Mel's Story

Mel graduated from the Australian Catholic University in 2002 with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science. After pursuing a career as an exercise physiologist and working with elite sporting teams both nationally and internationally, Mel continued her education and shifted her focus to occupational therapy. Mel graduated from the University of Sydney in 2009 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy), moving into the paediatric field. Mel has worked across a variety of settings including schools, the community and private practice and has also volunteered her time and knowledge as an occupational therapist to support staff and volunteers within a Romanian orphanage. Mel works from a relationship based, trauma informed lens with a focus on connection, movement, and breath work to support children and their family’s overall sense of safety and security within their connection to themselves, others, and the environment. Education, parent coaching and collaborative problem solving are integral elements of her treatment philosophy to empower children and their caregivers to connect, grow and thrive.    

Over the years, Mel has completed the following training:

• Getting Kids In Sync,” by Genevieve Jereb

• Building Blocks for Sensory Integration Course by Sheila Frick

• The Alert Program for Self Regulation” by Carla Cay Williams.

• Sensory Defensiveness (Therapressure© Brushing Protocol) by Patricia and Julia Wilbarger

• Focus on Treatment workshop by Sheila Frick

• Therapeutic Listening© by Sheila Frick

• Advanced Therapeutic Listening© by Sheila Frick

• Shifting Gears: Sound and Movement Strategies for Sensory Processing Dysfunction by Sheila Frick 

• Clinical Dialogues with Mary Kawar

• Astronaut Training: A sound Activated Vestibular – Visual Protocol by Mary Kawar and Sheila Frick 

• Innovations for Maximising the Power of Suspension Equipment by Sheila Frick and Mary Kawar 

• Rough and Tumble Play by Sheila Frick and Julia Wilbarger

• Interactive Metronome Certification course

• Camp Jabiru Symposium 

• Picky Eaters Vs Problem Feeders: The SOS Approach to Feeding by Kay Toomey

• Makaton Basic Workshop

• STEP-SI” Clinical Reasoning presented by Tracy Stackhouse

• The SpIRiT of Paediatrics Occupational Therapy by Tracy Stackhouse

• Social Thinking by Michelle Garcia Winner and Pamela Crooke

• NDT from Head to Toe” by Lezlie Adler and Kate Bain

• Kinesiotaping fundamentals and Advanced (KT1 and KT2) by Thuy Bridges

• Infant Development: What’s Essential by The Australian Bobath Neuro-Developmental Therapy Association

• Understanding Normal Movement for Paediatric Therapists by The Australian Bobath Neuro-Developmental Therapy Association

• Anatomy Trains: Fascia in 4D by Tom Myres and Ian O-Dwyer

• Introduction to soft tissue OT by Roisin Sullivan

• DIR/Flooring Approach by Georgina Ahrens

• The Play Project by Rick Solomon

• The Action is in the Interaction by Mari Caulfield and Kathy Walmsley

• A view from the Floor by Beth Beth Osten & Chithra Kathiresan. 

• Theraplay Level 1 and MIM 

• Tomatis Level 1 Practitioner Training Course

• Sensory Processing and the Brain: Using Neuroscience to support clinical reasoning by Shelly Lane 

• Psycho Sensory Processing Intervention by Kim Barthel

• Decoding Autism - From understanding neurobiology to choosing intervention strategies by Kim Barthel

• Advanced Clinical Thinking by Tal Baz and Gill Foley

• Mood and Self Regulation Challenges: Aggression Tantrums and Learning by Ira Glovinsky

• The Neurobiology of Trauma by Grant Sinnamon

• Study Group with the Masters

• The Body Keeps the Score: Trauma, Attachment and Neuroscience by Bessel van der Kolk

• Rhythm of Regulation: Foundations of Polyvagal Informed Practice by Deb Dana

• Neurobiology Matters by Kim Barthel 

• Currently completing the Self-Reg Full Foundation Certificate Program: by Stuart Shanker