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Meet Jamie

Jamie graduated with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy from Otago Polytechnic in 2010, having previously worked as a teachers aide for disabled children in her hometown of Nelson for a number of years.

 

Jamie’s professional career has been rich and varied, with years spent in child adolescent mental health, rehabilitation, and private pediatric services. She has seen and supported children with a diverse range of physical and neurodevelopmental disabilities, mental health disorders, trauma & attachment disorders, and developmental delays. 

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During her years working in public health, Jamie became increasingly aware of the gap in services for children needing access to occupational therapy. This led to her establishing her own private practice, formally known as Sensory Pathways OT in order to support the children and families in her community who were essentially falling through the cracks.

Jamie Blank – Director &Paediatric Occupational Therapist 

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Jamie’s areas of specialty and interest are supporting children with social-emotional challenges, anxiety, sensory processing disorders, dyspraxia, trauma, ADHD, Autism, and Pathological Demand Avoidance. Supporting parents as they navigate the terrain of raising a child with additional sensory needs is also an area of deep passion for Jamie, who, as a parent herself, understands the challenges of family life and parenting a child with differences. Family-centered, holistic practice that leads to improving a child’s challenges while empowering parents and educating others to better understand a child’s needs are at the heart of Jamie’s work and approach.

 

Jamie’s background in children’s mental health recently led her to develop a nature-based group therapy programme alongside a colleague who also wanted to move towards a more embodied approach to therapy for children. Jamie believes that working with children in (and with) nature is a powerful medium for improving children's physical and mental health and social connectedness. 

Jamie is well known across the Wellington & Kapiti region for her work with children and has established and maintained relationships with local health and education services over her many years as an Occupational Therapist. Jamie’s engagements have included presentations to parents, therapists, teachers, day-care providers, and child protection services on various topics, including child development, sensory processing, regulation through movement for children, nature-based therapy approaches for children, and the impact of trauma on children’s sensory processing and regulation and supporting children with pathological demand avoidance.

 

When not busy juggling a busy caseload and helping to manage the N & T Team, Jamie enjoys family time with her husband, two boys, and the grandparents, as well as walking in nature, reading and listening to podcasts, and loves any excuse for a coffee and a chat up with friends. 

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Jamie has completed the following training:

 

  • Jamie’s most recent training and professional development:

  • The SpIRiT of Paediatric Therapy - Tracey Stackhouse

  • Therapeutic Listening Program- Vital Links

  • “How Does Your Engine Run?” The Alert Program for Self-Regulation

  • Sensory Modulation and trauma-informed care- Tina Champagne

  • The five ways to well-being- MH Foundation

  • Clinical supervision training- CCDHB

  • The Traffic Jam in my brain- Genevieve Jerrob

  • Occupational Therapy in Nature- Lisa Haverly

  • Autism and Pathological Demand Avoidance- Emma Spencer

 

Jamie is a registered Occupational Therapist in Aotearoa and is also a member of the OTNZ-WNA. 

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