Supporting Occupational Therapists to Confidently Navigate Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Are you an OT wanting to grow your expertise, feel confident supporting children with Autism, developmental delay, PANS/PANDAS, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental conditions, and create meaningful outcomes for children and families? You’re in the right place!
I’m Michelle Newby PhD(c)- mentor, educator, occupational therapist, & researcher - helping professionals turn evidence into practice with practical training, mentoring, and resources.
Expand Your Knowledge
Grow Your Confidence
Increase Your Clinical Impact
Feeling Overwhelmed With Complex Cases?
Struggling to plan your intervention sessions for children with autism, ADHD, PANS/PANDAS, Tourette Syndrome, developmental trauma or other complex needs? Wondering if your therapy is making the impact you want? You’re not alone.
With over 25 years as an occupational therapist, mentor and researcher, I’ve supported hundreds of therapists and thousands of children and families through these challenges. I know the barriers, and I know what works.
Through personalised mentoring and targeted training, I’ll help you match your skills to each child’s needs, guided by the latest evidence. Together we’ll build your confidence, sharpen your clinical reasoning and equip you with strategies to make a lasting difference.
HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER
Benefits of Working With Me
Stay up to date in neurodevelopmental practice with my free weekly newsletter. Each issue highlights newly published research on autism, ADHD, PANS/PANDAS, developmental delay, and other neurodevelopmental conditions - broken down into clear, easy-to-understand insights.
Get the support and guidance you need to approach complex cases with confidence, through personalised mentoring shaped around your learning style, strengths, and goals.
Learn proven approaches that help you make a bigger difference for children and families through live and on-demand courses, developed with the latest evidence in mind and presented in my down-to-earth, easy-to-understand style. You’ll also find practical eBooks packed with strategies you can use straight away.
What Other's Are Saying About Me
"I’ve loved engaging with Michelle through her newsletters, research summaries and workshops. She is a wonderful presenter, so knowledgeable and easy to listen to, and I really value how she takes evidence and translates it into practical strategies. I love learning from her so I can be confident the content I’m teaching and sharing with others is grounded in current best practice. I always come away feeling inspired and better equipped to support others."
Alyce Svensk, The OT Coach Australia
"I really look forward to Michelle's newsletters each week. She takes the heavy lifting out of staying up to date by unpacking the research in such a clear and engaging way. Her key takeaways from the research and considerations for application in real-world situations saves me so much time, supports my ongoing learning and gives me a starting point where I can dig deeper into topics that are relevant to my practice."
Rachel Elliott - OT, Supervisor, Business Mentor
"Michelle’s presentation provided me with an insight into the lived experience of PDA, which was especially eye-opening. It has deepened my empathy and understanding of PDA. Since taking the course, I feel much more confident in my approach, and I’ve already started using the questionnaire Michelle provided to screen two of my clients for a potential PDA profile. The results have been incredibly helpful in refining my support strategies. I highly recommend this workshop to any OT working with neurodivergent children - Michelle’s expertise is invaluable, and I’m grateful for the knowledge I gained."
Amy Dufour - OT
"I recently attended Michelle’s Introduction to PDA course and gained so much insight into the lived experience of children with PDA. Michelle has a way of breaking down complex concepts into something concrete and understandable. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the paediatric space and was able to provide effective strategies and practical tips on any questions that therapists had for her. I would highly recommend Michelle’s course for anyone wanting to know more about PDA and what it looks like in practice, and how to effectively support and engage children using OT-specific strategies."
Mandy Merlin - OT Assistant
“Michelle’s weekly newsletters make research so much more accessible, especially when you’re time-poor and still on the steep learning curve as a new grad.”
Charlotte S - OT Australia
“Michelle’s newsletters and research summaries help me keep up with evidence across a range of topics, and her clinical reflections make the research feel relevant and practical.”
Georgie S - OT Australia
“Michelle’s weekly bites of information are a gift. Even after 12 years in the profession, these emails keep me feeling connected to OT and the latest research. I truly look forward to them each week. Thank you for the time and care you put into creating them
Roisin M - OT Australia
Personalised one-to-one or small group sessions to help you grow your skills, deepen your clinical reasoning, and feel confident working with neurodivergent children.
Practical, evidence-informed guides packed with strategies, resources, and insights to support your OT practice with neurodivergent children and their families.
Access live events and on-demand webinars for paediatric OTs and other professionals. Learn evidence-based, practical strategies you can apply immediately to support children and families.
What Drives Me?
Over the years, I’ve learned that what makes the biggest impact isn’t just what we do, but how we do it. I have four core values that guide every conversation I have, every resource I create, and every family, child, or professional I work with. They’re the heart of my practice and the foundation of everything I do.
Make A Difference
Every interaction is an opportunity to leave someone in a better place than when they first came to me. Whether it’s through a single insight or ongoing support, I’m here to help people walk away feeling more confident, capable, and competent.
Excellence Always
I believe that children, families, and the professionals who support them deserve the best. That’s why I draw on the latest evidence and best-practice approaches to ensure my work is both effective and meaningful.
Pay It Forward
I’m committed to generously giving back to the communities I care deeply about - sharing knowledge, resources, and opportunities so others can grow and thrive too.
Good Vibes
Positivity matters. I bring warmth, energy, and a sense of possibility to everything I do, creating an environment where people feel safe, supported, and inspired to try new things.
Listen in on the
OT Edge Podcast
WITH MICHELLE NEWBY PhD(c)
COMING SOON....
Stay Informed. Stay Inspired.
Each week, I break down a recently published research paper that’s directly relevant to occupational therapists supporting neurodivergent children.
You’ll get:
-Clear, plain-English summaries so you can quickly grasp the key findings.
-Practical insights on how the evidence can inform and elevate your clinical practice.
No jargon overload. No hours lost trawling through academic papers. Just evidence-informed updates you can apply straight away.
Join now and get your first research breakdown delivered to your inbox.
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