I qualified with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of the Witswatersrand in 2010.
I then went to complete my community service year (2011) at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, where I gained invaluable knowledge and experience in the fields of adult rehabilitation and paediatrics.
In 2012 I entered the private practice sector and joined an established paediatric practice. It was here where I developed a passion for Sensory Intergration and in 2014 I completed my post-graduate training in Sensory Intergration.
In August 2014 I started my own practice. My practice focuses on developmental delay, sensory processing dysfunction, school related difficulties and school readiness.
I qualified with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of the Witswatersrand in 2017.
I then completed my community service year at Bertha Gxowa Hospital, where I worked with both adults and children. I gained knowledge and clinical skills working with conditions such as stroke, hand injuries, developmental delay, Autism spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
I started working in the private practice field early 2019 at an established paediatric practice. I then joined Jeanine Steyn’s practice in 2020 to continue working in the paediatric field that I am so passionate about. I have always had a love for helping and working with children and am passionate about early intervention. Through my work experience so far, I have gained an interest in Sensory Integration.
I am Elmari van der Westhuizen. I am a driven, enthusiastic, caring, and optimistic individual who loves anything and everything that Occupational Therapy stands for. I qualified with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of the Western Cape in 2022. I then went on to do my community service at Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Regional Hospital in the Eastern Free State in 2023. During my community service year, I gained invaluable clinical knowledge and skills in working with a variety of patients in the fields of adult rehabilitation and paediatrics.
I have a special interest and passion in working with paediatric patients and to help them to achieve their full potential within a fun and safe environment. I love working with children and using play as a means to help them grow. I view it as a huge privilege to collaborate with children and their families to identify their strengths, needs, and goals and to support them to reach their full potential. Education therapy is truly something that I am passionate about as I believe that occupational therapists play a crucial role within our schooling system and a child’s education.
This year, 2024, will be my first year in working in private practice and I am so excited to have joined Jeanine’s practice. I am also very excited about starting my sensory integration journey in 2024.