Our Team At
The Willow Tree Clinic
The Willow Tree Clinic is a multidisciplinary team of occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists and support staff who always put the needs of their clients first. Each member of our team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to support children, adolescents and adults. Dedicated to helping all their clients thrive, our team works with you to deliver individualised services to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Our Psychologists
Sarah Griffin
Psychologist
Clinical Director
Read Sarah's Bio
Sarah is a registered Psychologist who has an empathetic and caring approach with her clients. Sarah believes in building a strong therapeutic relationship with her clients and their families. As well as creating a nurturing and non-judgemental environment within which they can work toward their therapeutic goals and create meaningful change.
Sarah has experience in providing therapeutic support to children, adolescents and adults through therapy, psychological assessment and behaviour support services. Sarah has supported clients with a range of clinical presentations including Depression, Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Post-Traumatic stress and trauma.
Sarah’s approach is collaborative, holistic and strength-based, tailoring the intervention to the needs of each individual client. Sarah has experience in a range of evidence-based interventions including the following: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing and Narrative Therapy.
Adam Keyes
Psychologist
Clinical Director
Read Adam's Bio
Adam is a registered Psychologist who takes a person-centred approach, while also acknowledging the supports required for their family and their support team. Adam has extensive experience delivering therapeutic services to children, adolescents and families. Adam has provided therapy to clients who have experienced a range of complex environmental, psychological and/or developmental difficulties. As well as experience providing clinical guidance to management and support staff, developing behaviour management plans and administering psychological assessments.
Adam’s particular interests include, supporting parents to strengthen their attachments with their children, working with clients that have Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, and/ or experienced traumatic histories Adam also has extensive experience utilising psychological assessments to identify supports for clients to increase their overall wellbeing and reach their full potential.
Adam favourite thing about working at The Willow Tree Clinic is that it allows him to work within a multidisciplinary team that delivers high quality services. Adam uses the following modalities: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Eye-Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing and Narrative Therapy.
Amy-Lee Seward
Psychologist,Certified Theraplay® Practitioner/Trainer
Clinical Director
Read Amy's Bio
Amy-Lee is a registered Psychologist and Certified Theraplay® Practitioner/ Trainer. She has experience supporting children, adolescents, adults and families, with a diverse range of mental health presentations and disabilities.
Amy-Lee graduated from The University of Newcastle in 2013. Her honours research focusing on suicide prevention was published in the ‘Journal of Clinical Psychology’. Amy-Lee has also completed post-graduate training in Applied Behaviour Analysis and Theraplay®. Amy-Lee works from an attachment-based framework and is passionate about strengthening the attachment relationship between a child and their parent/ caregiver. She has experience using Theraplay with children® and adolescents who have experienced complex trauma, to support them to develop and strengthen relationships with their parents/caregivers and reduce challenging behaviour.
Amy-Lee also enjoys utilising psychological assessment to guide treatment planning and intervention. She is focused on delivering clinical services through a client-centred and positive-based framework, with the goal of helping clients meet their needs. Amy-Lee uses the following therapeutic modalities: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Eye-Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), Theraplay®, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing and Narrative Therapy.
Andrew Serhan
Psychologist
Read Andrew's Bio
Andrew is a practicing Generally Registered Psychologist with a Bachelor of Psychology from The University of Newcastle.
Throughout his career, Andrew has demonstrated a commitment to providing therapeutic interventions to individuals and families grappling with a diverse array of psychological, environmental and developmental challenges. Specializing in working with adults and adolescents, Andrew has developed his knowledge and experience across various clinical, healthcare, and rehabilitation settings.
Andrew’s profession centres on empowering his clients to overcome an extensive spectrum of diagnostic presentations, including but not limited to; stress management, anxiety and depression, trauma, personality disorders, neurodivergent support, vocational conflicts, and substance abuse issues. Andrew is adept at conducting formal assessments for conditions such as ADHD, ASD, and intellectual disabilities, including providing support and tailored treatment plans post diagnosis.
Andrew is excited to work at The Willow Tree Clinic as it allows him to provide services he is passionate about and advocates for. He brings an honest, empathetic and light-hearted approach to therapy, where his core focus is the pursuit of improving the support and well-being for his clients. Andrew uses the following therapeutic modalities: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Brief Solution Focused Therapy (BSFT), Motivational Interviewing, Vocational Counselling and Narrative Therapy.
Angela Grant
Psychologist
Read Angela's Bio
Angela is a registered Psychologist and has also completed a post-graduate Master of Teaching (School Counselling). Angela has experience in supporting a diverse range of clients who have experienced social and/ or mental health concerns. In her previous role within the Department of Education, Angela gained extensive experience providing therapeutic support to children and young people, parents/carers, teachers, and executive staff, as well as working collaboratively with various external health services.
Angela’s particular interests and clinical focus include individual counselling for clients experiencing general life stressors, depression, anxiety, self-harm & suicidal ideation, supporting parents to communicate/strengthen their attachments with their children and young people, and working with clients that have experienced trauma.
Angela’s therapeutic style is highly aligned with Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and considers the importance of Neuropsychological Integration (NPI) and psychoeducation, and her office is usually full of sensory items. She is also skilled in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Positive Psychology, Neuropsychological Integration (NPI) and general mental health first aid.
Angela’s main goal is to create a sense of safety and genuine connection that allows ‘us’ (client/therapist) to do our best to maximise your wellbeing or meet your therapeutic goals realistically and within the available resources. Angela is excited about working at The Willow Tree Clinic as it will allow her to more extensively deliver services that she is truly passionate about. She is focused on working from a client-centred and ACT-based framework, with the goal of improved wellbeing and general functioning for her clients/families.
Sara Donald
Psychologist
Read Sara's Bio
Sara Donald is a registered psychologist who practises from a holistic and strengths-based approach, integrating a range of evidence-based therapies with mindfulness techniques to foster resilience and emotional well-being in her clients. Sara creates a supportive, compassionate and non-judgmental environment, empowering her clients to navigate their challenges and achieve personal growth. Sara is passionate about establishing a collaborative and trusting relationship with her clients, fostering a sense of partnership and psychological safety. Sara has a particular interest in working with individuals who may be experiencing a range of difficulties including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, stressors, OCD, eating disorders, gender dysphoria, personality disorders and mood disorders.
Sara has a background of working in primary and high schools and has extensive experience with regard to supporting neurotypical and neurodiverse young people who may be experiencing social, behavioural or mental health difficulties. She also enjoys working with adult clients, particularly those who are exploring their own self-development or neurodivergence or going through changes/transitions in their life such as pregnancy, divorce or peri-menopause/menopause.
Sara will be using Telehealth to deliver her services. Telehealth offers several benefits such as accessibility and convenience. Clients can attend sessions from the convenience of their own homes, reducing travel time and enabling greater flexibility in scheduling appointments. Telehealth also seeks to reduce stigma – for some, attending therapy online may be less intimidating than visiting a physical office. Clients may feel more at ease discussing personal issues in a familiar environment, which can enhance openness and engagement.
After hours Telehealth appts Monday, Wednesday (5pm-9pm) and Saturday (12pm-2pm).
Our Occupational Therapists
Tegan Foley
Senior Occupational Therapist
Read Tegan's Bio
Tegan completed a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy degree with Honours at the University of Newcastle and has extensive experience within the paediatric occupational therapy space. With a love for sport and movement, Tegan brings a high-energy approach to her work at The Willow Tree Clinic.
Tegan is a big kid at heart and believes there is nothing that keeps her more in the present moment than working with children. Tegan believes the key to success is a strong relationship and rapport, both with the child and with their families and caregivers.
Tegan loves working with families to support the development of her clients and creates a ‘team around the child’ approach amongst all those working with the child to support them to achieve their goals.
Her pursuit of knowledge has provided her with many opportunities to develop her practice. Her passion for understanding how neurology relates to function keeps her engaged and excited about the potential to create change in the lives of the children she sees.
One of Tegan’s passions is running group therapy sessions, including Teenage social groups, Lego groups and Boxing Groups, which are always in popular demand.
Sarah Boss
Senior Occupational Therapist
Read Sarah's Bio
Sarah is a registered Occupational Therapist and graduated from the University of Newcastle with honours in 2015. Since graduation, Sarah has gained experience working with children, adolescence and families with a range of disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, anxiety and sensory processing difficulties. She has also recently gained an interest and has experience working with families who are navigating diagnoses such as Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS).
Sarah has a keen interest in movement difficulties and has completed training in primitive reflexes. Sarah has also completed Theraplay training and has an understanding of Theraplay informed practice to strengthen connections between parent and child. She strives to be family-centred and enjoys problem-solving and thinking creatively with her clients and families to achieve the best outcomes. Sarah is adaptable and able to support her families in a variety of environments depending on the needs of the child in the clinic, school, home, community and telehealth sessions.
Sarah enjoys utilising a variety of modalities to support her families, such as top-down or bottom-up approaches to achieve functional goals, therapeutic use of self, goal orientated practice, parent coaching, use of interests and meaningful engagement with her clients. Sarah values developing strong relationships with her families to best understand and support their needs and collaborating closely with all involved stakeholders.
Avi Rabinowitz
Senior Occupational Therapist
Read Avi's Bio
Avi is a warm and engaging Paediatric Occupational Therapist. Avi completed her studies in Cape Town, South Africa in 2011, after working for a year in a rural setting. Avi then embarked on her big move to Newcastle and has been adjusting to all things Aussie since then.
Avi has worked predominantly with children who have been diagnosed with Dyspraxia, Sensory Processing challenges, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning Disabilities, academic needs, Anxiety, and those with Developmental Delays. Avi enjoys working with younger children and has gained clinical experience in a wide range of settings. She is committed to working with a client-centred approach and holistic framework within a multidisciplinary team.
Avi is excited about the advancements in OT and helping her clients work towards achievable and functional goals and occupations. Avi remains passionate about helping children to grow, build confidence and work towards becoming happier and healthier individuals.
Alison Sheedy
Senior Occupational Therapist
Read Alison's Bio
Ali completed her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (with Class 1 Honours) at The University of Newcastle in 2018 and has been working in the paediatric space ever since. Ali was drawn to paediatric Occupational Therapy due to her passion for helping children and adolescents grow and develop to their full potential.
During her Occupational Therapy roles, Ali has gained experience working with a diverse range of clients. Ali recognises and values the importance of providing education and support to the caregivers, teachers and educators in young peoples’ lives. Ali brings experience in providing practical professional learning and education sessions on a wide range of topics to support and empower families and educators to allow children to thrive.
Ali’s pursuit of knowledge and evidence-based practice has provided many opportunities including publishing a research article in a peer-reviewed medical journal, and professional training including Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP), Sensory processing/Integration Reasoning interactive Tool (SpIRiT), The Traffic Jam in My Brain and PowerUp for Participation: Ready, Steady, Go!
Ali strongly believes in incorporating the strengths and interests of each individual client within therapy sessions to achieve the best outcomes. She is a “big kid” herself and her clients and families enjoy the energy and passion she brings to her role!
Anna Doyle
Senior Occupational Therapist
Read Anna's Bio ***
Anna is a registered Occupational Therapist with a special interest in paediatrics. Anna graduated her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) from The University of Newcastle in 2020 and has worked in the paediatric setting since then. Anna enjoys connecting with others’ interests and learning and trying new things. Anna also values the expertise that caregivers have of their children and recognises the importance of collaborating with families, teachers and other health professionals.
Anna has experience supporting differing individuals, including those with diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disability, cerebral palsy (CP), developmental coordination disorder (DCD, or dyspraxia), learning disabilities and sensory processing difficulties. She also has helped individuals with more specific functional goals, including improving sleep, handwriting, mealtimes, play/social skills and independence in daily routines.
Anna uses a play-based and relationship-based approach to establish a motivating and supportive basis for therapy. She has had practical training in the use of The SpIRiT© of Occupational Therapy, a clinical reasoning tool that assists in mapping out the underlying factors that impact a person’s functional challenges. Anna uses this to direct her problem-solving for therapy planning as needed. She is also a certified Circle of Security® Parenting™ (COPM™) facilitator, and incorporates these concepts within therapy sessions and caregiver collaboration, particularly when working with families of younger children. Anna also has training in using and recommending Quickshifts®, incorporating concepts of DIRFloortime® within therapy, and Sleep with Disability diaries and strategies for home.
Anna looks forward to getting to know individuals and their unique qualities, whilst focusing on improving the overall functioning, wellbeing and satisfaction of the family unit. She also endeavours to continue developing her clinical knowledge and therapy tools through professional development opportunities, refining her skills in supporting children with ranging occupational challenges.
Our Speech Pathologists
Jess Kiely
Speech Pathologist
Read Jess's Bio
Jess is a certified practising Speech Pathologist who completed a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) degree at the University of Newcastle in 2017. Since graduating, Jess has gained experience working with infants, toddlers, children, adolescence, and their families with a range of disabilities including: Global Developmental Delay, Developmental Language Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety, Dyslexia and Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
Jess has experience delivering a range of evidence-based assessments and interventions with clients who have speech sounds disorders, language disorders, phonological awareness, literacy disorders, social language disorders and fluency disorders. Jess is certified in the following programs: Hanen – It Takes Two to Talk, Hanen – More Than Words, The Lidcombe Program, Sounds Write, Secret Agent Society and SOS Approach to Feeding.
She is passionate about delivering the highest quality of care to her clients and their families. Jess loves to make her sessions with clients engaging and fun by including each person’s own individual interests to ensure they enjoy their therapy as much as possible. She understands each child is unique and is developing at their own rate. Jess is adaptable and is willing to provide services in a range of environments depending on the needs of her clients and their families.
Jess has a kind and caring nature which allows her clients to feel comfortable and for her clients’ communication skills to continuously grow. Jess considers it a privilege to be able to watch her clients’ skills develop which significantly increases their self-confidence and ability to participate in their everyday lives.
Megan Fryer
Speech Pathologist
Read Megan's Bio
Megan is a certified practising Speech Pathologist, who completed a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) at the University of Newcastle. Megan is passionate about treating clients using a holistic approach which recognises the vital role communication plays in daily life and integrates speech therapy seamlessly into an individual’s routine. Megan has experience working with children, adolescents, adults and their families.
Megan has experience working with clients who have a range of difficulties, including speech sound disorders, early language delays, receptive and expressive language difficulties, literacy disorders, voice disorders, social communication difficulties and stuttering. She also provides swallowing assessments and mealtime management plans so that her clients can enjoy their meals safely.
Megan has worked with clients with various conditions that may impact their communication including: Global Developmental Delay, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability, Developmental Language Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety, Dyslexia and Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
Megan is certified in the following programs: Hanen – It Takes Two to Talk, Sounds Write, Gestalt Language Processing, The Speech Pathologist’s role in co-creating safe and enjoyable meals: Collaborative strategies furthering the NDIS mealtime and severe dysphagia management practice standards, ADHD Done Differently for Speech Pathologists and Liberator’s Alternative and Augmentative Communication Devices.
Megan is a compassionate Speech Pathologist dedicated to delivering personalised therapy and showcasing kindness in every interaction. Her empathetic approach fosters a supportive and safe environment for clients and their families to learn and grow.
Abbey McPherson
Speech Pathologist
Read Abbey's Bio
Abbey is a certified practicing Speech Pathologist. Abbey completed a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours Class I) from the University of Newcastle, receiving the Speech Pathology Australia Award. She is also a published academic researcher.
Abbey has a passion for supporting children on their communication and developmental journeys. Her play-based and family-centered approach ensures the unique interests and strengths of each client are always at the forefront. Abbey is committed to providing evidence-based and neurodiversity-affirming care, and values building strong connections with children and their families to foster greatest success in therapy.
Abbey enjoys working with infants, toddlers, children, adolescence, and their families across a range of areas including speech sound disorders, receptive and expressive language delays and disorders, literacy difficulties, feeding and mealtime challenges, voice disorders, fluency disorders, and social communication differences. She brings experience with various presentations including: Global Developmental Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, Developmental Language Disorder, and other learning and neurodevelopmental conditions.
Abbey has training in programs such as Hanen – More Than Words, Natural Language Acquisition and Gestalt Language Processing, ADHD Done Differently for Speech Pathologists, Inside Out Sensory Certificate for Speech Language Pathologists, Learn Play Thrive Approach, Nuffield Dyspraxia Programme, and Key Word Sign.
Passionate about inclusion and neurodiversity, Abbey looks forward to collaborating with families to empower them on their child’s communication journey. Her fun and caring nature is evident in her play-filled sessions, supporting children and their families to learn and grow in both skill and confidence.
Our Allied Health Assistant
Hannah Linnegar
Allied Health Assistant
Read Hannah's Bio
Hannah is a qualified Allied Health Assistant with a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Hannah has experience working alongside talented Occupational Therapists, Teachers, Support Coordinators, Family’s and Carers to provide a client centred approach to therapy. During her career, Hannah has had the opportunity to provide support, therapy and care to children and adolescents all over the world.
Hannah values family support and providing therapy through play and movement. Hannah has a background of dance and performance and pulls on these experiences to provide fun therapy sessions.
Hannah has experience supporting clients who live with ASD, ADHD and mental health concerns.
Our Admin Team
Jess Moon
Administration
