Ive always had a passion for horses and working with people. I have grown up on this property since I was born and have been lucky enough to be immersed by the love of horses on our farm from a very young age. 

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Horses have always had a huge role in our family - learning to ride at the age of two and using our horses to play a horse sport called Polocrosse for over 11 years.

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In the midst of this I studied a Bachelor of Teaching in both Early Childhood (0-5yrs) and Primary School Teaching . In 2016 I graduated University of Newcastle and I am a qualified Early Childhood and Primary School Teacher. My love for teaching sent me globally to teach around the world as well as in Australia for around 5 years. Along the way I showed an interest in assisting people with additional needs and I continued to explore this passion by completing and graduating with a Masters in Behaviourism. I have now found myself taking a step back from the education system and spending my time working as a Behaviour Specialist, assisting children and adults of all ages reducing any restrictions and in improving their quality of life.

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In 2021 decided to merge my passions and qualifications together. I went on to complete an equine assisted learning course and now combining my expertise and credentials to deliver Animal Assisted Learning and Therapy here at Influential Equine Therapy. 

In 2015, I graduated with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) from the University of Newcastle. Prior to becoming an Occupational Therapist I worked with children aged 0-5 and completed my Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.

Subsequent to the completion of my studies I specialised in Rehabilitation in both the Mainstream and Geriatric setting. From stroke rehab, acquired brain injury, spinal, knee and hip fracture rehabilitation after a fall, injury or accident or cognitive rehab for people living with dementia, a head injury or Parkinson's disease.

Through my experience working with children and adolescence I have supported children and their families with ASD, ADHD, Sensory Processing challenges, Global developmental delays, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular dystrophy and Mental Health disorders. I enjoy assisting children to work on meeting their goals in an enjoyable and meaningful way, keeping them engaged and having fun. I love nothing more than children or adolescence leaving my sessions with a smile on their face and feeling proud of themselves. I am passionate about being a positive advocate for the children I support, their families and offering my support in the home, school and community environment. 

I am a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist (C.P.S.P.) and a member of Speech Pathology Australia. I graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) from the University of Newcastle. 

 

I am passionate about working with children and adults in the context of their families and in the community. I have experience working with children and adults of different ages, diagnoses and cultural backgrounds. 

 

I have a particular interest in the area of early language development, speech sound development, and autism spectrum disorder and am committed to creating a fun and personalised therapy environment. I understand how busy life is with young children and am passionate about empowering families to ensure therapy and goals are functional and applicable to life outside the therapy session. 

 

Certificates/PD

⁃ DIR 101: An Introduction to DIR and DIRFloortime

⁃ HLTSS00008 Audiometry Screening and Assessment Program

- Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Different Way of Thinking, Learning and Managing Emotions with Dr Tony Attwood 

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Growing up with horses, I am looking forward to merging my two passions together to support my client’s communication goals.

I am a certified Counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and a registered Behaviour Practitioner with the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission. Equine Assisted Counselling has provided me with the opportunity to merge my passion for horses, my enthusiasm for supporting others and my love of family together as a career. In 2020 I joined the Influential Equine team after completing my studies in counselling, alongside supporting NDIS participants as a Behaviour Practitioner. At the time, Influential Equine was a passion project of one, built by my sister and the Director of Influential Equine Therapy, Laura. Being able to work alongside my sister and continue to weave our passions and family values into our careers has been a rewarding journey I am grateful of each day.

 

I grew up on our beautiful Ourimbah property riding horses from the age of two and playing a sport called Polocrosse from childhood into early adulthood. I have now shifted my horse knowledge and experience into spending my time supporting and empowering others to work towards their goals through the power of our partners and teachers (our horses).

I graduated from the University Of Newcastle in 1993 with a Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational Therapy). Since then, my journey has been marked by a commitment to my clients and to providing compassionate and effective care. With 30 years’ experience as an Occupational Therapist, Ive dedicated my career to helping individuals achieve their goals and improve their quality of life.

 

As an avid horse lover who grew up on the Central Coast, I enjoyed taking my horse on trail rides as a way to explore our beautiful natural environment. I continue to value the lessons that can be learned by working with and caring for horses and I believe in the profound impact that human- animal interactions can have.

 

In my current role as a member of a specialised Equine Assisted Learning and therapy team, I am excited to demonstrate how incorporating animals into therapy can benefit individuals with various physical, emotional, sensory and cognitive challenges.

 

During my career, I've worked both in Australia and in the United States with a diverse range of people throughout various stages of the lifespan. I have experience with a broad spectrum of diagnoses including neurological disorders, developmental disabilities and mental health conditions.

 

My holistic, person-centred approach aims to respect participant’s strengths and provide personalised interventions tailored to their specific needs and goals.