Frequently Asked Questions:
Registration and Insurance
1
My child is most comfortable speaking German.
Can you offer therapy in German language?
I do not speak German beyond a basic level (B1). I therefore cannot offer services in German, but if your child speaks to me in German often times I can understand and reply in basic German or in English and many children are comfortable with this model as they use both languages in school. Some of my clients speak neither English or German. For most children it is helpful for the language of therapy to be the one they are most comfortable with, however, since therapy is play based (especially for younger children) the language is not always the most important factor. I have worked successfully with children who only speak Chinese (where I speak neither).
2
What professional bodies are you registered by and what is your qualification?
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I have a a BSc Occupational Therapy degree with Honours, obtained from Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom in 2000.
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I have worked in the National Health Service (UK) and also in Hong Kong, in China and in Germany. You can read more about my professional experience in “About me” and read some of my feedback from parents under “Testimonials” on the Home page.
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I am registered under the British “Health & Care Professions Council” which regulates and supervises all health care professionals in the UK as well as those qualified and still covered by UK professional bodies. Please feel free to click the HCPC link at the bottom of the home page to see my name on the registration page.
3
I have German state insurance cover (e.g. TK / AOK) Are your services covered by state insurance?
No. The short reason is that I am an Occupational Therapist not an Ergo-therapist. I am not registered with the German Ergo-Therapist professional body and therefore local German state insurance cannot cover my services.
4
I have private German health insurance.
Are your services covered?
If you have a private German health insurance policy they may pay for Occupational Therapy. Please check with your own policy. My invoices will say “Occupational Therapy”. They cannot say “Ergo therapy’ for the reasons given above. Please be sure they cover Occupational Therapy.
5
I have private International health insurance.
Are your services covered?
If you have an International private medical insurance package they are typically more familiar with Occupational Therapy but again you need to check with your own insurance company to be sure of what requirements they might have.
6
Where do therapy sessions take place?
I can work with children in school, in your home, in a playground or in a clinic centre depending on circumstances. Typically I work in schools and so sessions will usually be “pull out” style (I will collect your child from the classroom and take them to our session space and return them at the end). This means I might do occasional observations in the classroom or playground if there is a reason to but the majority of our time will be in a private room on a 1:1 basis in within the school or in your home.
7
How are the sessions structured?
Sessions are play-based. This means wherever possible the children will be completing their therapy in the context of playing a game or completing some kind of challenge. It should be fun to come to OT! Of course structure and boundaries are important. Within the context of a safe, playful environment we build a therapeutic relationship that facilitates exploring feelings, challenging topics, and stretching the children to try tasks they might find difficult. It is vital that children feel safe and respected. Therapy cannot be effective without this foundation.
8
Beyond your Occupational Therapy qualification, what additional training have you undertaken or specialized in?
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My dissertation topic (for which I won an award for the best in year) was on Developmental Coordination Disorder and Handwriting difficulties.
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I have consistently taken additional training courses to stay abreast of new developments in relevant topics, typically several courses each year. The list of courses I have attended is too long to list here but the below gives you a flavour of my interests and development over the years.
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In the last 5 years I have focused on intensive training with Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI). I am a Core Specialist in Training for this organization and can be searched under: mnriguide
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I started offering Interactive Metronome ® in August 2024
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COURSES & TRAINING
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Interactive Metronome Training (June 2024)
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15+ Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration courses since 2019 to current.
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MSC Module from the University of Sheffield on ADHD (2017-2018)
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Ayres Sensory Integration (Part 1 of 4)
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SI Certification Program run by University of Southern California (May 2015). Dr. Susanne Smith Roley, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
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Therapeutic Listening
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Listening with the whole body, Accreditation Course. (May 2014)
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Irlen Syndrome Screening, Accreditation Course (September 2013)
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Handwriting Without Tears, Accreditation Course (September 2013)
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Enneagram, Level 1 (Sept 2012) and level 2 (May 2013). The psychology of motivation.
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Kidsmix: Helping Kids Become Social Heroes
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Developing Children’s Social and Emotional Competence. Helen Davidson, Assoc OT, MSc Counselling. (Sept 2012).
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Superflex: A Social Thinking Curriculum
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Observed this course being run and worked with several clients following this course. (May 2012)
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OT for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder, (February 2011). Sidney Chu, OT.
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OT for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, (February 2011). Sidney Chu, OT.
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Effective Interventions combining Sensory Intervention and Neurodevelopmental Treatment. (October 2010). Ricardo C. Carrasco, Ph.D., OTR/L.
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OT for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (February 2010). Sidney Chu, OT.
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Assessment and Treatment of Sensory Modulation Disorders in children with different developmental disorders. (Feb 2010). Sidney Chu, OT.