Our Team
Our experienced, family-centred team is dedicated to helping children thrive across home, school, and community.
Tessa Sutherland
Director & Senior Occupational Therapist
B.Occupational Therapy
Tessa (currently on maternity leave) is the founding director of Asset Therapy and an experienced paediatric occupational therapist providing play-based, neuro-affirming therapy in partnership with families.
Tessa is a highly experienced paediatric occupational therapist and the founding director of Asset Therapy. She is passionate about supporting children, families, and communities to work collaboratively toward meaningful goals, with a strong belief that effective therapy extends beyond the clinic and into everyday life.
Her practice is grounded in play-based learning and neuro-affirming approaches. Tessa creates engaging, strengths-based therapy sessions tailored to each child’s interests, supporting participation, connection, and development across daily routines.
Tessa places a strong emphasis on caregiver education and collaboration, equipping families with practical strategies that can be confidently implemented at home, school, and in the community.
Additional training includes:
- Learn to Play Therapy – Karen Stagnitti
- DIRFloortime® (DIR 101)
- Learning to Conquer the Wees & Poos
- The Zones of Regulation
- The SenseUp Approach
Outside of work, Tessa enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, and experimenting in the kitchen.
Play-Based Therapy
Sensory Processing
Early Intervention
Family-Centred Practice
Toileting & Continence
Jaiden Patience
Senior Occupational Therapist
B.Occupational Therapy
Jaiden is a senior paediatric occupational therapist based in Northern New South Wales (NSW) with over 10 years of experience supporting children and families.
She loves working collaboratively with families, educators, and caregivers to create interventions that are meaningful, practical, and empowering. Jaiden brings energy, creativity, and a sense of play to every session, finding fun and innovative ways to engage children while celebrating their unique strengths and temperaments.
With experience across all ages, Jaiden has a particular passion for early intervention, helping kids build confidence, independence, and joy in everyday life. Her approach is neuro-affirming and strengths-based, focusing on what each child can do and making therapy engaging and relevant.
Jaiden has completed additional training in:
- Collaborative and Proactive Solutions - Dr. Ross Greene
- An Affirming Approach to Supporting Interoception, Feeding Challenges & ARFID - Kelly Mahler
- Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding
- Infant Sense Integration Training
Outside of work, Jaiden can usually be found exploring the great outdoors with her husband and two young kids, caravanning to new destinations, staying active, and hunting down the best local eats along the way.
Early Intervention
Feeding Skills
Fine Motor Skills
Self-Care Skills
Toileting & Continence
Sensory Processing
Georgina Werninghaus
Occupational Therapist
B.Occupational Therapy, B.Health Sc
Georgina (currently on maternity leave) is an occupational therapist who uses a holistic, neuro-affirming approach to support children and adolescents to build confidence and independence.
Georgina holds a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and a Bachelor of Health Sciences. She is passionate about supporting and empowering children, adolescents, and their families in a collaborative, fun, and neuro-affirming environment.
Georgina has experience working with children of all ages and has supported children with ASD, ADHD, GDD, and sensory processing differences.
Additional training includes:
- Circle of Security – Registered Facilitator
- Learn to Play Therapy – Karen Stagnitti
- Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS)
- Coach Approach Training
Outside of work, Georgina enjoys spending time outdoors, travelling, playing sport, and connecting with friends.
Social Skills
Emotional Regulation
Fine Motor Skills
Self-Care Skills
Play-Based Therapy
Neuro-Affirming Practice
Laura Zahra
Occupational Therapist
B.Occupational Therapy
Laura is an experienced occupational therapist with over 16 years of practice, providing holistic and individualised therapy for children and families.
Laura is an occupational therapist with over 16 years of experience working with children and families. She takes a holistic and individualised approach to therapy, collaborating closely with both children and caregivers to support sustainable outcomes.
As a parent of three, Laura brings a strong understanding of child development alongside the practicalities of family life. She supports children across fine and gross motor development, executive functioning, emotional regulation, social skills, self-care, play, and sensory processing.
Outside of work, Laura enjoys spending time with her family, caravanning, staying active, and creative pursuits.
Fine Motor Skills
Gross Motor Skills
Emotional Regulation
Social Skills
Self-Care Skills
Sensory Processing
Play-Based Therapy
Holistic Therapy
NC
Natasha Clegg
Occupational Therapist
B.Occupational Therapy (Honours)
Natasha is a passionate occupational therapist who supports children and families across home, school, daycare, and community settings.
Tash is a passionate Occupational Therapist with six years of experience supporting children and families across home, school, daycare, and community settings. She is dedicated to helping children build confidence, develop meaningful skills, and participate fully in the activities that matter most to them.
She loves working as a mobile therapist because it allows her to support children in their everyday environments and collaborate closely with the important people in their lives. She believes that the best outcomes are achieved when families, educators, therapists, and other professionals work together as a team around the child.
She has a particular interest in early childhood intervention and is experienced in supporting children across a variety of developmental and functional areas. She has extensive experience working within schools and early learning settings, providing educator coaching, capacity building, and practical strategies to support children’s participation and success. Tash values creating safe, supportive, and empowering environments for children and families.
Professional development and training includes:
- Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
- The Sense Up Approach Accreditation
- Key Word Sign Australia Training
- Trauma-Informed Practice
- Occupational Therapy with Children: Principles and Assessment
Outside of work, Tash enjoys spending time at the beach, travelling, staying active through swimming, running and walking, and spending quality time with family, friends, and her Kelpie.
Fine Motor Skills
Gross Motor Skills
Early Intervention
Play-Based Therapy
Wanyé Phillips
Occupational Therapist
B.Science OT (Hons)
Wanyé is an occupational therapist who uses a strengths-based, neuro-affirming approach informed by professional expertise and lived experience.
Originally from South Africa, Wanyé graduated from the University of Cape Town with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Occupational Therapy. His career spans hospital, private paediatric practice, and community-based therapy in South Africa and Australia.
As a proudly neurodivergent practitioner, Wanyé is deeply committed to empowering children, adolescents, and families through a collaborative and strengths-based approach. He has experience supporting children with cerebral palsy, ASD, ADHD, GDD, sensory processing challenges, and paediatric rheumatology conditions.
Additional training includes:
- Mental Health First Aid
- DIRFloortime® 101
- Ayres Sensory Integration Theory
Outside of work, Wanyé enjoys running, the gym, playing water polo, travelling, and being outdoors.
Neuro-Affirming Practice
Sensory Processing
Rheumatology Conditions
Mental Health
Sharaye Sheikh
Occupational Therapist
B.Occupational Therapy
Sharaye is an Occupational Therapist who takes a strengths-based, neuro-affirming approach to supporting children and their families.
She is passionate about helping children build confidence, independence, and meaningful skills through play-based and individualised therapy.
Sharaye completed her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Canberra and has worked exclusively in paediatric settings throughout her career. She has experience supporting children with a range of developmental needs, including ASD, ADHD, cerebral palsy, sensory processing differences, and challenges with emotional regulation and daily functioning.
Her approach combines evidence-informed practice with a strong focus on connection and collaboration. Sharaye works closely with children, families, and educators to support skill development across environments, with a particular interest in emotional regulation, sensory processing, and participation in everyday activities.
Sharaye has completed additional training in Learn to Play (by Karen Stagnitti), along with DIRFloortime® 101, OT with Children: Principles of Assessment & Intervention, KidLinks Supporting Young ADHDers, and KidLinks Sensory Processing: Evidence-Informed Practice for OTs.
Play-Based Therapy
Emotional Regulation
Sensory Processing
Gross Motor Skills
Self-Care Skills
Family-Centred Practice
Briony Huxley
Occupational Therapist
B.Occupational Therapy
Briony is a compassionate occupational therapist focused on delivering client- and occupation-centred therapy in children's natural environments.
Briony is an occupational therapist committed to delivering high-quality, client- and occupation-centred therapy in children's natural environments, including home and school settings.
She has experience working in kindergartens and schools, with a focus on early intervention. Briony has supported children with ASD, ADHD, sensory processing differences, and functional and behavioural challenges.
She has a particular interest in social play, self-care, toileting skills, and incontinence management.
Outside of work, Briony enjoys spending time with her family, connecting with others, reading the Bible, and ballet.
Early Intervention
Social Skills
Self-Care Skills
Toileting & Continence
Play-Based Therapy
Shreya Rane
Paediatric Physiotherapist
B.Physiotherapy
Shreya is a dedicated paediatric physiotherapist who is passionate about helping children build confidence, strength, and independence through fun, play-based therapy and meaningful movement.
She creates engaging, supportive therapy sessions that empower children to participate more fully in daily activities at home, school, and in the community. With experience across clinic, home, community, and hydrotherapy settings, Shreya works with children of all ages — from infants to teenagers — supporting a wide range of developmental needs.
Shreya strongly believes in building trusting relationships with both children and their families, and tailors her approach to make therapy enjoyable and effective. Her key therapy methods include task-oriented functional training, play-based therapy, and motor planning and coordination strategies.
Outside of work, Shreya enjoys going to the gym, experimenting in the kitchen, and spending time outdoors. She is committed to living an active and healthy lifestyle, both personally and professionally.
Play-Based Therapy
Mobility & Strength
Balance & Coordination
Hydrotherapy
Justin Sutherland
Practice Manager
Justin is the Practice Manager and is responsible for the smooth and efficient operation of the practice.
Justin is an experienced Practice Manager with a strong background in operational leadership and multidisciplinary team management. He is dedicated to ensuring the smooth delivery of therapy services and a high standard of support for clients and their families.
Justin is known for his pragmatic, solutions-focused approach and his commitment to continuous improvement.
Outside of work, Justin enjoys playing golf, travelling, and spending time with his family.
Operational Leadership
Client Services
Team Management
Strategic Planning