Our Services

Occupational Therapy

Who we can help: Individuals, Carers, Organisations, Medical Officers

Occupational Therapists work with people to help them to participate in the activities of everyday life that are meaningful and important to them; activities that they may want, need or be obligated to do. We work with individuals, carers and support teams to identify factors contributing to areas of difficulty and to identify strategies to support optimal recovery and participation.

Sometimes working out the direction and approach can be straight forward, sometimes it takes more problem solving and creative thinking and that’s ok! Every person’s journey is unique. Our most popular occupational therapy services are listed below. Please contact us if you aren’t sure what you need or to talk about other options that may better suit your circumstances.

Activities of daily living assessment

Assessment of an individual’s current abilities to complete their daily activities in the home and/or community setting.
This assessment identifies barriers to successful participation and strategies to overcome or compensate for them.

Support needs assessment

A comprehensive whole of life assessment detailing an individual’s current functional abilities and support needs.
This assessment is designed to provide detailed and practical recommendations on what supports an individual needs to live safely and satisfactorily in their community. This service is recommended to assist in design and establishment of systems of support for individuals with complex needs.

Reasons for referral for this service may include accommodation transition planning, opinion on options for models of support in a private home or supported accommodation facility, or review of an existing support program.

Living skills and rehabilitation programs

Individually tailored living skills programs designed to optimise an individual’s independence, participation and satisfaction with daily life activities, roles and routines.

Living skills programs are suitable for those recovering from illness or injury as well as those with more long term disability wanting or needing to learn new skills or adapt to new circumstances.

Recovery and discovery programs

Individual program packages with a focus on whole of life participation and skills development.

Recovery and Discovery programs are developed to meet the needs of people who may have experienced long term disruption to their daily life routines and activities, and those who may also struggle with motivation, or have difficulty identifying their goals for recovery.

Psychology

Who we can help: Individuals, Carers, Organisations, Medical Officers

Practicing psychologists have the professional training and clinical skills to help people learn to cope more effectively with life issues and mental health problems. Some people talk to a psychologist because they want assistance with a condition that is interfering with their lives or physical health, whereas others have short-term problems they want help navigating. Psychologists use a variety of evidence-based treatments to work with individuals to improve their lives. Most commonly, they use therapy (often referred to as psychotherapy or talk therapy). There are many different styles of therapy, but the psychologist will choose the type that best addresses the person’s concern and best fits the individual’s characteristics and preferences.

For some conditions, therapy and medication are a treatment combination that works best. For people who benefit from medication, psychologists work with primary care physicians and psychiatrists on their overall treatment.

Practicing psychologists are trained to administer and interpret a number of tests and assessments that can help diagnose a condition or tell us more about the way a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Sometimes these tests evaluate intellectual skills, cognitive strengths and weaknesses, personality characteristics and neuropsychological functioning.

At Zeal and Co Consulting, our work is guided by trauma-informed practice. We have a particular interest in providing clinic-based short- and long-term therapeutic interventions for adults.

Some areas of clinical focus include anxiety, adjustment issues, generalised worry and depression, with the aim of assisting people to reduce their distress and improve their mood. We regularly work closely with our clients’ formal and informal supports, including medical practitioners, allied health, carers and family.

Sessions are offered in our rooms at Rockdale and via telehealth. Home based sessions are offered in some cases and can be discussed at the time of referral.

Art Therapy

Art Therapy is an experiential therapeutic approach utilising a variety of art mediums within a relationship with a trained therapist to address emotional, cognitive, physical and social well-being.

It has been a recognised therapy in Australia for over 30 years with its beginnings in Europe, UK and America in the 1940’s. Art Therapy is practiced in contexts such as schools, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, community health and in private practice amongst many others, and can be used by a variety of client groups.

Art therapy can be used as an effective alternative to verbal based therapies as it provides the opportunity for non-verbal communication through the language of art-making. Making art activates the right-brain helping the client to express thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to verbalise. Engaging in and reflecting on the creative experience can help to identify concerns and unhelpful patterns, help to process difficult feelings, improve self-esteem, and build confidence, communication and coping skills.

Art Therapy can provide a safe environment for exploration of thoughts, feelings and experiences. Participants are able to exercise choice and control over what they reveal, how much and when. Through the creative process, any arising issues or feelings can be addressed indirectly via the artwork.

In Art Therapy, the process of art-making is more important than possessing skill at art or producing an artwork. Art therapy is different from art lessons, in that sessions are led by the client’s needs, preferences and goals, supported by the therapist rather than art activities chosen and instructed by an art teacher.

Art therapy embraces a variety of frameworks including psychodynamic, humanistic, person-centred, interpersonal neurobiology and trauma-informed theory in order to address the issues and goals of the individual. It can be used for groups and individuals of all ages and a variety of demographics. Programmes can be tailored to cater to client group, context and presenting needs.

No art abilities necessary for participation.

What does an Art Therapist do?

An Art Therapist is a qualified professional trained to use visual arts to help people to express their thoughts or feelings. Art Therapists provide a safe environment for exploration of the client’s work and creative processes for greater self-awareness and self-development. Art therapy is different from art lessons, in that sessions are led by the client’s needs, preferences and goals, supported by the therapist rather than art activities chosen and directed by an art teacher. In Art Therapy, the process of art-making is more important that possessing skill at art or producing an artwork.

Who can use Art Therapy?

Art Therapy can be used for groups and individuals of all ages and a variety of demographics. Programmes can be tailored to cater to both client group, context and presenting issues.

What to expect

Art Therapy sessions generally run for an hour per session consisting of an art-making component and opportunity for you to share any thoughts or feelings about your artwork or how you found the process.

During the initial session the Art Therapist will familiarise you with the art space and introduce you to all the materials on offer. The Art Therapist will answer any questions you may have and will invite you to engage in art-making.

During your sessions the Art Therapist will be available to support you emotionally and assist you in your art-making process. Usually artwork made in Art Therapy sessions are stored safely by the therapist for duration of the course of therapy. However, clients may take their artwork with them if they choose to do so. All sessions are confidential except in circumstances where there risk of harm or where the client has given consent.

Weekly sessions are recommended to establish a therapeutic alliance and for continuity of the therapeutic process but can be adjusted to suit each client. Programmes can be long or short-term dependant on client needs.

Benefits of Art Therapy

  • No Art experience is required to engage in Art Therapy.
  • Allows you to speak about issues indirectly through art object than verbally.
  • May help you express or recognise thoughts and feelings that are difficult to comprehend and may not have words attached as yet.
  • Art activities and creative expression can be a way of self-regulating reducing anxiety.
  • You may increase your problem-solving skills within the safe limitations of the art materials which may transfer to other areas of life.
  • Art-making can allow you to release undesirable or built up feelings in a safe and socially acceptable way.
  • May bring an awareness of ideas, feelings and thoughts you weren’t aware of through the art-making process.
  • Provides you with a body of artwork which can be looked at, at later stages creating links between your thoughts and feelings. You may notice patterns and gain further insight.
  • Provides you opportunities to gain greater self-confidence through art-making which is unique to each individual and increases self-knowledge and sense of identity.
Legal Consultation
Who we can help: Legal

Occupational Therapy

All assessment and consultation services include a combination of standardised assessment and structured observation of actual function.

Areas of expertise include adults with mental health conditions, brain injury, developmental disability with complex clinical presentations where diagnosis is either ambiguous or disputed.

  • Activities of daily living assessment
  • Support needs assessment
  • Second opinion consultation

Psychology

Provision of expert opinion and court reports can be provided on forensic psychological matters including:

  • Assessments of psychological injury
  • Court diversion (Section 32 NSW Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990)
  • General risk assessments and options for treatment related to offending behaviour.
  • Mental Health Review Tribunal settings.
Clinical Supervision for Individuals & Teams

Who we can help: Organisations

Supervision is available for individual clinicians, groups and teams. This includes occupational therapists, psychologists, psychology registrars and mental health clinicians.

Contact us for further details and to discuss models available.

Education & Training Packages

Who we can help: Organisations

A range of education and training modules are available that aim to build the capacity of clinicians and support staff to work with individuals who have complex clinical presentations that impact on function.

Please contact us for further information or to discuss a training need for your organisation.