Our Story
How Together Thriving came to be
During University Kirsty felt a strong pull towards working in the fields of Mental Health and Paediatrics after some amazing placement experiences and inspiring supervisors. The 'shades of grey' - how nothing is ever truly black and white, and how two days are never the same that hold true in both settings was a big attraction for her.
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After working in Mental Health for 10 years and seeing the gap in the Mudgee region for Paediatric OT services, she decided to undertake 18 months of professional development and supervision before taking the leap into paediatric private practice, opening Thrive OT in 2017.
Paediatric OT services in the region remained stretched, with many families still missing out, so she decided to build the business. Despite this growth, demand for services continued to outweigh OT availability urging Kirsty to rethink the traditional individual therapy model to incorporate online education modules and resources, group therapy options, rebranding the business to Together Thriving in 2022.
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Together Thriving encapsulates the importance of collaboration, connectedness and community that Kirsty strongly believes is required for each of us to thrive.
Meet Our Team
Kirsty Bowlay
Principal Occupational Therapist / Founder
Kirsty established Thrive OT in 2017 to help enable children and their families to thrive in everyday living. She enjoys building on strengths with children and their families, and see’s play and playfulness as a crucial part of child development.
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As a mother of two, she understands the constant juggle to find balance in life and tries hard to find time for self-care in gardening, cooking and yoga.
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Kirsty has been working as an Occupational Therapist for over 15 years in a variety of settings, including mental health and paediatrics.
Emily Schembri
Occupational Therapist
Emily graduated from Charles Sturt University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and started working at Together Thriving in 2022.
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Her love for working with children began early in her degree during her university placements. She loves to support children to develop their own amazing strengths through enjoyable and meaningful therapy sessions.
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Fun fact: Emily is ambidextrous, so sometimes she gets confused on what hand / side is dominant. She is a big lover of sport, so sometimes this little quirk can make the sport interesting.
Monica Lee
Speech Pathologist
Monica graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2017, and has since worked as a speech pathologist in hospitals, community health, aboriginal health and private practice. She is passionate about working closely with families to help clients connect through communication.
Monica's love of language has seen her teach English overseas, and in her spare time she loves reading and writing poetry.
Hannah Lewis
Occupational Therapist
Hannah graduated from Charles Sturt University in 2022 and started her new graduate career working in paediatrics in the Taree and Port Macquarie region, before relocating to Mudgee in 2023.
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Hannah has a passion for working with children and their families, creating supportive relationships and connections, enabling the child and their family to thrive. She is prides herself on being a caring and compassionate member of the team and is always willing to help out.
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Hannah has a brilliant green thumb and loves spending time in the garden, often bringing in her produce to share with the team.
Bella Wilson
Occupational Therapist
Bella graduated from Charles Sturt University in 2024 and started her graduate position at Together Thriving in 2025. Growing up in a small community as one of the eldest of over 30 cousins, she was always surrounded by young children, which sparked her passion for working in paediatrics.
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Her love for supporting children was further cemented during her university placements, where she gained hands-on experience in paediatric therapy. Bella spent eight weeks as a student at Together Thriving in early 2024, which further confirmed her career goals.
Bella strives to help children build confidence, develop self-regulation skills, and reach their full potential through fun, engaging, and meaningful therapy sessions.
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Having recently relocated to Mudgee, Bella is excited to become part of the community and explore all that it has to offer. In her free time, Bella enjoys being outdoors, swimming, going to the gym and travelling.
Let's cook