Kirstie Rees is a chartered psychologist who is supporting the team on a regular consultancy basis. Kirstie is trained as a child and educational psychologist and has significant experience of supporting children and young people with disabilities, and their families. Kirstie has carried out research and has written papers and a book in this area and is passionate about supporting children and adults to develop coping strategies that enhance their mental health and wellbeing. Kirstie has worked in three different local authorities in Scotland and also works as a tutor on the MSc in Educational Psychology at the University of Dundee. Kirstie is chair of the Scottish Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH).
Arden Metford | Physiotherapist
Arden qualified as a physiotherapist in 2018 after completing her MSc pre-reg PT degree in Edinburgh. With a keen passion for paediatric neurology, she worked in the NHS for over four years, supporting children and young people affected with various neurological conditions within their community settings. Prior to moving to Scotland in 2016, Arden worked as a professional contemporary dancer across Europe while touring internationally. She simultaneously owned a rehabilitative training company in the Netherlands, with a specialisation in functional core training and postural awareness for professional athletes (dancers, acrobats, kick-boxers and MMA fighters). Originally born in Canada, Arden is thrilled to have joined our team in August 2023.
Leen Van Gestel | Physiotherapist
Leen qualified as a physiotherapist from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) in 2005. In 2012, she obtained a PhD from the same university for her work on the relation between brain lesions and deficits in strength, tone and walking patterns of children with Cerebral Palsy. From 2012-2014, she combined academic research with part-time clinical work in a private paediatric physiotherapy practice. Throughout this post she worked with a variety of children and young people mainly affected by neurological conditions. Leen completed Bobath training in 2014 and relocated to Scotland in 2015. There, she was employed as a physiotherapist in a special needs school before joining us in August 2017.
Lesley Nutton | Physiotherapist
Lesley trained as a physiotherapist in Manchester and qualified in 1986. She has worked in large teaching hospitals in Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle as well as in the community-based at a special needs school. She has gained a wide range of experience working within the paediatric field in a number of regional specialities based in Newcastle, with a special interest in acquired brain injury. Lesley and her family relocated to Scotland in 2005 and she joined us in 2007.
Petra Mikesková Gurd | Occupational Therapist
Petra qualified as an occupational therapist in the Czech Republic in 2000. She worked for eight years with premature babies, children with CP and other neurological conditions and also with adults in the Rehabilitation Centre in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Petra completed her Bobath training in 2004 and in 2005 she passed Baby Bobath training. Petra is a Bobath tutor and has taught Basic and Baby Bobath courses in Europe. She’s got a specialisation to provide Sensory Integration Therapy and Medical Taping (e.g. kinesio taping). She worked in private practice in the Czech Republic before she joined us in September 2013