, and Housing. 

Chad's role at Sense OT includes leadership and operations support, as well as active consultation for professional development to our therapy team. Chad is an integral behind-the-scenes support for our team and our clients.

Chad's professional development and interests have seen him participate in: 

• Positive Psychology within schools
• Trauma Informed Practice within schools
• Neuroscience and childhood development 
• Inclusive and Safe classroom structures 
• Therapeutic teaching and calm classrooms 
• Quality engagement and teaching strategies 
• Physical Education and wellbeing
• Instructional Leadership
• Leadership coaching and supervision
• Motivational interviewing