Hello! I’m Dani (she/her) and I am a mental health Occupational Therapist. That might sound cryptic, but it just means that I support you to be as independent as possible by building your skills to participate in everyday activities. These activities can include things you have to do, like showering, eating, toileting as well as things you want to do, like making friends, finding a job and whatever else you can dream up!

I have supported people who haven’t left their homes for 12+ months to re-integrate into the community, get a job, get their drivers license and re-engage with school, university etc. Many of the people I work with say when they first meet me that change feels impossible, and that they can’t imagine any other way of living. Part of my role is to help set goals, figure out how to achieve these goals and keep you accountable and supported as we achieve each step of those goals. I will hold hope and be your biggest cheerleader, but will also call you out on unhealthy patterns that might be keeping you stuck.

I support a wide range of people, with some of those including people experiencing challenges with their mental health mental (psychosocial disability), those who are neurodivergent (Autism and/or ADHD), those with a history of complex trauma, Intellectual Disability (ID), etc. I am also very aware that many people who seek out an OT will have more than one condition that may be impacting them.

I have spent most of my professional career as an Occupational Therapist at the Alfred Hospital. This included a few years in their adult Alfred Mental and Addiction Health (AMAH) services and more recently their Infant, Child and Youth Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (ICYAMHWS) where I spent the majority of my Alfred Health career. In the middle of 2024, I decided I needed a change of pace and to bring my work closer to home, and I now split my time between working part-time as an Occupational Therapist at a P-12 school and providing private OT outreach services to Melbourne’s western suburbs. Please note, I do not have an office, and work via an outreach model seeing people in their homes, or other places in the community (school, local park, etc).

So, if it sounds like you might benefit, or you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can chat about what I may be able to offer you or your young person. No pressure, no lock in contracts. It has to feel right for you.