KATE KEISLER
Occupational Therapist, Director
BIOGRAPHY
Kate Keisler is an occupational therapist who started Calm and Connected in July 2014 to focus on supporting children with social, emotional and sensory difficulties. She found that these children were often labelled as ‘naughty’, rather than acknowledging that their actions were a result of their needs not being met. Kate is passionate about giving parents and teachers the knowledge and strategies to support children. Children often just need to be understood, parents need to feel empowered and small practical ideas need to be available to allow children to feel safe and supported in their own bodies.
Kate has travelled to Melbourne and Sydney for training and mentorship. She has attended courses from leading occupational therapists from all over the world. There is always so much more to learn! Kate is passionate about bringing this knowledge to Perth through hosting clinical leaders and running regular training for therapists. Kate believes in developing the understanding of paediatric occupational therapists in Perth to provide a high quality clinical service to families.
APPROACH
Kate takes a relationship approach where safety comes first. Safety can be developed through the environment, the relationship and getting just the right challenge for the person. Kate enjoys developing a trusting and fun relationship with the child to give them confidence to explore strategies to help them feel connected with their body.
Kate believes in building up a person’s supports and modifying the environment around the child so that they are able to engage. If the adults in a child’s life are able to understand and implement strategies, then the child has access to therapy 24/7.
Kate strongly believes in therapy occurring in the context of where the child needs to learn the new skills. This makes the therapy more meaningful and therefore the changes hold for longer. It is the best feeling when a child goes to school after the holidays and tells everyone about the camp they went on, and how they went on a climbing wall with their new friend, rather than the social skills group they went to.
Kate is always aiming to think of new and creative ways to give children the opportunity to experience the joys that everyday children do. She is also thinking of ways to support the learning of other occupational therapists to provide an equally enriching service for families
CERTIFIED IN
Completed an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2010
- DIR Floortime Basics, 2013
- Wilbargers Therapeutic Brushing 2014
- Quickshifts and Modulated Therapeutic Listening with Sheila Frick, 2015
- Trauma Informed Practice with Sheila Frick, 2019
- Trauma Release Exercises (TRE), 2021
- Team Teach, 2024
- Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) Level 1 and 2 With Children, 2023
- Safe and Sound Protocol, 2024
AWARDS AND CONFERENCES
- Presented at Occupational Therapy Western Australia Conference ‘Working in Schools‘, 2014
- Award of Excellence in Paediatric Occupational Therapy, 2018
- Accepted to present at the Occupational Therapy Paediatric Australia Conference, 2018