About Me
Louise Frisardi
I have been a practicing Occupational Therapist (OT) for over 20 years. I completed my Bachelors of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) through the University of Western Sydney, graduating in 2001. I later completed a Masters of Work Health, Safety and Environmental Management in 2006.
I am taking referrals for individuals between 4 years – 45 years. My area of specialty and focus is neurodevelopmental disorders.
I have a particular interest in working with autistic adults who have been late diagnosed in adulthood. I enjoy helping them gain an understanding of what this means and assisting them to better understand themselves and the unique way they interact with the world.
I work from a neurodiverse affirming framework. This framework is based on inclusion and acceptance. It recognises neurodivergent people as the experts in neurodiversity.
It acknowledges that neurodivergent people have their own unique strengths, interests, and challenges. The focus is on understanding each client’s specific needs and working with them to develop personalised strategies for coping and thriving in their own lives.
By embracing this approach, clients are empowered to understand and appreciate their own unique talents and abilities.
I have experience working with:
- Autistic children and adults
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Anxiety
- Pervasive Drive for Autonomy/ Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
- Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD)
- Childhood trauma
- Intellectual disability
I can assist with;
- Motor skill development
- Early Intervention
- Transition to school (primary and high school)
- Emotional regulation
- Sensory integration intervention
- Executive functioning skill development
- Sleep hygiene
- Visual perception
- Social skills
- Life skills development
- Work skill development
- Navigating relationship; family, friends, work and intimate
- Community access and involvement
- Family consultation and education
Prior to opening Midcoast Occupational Therapy I worked;
For a not-for-profit organisation located in Taree (2022- 2024): I worked with 4+ year olds to adults in a clinic on;
- Social Skills
- Play Skills
- Executive Functioning Skills
- Handwriting assessment/intervention
- Sensory Processing/ Self-Regulation Skills
- Activities of daily living
- Experience using a range of standardised assessments
- Functional Assessment Reports for NDIS
For a private OT organisation located in Taree (2010- 2022): The work I performed there included;
- Capacity building with clients in receipt of NDIS (children, teens and adults)
- Functional Assessments and Reports for NDIS
- Occupational Rehabilitation: workers insurance and lifetime care and support. This work primarily consisted of case management and workplace, functional capacity and ADL assessments.
Before this I was based in Sydney and worked extensively in worker compensation, injury management and rehabilitation (Workers Insurance, Lifetime Care and Support, Treasury Managed Fund, MCRS). I have worked as a rehabilitation provider, in-house for employers (Health and Utilities) and as an injury management specialist with a major insurer.