Shannon Smith

Shannon Smith

Heartland Occupational Therapy’s director, Shannon Smith is an experienced Occupational Therapist, with 18 years clinical experience in health care.  Shannon is passionate about rural and remote health and has devoted most of her professional life to serving rural North Queensland. Shannon has specialised as a rural generalist in Occupational Therapy for 14 years. Shannon has a breadth of clinical experience from palliative care to oedema management, hand therapy and scars. Shannon has set up specialist outpatient clinics and supervised other Occupational Therapists, students and support staff.

Shannon grew up on a grazing property close to Charters Towers and has a strong attachment to the rural lifestyle and her home town of Charters Towers. Over her professional life Shannon has attended many professional courses and conferences to maintain currency of practice. As a young graduate Shannon worked for 3 years as a Mental Health Occupational Therapist in adult rehabilitation and child and youth mental health where she delighted in integrating family therapy and art therapy into her practice.

Shannon prides herself on working from a holistic model where clients are considered in the context of their natural, built and psychosocial environment. Physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional needs are all carefully assessed and addressed, so true holistic health can be achieved.

Clinical Supervision & Mentoring

Shannon is an experienced clinical supervisor, mentor and educator. Shannon provides private clinical supervision to Occupational Therapists and students.

Qualifications

  • Batchelor of Occupational Therapy (James Cook University, 2004)
  • Registered Practicing Member of Occupational Therapy Australia
  • Registered Occupational Therapist with AHPRA
  • Lymphoedema Management Course (Level 1) for Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Registered nurses (2018)

Certificate Highlights

  • Associate Member Australian Hand Therapy Association 23-24
  • OT Australia Current Member 2023
  • Lymphoedema Management Course (Level 1) in Brisbane with Hildegard (2018)
  • STEP UP Professional Leadership Program
  • Cunningham Centre Supervisor & Supervisee Training
  • Australian Hand Therapy Association Certificates – Advanced Trauma workshop & Fundamentals of Hand Therapy
  • OT Australia: Oedema management
  • OT Australia: Scar Management
  • Wendy White: Fundamentals in Wound Care Course
  • Introduction to Art Therapy Course [College for Educational and Clinical Art Therapy, Newcastle]
  • Circle of Security Training