Why Collaborative Care?
At Collaborative Care Occupational Therapy, we believe meaningful support begins with understanding the person and what matters to them.
We take a collaborative, individualised approach, working alongside you to build on your strengths, navigate challenges and develop practical strategies that fit your everyday life. We value your expertise in your own experiences, bringing our occupational therapy knowledge and skills to support you in working towards your goals.
What to expect
1. Getting started
Once we receive a referral, we’ll be in touch to discuss your needs, answer any initial questions and arrange an appointment. We’ll also go through a service agreement before commencing services.
2. Getting to know you
Our initial appointment focuses on understanding your everyday experiences, strengths, challenges and support needs.
3. Setting goals together
For ongoing therapy, we’ll work together to identify meaningful goals and develop a plan tailored to your needs and priorities.
4. Assessments and reports
For assessment services, such as Functional Capacity Assessments, reports are generally completed within 2–4 weeks of the initial appointment, depending on the assessment requirements and information available.
About Carmen, Principal Occupational Therapist
Carmen Connelly is the founder and principal Occupational Therapist at Collaborative Care Occupational Therapy. Carmen brings extensive experience across public mental health services in Queensland and South Australia, including adult inpatient, rehabilitation and community settings. Throughout her career, she has supported people experiencing a broad range of mental health challenges and psychosocial disabilities. Her professional experience also includes clinical leadership, clinical supervision and university teaching.
Carmen takes a collaborative, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented and neuroaffirming approach to occupational therapy. She recognises that each person’s experiences, strengths, circumstances and goals are unique, and believes meaningful support begins with understanding the person beyond their diagnosis.
Working alongside each individual, Carmen develops practical, personalised strategies to support everyday functioning, independence and participation in activities that matter to them. Her approach draws on evidence-informed therapeutic frameworks, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and motivational interviewing, where appropriate to the person’s goals and needs.
Carmen has also contributed to published research and professional literature, including a book chapter on sensory approaches and eating disorders in Sensory Approaches to Mental Health Practice (2026).
Through Collaborative Care Occupational Therapy, Carmen aims to provide support grounded in partnership, compassion and respect, helping people work towards changes that are meaningful in their everyday lives.
Occupational therapy practitioners ask, ‘What matters to you?’ not, ‘What’s the matter with you?’
— Virginia “Ginny” Stoffel, PhD, OT