Rachel Noonan

Senior Occupational Therapist
About me

About Rachel

Hi! I’m Rachel – one of the senior OT’s at Brilliant Minds Allied Health. I graduated from UQ with a Master of Occupational Therapy Studies in 2020, after jumping ship from a career in the legal sector.

I began my OT career as a mobile community therapist, working across the lifespan – including with older adults, adults, teens and children. I’ve spent the last five years focusing on paediatrics, working primarily in private practice.

I am experienced in working with a neurodevelopmental client base (including neurodevelopmental conditions or differences such as ASD, ADHD, intellectual disability and specific learning disorders, among others) and spend most of my time supporting children and their families to make each day a little bit easier. I feel most fulfilled professionally when I’ve built a strong relationship with the families I support, and I take great joy in celebrating the little things that make each day meaningful for them.

I currently see clients aged 2–12 and take a warm, relaxed and play-based approach to ensure children and parents feel safe and comfortable in the therapy space. My work focuses heavily on parent and caregiver capacity building, so families feel confident and capable of continuing to practise the concepts from OT sessions when they get back home.

I look forward to getting to know you and your child, hearing what’s important to your family, and working together.

Notable PDs completed:

  • Supporting People with Autism and Their Families; OTA (2020)

  • Conquering the Wees and Poos; Rebecca Khan (2020)

  • Traffic Jam in my Brain; Genevieve Jereb (2021)

  • DIR 101: An Introduction to DIR and DIR Floortime; ICDL (2022)

  • Sleep with Disability; Annie O’Connell (2022)

  • Caregiver Readiness for Engagement in Therapy; Verve OT (2023)

  • Conquering the Puberty Blues; Rebecca Khan (2023)

  • Feeding Assessment and Intervention; Brisbane Feeding Clinic (2024)

  • The Power of Attachment: Utilising Relationship-Based, Developmental and Trauma-Informed Approaches to Occupational Therapy; Beth Fulton and Lucinda Mora (2024)

  • Learn to Play; Karen Stagnitti (2024)

  • Occupational Roles for Children Under Four; Lisa Findlay (2025)

  • Occupational Performance Coaching; Dr Fiona Graham (2025)

  • OT Exchange Conference (2026)

  • Social Success: OT Through a Neurodiversity-Affirming Lens; Kidlink (2026)

Outside of work, I’m usually running around after my young son and spending time with family. I love cold weather and rugging up, but spring days when the sun is shining and the roses are out at New Farm Park can’t be beaten. My favourite movie is Dirty Dancing (a classic), and my biggest fears are spiders and sharks!