Beam Health: Child, Youth, & Family Psychologists, Speech Pathologists & Occupational Therapists Cessnock

Get to know Beam Health: Child, Youth, & Family Psychologists, Speech Pathologists & Occupational Therapists Cessnock

From Beam Health: Child, Youth, & Family Psychologists, Speech Pathologists & Occupational Therapists Cessnock's website.

• Our approach

  Beam Health takes a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to therapy tailored to each child's individual needs. The occupational therapists and other clinicians first conduct a thorough assessment to understand how difficulties impact the child's functioning, along with their strengths and learning style. Sessions are delivered in a safe, fun and creative space that promotes engagement, with direct intervention focused on building skills and independence in meaningful activities like play, learning and self-care. Parents and caregivers receive practical strategies to support their child's development outside of sessions, and clinicians collaborate with relevant health and education professionals where needed to achieve agreed goals.

• Working with families

  Parents and caregivers are central to the therapy process and receive additional strategies to enhance their child's skill-building outside of sessions and support to overcome challenges at home and in other settings. Clinicians collaborate with families during assessment and planning to develop individualised goals, and maintain communication with relevant health and education professionals where needed. The approach is explicitly inclusive of both child and family to promote the child's independence and quality of life.

• Meet the team

  The multidisciplinary team includes registered psychologists, clinical psychologists, educational and developmental psychologists, provisional psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, behaviour support practitioners, counsellors, mental health practitioners and social workers. At the Cessnock clinic specifically, there are registered psychologists including Courtney, occupational therapists including Clare and Emma, speech pathologists including Ameika, Chelsea, Kirsti and Shayla, plus additional support staff. The team are experienced, caring and determined professionals committed to providing evidence-based therapeutic support.

• Your first visit

  Initial consultations typically involve a 50-minute face-to-face session plus 20 minutes of non-face-to-face time for the clinician to review intake information, conduct assessment, develop case notes, and plan next steps. For NDIS participants, initial sessions may involve 40 minutes of additional non-face-to-face time for more comprehensive planning. The clinician will gather information to understand the child's difficulties, strengths, and needs, then develop an individualised plan inclusive of both child and family to achieve agreed goals. All initial consultations take place in the clinic.