NEURODIVERSITY SPECIALISTS

sharon and her Associates:

sharon wignall  occupational therapist  director

I am a local Berkshire mum with two boys who are Neurodivergent and currently coming to the end of their school learning.

My practice prides itself in our lived experience of Neurodiversity -  understanding, living and supporting Neurodivergent children and young adults is our passion. The most common feedback we receive is "you are the first people who have understood my child" which we are very proud of.

As a practice we have a number of experienced professionals who can help your child, and indeed yourself, embrace their Neurodiversity. We provide a range of OT assessments looking at motor, sensory and executive function, offer 1:1 support, make recommendations for your child's school and home life, work with them on a road to independence if they have been unable to attend school, provide bespoke mental health support, provide training to charities/schools/organisations and also support both the child and your family in understanding their own individual Neurodiversity.

We are all very proud to work for such an embracing holistic practice which refuses to accept that our children and young people cannot thrive at home and school or work.

I have a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. I have and probably always will be undertaking and updating my knowledge on sensory integration.

I am fully registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and have a Criminal Records Bureau Certificate to an enhanced level to certify I am safe to work with children. I am also an active member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists. I undertake regular on-going training with the College of Occupational Therapists to ensure my knowledge is up to date.




Rebecca dwyer 
office manager

Rebecca Dwyer is our cherished Office Manager and will usually be your first point of contact. 

Her background is in Human Resources and Recruitment for IT companies and more recently in working with young children at Tumble Tots, The Creation Station and as a Pre-School Practitioner.

Rebecca lives in Bracknell with her husband, two secondary school age children, two cats and a very friendly dog! 

She enjoys walking, scrapbooking and volunteering in the community. 

The team would be lost without Rebecca and you're guaranteed to have a friendly and understanding point of contact until the OT/OTA can start their journey with you. 





Amy plumer
Occupational therapist 

Amy is a specialist paediatric occupational therapist and has experience of working with children and families with a wide range of conditions such as Autism, Attention Deficit and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder, Sensory Processing differences, Muscular Dystrophy, Motor and
Visual Perceptual Difficulties, Developmental Co-ordination Disorder,
Hand Writing Difficulties, Emotional Regulation difficulties and other
Developmental Disorders.

Her work includes assessment and treatment of children with a range of
difficulties and functional problems, including issues with self-care
tasks, play, accessing the curriculum and accessing the environment, and
designing and establishing therapeutic activity programmes within both
mainstream and special school settings and the provision of advice and
strategies.

Amy supervises and oversees the work completed by our amazing team of OT assistants. 

She is mum to an autistic daughter and has a passion about supporting
autistic girls in mainstream education.



Becky pope 
occupational therapist

Becky is a qualified OT working in both the NHS and private sector. 

She has experience working in mental health services and a passion for working with Neurodivergent children and young people. 

As a mother of a Neurodivergent child with ADHD, Dyspraxia and sensory processing difficulties, she has both a professional and personal understanding of the challenges that can arise and the impact on the child and family as a whole. 

Her goal is to tailor interventions to each child’s interests, making the sessions as fun and engaging as possible, while developing the skills, confidence and independence needed to flourish.

She has a Bachelors degree in Psychology and a Masters degree in Occupational Therapy. She is registered with the Health Care Professions Council, DBS checked and a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapy.






Laura charleton
occupational therapist

Laura is an OT with 20+ years experience in Mental Health, working with clients of secondary age school and above who are Neurodivergent and/or have a range of mental health challenges with all levels of severity.

She has worked in client’s homes, hospitals, in schools, colleges/universities, at their place of work and at various public places of their choosing.

As an OT she sees the positives in everyone’s abilities and enjoy problem solving around whatever challenges are being experienced. She has experience working with the whole family/support network around the young person and can help with areas such as communication difficulties within the family and help establish the goals that will benefit not only the young person but their family also. She is also happy to offer support to the parents/carers.

She enjoys collaborating with other professionals and people that know the young person well to get a holistic understanding of them.

Laura likes to offer an understanding and positive counselling-type approach while also working with young people to focus on their current mental health needs and to work out together what goals they would like to work on to help gain more independence, confidence, and happiness.

She will encourage and support them to plan the steps (however small) to achieve their goals and go alongside them on their journey to reach these goals understanding there may be challenges along the way and talking together about how to overcome these.

She is experienced in offering a Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic (CBT)  approach, which is particularly effective in working with depression and anxiety conditions.

Common issues she supports include depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and improving confidence, social isolation (challenges making friends), struggles at school, developing more hobbies/interests, increasing independence skills at home e.g. Cooking/budgeting etc and challenges regulating emotions. It may also be as simple as having someone to talk to who is able to listen to them and be non-judgemental and sympathetic.


kATy RIMMINGTON
speech and language therapist

Katy achieved a Masters degree in 2009 and has worked for the NHS ever since. She studied psychology at Oxford Uni and worked on a collaborative molecular genetics study of autism.

Katy has always enjoyed supporting young people with ASD to access social/ educational opportunities within the community as well as providing excellent support to their families during and beyond the diagnostic process.


She has supported people and their families from a range of speech, language and communication impairments both with mainstream setting and those with more significant and complex needs requiring specialist previsions. 

ASD remains one of her specialists areas of interest, in particular the assessment/ diagnostic process which she has done for many years. Her history of working within an integrated therapy team (OTs, physios) means she has a strength in working more holistically with individuals and their families to address their communication needs. 

taylor barter
occupational therapist
 

Taylor is a newly qualified Occupational Therapist that studied at Oxford Brookes University, with a membership with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and is currently registered with the HCPC and has an enhanced DBS check

She chose OT with the intention of supporting people to live their lives as independently as possible and supporting their needs. 

She has special interests of PDA and Sensory Integration.

She has experience working in adult care, mental health and paediatrics in a range of settings and aims to develop a way of supporting children through a low demand, child-centred approach by adapting to the child’s interests and motivators to allow them to thrive and reach their goals.




Abigail darko
occupational therapist

Abi is a qualified Occupational Therapist with a passion for working with young adults. She has a number of years of experience working with Neurodivergent young adults transitioning from children’s services.

Her main area of focus is to support them to live the life they want, building their independence skills, confidence and social capital. She can support them in a variety of ways gaining skills and engaging in shopping and preparing a meal, meeting and engaging with a peer group, improving body awareness and travel and personal care.This may involve engaging in tasks which have been avoided previously or the person may not have had the skill set to engage (such as poor executive function or being overwhelmed by tasks) which she can support and improve/adapt.  

She has supported a number of adults in the community who have gained paid employment or have re-engaged in education after a long term break post COVID and some who have successfully left home to live independently either by themselves or with peers/supported accommodation.

Abi is also passionate about supporting adults who may have received a diagnosis later in life and need support with skills such as executive function which has been a life long challenge; with a fresh understanding of their differences the adult may now want to address this and learn how to gain better independence in life.

She enjoys a challenge and thinks of herself as a good problem solver and loves to work with others where I am able to be creative.  

Abi strongly believes that people whatever there background, ability or needs have something to offer given the right support and environment.


sharon Fallows 
occupational therapy assistant

HOME VISITS and 
VISUAL PERCEPTION SUPPORT

Sharon is providing support to parents or carers post assessment. 

Do you ever receive a report that at the time makes so much sense....then a month later it all feels overwhelming and it has taken time to process the reality of what the recommendations mean in everyday life? I know that we all have. 

Sharon aims to bring your report to life so you can live and breathe it and make sense of it. She can speak to any of the team who's had contact with your child and any reports that help her understand them holistically. 

You might need someone to talk to and discuss how it might work in your home or you might just need reassurance that what you are doing is spot on. Sharon will visit you at home as a parent/carer and help with advice on how you might approach your child in a new positive way or just adjust things that you've never really understood. Whatever you need for post assessment support Sharon is here to meet with you and provide insight and understanding. 

Sharon also works for one of the best local Autism charities and The National Autistic Society and provides training and support for them. She wants to take her knowledge and experience a stage further and make sure you have everything you need to embrace your OT report. 

She is a mum to children who are Neurodivergent, they range from primary school age to young adults - she totally understands and embraces Neurodiversity and what will enable them to thrive in life. 

Sharon has undertaken training to understand visual perception which can also show result in signs of visual stress. We have more information on this on our website so please do have a look to see if this is something that might be a barrier for you. 




Jonah jay
occupational therapy assistant

Jonah is a qualified Personal Trainer and wants to help support  Neurodivergent children and young adults to become more active physically and mentally.

He understands the struggles with being Neurodivergent and only recently got diagnosed (Apr 2023) as having ADHD and Autism. Since the diagnosis he has become more aware of why he does things a certain way and why both his young boys do things differently too.  Jonah and his family experience some struggles and now have a better understanding of their differences and offer each other empathy and support.

Jonah has learnt about sensory differences and wants to combine his PT experience with his knowledge of how body awareness and noticing internal sensations can help Neurodivergent people. Also, how to account for energy and avoid burn out.

Despite having struggles at school as a child and leaving with low grades, Jonah has managed to succeed in both civilian and military careers. He has served in the Royal Marines, Royal Engineers (Commando's) and in the Intelligence Corps, ending his career at the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 (Sergeant Major). It was due to his high level of interest in the Military that he was able to hyperfocus on achieving so much. In his successful Civilian employment as a Civil Servant he has worked in Intelligence and Investigation roles within government.

Whilst serving in the Military he was also a Physical Training Instructor for recruits and trained soldiers and have thousands of hours of experience. He is not the stereotyped shouty instructor and always delivers training with passion, empathy, encouragement, nurture and understanding of everyone's needs, fears, and struggles.

kelsey agate
occupational therapy assistant

Kelsey is a qualified personal trainer. She has a private calm gym in Bracknell. She has been offering personal training since 2006 and is passionate about exercise. She is interested in combining her personal training skills, lived experience of Neurodivergence and knowledge of sensory differences to support local young people. She has a passion for health, fitness and wellbeing.

She believes that exercise/fitness has huge benefits for Neurodivergent young people and to understand their internal sensations and learn how to account for their energy.

Kelsey has learnt about sensory differences and wants to combine her PT experience with her knowledge of how body awareness and noticing internal sensations can help Neurodivergent people. Also how to help them understand how to account for their energy and avoid burn out. 
Kelsey is very open about her own challenges with mental health and how exercise has supported her and is keen to share with others.

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