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Mermaid Waters, Gold Coast

Holistic occupational therapy for children, teens and adults.

Wild Springs Therapy is run by Occupational Therapist Hayley Littlejohns, working across Mermaid Waters and beyond. Down to earth, practical therapy that is less traditional, more fun.

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Led by what matters most to you.

At Wild Springs Therapy, we are led by what matters most to the person sitting in front of us. This means our services vary on a day-to-day and client-to-client basis. We work with families and individuals accessing therapy for the first time, or who have tried traditional OT and need something less prescriptive.

  • A child's hands playing with sensory toys on a soft rug

    Down to earth

    Plain talk, no clinic-speak. You will always know what we are doing and why.

  • A child practising drawing at a desk in the therapy room

    Practical

    Strategies that hold up in real life, at home, at school, out in the world.

  • Bella the practice dog sitting in the therapy space

    A little bit fun

    Children do their best work when it does not feel like work. Bella agrees.

Services for people the system rarely fits.

Each service is tailored to the participant, not a textbook protocol. Plan-managed and self-managed NDIS clients welcome.

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Hayley blowing bubbles with a young client in the therapy space With Hayley

Paediatric and adult occupational therapy

Assessment and intervention for children, teens and adults, including NDIS Functional Capacity Assessments. Less tabletop, more holistic, shaped around the person in front of me.

Hayley and Samantha playing on the floor with two children With Sam

Therapy assistant and support work

Sam delivers therapy assistant sessions and paediatric disability support work at a lower rate, working from a plan Hayley develops and supervises. Consistent contact, without draining the budget.

A child reaching up towards star decorations on the ceiling Outdoors

Outdoor occupational therapy and camps

Body-based, interest-led work. Less time in clinic rooms, more time where the participant is most regulated, whether that is outside, at school, or at home.

Hayley and Samantha with Bella outside the practice Integrated

Integrated OT and chiropractic support

Collaborative sessions with the chiropractic team at Healthy Bodies Wellness, our clinic home in Mermaid Waters, for clients whose care works best as a team effort.

Child-led, body-based, holistic.

I start with the person, not the protocol. Child-led means we follow what matters to them and build from there. Body-based means we work through movement and the senses, not just at a table. Holistic means I look at the whole picture, the family, the systems, the day-to-day, and we work towards goals you set, at the pace that suits the participant.

More on my approach
  • A child drawing at the table while Hayley follows their lead

    Child-led

    I follow what matters to the person in front of me and build the work around it.

  • A child swinging on the outdoor nest swing at the practice

    Body-based

    Movement and the senses, not tabletop assessments unless they actually help.

  • Hayley sitting on the floor of the therapy space with sensory tools

    Holistic

    The whole picture: the person, the family, and the systems they are navigating.

The team

Who you'll work with

  • A small team

    I lead every assessment and set up each plan. Sam, my therapy assistant, supports paediatric clients from those plans, so care stays steady even when intensive weekly sessions with me aren't possible.

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  • Hayley Littlejohns, occupational therapist and founder of Wild Springs Therapy

    Hayley Littlejohns

    Occupational Therapist

  • Samantha Smith, therapy assistant at Wild Springs Therapy

    Samantha Smith

    Therapy Assistant

  • Bella, the Wild Springs practice dog

    Bella

    The practice dog

Three ways in

I keep this simple on purpose. Plan-managed and self-managed NDIS clients are welcome, and some people pay privately. Find the one that sounds like you, and we will sort the detail together on your first consult.

  • Billing handled for you

    Plan-managed

    NDIS funding

    • If your plan is looked after by a plan manager, you are welcome here. I send my invoices straight to your plan manager and they handle the rest, so the billing and paperwork stay off your plate. You will not be chasing receipts or wondering what is claimable. If you are not sure who your plan manager is, bring whatever you have to the consult and I will help you work it out.

  • You claim it back

    Self-managed

    NDIS funding

    • If you manage your own plan, you are welcome too. I send the invoice to you, and you claim it back through the NDIS portal. You can reimburse me once the funds clear, or pay up front and claim it afterwards, whichever suits how you like to run things. Self-managing gives you a lot of freedom to choose who you work with, which is part of why people land here.

  • Outside the NDIS

    Private

    health insurance and Medicare rebates

    • Some people pay privately, with no NDIS in the picture. That suits families who want occupational therapy support outside the NDIS process, or who would rather keep things off-NDIS for now. If you have private health cover, it is worth checking with your provider to see if they will process claims for our services. And if you are paying privately, your GP may be able to set up an Enhanced Care Plan, which can give you Medicare rebates for up to 5 occupational therapy appointments per year.

Ready when
you are.

New clients welcome. Plan-managed and self-managed NDIS clients accepted. For complex cases, the consult lets us figure out together whether Wild Springs is the right fit, before any plans are made. No pressure, just a conversation.

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A child playing with sensory toys during a session

A few things people ask.

If your question isn't here, the consult is the best place to ask it.

  • No referral is needed for private paying or self-managed NDIS clients. For plan-managed NDIS clients, your plan manager can confirm if OT is covered in your plan. Your GP may also be able to provide an Enhanced Care Plan for up to 5 subsidised occupational therapy appointments per year.

  • It is a conversation. We talk about what brought you here, what has worked and what hasn't, what the day-to-day looks like, and where we'd start. No tabletop assessments unless they actually help.

  • Our wonderful occupational therapy assistant Sam is able to deliver OT sessions at a lower rate, working from a plan that Hayley (OT) develops. These programs require an OT assessment with Hayley to commence, and Sam undertakes regular supervision with Hayley to ensure the quality of the services being delivered. This program is an option for families navigating funding limits, or for children requiring more consistent contact, longer sessions, or increased support at home and in the community.

  • We offer occupational therapy sessions in our clinic space at Healthy Bodies Wellness, and in homes, schools and communities, depending on the therapist's availability and the needs of the client we are working with. There are additional charges for sessions that require therapists to travel.

  • Our bookings are managed through Healthy Bodies Wellness using Cliniko for online bookings. You'll get an email confirmation, a reminder, and an intake form for new clients. You can also call Healthy Bodies Wellness to book or make changes to an appointment on 07 5518 3063, text Wild Springs Therapy on 0416 141 021, or email hayley@wildspringstherapy.com.