Academic focus
guiding spirituality deeper into the healthcare conversation
My academic work
My work is grounded in both personal experience and formal research. As part of my PhD, I’ve explored how spirituality is understood and addressed in occupational therapy and other areas of healthcare in Australia.
My goal has been to offer thoughtful, evidence-based contributions to a field that is often unsure how to approach the social, emotional, existential and spiritual dimensions of care.
This research forms the foundation of The Spirit of Care, and continues to shape the training and support I offer to healthcare professionals.
Focus: Understanding spirituality in clinical settings
I’m particularly interested in how health professionals think about and respond to spirituality in their practice. How they define it, how comfortable they feel engaging with it, and how they might begin to make space for it in a way that respects cultural and personal difference. My work highlights the gap between knowing that these conversations matter and feeling equipped to have them. Understanding that spirituality is not a standalone or optional concept, but an essential dimension of holistic care, central to how we approach and support people in their full humanity.
I’ve published several peer-reviewed articles in Australian and international journals, and I look forward to building on this work in future collaborations and training programs.
Spirituality in occupational therapy practice: A scoping review with narrative synthesis
British Journal of Occupational Therapy (2025)
Addressing client spirituality in occupational therapy practice: A qualitative study
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal (2025)
As I complete my PhD, I plan to develop more education-based offerings for health professionals, translating this research into reflective tools, training content and ongoing dialogue. If you're part of a healthcare organisation or academic setting that would like to collaborate, I’d love to connect.
Let's keep the conversation going
How spirituality is understood in occupational therapy: A qualitative study
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal (2025)
Peer-reviewed publications
Spirituality in Australian Health Professional Practice: A Scoping Review and Qualitative Synthesis of Findings
Journal of Religion and Health (2023)
