MEET THE TEAM
MEET THE TEAM
Thriving Through Nature was founded by occupational therapists Justine Shircore and Kahlia Wingfield, who bring more than 20 years of combined clinical experience supporting children and families across a range of settings.
Our shared vision is simple: to provide therapy that is meaningful, connected, and grounded in the healing power of nature. We believe children thrive when they feel safe, understood, and free to learn through play, exploration, and authentic relationships.
At the heart of our practice is a holistic, family-centred approach. We meet each child and family where they are—emotionally, physically, and developmentally—taking the time to understand what matters most to them. Every child is unique, and we celebrate their strengths while supporting them to develop the skills and confidence needed for everyday life.
We value honesty, kindness, inclusivity, and collaboration. We see families as the experts in their child's life and believe the best outcomes are achieved when we work alongside them, building capacity together and empowering parents and caregivers every step of the journey.
Our nature-based approach blends evidence-informed occupational therapy with the restorative benefits of outdoor environments. Through play, movement, sensory-rich experiences, and meaningful occupations, we support children to build regulation, confidence, resilience, independence, and connection—not only with themselves, but with their families, community, and the natural world.
We are passionate about creating a welcoming space where every child feels seen, every family feels supported, and therapy is something to look forward to. Our hope is that every family who walks alongside us leaves feeling more connected, more capable, and empowered to continue thriving long after therapy has finished.
MEET JUSTINE SHIRCORE
Justine is an experienced paediatric occupational therapist who is passionate about supporting the whole family to better understand and support their neurodivergent child. She believes that when parents feel informed, confident and connected, positive change extends beyond the child to strengthen the wellbeing of the entire family.
Through parent consultations and coaching, Justine works alongside families to make sense of their child's unique strengths, sensory and emotional needs, behaviour and development. Together, they explore practical, evidence-informed strategies that can be integrated into everyday life. Where appropriate, Justine also offers sibling sessions to help brothers and sisters better understand neurodivergence, strengthen relationships and foster connection within the family.
With almost 20 years' experience as an occupational therapist, Justine has specialised in supporting children with neurodevelopmental differences and their families across government, not-for-profit and private practice settings. She has extensive experience working with families of children with autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, global developmental delay (GDD), motor coordination challenges, sensory processing differences and anxiety.
In 2022, Justine travelled around Australia in a caravan with her family. This experience reinforced her belief in the importance of connection, nature and slowing down to support regulation, wellbeing and family relationships—values that continue to shape her therapeutic approach today.
Justine is committed to ongoing professional development and providing evidence-informed, neuro affirming support. She maintains current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and is a member of Developmental Occupational Therapists WA (DOT WA).
Outside of work, Justine enjoys spending time with her husband, their two children and their much-loved dog. They love being outdoors, especially at the beach, and value making lasting memories with family and friends.
MEET KAHLIA WINGFIELD
Kahlia is a compassionate and experienced paediatric occupational therapist with over 10 years of clinical experience supporting children, adolescents, and their families. She is passionate about helping children thrive by creating safe, meaningful, and playful opportunities for growth, recognising that every child is unique and deserves to be understood, respected, and celebrated for who they are.
At the heart of Kahlia's practice is a holistic, family-centred approach. She believes meaningful therapy begins with understanding the whole child within the context of their family, school, and community. By building genuine relationships and meeting families where they are, she creates therapy experiences that are practical, engaging, and naturally integrated into everyday life.
Kahlia is deeply committed to providing neurodiversity-affirming care. She celebrates the unique strengths, perspectives, and ways of experiencing the world that every child brings, focusing on supporting participation, confidence, and wellbeing rather than changing who they are. Her goal is to create environments where children feel safe, connected, and empowered to be their authentic selves.
She has a particular passion for partnering with parents and caregivers, recognising that they are the experts in their child's life. Kahlia enjoys empowering families with practical, achievable strategies that can be seamlessly embedded into daily routines, helping build confidence and capacity long after therapy sessions have ended. She also works collaboratively with educators and other professionals to ensure children are supported across all environments.
Drawing on children's interests, meaningful occupations, and the therapeutic benefits of nature, Kahlia's therapy is flexible, playful, and child-led. Whether sessions take place outdoors, at home, at school, or in the community, she creates opportunities for children to develop emotional regulation, confidence, positive self-identity, independence, and participation through experiences that are enjoyable and meaningful.
Throughout her career, Kahlia has supported children with a wide range of developmental profiles and support needs, including autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, global developmental delay (GDD), speech and language differences, social-emotional challenges, sensory processing differences, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Kahlia holds current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and has a Mental Health Endorsement through Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA), reflecting her commitment to supporting both developmental and emotional wellbeing.
Outside of work, Kahlia enjoys spending time in nature, getting creative through pottery and home projects, and recharging with Pilates, yoga, and walks with family and friends. As a recent mum to twin girls, she is embracing the joys (and adventures!) of motherhood and loves watching her daughters discover and explore the natural world. This new season of life has further deepened her appreciation for the importance of connection, play, and supporting families through the everyday moments that help children learn, grow, and thrive. Her love of creativity, movement, and the outdoors naturally influences the way she connects with children and families, bringing warmth, curiosity, and joy into every therapeutic relationship.
MEET MOLLY BUTLAND
Molly is a certified practicing counsellor who has a strong interest in nature based therapy intervention. Molly focus's on the mental health of her client's through a holistic approach which uses family intervention, client advocacy, trauma-informed, and mindfulness-based practices for young and neurodiverse people. Molly practices through a neuroaffirmative and trauma-informed lens and prioritises child-led and person-centred experience for each client.
Molly has first-hand and extensive experience working within the neurodiverse family unit and assisting children in building their self-confidence, identity, and independence. In her spare time, Molly loves urban gardening, studying local species of mushrooms, op-shopping and hanging out with her ragdoll cat, Abby!
MEET LEE ROGALASKY
Lee brings a wealth of experience in Paediatric Occupational Therapy and enjoys helping children and families participate in ways that are meaningful, essential, and abundant. She integrates nature, creativity, movement, and adventure into her therapeutic approach, making sessions dynamic and engaging.
Recently becoming a parent has given Lee an even deeper, more personal understanding of child development and the journey parents experience. Beyond her passion for occupational therapy, she has a long list of favourite pastimes—including Brazilian Forró and contemporary dancing, handstands, Feldenkrais, surfing, beachcombing, swimming, making art, being outdoors, and anything ocean-related. As an OT, she loves discovering and sharing in the passions of those she works with.