Occupational Therapy For Improved Daily Living In Newcastle, NSW

Our occupational therapists assist children in multiple areas and work closely with our Nest psychologists to provide the most well-rounded care we can.

Occupational Therapy Newcastle

An Occupational Therapy Team With Your Best Interests At Heart

At Nest Health Hub we take a client-centred approach to occupational therapy for young people including children and adolescents. Our occupational therapists focus on supporting children and adolescents in areas including anxiety, trauma, behavioural difficulties, sleep difficulties, sensory processing and more. In doing so, we aim to help young people go about their daily lives with as much confidence and ease as possible.

Mental health and behavioural difficulties can significantly impact a person’s life, and for children and adolescents already dealing with changes in their lives, these challenges can feel even more difficult to navigate. Our occupational therapists understand this time in a young person’s life and work closely with them to provide additional support wherever it is needed.

Your child may benefit from seeing an occupational therapist if they have difficulty performing everyday tasks that their peers are generally able to do. This can be due to one or multiple reasons including physical, emotional, or mental health issues, developmental delays, or intellectual disabilities. Regardless of the reason your child is here to see us, we see them as the individual they are and work closely with your child’s Nest psychologist to create the most holistic approach to their health and wellbeing as possible.

Meet The Team

Our occupational therapy team includes our Director, Rhiannon Pilgrim. Rhiannon prides herself on her advocacy for children and giving them equal opportunity to live their lives well and participate in daily activities. She is especially interested in play therapy, helping children to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves while feeling secure and learning new skills.

Also on our occupational therapy team are mental health occupational therapists Claire Bathgate, Bronwen Micallef, and Ally Schmidt. Our team works alongside parents and family members to support the children and young people in their lives, helping to enrich a child’s life  by developing meaningful engagement.

This team of health professionals is dedicated to helping provide foundations for young people in their daily lives. Through their work they help children and adolescents develop confidence and increase their self-esteem, social skills, and improve their day-to-day general wellbeing.

  • Rhiannon Pilgrim

    Rhiannon Pilgrim

    Director

    Rhiannon prides herself on her advocacy for children and giving them equal opportunity to live their lives well and participate in daily activities. She is especially interested in play therapy, helping children to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves while feeling secure and learning new skills.

  • Claire Bathgate

    Claire Bathgate

    Mental Health Occupational Therapist

    Claire loves supporting children and their families and finding creative ways to help them explore their unique potential. Claire’s interest areas lie in supporting children with regulation and developing meaningful engagement with the people in their world, and finding lots of ways to have fun in the process!

  • Bronwen Micallef

    Bronwen Micallef

    Mental Health Occupational Therapist

    Bron has a compassionate understanding of children and their behaviours which is evidence based, and comes from the understanding of neurobiology, attachment theory, sensory processing, child development and the impact of the impact of early adverse experiences on the developing brain.

  • Ally Schmidt

    Ally Schmidt

    Mental Health Occupational Therapist

    Ally enjoys supporting children and their families with a wide range of diagnosis, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression, ADHD, childhood trauma, and other complex behaviours.

Our Approach

From your first session with us at the Nest Health Hub, you’ll notice the differences that set us apart. We approach each client as the individual they are and ensure we select the appropriate therapy or therapies that will be able to provide the most assistance.  Rather than focussing on individual behaviours or challenges, our focus is always on the developing needs of the brain underlying behaviour difficulties.

Our occupational therapists use a client-centred evaluation process to gain an understanding of your child’s development, such as play, school work, social engagement, and self-care. Your occupational therapist will determine what factors affect your child’s ability to meet the demands of their daily life and reach their full potential.

With a focus on brain development and neuroscience, your occupational therapist will develop an intervention plan with your child’s unique profile and goals at the centre.

At The Nest Health Hub we work closely with your child’s Nest Psychologist to ensure a holistic and integrated treatment model. Taking this holistic approach allows our team to understand multiple aspects of your child’s development, and gain a greater understanding of their progress.

We Can Help With

If you’re unsure whether your child could benefit from seeing an occupational therapist, our team at the Nest Health Hub is here to help. Occupational therapy may be helpful for children and adolescents who have difficulties with sensory processing, such as displaying oversensitivity to touch, taste, sounds, and so on. It can also be helpful for children with fine or gross motor skill difficulties, or achieving age-appropriate developmental milestones such as crawling and walking.

Our occupational therapists focus on supporting children and adolescents in many areas, including the following:

  • Behavioural difficulties

  • Sensory processing challenges

  • Anxiety

  • Sleep difficulties

  • Trauma

Contact Nest Health Hub  

We are proud to be part of your child’s life and provide them with the therapeutic support they need to thrive and feel their best at home, at school, and during play. At the Nest Health Hub, we provide a range of allied health support to meet the needs of your family including occupational therapy, psychology and access to speech pathology and physiotherapy services . We encourage anybody who may benefit, including NDIS participants and their families, to get in touch with our compassionate and caring team today.

Areas We Serve

  • Glendale

  • Maryland

  • Wallsend

  • Adamstown

  • Kotara

  • Broadmeadow

  • Islington

  • Georgetown & Mayfield