Meet Laura Simmons

B. App Sc (Occupational Therapy)

Laura is a passionate paediatric occupational therapist, helping families and working with children living with range of disabilities, providing them with early intervention treatments.

In 2018, Laura decided to take action to make change in the allied health industry and created Theratrak with the goal of extending the reach of therapy outside of 1-1 sessions.

Laura’s Story

Laura has worked in the private health sector across Sydney for over 10 years. During this time, Laura noticed a distinct lack of innovative technology solutions targeting the ongoing care of clients outside of direct therapy - and how this is impacting the client’s overall treatment.

Laura graduated from the University of Western Sydney with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy BAppSc (OT) in 2012. Since graduating, Laura has been passionate about paediatrics and digital innovation, working in community, schools, and private clinics across Sydney.

Theratrak is a global award-winning digital health platform that supports allied health therapists to create and track digital therapy home programs.

Laura is passionate about seeing her participants succeed both in and out of therapy. She gets the most excited when her clients graduate from therapy and no longer need her services!

Since launching Theratrak, Laura has participated in a number of professional, startup, technology and clinical development programs, including:

• SheStarts, a startup accelerator program run by BlueChilli which helped create the first Theratrak MVP (minimal viable product)

• Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program, a 12-month industry-leading innovation program designed to advance clinician-led transformation

• SBE Springboard Life Science, a program for women-led companies to scale

• Kenneth Myer Innovation Fellow with the Sidney Myer Fund & the Myer Foundation, a program supporting breakthrough solutions to Australia's most pressing social and environmental challenges

Laura continues to practice as an OT today. She founded Live Be Explore, a mobile and telehealth occupational therapy service, in 2021. Providing home, school, and community support to children living in Sydney and online to clients outside this region. The goal is to meet families where they are and support them in their natural environment.

While managing Theratrak, Laura continues to work as an occupational therapist, supporting a range of children in developing their therapy goals. Laura’s expertise as an OT involves supporting children and families who may be experiencing a range of challenges, including:

• Autism spectrum disorder

• ADHD

• Motor coordination challenges

• ARFID (avoidant restrictive food intake disorder)

• Cerebral palsy

• Sensory processing

• Emotional regulation

• Play skills and engagement

• Behaviour management

• School readiness skills

• Motor skills delays, including fine, gross and visual-motor integration

• Attention and concentration

• Fussy eating and feeding challenges.

Through her work, Laura has experience providing telehealth services and supporting children living in rural and remote communities. 

As an OT, Laura takes a family-centred and parent-coaching approach to her therapy sessions. She loves working with actively involved families and implementing Theratrak programs into her practice. Therapy sessions focus on building skills to integrate therapy strategies into everyday life so that children and families can feel empowered and take charge of their health.

Connect with Laura via LinkedIn and via Twitter.