Meet Our Paediatric Occupational Therapists
Our experienced and compassionate team works alongside children and families across South West Sydney. Each therapist brings their own knowledge and areas of interest, while sharing the same child-centred approach. We take the time to understand every child’s strengths, needs and goals, creating therapy that is engaging, individualised and meaningful in everyday life.
Lily
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Occupational Therapist
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
Lily is a qualified Occupational Therapist and graduated from Western Sydney University in 2025.Â
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She enjoys working with children from all ages and enjoys engaging with and supporting the interests and wellbeing of all of her clients. She has firsthand seen the benefit of Occupational Therapy, for both children and their caregivers and is committed to providing that experience through her practice.
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Fun fact
Lily loves playing video games, collecting Pokémon cards, and drawing comics. Lily is left-handed and can draw most popular characters from memory!
Alice​
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Occupational Therapist
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
Bachelor of Occupational TherapyÂ
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Alice is an Occupational Therapist with experience in aged care and disability/NDIS and is now working in paediatric occupational therapy. Her experience has shaped a holistic and person-centred approach to occupational therapy, recognising the unique strengths within each individual and the importance of meaningful occupation in supporting growth, independence and wellbeing.Â
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In her paediatric practice, she enjoys creating engaging and individualised therapy experiences that build on the strengths of each child or young person and support the skills they need to participate more confidently and independently in play, learning, self-care and everyday life.Â
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Fun fact: When she’s not working, you’ll often find her gardening, finding quiet wonder in watching each seed grow into something entirely its own. She also loves creating her own seasonal teas inspired by the rhythms and changes of each season.Â
Marwa
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Occupational Therapist
Bachelor of Health Science
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy with Honours
Bachelor of Health Science
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy with Honours
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Marwa’s OT journey actually started when she was just 10 years old, after a sports injury meant she needed surgery and a period of rehabilitation. During her recovery, she worked with an Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist and got to experience firsthand how therapy could help her get back to doing the things she loved. This sparked an interest in OT that eventually became her career. Marwa completed a Bachelor of Health Science, majoring in Movement Science, at the University of Sydney before completing a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy with Honours at Western Sydney University. She has completed additional training in:
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• SpIRiT (Sensory Processing, Integration, Reasoning Tool)
• M.O.R.E. 2.0 – Integrating the Mouth with Sensory and Postural Functions
• Responsive Feeding Through the Ages and Stages
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Marwa has a particular interest in working with children who communicate without spoken language and loves finding creative ways to support communication, regulation and participation. Marwa strongly believes in a multidisciplinary approach and is particularly passionate about the connection between nutrition, the gut-brain axis and behaviour, working closely with dietitians and families to better understand the whole child.
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Outside of OT, Marwa is a very busy mum of twins! When she’s not chasing after her kids, she’s usually reading a good book or somewhere outdoors under the sun.
Nichole
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Senior Occupational Therapist
Bachelor of Applied Science
Nichole graduated from The University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) in 2017. Since graduating, she has worked in the private sector with children and their families, as well as a small number of adults. Nichole’s passion is drawing on each child’s unique strengths and interests to develop tailored strategies that build independence, strengthen everyday skills, and support overall wellbeing. She values genuine collaboration and believes the best outcomes are achieved through strong partnerships with families and multidisciplinary teams. Her calm, compassionate presence helps children feel safe, heard, and understood, while empowering families with practical tools and confidence to support their child’s growth.
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Nichole has always been hands-on and motivated by a desire to help others, with Occupational Therapy providing a meaningful avenue to do this. She endeavours to develop a holistic understanding of every client, taking the time to understand what is happening for them and identifying the most supportive approach for each individual. Nichole also has a strong passion for supporting the next generation of Occupational Therapists through supervision, mentoring, and hands-on coaching. She enjoys sharing knowledge and practical skills as well as challenging their clinical reasoning within safe and supportive learning environments.
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Nichole is passionate about ongoing professional development and is continually expanding her knowledge to support her clients in meaningful, evidence-informed ways. Her interests include neuroscience, sensory processing, and nervous system regulation. Her DIR-Floortime and Polyvagal Theory training strongly shape her therapeutic style, ensuring that relationship-based interactions come first. Nichole brings an evolving, responsive approach to intervention, ensuring therapy remains individualised, strengths-based, and aligned with each child’s needs.
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Nichole has attended the following workshops and courses:
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STEPPSI (Clinical Reasoning tool)
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Polyvagal Theory and Embodied Sensory-Motor-Relational Intervention
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DIR Floortime - DIR 201 basic and DIR 202 proficiency
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DIR Goal Setting
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Sensational Supervision
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Therapeutic Listening
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Trauma-Sensitive Care
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Neurobiology Matters
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Interoception
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PEERS for Preschoolers
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Affect-Mediated Motor Development
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Zones of Regulation
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Social Thinking
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Autism and PDA
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Autism and Sleep
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Interoception and Non-speaking Clients
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Interoception and Toileting
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When not working, Nichole enjoys working out, exploring great food spots and spending time with her three sausage dogs with her partner. Helping others has always been evident across her life, with both her partner and mum being primary school teachers, and Nichole becoming a Physie teacher in her teens and early twenties. This drive to support others is innate and continues to underpin her values, shaping both her personal life and her work as an Occupational Therapist.
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Fun Fact
She has three sausage dogs - Percy, Darcy and Bentley!
Maddi
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Stepping Stones OT
Senior Occupational Therapist
Maddi is a paediatric occupational therapist with over 7 years of experience dedicated to helping children build the skills and confidence they need to participate fully in everyday life. With experience supporting children across a range of developmental, sensory, and functional needs, Maddi takes a strengths-based, family-centred approach to therapy. Passionate about creating meaningful outcomes, Maddi works collaboratively with children, families, and support networks to foster independence, engagement, and wellbeing through personalised, evidence-based interventions.
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Dedicated to delivering evidence-based and family-centred care, Maddi has undertaken extensive professional development in areas including sensory processing, neurodiversity-affirming practice, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and play-based intervention approaches. By building strong relationships with children and their families, Maddi creates engaging, individualised therapy programs that support meaningful outcomes, promote independence, and empower children to reach their full potential.
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Fun fact:Â In her spare time Maddi fosters rabbits from the animal shelter.
Every time you see her, she might have a new bunny picture to show you!
Kylie
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Stepping Stones OT
Practice Manager
Kylie has been a valued and vital part of the Stepping Stones OT team since 2012. As a qualified bookkeeper, Kylie plays an important role in managing the practice’s accounts and supporting the day-to-day administration of the clinic.
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Kylie works in the office from Tuesday to Friday and is often the friendly voice on the other end of the phone or the person responding to online enquiries. As a mother of a child who has special needs she enjoys helping families navigate the administrative and financial aspects of their NDIS supports and is always happy to assist our families wherever she can, making the process as simple and stress-free as possible.
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Outside of work, Kylie enjoys her music, challenging jigsaw puzzles and spending time with her family. Her greatest blessings are her two children and the time she shares with her
family.
Steph
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Senior Occupational Therapist and Owner
Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)
Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)
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Stephanie graduated from The University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) in 2001. Since graduating, Stephanie has worked in a variety of public and private settings helping children and their families to reach their goals.
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Stephanie enjoys working with children and their families of all ages from toddlers to teens. She takes a holistic approach to assessment and intervention, implementing principles of sensory processing, behaviour support, skill development and cognitive development into her occupational therapy practice. Stephanie understands that each child is an individual with their own unique strengths and developmental needs and looks to the latest research to implement evidenced based practice to achieve optimal outcomes.
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Stephanie grew up in Liverpool and has an older sister that has a significant intellectual disability and understands the services for families within the area and the stress this can cause for the family. Stephanie has been a senior occupational therapist with ADHC where she realised the need in the south-west for an experienced private occupational therapist which is how Stepping Stones OT was developed.
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Stephanie is passionate about professional learning and has attended many continuing education courses to enhance the services she is able to offer to families. In an effort to continually equip herself to meet the needs of her clients.
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Stephanie has attended the following workshops and courses:
• Social Thinking
• Zones of Regulation
• Handwriting without Tears
• Advanced Sensory Defensiveness
• DIR Floortime – Basic Course
• Listening with the Whole Body (Therapeutic Listening)
• The MORE course: Integrating the mouth with sensory and postural functions
• The ALERT program
• Astronaut Training: A sound-activated vestibular-visual protocol
• Basic Makaton
• Vestibular Activation
• Building Blocks for Sensory Integration
• Cool Kids (Anxiety Program)• Praxis – Motor Planning Course
• Gravity and Motion / King of Swings
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Stephanie has a special interest in sensory processing and its impact on children’s play and engagement with those around them.
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When not working, Stephanie loves spending time with her two children and her family. Stephanie understands firsthand the joys and challenges that parenting and family- life/modern-life can bring. Stephanie strives to provide families with fun and practical strategies that can she incorporated in to the child’s everyday life whether in home or in a social or the community.
Amelia
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Stepping Stones OT
Administration Assistant
Amelia is the Administration Assistant at Stepping Stones Occupational Therapy, supporting families and therapists with friendly communication, organised scheduling, and smooth day-to-day operations. She enjoys being a welcoming first point of contact for families and helping create a positive experience from the moment they reach out.
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A fun fact about Amelia is that she loves animals and has two dogs, Odie and Barry, who keep her busy and entertained.