Inspiration and Guidance
Insights
Welcome to Insights!
We are Drs Jo and Dee, find out more about our formal qualifications at our staff pages.
As down-to-earth practical people, we help others to solve problems and find solutions. Our therapy work is heartfelt and applied to real life. This blog shares our insights over the years - the current version is a re-make of our longstanding blog that began in 2015. We hope you enjoy!
Behaviour Support and Human Rights
Human rights are central to positive behaviour support. Here we review key values.
Behaviour Support does not exist in a vacuum.
All behaviour support happens in familial, social, community, legal, legislative national, and international policy contexts.
Simple but potent sign on a street post says it all - every human has rights.
Key Human Rights
Here are a few of the basic human rights involved in behaviour support practice.
These touch on relationships in families, communities, and nations. These come directly out of international, national, and state based policy and practice standards.
Every person has the right to:
Dignity and respect
Live in and be part of a community
Realise their individual potential and capacity for physical, social, emotional, intellectual, psychological, and spiritual development
Access services on an equal footing to others in society that support a reasonable quality of life
Choose their own lifestyle and to have access to information
Participate in decisions that affect their lives and future
Receive services in a way that results in least restriction of personal rights and opportunities and human freedoms
Address any grievance or complaint without fear or recrimination from service providers including fear of the discontinuation of services
Protection from neglect, abuse, exploitation, and harrassment
Citation: Behaviour Support: Policy and Practice Manual Part 1, NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, 2009
Dr Dwayne and Dr Jo are PhDs and senior counselling psychotherapists and behaviour specialists, registered with NDIS so funding is available for NDIS participants. We work across Australia via telehealth - online using zoom, facetime or your favourite app. Get in touch via the form on home page.
Beautiful display of colour showing respect.
Beyond Talk Therapy - Getting Positive Outcomes
Therapy helps us in relationships and life, in practical ways. How vital this is during these times of change.
I Have Tried Psychology and Counselling for Years. I Have Talked Through My Problems Endlessly, and Nothing Has Changed.
Many people feel stuck after years of talking therapies. They may say, "I have tried psychology and counselling for years. I have talked through my problems endlessly, and nothing has changed." If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. While talking is important, practical change is what makes a difference.
Personal time is key. Relaxing with yourself.
Moving Beyond Talking
Talking about problems is helpful to some extent. It helps you understand your feelings and challenges. However, without action, nothing shifts. Our approach at Ability Therapy Specialists is different. We focus on practical behavioural change. We help you learn new skills that work in real life.
Practical Behavioural Change
We do not just explore your feelings. We work with you to find solutions you can try immediately. This could be changing a routine, building skills to manage stress, or learning new ways to communicate. We focus on what will work best for your everyday life.
Solutions That Fit Your Life
Every person is unique. What works for one may not work for another. That is why we tailor our plans to suit you. We involve you in making the plan. This way, you feel confident to use the strategies. Our goal is to make changes simple and achievable.
Having Fun While Changing
Change can be hard. It can feel overwhelming and tiring. We believe change should also be enjoyable. Our therapists bring creativity and fun into the process. Using games, activities, and positive reinforcement, we help you stay motivated. Learning new skills becomes a positive experience, not a struggle.
People love talking about their life - and good therapists actually listen!
Leaning Into Positive Change
Small steps can lead to big changes. We encourage you to lean into positive change at your own pace. Our support helps you celebrate every success, no matter how small. With consistent practice, new habits form, and life starts to feel better.
In Summary
If you have tried talking therapies without seeing change, consider a fresh approach. Ability Therapy Specialists offer practical, solution-focused therapy. We help you create real changes in your life. Together, we make therapy useful, fun, and effective. This approach empowers you to move forward, build skills, and enjoy a better quality of life.
Send us a line via form on home page.
Understanding Relationship Behaviour Support
Relational behaviour support is funded under NDIS as a practical solution focused service. Learn more here.
Relationship behaviour support is an important part of helping people with disabilities and mental health needs build positive connections with others. At Ability Therapy Specialists, we focus on providing practical strategies that improve interactions and reduce challenges in relationships.
What is Relationship Behaviour Support?
Relationship behaviour support involves understanding behaviours that affect how people relate to family, friends, carers, and others around them. It looks at reasons behind behaviours and works to promote respectful and positive communication.
All relationships need support - behaviour therapy is a practical way to help
Why is it Important?
Good relationships contribute to a person’s overall wellbeing. Difficult behaviours can lead to misunderstandings, frustration, and isolation. Support helps people express their needs clearly and develop skills to interact comfortably with others.
Who Can Benefit?
People with disabilities, mental health needs, parents, families, and support staff all benefit from relationship behaviour support. It helps everyone involved understand each other better and work together to solve challenges.
How Does It Work?
Our approach begins with listening to the person’s story. We then assess behaviours in everyday life to identify what causes stress or conflict. Using functional assessments, we create personalised behaviour support plans tailored to each individual’s needs.
Practical Solutions for Everyday Life
Support includes teaching practical skills such as:
Managing emotions
Communicating needs effectively
Building social skills
Responding calmly in difficult situations
We also provide guidance for families and carers on how to create supportive environments that encourage positive behaviours.
Using Telehealth and Online Services
Ability Therapy Specialists offer telehealth and online consultations to reach people nationwide. This means support is accessible regardless of location, enabling consistent help for clients and their support networks.
We meet you where you are at - on your device. One day soon, in your eye glasses too.
The Role of Behaviour Support Plans
A behaviour support plan is a detailed guide that outlines strategies to encourage positive behaviour and reduce challenging behaviour. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated with input from the person and their team.
Working Together for Success
Relationship behaviour support is most effective when everyone involved collaborates. This includes the person receiving support, family members, carers, and professionals. Together, we create a respectful and understanding environment that nurtures positive connections.
Contact Ability Therapy Specialists
If you or someone you care about needs help with relationship behaviours, Ability Therapy Specialists offer expert guidance and practical solutions. Our professional team supports you to improve everyday interactions and build stronger relationships across Australia.
See our contact form on the home page and get in touch. We are NDIS Registered for funding using your NDIS Plan.
Understanding Behaviour Support
Behaviour support is really practical and life-changing because the approach builds on skills and abilities.
Behaviour support is a way to help people whose actions or behaviours are causing problems in their lives.
Sometimes, behaviours become too intense, happen too often, or last for a long time.
When this happens, it can affect a person’s quality of life and even their physical safety.
Behaviour support focuses on understanding these behaviours and finding ways to improve the situation.
Our clients meet us online - sharing intense and real life events. This is life-changing work.
When Is Behaviour Support Needed?
People may need behaviour support if their behaviours:
Happen very often (high frequency)
Last for a long time (long duration)
Are very strong or intense (high intensity)
These behaviours might cause harm to themselves or others. They can also make it hard for the person to take part in everyday activities, enjoy life, or be safe.
How Behaviour Support Helps
Behaviour support uses different strategies to help the person and those around them. The goal is to reduce the intensity, frequency, or duration of difficult behaviours. This can make life safer and better for the individual.
Support often begins by understanding why the behaviour happens. People don’t act in difficult ways without a reason. Behaviour support specialists look at what might be causing the behaviour, such as:
Health issues
Communication difficulties
Environment or setting
Emotional needs
What Behaviour Support Includes
Behaviour support can include:
Functional assessments to understand behaviour triggers and needs
Creating behaviour support plans that are safe and practical
Teaching new skills or ways to communicate
Training families, staff, and others who support the person
Regular reviews to see how well the plan is working
Practical therapy is more than good intentions - it is making real life changes that matter.
Benefits of Behaviour Support
Effective behaviour support can:
Improve safety for the person and others
Enhance the person’s independence and participation in daily life
Reduce stress and anxiety for the person and their support network
Offer practical solutions to everyday concerns
Conclusion
Behaviour support is about helping people whose behaviours affect their safety and quality of life.
By understanding the reasons behind these behaviours and working with the person, families, and support staff, behaviour support can create positive changes that make life better and safer.
At Ability Therapy Specialists, we are committed to providing professional, respectful, and practical behaviour support to help individuals reach their full potential.
Get in touch with Dr Dwayne and Dr Jo via the form on home page, or give us a ring and leave a message.
What is Functional Assessment of Behaviour - Why Do I need it?
Functional assessment of behaviour is really helpful. Here is why.
Most Practical and Useful of All
Base your effort on a functional assessment - and your intervention is twice as likely to be useful.
Said another way, get a functional assessment of behaviour and your path to change can be easier. Not always true in every case of course, but the general wisdom holds. The more we get what is happening - the easier it is to make changes.
Struggling with a behavioural problem is no fun, and can be dangerous to health and safety. The path to change and learning can sometimes be hard. Therapy is here to make this process a bit more manageable.
Solid Assessments are Key
By useful we mean that behaviour support based on solid assessment and intervention planning seeks to
1. increase safety wherever possible,
2. provide insight and hope,
3. create options and choices, and
4. reduce behaviours of concern and/or change environments and supports that then contribute to changes in behaviours.
In many cases these positive outcomes are documented by the behavioural therapist. This is accepting the fact that every situation is unique and that there are no guarantees.
Vital Assistance - Key Insights
Research and professional practice - over many years - shows that counselling and behaviour support assessments and interventions provide significant assistance to clients, families, and staff.
Smith et al (2016) looked at the relationship between biological setting events and problem behaviours.
Then they worked through a "functional analysis of each participant’s problem behaviour in relation to two context factors: fatigue and task demands."
By implementing a multi-component intervention to address both the biological setting factor and the behaviours of concern they reported a dramatic reduction in problem behaviour. The implications show that understanding and assisting with setting events contributes to addressing behaviours of concern.
No doubt life is complex at times - we simplify things so the path is a bit easier.
What You Know, What You Need to Know
In behaviour support, what you know is often not enough. People in everyday life miss the boat. That is natural. We are not trained to see what is underlying in behavioural patterns.
Specialists are trained and with experience to pick up on the patterns, to investigate the data, to uncover the motivations. These insights help sort what is happening. More important - how to make changes more easily.
Source: Christopher E. Smith, Edward G. Carr, Lauren J. Moskowitz, 2016, Fatigue as a biological setting event for severe problem behavior in autism spectrum disorder, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Volume 23, March 2016, Pages 131–144.
Dr Jo and Dr Dwayne are senior counsellor psychotherapists and behaviour specialists - focused on real life therapy with people in everyday life via your smart phone or devices. They work on zoom, facetime or your fav apps. They reach out across Australia and are paid via your NDIS Funding Package Plan. Their private books are closed at the moment but let them know if you are interested in therapy - maybe they can find room to assist. Contact via the form on home page.
Great thing about assessment is - the therapist does the hard work.
Behaviour Support and Counselling Telehealth in Perth and Western Australia
We are so happy to open services for NDIS participants in Perth up to Broome and across WA - here is how you can engage.
Living in Perth or anywhere in Western Australia offers many benefits, but access to specialised therapy and behaviour support services can sometimes be challenging due to the vast distances involved.
At Ability Therapy Specialists, we bridge that gap through our professional telehealth services.
Tailored Hours for Western Australia Clients
Our telehealth sessions are structured with your convenience in mind. For clients based in Perth and throughout Western Australia, we typically schedule appointments during business hours from 8 am to 2 pm local Perth time. This timing ensures that you can easily fit therapy sessions into your day without disrupting essential routines, school, or work commitments.
If you happen to coordinate with others in the eastern states, please note that our workday hours adjust to 10 am to 4 pm Sydney time. This flexibility means our support can function seamlessly across time zones without compromising quality care.
We are delighted to work with NDIS participants in Perth and across WA - providing specialist behaviour support and counselling
Access Senior PhD Specialist Assistance Nationwide
Unlike many local-only providers, Ability Therapy Specialists offers the exceptional advantage of accessing senior clinicians with PhD-level expertise and decades of hard won experience. No matter where you are in Australia - you can enjoy this advantage.
With telehealth, distance is no barrier to receiving high-quality, evidence-based assessments and therapy.
Our team specialises in service delivery to people with disabilities and mental health needs, as well as their families and support networks.
Whether you are in a remote region of Western Australia or in metropolitan Perth, you gain access to practical, tailored solutions informed by years of clinical research and direct experience.
Why Choose Our Telehealth Services in WA?
National Reach: No matter how remote your location in WA, our services come to you in your home.
Convenient Scheduling: Dedicated appointment windows aligned with WA business hours.
Expert Support: Receive guidance from highly qualified clinicians, including those holding PhDs.
Comprehensive Services: Therapy, behaviour support plans, functional assessments, and ongoing consultations.
From Perth to Broome, we honour the spirit of Australia and are delighted to connect in service as senior specialist counsellor psychotherapists
Serving the Vast, Beautiful State of Western Australia
Western Australia’s vastness and natural beauty are unique, but accessing specialist therapy doesn’t have to be difficult.
We encourage families, support staff, and individuals across this great state to embrace telehealth as a reliable, effective way to achieve meaningful outcomes.
If you seek expert assistance from senior specialists who understand your specific needs and circumstances, contact Ability Therapy Specialists.
Our telehealth service is your pathway to professional support that transcends distance and time zones.
Ability Therapy Specialists is an NDIS-registered provider committed to offering equitable, accessible therapy and behaviour support services for all Australians who make this connection with our tailored boutique service.
Experience the advantages of telehealth — expert care is just a call or click away. Use our Contact form on Home Page, we look forward to hearing from you.
Supporting Families Across Brisbane and Queensland in Behaviour Support and Counselling
Brisbane and Queensland NDIS participants benefit by accessing our specialist senior therapy support - here is how you can too.
At Ability Therapy Specialists, we proudly support families across Brisbane and throughout Queensland, specialising in telehealth online therapy for complex and specialist cases. Being based in northern NSW is no barrier - we work with people across the country.
We recognise the unique challenges that mothers and fathers face when raising children with special needs.
That’s why we provide tailored parenting coaching designed to empower and guide parents every step of the way.
Tailored Parenting Coaching
Parenting a child with special needs can be overwhelming.
Our specialised coaching focuses on equipping mothers with practical strategies and emotional support.
We explore personalised approaches that work best for each family, helping to build confidence and resilience in daily parenting.
We love helping NDIS participants and their parents in Brisbane and across Queensland with counselling and specialist behavioural therapy - get in touch today
Compassionate Counselling and Behaviour Support
Our experienced team offers compassionate counselling and behaviour support to individuals with autism and other disabilities.
We develop customised behaviour support plans that address specific challenges, aiming to improve daily functioning and enhance quality of life.
Our focus is on solutions that are effective and easy to implement within everyday routines.
Accessible Telehealth and Online Services
Understanding that families may be spread across different locations, we provide accessible telehealth and online services.
This ensures that expert support from our team is available wherever you live in Queensland.
Our remote therapy sessions and consultations offer convenience without compromising the quality of care.
Practical and Personalised Solutions
At Ability Therapy Specialists, we believe every family deserves personalised therapy and comprehensive behaviour support.
Our approach is holistic and practical, designed to meet your family’s individual needs.
Whether it’s through one-on-one coaching, assessment, or ongoing therapy, we work collaboratively with you to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Every family needs a community of support to raise their children
Ability Therapy Specialists
Choosing the right support team is crucial for your child’s development and your family’s wellbeing.
Ability Therapy Specialists is known for expert guidance, compassionate care, and tailored interventions.
Together, we can help navigate the complexities of disability and mental health needs with solutions that truly make a difference.
Find our contact form on the home page or give us a ring.
Servicing Melbourne and Victoria for Behaviour Support and Counselling
ATS works with clients in Melbourne and Victoria, meeting real needs via telehealth provisions. Here is how you can get involved.
Specialist Behaviour Support at the Ready
At Ability Therapy Specialists, we proudly support NDIS participants across Melbourne and Victoria with tailored telehealth and online services designed to meet your unique needs.
Whether you or your family require therapy, behaviour support plans, or functional assessments, our experienced team delivers practical, evidence-based solutions directly to you, no matter where you are.
ATS works with clients in Melbourne and Victoria to assist with personalised therapy
Diverse Challenges - Personalised Support
We understand the diverse challenges faced by people with disability and mental health conditions, and we work closely with participants, families, support workers, and staff to provide personalised care that promotes independence and wellbeing.
Our NDIS registered services include:
Telehealth counselling and therapy sessions
Comprehensive behaviour support planning
Functional assessments and goal-oriented strategies
Support for families and carers to navigate daily challenges
Serving Victoria and Melbourne community members, we are committed to accessible, efficient, and compassionate support that fits your lifestyle.
Connect with Ability Therapy Specialists to ensure your NDIS plan is maximising your potential with expert guidance every step of the way.
Supporting Greater Sydney NDIS Participants
ATS works with clients in greater Sydney and is delighted to assist - here is key information on how to apply.
Access Expert NDIS Telehealth Behaviour Support and Counselling Services
NDIS participants in Greater Sydney can now access specialised therapy, behaviour support, and counselling services without the lengthy wait times commonly experienced in metropolitan areas.
Based in Northern NSW, Ability Therapy Specialists offers convenient telehealth and online appointments, delivering high-quality support directly to your home or preferred location.
We are delighted to assist NDIS participants in greater Sydney NSW
Key Benefits for Sydney-Based Participants:
Bypass Long Waiting Lists: Skip delays often faced with in-person services in Sydney by accessing immediate telehealth appointments.
Flexible Scheduling: Choose times that fit your lifestyle, reducing travel time and disruption.
Comprehensive Support: Receive therapy, behaviour support plans, and functional assessments tailored to individual needs.
NDIS Registered: Fully compliant services that meet the requirements of your NDIS plan.
National Access: Benefit from expert care delivered seamlessly across state lines from Northern NSW to Sydney.
Experience timely, professional, and personalised support without the wait.
Connect with Ability Therapy Specialists to maximise your NDIS plan and improve outcomes through convenient telehealth services.
Choosing an NDIS Behaviour Support Provider: A Guide for Participants & Families
Educational insights to help your choose providers based on quality factors in counselling and behaviour support services.
Choosing the right NDIS behaviour support provider is important for achieving meaningful outcomes. Services can differ in delivery, expertise, and approach. The industry culture is informed by quality reviews and standards.
This guide outlines key quality factors to consider when comparing providers. For the sake of learning we provide an easy comparison between two providers.
Provider 1 example demonstrates strengths. Provider 2 shows what is often available and could be improved.
Service Delivery
Personalisation
Provider 1: Tailored truly person-centred support plans developed by PhD-level clinicians with decades of real-life experience.
Provider 2: Standardised plans with less individualisation.
Service Scale
Provider 1: Limited caseloads with focus on relationship building with world-class quality to ensure focused attention.
Provider 2: Larger caseloads may reduce individual focus.
Delivery Mode
Provider 1: Primarily telehealth, no travel for clients, in-home access on your device, offering flexibility nationwide.
Provider 2: Combination of in-person and telehealth; may be location-limited.
Personalised therapy where you need it - in your home and daily life.
Expertise and Qualifications
Clinical Expertise
Provider 1: PhD-level clinicians with extensive experience with relevant specialisations.
Provider 2: Varies; may include psychologists, OTs, or social workers.
Specialisations
Provider 1: Person-centred experts with diverse specialisations and focus on complex cases and dual diagnoses.
Provider 2: Generalist approach across conditions.
Industry Recognition
Provider 1: Highly regarded for expert reports, clinical assessments, behaviour support plans, funding and plan reviews.
Provider 2: Recognition varies; may not specialise in complex cases.
Therapeutic Approaches
Therapy Modalities
Provider 1: Integral-cognitive-holistic, solution-focused outcomes, with creative methods (art, clay, gaming, symbols).
Provider 2: Primarily traditional talk therapy.
Innovative Techniques
Provider 1: Uses innovative methods to enhance engagement, learning, and personalised outcomes.
Provider 2: Standardised interventions.
Engagement Strategies
Provider 1: Focus on enjoyment, learning, empowerment, motivation, and positive life-changing outcomes.
Provider 2: Typically behaviour modification focused.
Personalised access to counselling and behavioural therapy now is critically important.
Accessibility and Support
Service Availability
Provider 1: Flexible scheduling often employed to meet client needs, with texting, video, and email access.
Provider 2: Fixed hours; flexibility may be limited.
Family Involvement
Provider 1: Active therapy-process engagement and guidance for parents, siblings, and families.
Provider 2: Family involvement varies; may be optional.
Geographic Reach
Provider 1: Services available nationwide via telehealth - while our Sydney timezone focus this a bit - this is adaptable.
Provider 2: Limited to specific regions.
Wherever you are - we are there with you. Therapy is not just person-centred, it meets real needs and nurtures change.
Conclusion
When you compare all the above quality indicators, you would probably choose Provider 1. Maybe Provider 2 sounds familiar in some or many ways. The point is to evaluate what you need and to seek a provider if you can who demonstrates more strengths.
Selecting an NDIS behaviour support provider or a counsellor for that matter involves considering service delivery, expertise, therapy approaches, and accessibility. There are many quality indicators that typify the industry - not just from the counselling and behaviour therapy sides.
These quality frameworks include the NDIS Commission Quality Standards Framework. Ask your provider how they square with the NDIS Quality Framework review and how they did on their last NDIS external audit.
Call to Action
To explore how ATS can support your family, please contact us or learn more about our services.
Seasoned Reflections on What is Therapy
What is therapy? We explore its meaning and purpose.
What is Therapy? Can you tell me?
Here are some answers from clients and others who use therapy.
Seeking change, opening to new horizons.
Therapy is a learning experience.
Therapy is also an adventure, even during times of grief and loss...
Understanding the two sides of the one coin of human experience often brings challenges mixed with opportunities.
Therapy of the mind, heart, and soul may lead to spiritual healing, insight, and growth.
Therapy can be painful - when you face your heart.
Uplifting.
It is OK when my therapist walks with me.
How do you spell therapy?
Therapy is...
Using the mind and heart for a change, with the strategic help of another soul.
How you enable change.
Opening up to healing, then development. One step at a time.
That leads to transformation - but not all at once.
Is stepwise small routine changes, in daily life, with a therapist-helper.
When you need a hand, therapy is there.
Addressing issues and patterns, moving forward, and gaining vital self-knowledge.
Growing into your identity, as you work together with Life to create your sense of purpose.
Moving on while appreciating your story, respecting where you are from, and supporting who you are.
Enlisting the help of another person with vital skills, capacities, and knowledge.
Therapy is soul-awakening. Heart-changing. Life-nurturing.
Sometimes therapy is radical, incredible, and yes, even awesome and inspiring.
When we expect therapy to create change - therapy tends to surprise us with even more.
Supporting Parents of Children with Disabilities: Building Strength, Reducing Isolation
We explore ‘Supporting Parents of Children with Disabilities: Building Strength, Reducing Isolation’
Understanding the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a government initiative that supports Australians with disability. It provides funding for services and support tailored to individual needs. This allows people to live more independently and participate fully in their community.
Who Can Benefit from NDIS?
NDIS supports people with permanent and significant disability. This includes individuals with physical, intellectual, sensory, and psychosocial disabilities. The scheme also assists families, carers, and support workers to improve care and outcomes.
Our Role at Ability Therapy Specialists
At Ability Therapy Specialists, we are an NDIS registered service. We offer telehealth, online, and in-person therapy nationwide. Our focus is on helping people with disabilities and mental health needs.
Really connecting with a therapist is dynamic and can be life changing
What Services Do We Provide?
We deliver a range of services, including counselling therapy and behaviour support plans. Functional assessments are also available to understand individual capabilities better. We offer practical solutions tailored to everyday challenges faced by our clients.
Tailored Support for Every Individual
Each person’s needs are unique. That’s why we create customised plans. These plans help maximise independence and quality of life. Our team works closely with clients, their families, and support networks.
The Importance of Accessible Therapy
Many people find it hard to access therapy due to location or mobility. Our telehealth and online services overcome these barriers. This ensures more Australians can receive the help they need in their own homes.
Partnering with Families and Support People
Disability support is a team effort. We engage parents, families, and support workers in every step. This collaborative approach strengthens care and ensures consistency.
Parents need support and friendship with people they can trust - who understand their needs
Getting Started with Ability Therapy Specialists
If you or someone you know needs support, contact Ability Therapy Specialists.
Our professional team is ready to help you navigate the NDIS and provide quality care. Together, we can make everyday life easier and more fulfilling.
Having a Child with a Disability
Having a child with a disability can bring many challenges for families. Parents often work very hard to care for their child’s needs while managing everyday life. It is important to support these parents so they feel strong and not alone.
One big challenge parents face is feeling isolated. Sometimes they don’t meet many people who understand what they are going through. This can make them feel lonely and stressed.
Building Connections - Forming Relationships
By building connections with other families, parents can find friends who share similar experiences. Support groups and community programs can help families meet each other and share advice.
Another way to support parents is by providing information and practical help.
Practical Help, Information, and Insights
Many parents need guidance about therapies, services, and ways to help their child learn and grow. Trained professionals, like therapists and support workers, can offer useful ideas and plans tailored to each child’s needs. This can reduce worry and make daily life easier for the family.
It is also important for parents to take care of their own health. When parents look after themselves, they have more energy and patience for their children. Friends, family, and community services can help by offering breaks or learning new skills.
Caring is full time work and is part of the parental role - how important to have support
Friendships and Self-Care for Parents
In summary, supporting parents of children with disabilities means building strong friendships, providing useful information, and helping them look after themselves.
This support reduces feelings of isolation and gives parents the strength they need.
When parents are supported, children with disabilities can have a better chance to live happy and full lives.
For more information visit our Frequently Asked Questions, or contact us via the form at the Home Page.
Creative Counselling Approaches: From Art and Symbols to Gaming and Clay
Creativity in counselling therapy is a rich area to explore with many wonderful possibilities. Here we share insights from our work with creative methods in therapy.
Creative counselling approaches
There are so many alternative ways to spice up therapy - people are surprised that therapy can be fun and enjoyable. In fact, we say that learning and healing is best when enjoyable. Research shows that humans learn more when relaxed and when they can integrate new experience more easily.
Counselling is not meant to be a really serious talk-fest. In fact, our approach is not so much about talking. We are more action oriented.
When you want to learn something, you do not talk about it. You practice. You take action.
Counselling with creativity offers innovative pathways for individuals to explore their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours beyond traditional talk therapy.
Potential to change heal and grow - in your hands
At Ability Therapy Specialists, we recognise the transformative potential of using art, symbols, gaming, and clay as simple action-oriented expressive tools in therapeutic settings. We are Counselling Psychotherapists - so our focus is not on creative arts therapy. We are rather focused on healing, learning, and creating opportunities for change and growth.
Our work is focused on solutions - practical ways to move forward in life and with relationships.
This is even more particular and important for people with complex disabilities and mental health needs. How vital to be practical. To understand your needs. And help you to feel heard, to have someone really understand for a change.
The power of tech is everywhere today - even in therapy
How creative therapies work in counselling psychotherapy
Counselling therapy that uses a bit of art through drawing, painting, gaming, clay work and other visual mediums actively helps people to communicate feelings that may be difficult to verbalise.
Through symbols, colours, shapes, and forms, individuals can express what they are feeling. The inner experiences get to be expressed often for the first time. Then flows insight and emotional release.
Symbols really do play a crucial role in this process. Symbols serve as personal language. They embody personal stories, narratives, values, or conflicts.
Tech in counselling moves forward in so many ways these days
Gaming is an expression of the technology of online culture. The youth are well into this in spades.
Us older folks have a harder time understanding. But gaming is not just about playing the game - it is also about sharing, communicating, having challenges, facing obstacles, finding pathways through the maze, and turning defeat into lessons.
NDIS does not fund gaming therapy. And we do not offer gaming therapy in a formal sense. All of our creative therapies are used inside of our primary funded goals and approaches - used sparingly to assist inside of the NDIS goals contracted under our service agreement.
Our NDIS funded work is focused in behaviour support and counselling, and relevant therapeutic assessment associated with our scope of practice.
Actively using the tech in therapy is really creative itself - and can be fun and engaging
Clay work in counselling
Clay work or sculpting offers tactile, sensory engagement, grounding clients in the present moment.
By modelling clay, individuals tap into the inner heart. Hidden information surfaces. Another form of knowing happens.
This subconscious material expresses feelings in powerful ways. These experiences happen through three-dimensional forms - as symbols of shifting and growing.
The hands-on nature of clay work encourages mindfulness and can be particularly beneficial for individuals with sensory processing differences.
Self discovery and skill building insights
Incorporating these creative modalities into counselling aligns with our commitment at Ability Therapy Specialists to provide practical, person-centred interventions.
Such approaches honour diverse communication styles. We love making therapy more accessible and meaningful.
Ultimately, creative counselling enriches the therapeutic journey by opening new avenues for healing, growth, and understanding in the lives of people with disabilities and their support networks.
Creative therapies are fun, engaging, and teach many skills
Telehealth Therapy Across Australia: How We Support Families and Individuals Anywhere
Essential information on telehealth NDIS behaviour support and counselling therapies for every person searching for help with real life problems.
Welcome!
We are so excited to share these insights with you, because we know how hard it can be to find good help.
Growing need for accessible therapy across regional and urban Australia
Over the past number of years disability support needs as well as mental health have been on the rise. Accessibility is a big issue. Not only are needs increasing, but resources in the helping sectors is not growing at the same pace.
While NDIS services have expanded, it can be harder to find good help. Even doing a Google search now can be daunting!
We used to scroll endlessly to find a therapy provider - then take time to call up half a dozen or a dozen providers. Even more challenging is getting on board. Starting up therapy can be difficult at the best of times.
We know how hard this can be and so we have made things as simple as possible.
Creative processes during counselling and behaviour support are really helpful
How ATS supports clients in multiple states via telehealth
We started in telehealth in education - we both studied at a specialist distance education university in regional Australia. Dr Bowers taught in distance education for about 20 years, and then returned to community practice.
Before NDIS, Dr Jo worked as a Behaviour Specialist in regional NSW. That work demanded extensive travel and we did not have the distance tools that exist today - like zoom, whatsapp and facetime.
The year before Covid, we wrote a book on Telehealth Behaviour Support - because we saw this huge need in regional Australia for expanded services.
During the Covid pandemic, we went 100% into telehealth - and our clients loved this. We found it works great because clients feel more in control and can choose when to work with us in their daily lives. They hold the phone or tablet right in their hands. This makes a big difference.
As therapists we get to connect in real life, in real ways. It is powerful and life changing work.
Flexibility, accessibility, reduced travel, privacy
Working via technology is normal now.
It is actually more normal than packing the car, driving two hours to a surgery, parking, walking up three streets, and sitting in a waiting room. Then you child is having a behavioural episode. You have to get up and walk outside.
Your therapist is late. You panic because things are just too hard. You almost cancel the session.
Then you get into the therapist’s clinical office and you slump in the chair - they expect you to be perky.
You feel spent and even more distressed. Your child is off the wall. They do not engage.
Why did you make all this effort to see your child escalate just because they had to visit an office?
Telehealth behaviour support and counselling therapy is none of the above. While this approach is not for everyone, the research shows that video-based and related forms of therapy via technology is as effective as face-to-face therapy. We offer this form of therapy to give the choice and control to NDIS participants and clients.
Working from home is awesome - see you next week online!
Many forms of therapy for each person - the point is your choice and control
Everyone is different. But often people with neurodevelopmental disabilities are extremely unique and gifted in their needs and vulnerabilities. A person with Autism is gifted and talented in their own ways - just as all human beings are unique.
Going to appointments is traditionally really hard for people with disabilities and mental health needs.
Having online sessions, chats, and talks with a trusted therapist is easier. Much more approachable. And more helpful.
From our clinical view, telehealth is also more informative and useful. As therapists we receive more insight on a person by seeing and communicating with them in real life. This is much better than our years of seeing clients in our office and clinic.
For more information visit our Frequently Asked Question Page - or take a peek again at the Home page for the Contact Form.
Top 10 Reasons to Choose Ability Therapy Specialists (ATS)
ATS provides NDIS funded behaviour support, counselling, and therapy assessment services via accessible telehealth in Australia.
Working with your therapist from your home is a valued experience for many families.
Choosing the right therapy service is one of the most important steps you can take toward health, wellbeing, and a brighter future. At Ability Therapy Specialists (ATS), we know how much it matters to feel understood, supported, and empowered along the way.
Here are the top 10 reasons why individuals, families, and communities choose ATS for their therapy journey:
1. You’re at the Heart of Everything We Do
At ATS, therapy isn’t about labels—it’s about people. We listen deeply, respect your goals, and tailor every session to meet your unique needs and circumstances.
2. Highly Skilled and Experienced Team
Our therapists bring extensive qualifications, clinical expertise, and decades of combined experience. More importantly, they bring compassion, respect, and a commitment to walking beside you every step of the way.
3. Comprehensive Services Under One Roof
Whether it’s individual therapy, family support, functional behavioural assessments, or trauma-informed care, ATS provides a wide range of services to meet complex and changing needs.
4. Evidence-Based, Effective Practices
We use therapeutic approaches supported by research—so you can trust that the care you receive is professional, effective, and focused on real outcomes.
5. Support for Complex and Diverse Needs
From mental health challenges to neurodiversity, disability support, complex behavioural problems, and family wellbeing, ATS specialises in helping people with multiple and overlapping needs.
6. Safe, Welcoming, and Confidential
We create a secure, judgement-free environment where you can talk openly and feel respected, valued, and safe at all times.
7. Family and Community Partnerships
Healing and growth often happen in connection with others. We work closely with families, carers, disability staff, mental health workers, hospital staff, and community networks to support the bigger picture of your wellbeing.
8. Flexible Ways to Access Support
With telehealth options we are literally in-your-hands and in your locus of choice and control. Our outreach services span Australia via your phone, mobile tablet, IPad, and laptop. Wherever you are, we are with you. Dr Jorandi and Dr Dwayne makes it easier for you to access therapy in the way that best fits your life.
9. Cultural Respect and Inclusion
We value diversity and honour each person’s cultural background, ensuring our services are inclusive, respectful, and culturally safe.
10. A Focus on Real Change and Growth
Our goal isn’t just to help you manage challenges—it’s to help you thrive. We want every client to build skills, experience growth, and move toward the life they want.
At Ability Therapy Specialists, we believe therapy should be accessible, evidence-based, and empowering. Whether you’re seeking personal healing, developmental support, or strategies for family wellbeing, we’re here to help.
We offer NDIS funded specialist behaviour support, counselling therapies, and therapy assessment. These are our line items - they apply to the behaviour support cluster, the therapy cluster, and therapies can often access your core support funding allocation. Contact us today to find out more about how to use your NDIS Plan funding for making a real difference.
Contact us to book your first session or learn more about how we can support you.