Rhiannon Pilgrim

Mental Health Occupational Therapist/Director

Rhiannon started her career and her passion as an Occupational Therapist in 2007 after graduating from the University of Newcastle, NSW.

Since then she has dedicated her focus as an OT to helping children and families. She is an advocate for children having the same opportunities as others to achieve full developmental potential despite the challenges that life brings. 

Rhiannon has worked in a variety of contexts including in out of home care and private practice. She started Ability Focus Occupational Therapy in 2013 which continues to be a respected and valuable child and adolescent OT practice based in Newcastle, NSW. 

Rhiannon took over as coordinator of the Hunter Occupational Therapy Paediatric Interest Group in 2020 and has since developed a committee of public and private occupational therapists to help coordinate and facilitate the interest group. The group has over 200 local occupational therapists who contribute to the professional practice and discussion in the field of paediatrics. Rhiannon is an advocate for supporting other clinicians in her field, and delivers clinical supervision to other occupational therapists. 

Rhiannon has been invited to speak at a variety of conferences and forums including the Australian Multiple Birth Association National Conference, Whitebridge Community of Schools Readiness night and numerous parent and teacher in-service and information talks.

In her 14 years as an occupational therapist she has gained extensive experience in working with developmental trauma, anxiety, sensory processing difficulties, complex behavioural problems, ADHD and other developmental conditions. However, Rhiannon focuses on the child and the contexts within which the child functions, not the labels put on a child. 

Rhiannon’s passion for working with children who have experienced early life stress steered her own professional development and knowledge into the area of neuroscience-informed practice. Through this she met her now business partner Phil Bird. 

Together Phil and Rhiannon quickly realised the positive impact on children and families when psychology and occupational therapy combine to create a holistic, collaborative and neuroscience informed intervention model. Over 2 years they collaborated and refined their experiences and clinical knowledge to create The NEuroSensory Therapeutic (NEST) Program. From this they then began their own unique clinic based in Kotara, NSW; The Nest Health Hub. 

Rhiannon’s focus on sensory processing and play based therapy means that children who work with her are comfortable, enjoy themselves and most importantly feel safe and secure. 

Rhiannon is able to provide services through Medicare, NDIS, third-party and private funding