About Kirstie:

Kirstie qualified from Glasgow Caledonian University with a BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy with Psychology in 2002 and obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Child and Adolescent Mental Health in 2009. Kirstie has worked in a variety of health and educational settings during her career. 

Kirstie is highly skilled in working with an a varied and complex client group including those with head injuries, autistic spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, mental health difficulties, attachment difficulties, motor co-ordination difficulties and emotional behavioural difficulties.

Kirstie has delivered therapy in a range of settings including schools, hospitals, clinics and community locations alongside offering sessions within the client's home. Kirstie has experience of working alongside a variety of statutory, voluntary and educational professionals and has delivered training in both health and educational settings in order to promote joint working for the benefit of the client.

Kirstie is always keen to ensure that therapy is accessible to both the client and their families or carers and is keen to promote self-directed goal setting, joint therapy sessions with other professionals and carers  and encourages client feedback and direction to ensure that she provides fun, motivational, flexible and focused therapy.

Kirstie has a broad and eclectic knowledge of the care pathways and possible routes of assistance available to parents and settings within the area. 

She is adept at identifying, developing and sourcing resources for therapy within limited budgets and maximises community resources and opportunities to ensure that all therapy is 'real world' based and has a functional and purposeful aim.

Kirstie has a professional but personal approach to her work with clients and settings that ensures each individual is provided with a personal and goal directed service developed to their specific needs.

Kirstie can offer weekday, evening and weekend appointments.

Within her practice Kirstie aims to address the following areas:

• Providing Individual assessments and interventions- looking at individual emotional; sensory and physical needs.
• Providing Individual sessions focused on the goals; needs and developmental stage of the young person using a variety of classroom; creative and occupation based sessions.
• Small group sessions - protective behaviours; self-esteem; social skills; understanding emotions
• Community based assessments and sessions linking real world function and skill development
• Classroom based time - increased 1:1 opportunities; support staff in 'real' setting; observe groups of young people; highlight difficulties; signpost to the most appropriate therapies
• Support staff to recognise different issues and develop strategies for management; provide training and dissemination of techniques and skills for a number of issues.
• Sensory awareness incorporating movement in lessons / warm up/ cool down/ headphones/ visual learning strategies
• Support staff tor recognise splitting/ escalating/ self-control behaviours and provide strategies and techniques to help manage these difficulties.
  

Kirstie's training and clinical approaches:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health
• Approaches to Attachment
• Infant Mental Health - working ante and postnatally to promote attachment and develop good parenting.
• Parenting and Family Work
• Sensory Processing Techniques
• Social Skills
• Group Work- Social Skill/ ASD/ Self Esteem/ parenting/ understanding yourself/DCD
• Protective Behaviours
• Handwriting Techniques
• Model of Human Occupation

 

Clinical groups Kirstie works with:
 
Kirstie works with children and adults with:

• Self-esteem and self-image
• Mood disorders
• Self-Harm
• Motor coordination difficulties including DCD
• ADHD
• Emotional and behavioural difficulties
• Autistic Spectrum Disorders
• Eating difficulties and fussy eaters
• Cerebral Palsy
• Head injuries
• Stroke

Read about Occupational Therapy services here

Read Kirstie's full CV here: