Carapace Therapy

Get to know Carapace Therapy

From Carapace Therapy's website.

• Our approach

  Carapace Therapy uses contemporary, evidence-based procedures to support children and families with communication and mealtime challenges. Sessions focus on helping clients uncover their full potential through person-centred care delivered with honesty, trust, and transparency. The team believes strongly in lifelong learning and regularly upskills through clinical supervision, conferences, and professional development to ensure best-practice support. Therapy can take place in the clinic in Richmond, at home, at school, in the community, or via telehealth—whatever setting works best for the family. The approach emphasises working collaboratively with clients and the broader team around them to achieve optimal outcomes.

• Working with families

  The service offers family and client-centred care, working collaboratively with parents and carers as part of the broader team around each child. Multiple team members are certified presenters for Hanen parenting programs (It Takes Two to Talk, More Than Words, and TalkAbility), which are designed to coach families in supporting their child's development. The team provides support, training, and workshops to family members and care staff on topics including feeding, mealtimes, AAC, and communication strategies. Therapy frequency and duration are determined in consultation with families to suit their needs, and sessions can take place in home, school, or community settings chosen by the family.

• Meet the team

  The team includes two co-founder directors with over 20 years of combined experience: Rachael Vincent, who specialises in complex communication needs and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and Dr Xanthy Hatzigeorgiou, with expertise in mealtime concerns including dysphagia and tube weaning. Senior speech pathologists Jemma Demasi, Ratna Sari, and other clinicians including Kelsie Whiteford and Hala Iskeirjeh bring diverse training in early intervention, complex communication, feeding, and neurodiverse-affirming practice. All team members hold relevant qualifications (bachelor's or master's degrees in speech pathology) and maintain ongoing professional development through clinical supervision, conference attendance, and specialised training courses. The team is committed to high-quality, evidence-based practice and providing clinical supervision to junior therapists and students.