Philippa Stewart Occupational Therapy

16/06/2025

14/06/2025

The current NDIS price review will have serious consequences for NDIS participants. Many therapists, like me, provide ethical care and support to the participants we work with. We are devastated that our contributions are not recognised. This post highlights some cost breakdowns for our $193.99 per hour. To provide a service to participants, I also rent a room once a fortnight to provide a travel-free option for participants whose support needs suit this model. Unfortunately, many of the adult clients I work with require therapy or interventions in their home environment, and this is the best place to deliver care. I'm also a mum to two NDIS participants who require therapy and support, and I am genuinely worried my kids won't be able to access the therapy they require. The NDIS must recognise the contribution of therapy.

26/05/2025

Support at Home is nearly here.....

Two new booklets about the Support at Home program are now available for older people, families and carers. 📄

This includes a booklet tailored for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to help you navigate the Support at Home program.

You can find the booklets on our website to learn more about:
✅ what’s changing with in-home aged care
✅ how to enter the Support at Home program
✅ what’s included from 1 July 2025.

To read and download, visit 💻 https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/resources

20/05/2025

I love this. I highly recommend Reframing Autism website and resources if you are looking for great information and perspectives.

Edit: Thanks to all who have commented and we can see much debate and discussion has happened on this post. A couple points of clarification... There are very real challenges that come with being Autistic in a world that isn't designed for you. But the stigma and pathology around Autism is not helped by the language used by many, including "suffering" and "low or high functioning". There are many instances in life when a characteristic of a person will result in their having a harder time in life, but we don't use the word "suffering" to describe this characteristic. And functioning labels, however well intentioned, are about how non-autistic people see an Autistic person's Autism and can be highly dependent on the Autistic person's ability to mask. Functioning labels are rooted in ableism and are used to deny agency to those that society deems "low functioning" and deny supports to those that society deems "high functioning". If you are not Autistic yourself, please use this an opportunity to listen to Autistic people's insights on these words. And please don't assume that none of us have ever struggled or been deemed to be "low functioning" - these ideas are based in the misinformation and stereotypes which we seek to debunk.

When it comes to Autism, the language we use matters - It can affirm Autistic identities or reinforce harmful ideas and assumptions.

Many Autistic folks prefer identity-first language: ‘Autistic person’ rather than ‘person with Autism’. Why? Because Autism is a core part of who we are and how we experience the world.

💬 Choosing neuroaffirming language means honouring Autistic voices and identity, and rejecting stigma. Terms such as “high-functioning” or “low-functioning” are harmful and dehumanising. They erase the complexity of each individual’s needs, challenges, and strengths. Instead, we can talk about what kind of support someone needs.

✨ Neuroaffirming language is about making meaningful progress; validating Autistic identities, celebrating differences, and actively moving away from outdated and stigmatising narratives.

Let’s keep learning, let’s keep listening and let’s speak in ways that affirm, not define. 💛



[ID: Against an aqua background, with the Reframing Autism logo in the top left corner and the colourful knotwork logo in the lower right corner, white text heading reads, 'Language Matters'. Beneath that, a white arrow directs to white text which reads, 'Autism is not a deficit or disorder' and beneath that a white arrow directs to white text which reads, 'You cannot 'cure' or 'treat' Autism' and beneath that a white arrow directs to white text which reads, 'Autistic individuals do not 'suffer' from their Autism' and beneath that a final white arrow directs to text which reads, 'And there is no such thing as a 'high-functioning' or a 'low-functioning' Autistic'.]

30/04/2025

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 yes, fantastic progress AAPi ❤️

AAPi’s ongoing advocacy efforts regarding NDIS access to psychology services have led to important engagement with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

Following concerns raised by AAPi about member experiences and barriers to psychology supports under the NDIS, the NDIA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Service Design and Improvement), Corri McKenzie, responded, acknowledging the critical role psychologists play in improving the quality of life for people with disability.

Key points from the NDIA response include:

• Recognition of Psychology Supports: The NDIA reaffirmed that psychology services can be funded through the NDIS where they are related to a participant’s disability and meet the "reasonable and necessary" criteria.
• Clarification on Funding: Psychology supports focused on managing the functional impacts of disability are eligible for NDIS funding. However, supports that are primarily clinical (e.g., diagnosis or treatment of mental health conditions) remain the responsibility of the mainstream mental health system.
• Flexibility of Plan Funds: The NDIA confirmed that supports may be described within plans to assist participants to understand what their funding can be used for but unless supports are specifically stated in a plan, participants can generally use their funding flexibly for appropriate supports.
• New Therapy Guidelines Coming: The NDIA is developing a new guideline specifically for therapy supports, expected by mid-2025. Internal training for NDIA staff is also being updated to improve understanding of how psychology supports should be included in plans.
• Collaboration with AAPi: Importantly, the NDIA has invited AAPi to work directly with their Service Guidance team to help develop further staff guidance on psychology supports, building on the fact sheet AAPi already provided to the Agency.
This outcome reflects the strength and persistence of AAPi’s advocacy work. We are proud to see direct acknowledgement of our members' concerns and a commitment from the NDIA to improve internal processes and guidance. AAPi will continue to work closely with the NDIA to ensure better access to psychology supports for NDIS participants and to support our members working in this space.

Thank you to all members who continue to share their experiences - your voice is powerful and leads to real change.

Click here for links to the NDIA letter, and further resources: https://ow.ly/YFqi50VJtSz

23/04/2025

📣 Important Information for City of Casey & Greater Dandenong Residents! 📣

Are you looking for Occupational Therapy services in the City of Casey or Greater Dandenong and require an interpreter?
I believe everyone deserves accessible and quality allied health care. That's why I want you to know that free interpreting services are available for your appointments, including both phone and in-person assessments!
I am experienced in working effectively with individuals who use interpreters and across multicultural groups, ensuring culturally sensitive and respectful care.
Occupational Therapy services provided include:
Aged Care:
* Home assessments
* Equipment to support independent living
* Minor modifications (rails/ramps/steps)
* Falls prevention assessments
* Dementia support
NDIS Services (Adults only):
* Function capacity assessments
* Support for neurodivergent adults
* Parent coaching
* Neurodiversity affirming practice

Don't let language be a barrier to accessing the support you need.

📞 Contact me today to learn more and book your appointment: 0493 048 856
📧 Email us: info@pstherapyservices.com.au

17/04/2025

If you are looking for more information on the support at home program rolling out on 1 July 2025. This is a great resource

Two new booklets about the Support at Home program are now available for older people, families and carers. 📄

This includes a booklet tailored for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to help you navigate the Support at Home program.

You can find the booklets on our website to learn more about:
✅ what’s changing with in-home aged care
✅ how to enter the Support at Home program
✅ what’s included from 1 July 2025.

To read and download, visit 💻 https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/resources

03/02/2023

A tantrum is the brain's attempt (not willful, not intentional, not purposeful, not defiant, not bad-kid, not spoiled, not needing to learn a lesson and not from poor parenting). A neurophysiological response to a prediction error --which can happen to all of us regardless of age. The term "temper tantrum" is hundreds of years old. We know better now, so we can support better now. Tomorrow's reel will describe tips for what to do.

11/01/2023

A new year is a good chance to reset.
Do you have a job without the workplace accommodations in place that you need to succeed?
Or perhaps you're job hunting and don't know what supports to check are available?

This infographic based on a blog from Autistic lawyer Justine Field, may inspire you to map out exactly what you should be advocating for.

Read the full blog here: https://reframingautism.org.au/establishing-workplace-adjustments-how-i-learned-to-advocate-for-my-autistic-needs/

Image description:
A notepad titled Workplace accommodations is divided into 2 columns: Under the What I find hard column is: Vague directions and requests. Not knowing if I am on the right track. Unexpected changes and events. Frequent meetings. Long meetings. Processing information in meetings. Contributing to discussions. Socialising at work events. Under the What I need column is: Clear directions in writing. Visual aids like diagrams. Opportunities to clarify. Acknowledgement. Regular check-ins and feedback. Reasons for changes and next steps, clearly communicated. Consideration as to whether attendance is necessary or if reading minutes would suffice. Enforced time frames. Scheduled breaks. Relevant documents provided ahead of discussion. A clear agenda. Outcomes and action points distributed in writing. Options to respond by email or phone call afterwards. Flexibility around when and how I engage. The Reframing Autism logo is at the bottom.

10/01/2023

Follow up post #2 for phrases we should re-think:

“Make Good Choices!”

I hear this ALL THE TIME in school!

It immediately reminded me of an infographic I created a while back based on a concept from the book, The Whole Brain Child. The “upstairs” brain is where all of our thinking, reasoning and problem-solving happens. It’s where we consider “choices”.

The problem with telling a kid to make good choices is that they’re often in their “downstairs”, non-thinking brain. That’s where all of our sensory processing occurs; our reactivity; and….wait for it…..impulsivity! There’s not a lot of thinking about “choices” when we’re talking about impulsivity or stress responses. We'll try to convince ourselves that it was volitional, that “they knew exactly what they were doing” or “they knew better”, but that mentality will only lead to revenge, or adult imposed punishments that we prefer to call “consequences” because it doesn’t sound as mean as saying I’m punishing you. Instead, we say ‘there’s a consequence’. That’s so much more pleasant for us! Not for the kid…just for us.

So, we say “make good choices” assuming they’re able to access the upstairs, thinking part of their brain, but have ya seen the upstairs? It’s still developing until their mid-20s. It’s still under construction! As parents and teachers, our teaching and support helps to build a strong staircase, but we shouldn’t assume a child was able to access the thinking part of their brain when they made what we perceive was a “bad choice”.

I’ll add this, too. Did the child even know what the choices were? If I’m a preschooler and someone just ripped a toy out of my hand because THEY wanted to play with it…I’m not thinking about what my options are…I’m getting my toy back.

I don’t have a replacement for this one. I have eliminated this phrase from my vernacular. Instead, I help kids solve problems. For an empirically-supported way to solve problems collaboratively with kids, we recommend the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions Model found here: www.livesinthebalance.org or here Lives in the Balance

Original post: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=869527351112439&id=100041655466428&mibextid=Nif5oz

10/01/2023

This is from Konnect 2 Social Skills Activity Book.
Communication is a two-way thing and so is miscommunication!

Find out more about this wonderful resources on https://konfidentkidz.ie/konnect-1-social-skills-activity-book/

10/01/2023