Growing well, not just growing big

I have worked as an Occupational Therapist for more than 12 years across South Africa and Australia, predominantly alongside people with disability and complex mental health needs. Along the way I also became an Advanced Behaviour Support Practitioner, which allowed me to bring together an OT understanding of everyday life with a deeper interest in behaviour, mental health and what helps people genuinely participate, belong and thrive.

But it was becoming a mum that changed everything about how I wanted to work. It prompted me to step away from large organisations and build something smaller, more personal and connected a place where good clinical practice and genuine human relationships could sit comfortably alongside each other. That is how Common Ground was born.

I believe support should happen with people rather than to them, and that sometimes the best therapy happens in ordinary places and ordinary moments at home, over a coffee, learning a new skill or getting back into the community.

At the heart of Common Ground is a simple idea: “a house, a job and a friend” somewhere to belong, something meaningful to do and people to share life with. Not everyone’s version will look the same (and it shouldn’t!), but our job is to help people build more of the life that matters to them. Because at the end of the day, a good life is the goal  therapy is just one of the tools that can help us get there.