Sasha Wray Occupational Therapist

13/11/2025

Have you noticed how your thoughts and feelings impact pain and stress?
And then - how this impacts your ability to function in life?

Occupational Therapists primary goal is to help you to be able to 'function' in life. To be able to do the things you need, want or are expected to do.

So addressing functional cognition is a big part of what we look at when planning treatment for pain and stress.

Functional Cognition actually has 3 main parts
1. Working memory relates to how someone thinks about, uses and recalls information in their day to day to life.
2. Cognitive flexibility enables someone to change behaviour and adjust to limitations.
3. Emotional Status affects how a person manages their thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Therapy for Functional Cognition with an occupational therapist includes help with organising daily life activities + managing thoughts and feelings.

If you need help with functional cognition there are so many strategies and tools that we can help you set up so that life runs smoother
- with less stress + less energy output
which means less pain!


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11/11/2025

I've had an awesome 2 days training in Neuroaffirming ACT with Russ Harris.

ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is the main psychological approach that I use.

Learning more about it's application in ADHD and autism has been really great because neurodivergence is common with many people I see with
- chronic fatigue (ME/CFS, long Covid)
- chronic pain
- hypermobility (HDS, EDS)
- anxiety
- depression
- dysautonomia
- POTS

❤️

03/11/2025

Life is a wonderful mystery to be lived; not a problem to be solved!

❤️❤️

28/10/2025

24/10/2025

Supporting para-equestrian is really special. Especially when you get to see where all the action happens.

"Dani and Jack" are a para-dressage partnership that are competing in the National Para-Dressage Championships in Sydney next week.

Getting to this point has been 2 years of training and is the next step toward Dani's ultimate goal of representing Australia in the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games.

Dani's determination and commitment is so inspiring.

You can sponsor Dani and Jack here
🔗Sponsorship https://uat.asf.org.au/.../danielle-loizou/dani--jack-2024

Find out more about Dani here https://www.danielleloizoulake.com.au

Dani does incredible advocacy work in the disability space and was MC for the Occupational Therapy Australia 2025 National Conference & Exhibition in Adelaide

Good luck Dani & Jack!!

17/10/2025

Just had an awesome day at the Annual Expo.
Great speakers!
Great vibe!

14/10/2025

A home made thank you gift from someone with ME/CFS is extra extra special.

🧁We won a Tribunal Court Case!

This means she can now get essential items to help sleep and rest during the day; and safely prepare a light snack for herself.

NDIS refused to fund the items.

The items were needed
- because of her disability
- and to help live an ordinary life

... so with support from an advocate (legal aid did not agree to support her), her GP and myself ...
the 4 of us against a team of lawyers ...
We WON!!

13/10/2025

I am super excited to introduce Atiya who has joined us at Next Wave!!

Atiya is an occupational therapist with a passion for helping people with:

✨Persistent Pain
✨Women's health
✨Chronic fatigue
✨Hypermobility

✨And she has extensive experience working alongside people who are neurodivergent, navigating sensory or emotional regulation challenges.

Her practice combines evidence-based occupational therapy with creative strategies, to help people build skills and engage more fully in daily life.

Atiya will be working closely with myself, Jonathan, Lisa and Rushil .perth

Welcome Atiya!!

❤️❤️

11/10/2025

New research further supporting our understanding of ME/CFS.

🤓 Brain fog alert: this article is easy to read, it starts with a summary of key findings and then goes into the research details.

Highlights in my words - this research found that people with ME/CFS have
1. An immune system that is hyper switched on - over responds.
2. Mitochondrial dysfunction - leads to less energy production.
3. Leaky gut contributes to inflammation (I would add stress & other hormonal issues)

This creates the perfect storm for PEM and all the other symptoms of ME/CFS.

Blog Summary Imagine if a fire alarm kept ringing long after the smoke was gone. That’s similar to what happens in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), where the body seems…

10/10/2025

World Mental Health Day - today - is a powerful reminder that there is no health without mental health.

As a mental health OT my goal is to help people to be able to walk through life with joy in their heart.

Living with chronic pain, fatigue or stress becomes more bearable when we have strategies for coping and support to build equanimity.
From this space we can see the glimmers and open up to brighter days.

02/10/2025

Pain Care for women with flare begins with cultivating presence via interoception.

Awareness of your inner body and breath allows you to notice (and then adapt) to when reflexive self protective postures occur. For example, some people brace with pain, collapse when feeling hopeless or writhe with anxiety.

Awareness of your thoughts and feelings about the pain experience helps you to challenge the narrative.

Join me in a pilot group program for "Self Care for Women With Flare" in November.
Email: sasha@nextwavetherapy.com.au
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