12/08/2022
Hello lovely people! Welcome to my page. Let me start off by introducing myself and why I've decided to offer occupational therapy clinical supervision services.
My name is Jessie and I'm a neurodiversity-affirming Senior Occupational Therapist, based in Geelong, Australia. I've worked as an OT for the past 7 years, with clients aged between 2-72 (and their families), across public, private and community sectors. For the past 4 years, I have worked within a not-for-profit organisation, providing OT exclusively with the cohort whom I am most passionate about: Autistic adolescents, and adolescents with various other neurodisabilities and neurodivergencies.
Now, allied health professionals whom work exclusively with neurodivergent adolescents (aged 10-25) are very much unicorns in this field! I don't understand why this is, especially given how dynamic and exciting adolescence can be. Resultingly, I am acutely aware of and have directly observed the following practices:
1. Paediatric OT's (whom work predominately with 0-10 year olds) ineffectively implementing or adapting childhood interventions to adolescents. And, simultaneously;
2. Adult OT's also trying to implement and adapt adult-specific interventions to adolescents, also proving to be completely ineffective.
Adolescence is a period of significant physical, emotional, psychos*xual and cognitive development. It is, in an of itself, a life stage, not the "transitional" stage that it is commonly perceived as by allied health professionals. There is need for important upskilling of OTs working with Autistic adolescents (and adolescents with other neurodisabilities), to increase the knowledge, clinical competence and confidence of OTs working with this cohort, to ensure the most effective therapy service can be provided. And this is why I've started this service.
I am offering clinical supervision to OTs, in a format individualised to meet your needs. This could occur either online or face-to-face (if you're also based in Geelong). This could be 1:1 or in a group setting. It could be a once-off session or on a regular basis. We can get as creative as you'd like, so long as it's beneficial for you. The cost for service would be dependent on the service being requested.
Over the years I have acquired a number of clinical skills and knowledge in various areas. I highly value continuous professional development (CPD) and consider myself to be a lifelong learner. However, some I have extensive clinical experience, knowledge and passion in the following areas:
- Neurodiversity-affirming practice
- Understanding the neurodivergent neurology
- Sensory processing and integration (including interoception)
- Sensory, emotional and cognitive regulation
- Trauma-informed practice
- Supporting the transition from primary to secondary school
- Puberty, s*x, s*xuality and gender expression
- Supporting the move from the family home to supported accommodation
- Supporting self-advocacy and autonomy
- Working with adolescents with complex psychosocial challenges, including those living in Out Of Home Care.
I also co-developed and delivered Australia's first occupational therapy-informed primary to secondary school transition program called 'Gaining The Edge' in 2019. I was fortunate enough to present this program at the Occupational Therapy Australia National Conference in 2021 and have an abstract published in the Occupational Therapy Australia Journal of the same year. I have also contributed opinion pieces about working with adolescents with disabilities to various allied health magazines and websites, including the Occupational Therapy Australia CONNECTIONS magazine.
I consider myself to be a lifelong learner, open to the process of learning, unlearning and relearning, in accordance with emerging literature, evidence and, most importantly, the collective voices of the neurodivergent community. I highly value my own CPD and have prioritised this throughout my professional career.
If you would like to know more information or have questions, please contact me directly at jessie.heideman@outlook.com. I look forward to hearing from you, and empowering you to empower your clients. Cheers!
