Get to know our practitioners

May is driven by a firm belief in the unique strength of each child and their innate capacity to make a meaningful contribution to the world. She holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and is a registered early childhood teacher. With extensive experience in special schools and behavioural therapy settings, May integrates her formal training with hands-on expertise to create enriching learning experiences.
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Her approach is rooted in evidence-based practices, incorporating play-based interventions tailored to each child’s individual needs. By blending empathy, creativity, and a deep understanding of child development, she fosters an environment where children feel supported, empowered, and engaged. May is passionate about helping children build confidence, independence, and essential life skills, ensuring they reach their full potential in a way that is both meaningful and joyful.

Desmond completed a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at Deakin University. He is committed to help children with autism spectrum disorder and other neuro-developmental conditions achieve a fulfilling, meaningful, and independent life.Desmond employs a neuro-affirming, strengths-based, and family-centered approach working with children. He is dedicated in creating a fun, nurturing and universal learning environment for all children. Outside of his professional life, Desmond loves hiking, camping, rock climbing, gaming, and cooking.

Melissa has dedicated her career to fostering the growth and development of children and young adults from 12months to 21 years old. Her professional journey has taken her through working in early childhood education and kindergarten settings, right through to providing disability support and psychosocial recovery coaching within the NDIS landscape to young adults and children.
Melissa has experience working with children who have a diagnosis of  Autism, ADHD, Intellectual Disability, Global Developmental Delays and Pathological Demand Avoidance. She enjoys working within the community by attending a child's home, school or other community setting.  Melissa is passionate in providing family-centred care which includes working alongside the family and providing education and training to ensure best outcomes for the child. Melissa has completed additional training in toileting and continence issues in young children and sensory approaches within clinical occupational therapy practice. Melissa is passionate about lifelong learning and continues to expand her repertoire of skills with regular professional training inorder to ensure her commitment to improving the lives of children and families

Julian is a dedicated Paediatric Occupational Therapist with over five years of experience, committed to a client-centred approach that fosters meaningful progress. Her practice is grounded in the DIR (Developmental, Individual-differences, Relationship-based) model, ensuring that therapy is tailored to each child’s unique strengths, challenges, and developmental journey.  Julian works closely with children and their families in natural settings, empowering them to take an active role in the therapeutic process. She believes that strong, trusting relationships are the foundation of effective therapy, creating a supportive environment where children feel safe to explore, grow, and develop new skills.Through play-based and creative interventions, Julian integrates evidence-based strategies to help children build essential skills for daily life, including sensory processing, emotional regulation, fine and gross motor development, and social engagement.

Louisa is a dedicated and experienced Speech Pathologist, who graduated in 2018 with a Master’s degree in Speech Pathology. Since 2019, Louisa has been working within the school system, demonstrating exceptional skills in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as a means of enabling children who are unable to speak to communicate effectively. She has extensive experience working with children diagnosed with Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Cerebral Palsy, and other motor conditions. Louisa is PODD-trained and adept with a variety of high-tech communication systems and access methods. Passionate about child-led and play-based therapy, Louisa loves seeing children grow and become the best communicators they can be.

Gauri brings extensive experience in child mental health, holding a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from India. She furthered her education with a Master of Counselling and Mental Health and is a registered member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). Gauri specialises in identifying specific learning disorders and utilises a combination of creative, expressive, and play-based approaches, alongside evidence-based therapies. Gauri's passion lies in working with children, and she views building and maintaining a trusting, enjoyable, and secure connection with each child as essential to her work. She believes that fostering this connection creates a positive environment where children can thrive and reach their full potential.

Ana is a passionate and dedicated registered dietitian who recently graduated with a degree in Dietetics. She has a particular interest in developmental conditions which may affect feeding and nutrition adequacy, such as Autism, ADHD and sensory processing differences. Utilising Ellyn Satter's Feeding Dynamics Model and providing a compassionate non-judgemental space, Ana aims to make mealtime a positive experience for children and to support parents in navigating dietary concerns.Embracing neurodiversity is central to Ana's practice. She believes in the importance of personalised nutrition care that respects and responds to the needs of children with different flavours of neurodivergence. Ana is dedicated to creating inclusive, fun and supportive environments that empower all children to explore and feel confident around food.Since the completion of degree, Ana has engaged in further professional development in the area of paediatrics including: ASCIA Food Allergy e-training for professionals, AEIOU: An Integrated Approach to Paediatric Feeding & The Monash university low FODMAP Diet for IBS.

Nikki is a PACFA-Registered, Certified Art Therapist, with affiliations to ANZACATA. She has extensive experience supporting children facing a variety of developmental and behavioural challenges, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Down Syndrome (DS), and Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). With a focus on disability and inclusion support, Nikki advocates for children to ensure they have equal opportunities for growth, development, and participation.Blending her understanding of psychotherapy and psychological principles with her passion for creative therapies, Nikki fosters emotional, cognitive, and developmental progress through creative processes. Through individual art therapy interventions, she works to enhance resilience and overall wellbeing, while collaborating closely with families and multidisciplinary teams to provide holistic, child-centred care. Nikki is dedicated to making a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of children and their families, and is committed to helping them thrive.

Jazzy is a passionate educator with a diverse background in special education, disability support, art therapy, youth work, and community services. Dedicated to helping others, Jazzy is committed to creating inclusive and supportive learning environments. She enjoys working with children and young people to support their goals. Jazzy holds a Bachelor of Education and is a registered teacher. She also has additional qualifications in art therapy, health administration, disability and youth work and is currently undertaking further training in the vocational education sector. Jazzy believes in the powers of inclusion and ensuring that no child is left behind. She works tirelessly to advocate and support those she works with to access the best care they can in order to grow.

Zainab is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Speech Pathology at Latrobe University. She is deeply passionate about learning and committed to accompanying young children on their therapeutic journeys, where she translates her classroom knowledge into practical sessions. Zainab's greatest aspiration is to positively impact children's lives through precise therapeutic interventions that are custom-tailored to meet their individual needs.