Welcome to OT & Play
"Regulated, connected kids who feel safe do well." Robyn Gobbel
At OT & Play we believe that not all children communicate their needs in the same way and that all behaviour makes sense. Our passion is to help children and families learn to interpret baffling behaviours through a new lens of perception and to allow each client to feel understood. With years of training, as well as practical and lived experience, we strive to make a fun and supportive space where children and their families can feel welcome,be seen and achieve their goals. At OT & Play our focus is relationship based therapy.
Ingerlisa Matthews
Ingerlisa is a Registered Play Therapist as well as an AutPlay and Interplay certified therapist with her initial training in child psychology and child development. She also has a background in parent mentoring and coaching as well as training companion animals and utilizes therapy animals in her clinical work.
Ingerlisa has over 20 years of hands-on experience in working alongside children and their families in many diverse spaces as well as ten years lived experienced as a parent of children with special needs. Ingerlisa specializes in non-directive therapy which is adaptive, attachment focused, and trauma informed. She understands the power of presence and the importance of feeling safe, heard and understood as a parent of children with dysregulated nervous systems. Relationship is at the heart of all her interactions with the children and parents she works alongside.
Ingerlisa leads with curiosity, compassion and deep empathy as she helps her clients untangle what their baffling behaviour is working so hard to communicate and to help each family learn through the lens of interpersonal neuroscience how to understand how the brain works and how to create safety and regulation in their relationships.
B.S. Child Psychology and Child Development
Registered Play Therapist
Certified AutPlay Therapist
Certified Interplay Therapist
Licensed Being With Parent Coach
Post Graduate Diploma Parent Mentor
Post Graduate Foundational Skills Counseling
Certificate IV Companion Animal Studies Delta Austral
Registered Member of PTPA
Affiliate Member APA
Student Member of ACA
Cassandra Allison
Cassie graduated from The University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) in 2017. She has gone on to do further studies in domains such as ADHD in Females, and Managing Personality Disorders from Harvard University. From this she has a passion for developing alternative methods for teaching living and developmental skills for all ages.
Being given the opportunity to work within homes, hospitals, clinics, and outdoor spaces Cassie has a broad understanding of the everyday challenges people may face. While these may be sometimes difficult, Cassie has a unique and positive approach to tackling any task you believe is meaningful.
Cassie strives to have a therapy space where all interests are appreciated, and any goal is worth giving a go.
Alison Houghton
Ally is an Occupational Therapist from the University of the Sunshine Coast with a special interest in infancy development. Participating as part of a research project in the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder space, with one of the leading Australian experts. She has interests in Functional Somatic Symptoms management and is currently specialising in infancy.
Ally’s has also completed a psychology degree, majoring in learning behaviour change she strives to understand what motivates your child and how these effects all aspect of daily life.
Ally has a passion for working with child big and small. Ally has naturally gravitated towards working with paediatrics. Having a large family network her house is often a revolving door of little people which brings her joy. Through her volunteering she has worked with all ages by organising and running a sensory room program. As a lover of sport, drama, and music she believes that play and laugher should be the focus of everyone’s life even as an adult.
Ally is fortunate to bring forward her learning experiences from both community and hospital settings. As your occupational therapist she can help identify the areas and skills to build on through using a collective approach with both child and parents. Ally uses play as a powerful tool that builds these skills to enrich her client’s day to day lives.
How does OT help infants?
As your infant occupational therapist, she will review the four key domains of infant development which includes: interaction, system regulation, play and the co occupations of infancy such as sleep, bathing and feeding. She can assess the upper limb function of your baby and provide personalised developmentally appropriate cognitive play activities for you baby.