Therapist Profile
With more than 13 years of paediatric OT experience, Athina works with children and families to understand what is getting in the way of everyday participation—not just the behaviour seen on the surface.
Hello, I’m Athina, an Occupational Therapist with more than 13 years of experience supporting children and families, including extensive experience within the NDIS.
I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of the Philippines Manila in 2013, a World Federation of Occupational Therapists–accredited program, before moving to Australia in 2018. I began my career specialising in paediatric occupational therapy and have since expanded my practice to support teenagers and young adults as they develop greater independence in everyday life.
Over the years, I have worked with individuals with a wide range of developmental and neurodivergent presentations, including Autism, ADHD, Intellectual Disability and Global Developmental Delay. My work may involve supporting sensory processing and regulation, fine motor and handwriting skills, self-care, daily routines, emotional regulation, school participation, independent living skills and broader functional participation at home and in the community.
For me, effective therapy begins with the relationship.
Before expecting a child or young person to learn, participate or try something difficult, I believe they first need to feel safe, understood and comfortable with the person supporting them. I place a strong emphasis on building genuine rapport and creating a therapy environment where clients can develop trust, confidence and a willingness to engage.
Regulation is an important part of this. Children and young people are constantly processing information from their bodies, their environment and the people around them. When someone feels overwhelmed or dysregulated, learning can become much harder. I therefore look beyond the task itself and consider what may be affecting a person's ability to participate.
My approach is practical, individualised and grounded in everyday life. Therapy does not always need to involve complicated strategies or expensive equipment. Often, small changes to an activity, routine, environment or the way support is provided can make a meaningful difference.
One of the questions I often ask families and clients is:
“What is one thing I could help you with right now that would make everyday life a little easier?”
That question reflects how I like to work. I want therapy to focus on what genuinely matters to the person and their family—not simply what can be completed during a therapy session.
Whether we are working on handwriting, toileting, emotional regulation, independence, participation at school or daily living skills, my goal is to understand why something is difficult, identify what is getting in the way, and find practical ways forward.
Ultimately, I want the people I work with to feel more confident, capable and supported in the things that matter most in their everyday lives.
We believe that enablement is a multidimensional process involving the client, the environment and occupation. We aim to support each client through evidence-based occupational therapy intervention that is geared towards maximising these three key areas to ensure best outcomes.
Mission
Vision
We aim to support people with disabilities from culturally diverse backgrounds to reach their goals and to pursue their dreams and aspirations while exercising their choice and control.