OTX2026 Conference Reflections: Innovation, Connection and the Future of Occupational Therapy

The Theratrak team had an incredible few days connecting with occupational therapists from across Australia and beyond at Occupational Therapy Australia’s #OTX2026 Conference in Brisbane.

Theratrak is a digital home program platform that helps therapists create, send and track therapy activities between sessions. So for us, the OTA conferences are the perfect opportunity to speak with OTs about what is happening in practice right now - from home programs and waitlists to admin, engagement, private practice and innovation.

The conference was also a brilliant reminder of just how creative, passionate and forward-thinking the OT community can be.

Theratrak Founder and Occupational Therapist Laura Simmons participated for the second time as part of the OTA conference committee, giving her the opportunity to contribute behind the scenes and then watch the event come to life.

“We had big plans this year for the conference. It’s so great to see what goes on behind the scenes and then watch it unfold in person.”
- Laura Simmons, Theratrak Founder and Occupational Therapist

Supporting Innovation in Occupational Therapy with Pitch It

One of Laura’s biggest highlights was seeing the Pitch It session return for a second year.

After traveling to America in 2023 and winning the American Occupational Therapy Association AOTA conference pitch showcase, Laura became passionate about creating an opportunity for Australian OTs to showcase their own ideas, inventions and innovations.

This year, the OTX2026 Pitch It received 3 times the number of applications compared to its first year, showing just how much momentum is building in the OT innovation space.

The session gave occupational therapists the chance to present new products, services and ideas designed to support the profession, improve participant outcomes and solve real-world clinical challenges.

Congratulations to this year’s Pitch It participants: Chris Pearce from OT Services Group, Nikki Cousins from Action OT, Bree Avramides, Sarah Smith, Laura Vogelzang and Brad Williams.

It was inspiring to see so many OTs step forward, share their ideas and receive support from the wider OT community.

Research Poster: Practical Digital Transformation

Theratrak was also proud to contribute to the conference program through Laura’s research poster:

Practical Digital Transformation: Turning Innovation into Everyday OT Practice.

The poster explored a challenge many clinics face when adopting new technology: not just choosing the right tool, but actually embedding it into everyday practice.

Laura shared Theratrak’s 5-step digital framework - covering shared vision, clinical champions, internal testing, participant and family feedback, workflow integration, and ongoing training.

The poster also shared case examples from both a large Australian therapy organisation and a small private practice in Alaska - showing that successful digital adoption isn’t about clinic size.

The key message was simple - successful digital transformation is not about adding more tech, it’s about making technology practical, human, and useful within real therapy workflows.

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A Focus on Private Practice

For clinic owners and team leaders, Private Practice Day featured practical conversations around business operations, marketing, leadership and sustainability - all topics that matter deeply to those who want to make a bigger impact without burning out.

These conversations are especially relevant to Theratrak, as so much of our work focuses on helping clinics build better systems for home programs, communication, progress tracking and sustainable therapy workflows.

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Conversations in the Exhibition Hall

The exhibition hall was buzzing this year, and we loved being part of it!

At the Theratrak stand, we spoke with hundreds of OTs working across private practice, schools, rural communities, telehealth, paediatrics and multidisciplinary clinics.

A lot of the conversations came back to the same core question:

How do we make therapy easier to carry over into everyday life?

A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the Theratrak stand, asked questions, shared their clinic challenges, tested the platform, or shared how they are already using Theratrak in practice.

Making Therapy Easier Beyond the Session

Any room full of OTs is a great reminder of the role occupational therapists play in creating change across so many areas of life. Whether supporting children, adults, families, schools, communities or workplaces, OTs are constantly adapting, problem-solving and finding new ways to help people participate in everyday life.

At Theratrak, we are proud to support that work with digital tools that help extend the impact of therapy beyond the clinic room.

Thank you again to Occupational Therapy Australia, the conference committee, the presenters, exhibitors and every OT who stopped by to connect with us.

We can’t wait to see how more occupational therapists use Theratrak in their own unique ways!

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Want to see how Theratrak can support your OT practice?

Book a demo with our team or start your free 30-day trial today.

New Partnership! Our Visual Brain x Theratrak: Bringing Therapeutic Games & Vision Therapy Into Everyday Practice

We're excited to announce a new partnership that gives therapists even more ways to support participants between sessions.

Introducing Our Visual Brain (OVB) - now accessible through Theratrak

Our Visual Brain is a subscription-based therapy platform that provides clinicians with access to therapeutic games designed to support visual, cognitive and functional skill development. Used by Occupational Therapists and Vision Therapists, the platform combines structured skill progression with engaging activities that can be prescribed both in-clinic and at home.

By integrating Our Visual Brain with Theratrak, therapists now have another powerful tool to personalise therapy programs, improve engagement, and support progress outside of face-to-face sessions.

“Theratrak feels like a natural partner for Our Visual Brain. They’re already helping clinicians make home programs easier to assign and track, and we’re excited to bring OVB’s interactive therapy activities into a workflow that supports patients both at home and in the clinic. Together, it creates a more connected experience for therapists, patients, and families.”

- Jennifer Powell, Founder & President at Our Visual Brain

Built for Real-World Caseloads

Our Visual Brain was designed to support a broad range of participants and clinical goals with 170+ customisable activities.

Therapists can utilise Our Visual Brain activities to support:

✅ Binocular vision therapy, including amblyopia and strabismus

✅ Neuro-rehabilitation and concussion recovery

✅ Neurodivergent children and adults

✅ Reading and academic challenges

✅ Sports vision development

✅ Paediatric through to adult participants

Why We Think Therapists Will Love It

At Theratrak, we're always looking for ways to help clinicians save time while delivering better outcomes. Our Visual Brain offers several benefits that align perfectly with that mission:

🎯 Structured skill progression that supports long-term development

🎯 Engaging therapeutic games that encourage ongoing participation

🎯 Flexible activities that can be used both in-clinic and at home

🎯 A platform designed for mixed caseloads and multiple clinical populations

🎯 Greater consistency between sessions and home practice

Perhaps most importantly, the platform helps us solve one of the biggest challenges therapists face - keeping participants engaged with therapy activities over time.

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More Tools. Better Outcomes.

This partnership is another step in Theratrak’s mission to give therapists access to practical, engaging and clinically useful tools for supporting participants beyond the therapy room.

By combining Theratrak's home program management, reminders, communication and progress tracking with Our Visual Brain's therapeutic game-based activities, therapists can create richer and more engaging therapy experiences for participants and families.

As always, our goal is simple - help therapists spend less time reinventing the wheel and more time creating meaningful change.

Learn more about How Our Visual Brain Works

Want more info on Our Visual Brain x Theratrak?

We're looking forward to sharing more about how clinics are using Our Visual Brain through Theratrak to support vision therapy, neurodevelopment, rehabilitation and learning outcomes. Get in touch with any questions.

Interested in seeing how it works?

Book a demo with the Theratrak team or start your FREE 30-day trial today.

Discover how Theratrak and Our Visual Brain can help bring therapy to life - one game, one activity, and one participant at a time.

The Entrepreneurial Clinician: Could Clinicians Build Better Healthcare Systems? What Happens Between Sessions Matters Most with Laura Simmons

Hosted by Jo Muirhead, The Entrepreneurial Clinician is a podcast for allied health professionals and private practice owners who are building sustainable, profitable businesses without burning out.

This podcast interview with Theratrak Founder & Occupational Therapist Laura Simmons explores why “what happens between sessions” is often the real driver of outcomes, and what changes when clinicians build better systems to support real-life follow-through.

Listen to the podcast to learn more about:

• Why therapy “homework” so often falls apart in real life.

• The gap between sessions and everyday implementation.

• How allied health professionals are natural problem solvers (and why that matters for innovation).

• OT skills that transfer into tech, UX, and healthcare innovation.

• The future of asynchronous and digitally supported care.

• Startup realities: risk, sustainability, and building without knowing how to code.

• Co-design, user experience, and listening deeply to clients and families.

This episode makes a simple point that clinicians and families live every week: therapy doesn’t succeed on good intentions alone - it succeeds when support is designed for real life between appointments.

It also reframes innovation as a clinician-led opportunity: not “tech replacing people,” but clinicians shaping better systems for continuity, communication, and follow-through.

The Entrepreneurial Clinician Podcast: S5 E8

What Happens Between Sessions Matters Most with Laura Simmons

The Entrepreneurial Clinician Podcast: S5 E8

What Happens Between Sessions Matters Most with Laura Simmons

Ladies Who Launch: Aussie Female Founders who WFH - ACS Information Age Interview

ACS Information Age is the Australian Computer Society’s flagship publication covering technology, innovation, and the people building the future.

This was an interview with Theratrak founder Laura Simmons, published 5 March 2026, in the lead-up to International Women’s Day (8 March 2026).

This short interview with Laura highlights a problem therapists and families know well: therapy outcomes don’t happen only in-session - progress depends on what happens in the days (and weeks) between appointments.

The article also spotlights Laura’s founder story in honour of International Women’s Day, showing how allied health insight can lead to practical digital innovation that supports clinicians, families, and therapy outcomes.

In the ACS article for IWD, Laura discusses:

• Why progress can stall when therapy support doesn’t happen between sessions

• Why Laura created Theratrak after noticing home program adherence challenges

• What Theratrak is and who it supports across allied health 

• How Theratrak helps therapists send therapy activities home and reduce admin load.

• The benefits and realities of running a health-tech startup from home with a remote team

• The tools Laura relies on to run Theratrak WFH with a remote team  

• Laura’s advice to other female founders about the long game and staying energised

Excerpt from interview:

“The biggest fall down when seeing a therapist is, we do 45 minutes or we do an hour session.” - Laura Simmons

NEW Progress Reporting Tool: Helping Therapists Show the Real Impact of Therapy

Between clinical work, admin, and supporting families, reporting can quickly become one of the most time-consuming (and stressful) parts of therapy.

To help therapists clearly track progress and confidently report on goals, Theratrak has launched a new NDIS reporting tool - designed to turn everyday therapy work into clear, outcome-ready reports.

This new tool was built to make outcomes clearer, reporting faster, and reviews less painful for everyone involved.

It’s been co-designed with input from real Australian allied health clinics and therapists.

Find out more below about what this major Theratrak product update means for therapists, including:

• Clinic Portal & Participant Dashboard Updates

• Therapist App Updates

• The New Progress Reporting Tool

• Practical Ways Clinics Are Using the Progress Reporting Tool

• Why the New Reporting Tool Matters Right Now

Built for Real Therapy - Not Just Paperwork

The new Theratrak reporting tool makes it easy to track therapy progress over time. Goals, activities, participant engagement, and reporting now live in one connected system - so progress is tracked as therapy happens, not recreated later.

Instead of pulling information together from multiple places, therapists can now download clear progress summaries that show what’s been done, what’s working, and how far a participant has come.

Co-designed in collaboration with Theratrak clinicians and designed to align with NDIS reporting guidelines, the new Theratrak reporting tool helps therapists:

• Link therapy activities directly to SMART goals

• Track participant progress over time

• Generate outcome reports that reflect real-world functional change, not just session notes

“Our new reporting tool helps therapists show the real impact of their work - and helps families advocate for continued support with confidence and evidence. We’re focused on helping participants engage meaningfully in therapy so they can build independence and better long-term outcomes.”

- Laura Simmons, Founder and CEO of Theratrak

What’s Actually Changing Inside Theratrak

This update is about more than just reporting - it’s a broader refresh across the clinic portal, participant dashboard, therapist app, and reporting tools to make everyday therapy work easier and more visible.

Clinic Portal & Participant Dashboard Updates

The participant dashboard has had a facelift to keep the focus where it belongs on progress, goals, and home programs.

What’s been updated:

• Participant details have been moved out of the way so progress and programs are front and centre

What’s new:

• A dedicated goals section, allowing therapists to link goals directly to skills - forming the backbone of the new reporting tool

• A calendar view to quickly see programs and activity schedules

• A side-panel pop-out for faster navigation where therapists can now:

• Support participants by checking off completed activities

• Mark participant progress against tasks

• Add and reply to journal entries

• View participant photos and videos directly from their computer

Together, these changes make overall progress easier to track as therapy happens - not weeks later when reports are due.

Therapist App Updates

The therapist app has been reorganised so the most useful information is immediately visible when you open it.

What’s been updated:

• A refreshed home screen showing active programs straight away

What’s new:

• See which participants have activated their Theratrak account - and resend invites directly from your phone

• A new bottom navigation bar for faster access

• View program history, in-progress and sending programs are now visible from the home screen

• Updated participant setup, allowing goals to be added and linked to skills for progress reporting

At Theratrak, our overarching goal is always to make therapists’ lives easier. These therapist app updates mean less tapping, less searching, and faster access to the data you actually need during the day.

The New Progress Reporting Tool: Where Goals Become Outcomes

This is where everything comes together in our clinic portal. For the first time, goals, activities, engagement data and reporting are fully connected inside the Theratrak clinic portal - meaning therapy progress is captured as part of everyday practice, not recreated later..

Therapists can now generate structured, outcome-ready summaries that clearly show:

• How and when families are engaging with therapy at home - participant usage data

• The details of programs and activities prescribed

• Journal reflections and updates

• Activity tracking directly linked to therapy goals

Instead of rebuilding reports from scratch, therapists can download a clear snapshot of progress that reflects real engagement and functional change - ready for NDIS reviews, funding conversations, and school updates.

“Theratrak is built for the future of therapy - where care is proactive, measurable, and collaborative. This is a feature clinicians have been asking for, and we’re excited to finally put it in their hands.”

- Laura Simmons, Founder and CEO of Theratrak

**Practical Ways Clinics Are Using the Progress Reporting Tool**

• Incorporating progress summaries directly into NDIS review reports

• Adding evidence to end-of-term or end-of-year school reports

• Reviewing weekly or term snapshots to monitor growth trends over time

• Using data in team meetings to refine supports and adjust goals

How These Theratrak Product Updates Impact Clinics

All of the latest Theratrak product updates and our new reporting tool are designed to:

• Reduce admin and report-writing time

• Make progress easier to demonstrate

• Support families with clearer evidence

• Align daily therapy work with NDIS reporting requirements

Therapists should spend less time chasing information and have more confidence showcasing therapy outcomes.

As one occupational therapist put it:

“NDIS reports used to feel like applying for a grant every time. Now I can show what we’ve done, what’s working, and how far the child has come - without starting from zero.”

Why the New Reporting Tool Matters Right Now

The need for clear, consistent reporting has never been greater.

• According to the latest NDIS Quarterly Report (September 2025), more than 750,000 Australians are supported by the NDIS, and many of these participants are children with 66% of them being children younger than 15.

• Over 170,000 children under 9 years old have an NDIS plan and another 27,000 children accessed early connections. In total, around 10% of all children in Australia aged 5 to 7 years old are NDIS participants.

For families, therapy can be life-changing - but it often comes with the burden of having to repeatedly prove that progress is happening. Sourcing this proof of progress can make seeking therapy a very time-consuming, stressful and overwhelming process.

“Parents are often expected to track and justify their child’s progress, but they’re not in the therapy room. This new reporting tool by Theratrak changes that. Now progress is visible, measurable, and backed by data.”

- Laura Simmons, Founder and CEO of Theratrak

A Clearer, Calmer Future for NDIS & Therapy Reporting

NDIS reporting isn’t going away - but the stress and admin burden around it doesn’t have to be part of therapists' everyday job.

With Theratrak’s latest product updates, therapy progress is captured as part of everyday practice - through goals, activities, home programs, and participant engagement - and turned into clear, evidence-based reports when they’re needed.

• For therapists, this means less time chasing information and rebuilding reports.

• For clinic owners, it means greater consistency, clearer outcomes, and more confidence heading into reviews.

• For families, it means progress that’s visible, measurable, and easier to advocate for.

This update reflects what allied health clinics have been asking for - a therapy tool that supports real therapy, real families, and real outcomes - without adding more admin.

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Want to learn more?

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Australian Allied Health Awards Magazine 2025 - Interview with Theratrak Founder Laura Simmons

Australian Allied Health Awards Magazine is part of the Australian Allied Health Awards platform, sharing stories and reflections from across the allied health community.

The Allied Health Awards were created to recognise the people and teams making a meaningful difference in the lives of their clients, their communities, and the wider health sector. We support their work at Theratrak as they also believe that the community within allied health deserves to be recognised, celebrated, and supported.

This interview includes reflections from Theratrak Founder Laura Simmons following the Networking Series event in Sydney, highlighting the role of collaboration across the care sector.

Laura’s interview reinforces a core truth in allied health: no one delivers outcomes alone - strong care depends on communication, coordination, and shared problem-solving across teams and services.

Read Laura’s AHA interview to learn more about: 

• Collaboration across allied health and the wider care sector

• Reflections from the Networking Series in Sydney and what clinicians are seeing on the ground

• Why connection and shared learning strengthens support for participants and families

• 2026 Awards season momentum and recognising allied health excellence

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Every OT Who Sends Paper Handouts Needs This: OT Yourself To Freedom Podcast with Laura Simmons

Hosted by former-OT turned business coach Beki Eakins, OT Yourself To Freedom is a podcast for occupational therapists who want practical strategies, honest stories, and business insights to help them build a life and career with more freedom.

In early January 2026, Theratrak Founder and Occupational Therapist Laura Simmons, was featured on the podcast sharing her story of starting a tech company to improve the lives of allied health professionals.

“Let's get rid of the paper handout. Let's get rid of the 40 minute emails that nobody likes writing out.” - Laura Simmons, Occupational Therapist & Founder of Theratrak

Listen on Spotify to OT Yourself To Freedom Podcast with Laura Simmons

Listen to the episode with Laura on OT Yourself To Freedom to learn more about:

• Why paper handouts and long follow-up emails often fail (and what works better).

• How Theratrak helps therapists send home therapy activities and track what happens between sessions.

• How gamification (badges, rewards, avatars) supports engagement for children and families.

• What therapists should know if they ever want to build a digital product: cost, sustainability, and the reality of “making it work.”

• How digital tools can reduce travel/time barriers and increase clinician confidence by showing what’s actually happening at home.

• Mindset, confidence, and resilience as a female founder in tech.

“Our research found that parents feel more confident with therapy programs when using Theratrak. We have other research that shows how a clinic used Theratrak to bridge the gap for waiting lists - then those parents were more engaged in therapy long-term. We know parents feel more confident when using Theratrak.” - Laura Simmons, Occupational Therapist & Founder of Theratrak

This episode is for allied health professionals, and in particular for Occupational Therapists, who want home programs to actually stick - without chasing families, rewriting the same instructions, or spending evenings on admin. 

Laura shares why Theratrak was built, what changes when therapy is easier to deliver and easier to follow at home, and why visibility of progress matters for clinicians and families alike.

Reflecting on 2025 at Theratrak: Year in Review

Just like within a therapy program, we believe reflection matters.

The end of each year gives us the opportunity to pause, look back on what we’ve built, and consider how far we’ve come.

In 2025, our focus continued to sharpen around supporting clinicians sustainably, improving engagement without increasing admin, and building systems that work with therapy - not against it.

Across events, conversations, content, and product development, this year was about listening closely - and evolving Theratrak in ways that genuinely support therapy practice.

From honest conversations about burnout to steady product improvements behind the scenes, much of this work has laid the groundwork for what’s coming next.

Here’s a snapshot of what the 2025 year looked like for the Theratrak team.

2025 Highlights Across the Theratrak Community

Theratrak Product Progress & Platform Updates

Behind the scenes, the Theratrak platform continued to evolve in response to clinic feedback and day-to-day realities of practice. Our product updates focused on flexibility, transparency and ease of use for clinics.

This year’s Theratrak product updates included:

• Simplified onboarding with no credit card required, making it easier for clinics to explore Theratrak. Alongside our 30-day free trial, we’ve made the onboarding process easier, so that therapists can get started, get tracking, and provide more value for their participants quickly.

• In-portal licence management, giving clinics more flexibility and control as teams grow (which they often do once a clinic starts to use Theratrak!).

• Refined tiered pricing to better align with how clinics actually use the platform with growing teams.

• A major milestone has been our Halaxy case management platform integration. Everything we do at Theratrak is done with the goal of easing therapist’s workflows, and this partnership reduces duplication and improves workflow efficiency for therapists. View the IG announcement.

As always with our co-design approach, every update we make has been shaped by real clinic feedback - not assumptions. If you’re interested in testing out our new features before we release them publicly, please get in touch here.

Practical Resources for Therapists

Our blog and resource content in 2025 focused on breaking down shared challenges and offering accessible, clinician-friendly tools to address them.

Some of Theratrak’s key resources included:

• Therapist Burnout Bingo - a fun game using humour as a way to open honest conversations about workload, admin burden, and system pressures. View Burnout Bingo on IG here.

• The Engagement Checklist - a free checklist designed to help clinics reflect on how engagement is supported across therapy programs alongside tips for improvement.

• The 7 Stages of Tech Adoption (and Grief) - a blog post exploring the emotional and cultural workplace realities of adopting new systems in clinics (not just technical), using a relatable framework that resonated strongly with therapists. View the 7 Stages on IG here.

• Clinic Quiz - a free 4 question quiz for therapists and clinics to evaluate how much time they could save by using Theratrak. Answer four questions and we’ll share an estimate of how many hours you could save with Theratrak each week. Times the hours saved by an hourly rate and you have how much money your clinic could save each week! View more info about the Clinic Quiz on IG here. Take the Clinic Quiz here.

Have some feedback for us about our resources? Send us a message here.

Participated in Multiple Industry Events

We were grateful to be a part of meaningful events with dedicated allied health clinicians, educators, researchers, students and lived-experience advocates at a range of events this year.

Each event offered important perspectives on how therapy is delivered, experienced, and supported.

Below is a snapshot of the events the Theratrak team were happy to be part of:

Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA) Conference - Adelaide, South Australia

• The Theratrak team exhibited at the Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA) Conference, engaging with OTs around digital workflows, engagement, and sustainability in practice.

• We ran our now well-known Burnout Bingo with therapists, gathering insight into the everyday pressures contributing to burnout in clinics. For these OTs, the most common burnout contributing activities they engaged in were:

  • Back to back sessions and meetings with no breathing space

  • Eating lunch and typing notes at the same time

  • That “quick phone” call that turned into 45 mins

  • Treating coffee as an essential food group (!)

• Next year, Theratrak Founder Laura Simmons is once again on the OTA Conference Committee contributing to an innovative line-up of inspiring speakers and events - including the Pitch It Competition. Let Laura know if you’ll see her there.

• See highlights from the event on IG.

Kids Source Disability Expo - Sydney, New South Wales

• At the Kids Source Disability Expo, Laura valued connecting directly with families and other service providers navigating the complex world of disability support offers.

• See highlights from the event on IG here.

Think Autism Conference - Sydney, New South Wales

• At the Think Autism Conference, Laura participated in a panel centred on neuroaffirming systems designed by and for autistic people alongside Anita Aherne from Living on the Spectrum, Holly Fowler from Wable app, Natasha Siryj from Practice Inclusion, and Kate Lambridis from Human Health.

• See highlights from the event on IG here.

• Laura said of the event: “It was such a privilege to be part of this panel and share why co-design matters so deeply to us at Theratrak. Tech only works when people actually want to use it - and that starts by designing it with the people who need it most.”

Go Beyond Therapy Conference - Online

• With a focus on new approaches to family support, Laura joined the Go Beyond Therapy Online Empower & Thrive Conference, which focused on confidence, growth, and therapist wellbeing. Laura led a practical and engaging session titled “Going Digital: How to Get the Most Out of Your Therapy Sessions”. The interactive workshop explored using digital tools to enhance therapy sessions, the real benefits (and challenges) of going digital in allied health, and strategies to encourage therapists to adopt digital solutions - and how to overcome common barriers.

• See highlights from the event on IG.

SARRAH - Online

• Following on from the inspiring SARRAH Conference in Mildura in October 2024, this year, Laura joined the SARRAH team online to explore how digital innovation can better support those in regional and remote communities. Laura discussed Future-Proofing Therapy: Leveraging Digital Innovation in Regional Communities. Laura shared real case studies and research on how digital tools like Theratrak are transforming therapy in rural areas - making high-quality care more accessible and bridging the gap for regional healthcare providers.

• See highlights from the event on IG here.

• Across all of these events, one message consistently stood out: clinicians want tools that are flexible, respectful of clinical reasoning, and realistic within busy environments.

If you’d like to engage Laura as a speaker at your next event, please get in touch here. Find out more about Laura’s speaking experience here.

OTA Connections Feature

This year, Theratrak was featured in OTA Connections Magazine, contributing to broader industry conversations about engagement, burnout, and the role of digital tools in allied health. In this Member Spotlight, Laura reflects on her journey from paediatric OT to digital health founder - sharing key inspiration for her role, the importance of leading with purpose, and why collaboration is at the heart of Theratrak’s mission. “I am always interested in meeting and learning from other innovative OTs around the world. I love discovering the positive social purpose behind their innovations.” View the feature on IG here.

Laura appreciates being featured alongside occupational therapy leaders while sharing practical insights - not just product updates - with the profession.

Big Plans for 2026: Major Product Updates

Behind the scenes, we’ve been working on significant updates to the therapist portal, with a strong focus on reporting, progress tracking, and usability. These changes are designed to make everyday workflows clearer, lighter, and more sustainable over time. Keep a lookout on our socials in 2026 for the announcement in the early new year!

We’re continuing to focus on creating a platform that supports clinicians to do what they do best - supporting participants - while we reduce unnecessary friction and admin along the way.

A huge thank you to the clinicians, clinics, researchers, partners, and community members who shared feedback, attended events, engaged with our content, and helped shape 2025 for Theratrak.

We’re looking forward to 2026!

Connections Magazine Interview: Occupational Therapy Australia Member Spotlight with Laura Simmons (Spring 2025)

Connections is Occupational Therapy Australia’s member magazine, sharing stories, insights, and profiles from across the OT community.

Occupational Therapy Australia is the peak professional body representing over 30,000 occupational therapists. As a fast-growing allied health field, the profession includes over 34,100 registered practitioners (as of March 2025), with a primarily young, female workforce (around 90% female) predominantly working in private and public sectors.

This was a Member Spotlight feature with Theratrak founder and paediatric Occupational Therapist Laura Simmons in the Connections Spring 2025 edition.

In the interview, Laura shares more about:

• What inspired Laura to become an OT, and how OT shaped her career direction

• How she stays inspired and continues to grow through learning from other innovative OTs

• Leading a team with purpose, and the leadership qualities she values most

• Why collaboration matters when building meaningful tech in healthcare

• Advice for new graduate OTs navigating a changing, innovation-driven profession

• Goals / outcomes / results / conclusion why people should care

This feature shares Laura’s journey from paediatric OT to founder, and highlights a message that matters for the profession right now: OT is evolving, and the most impactful work often comes from staying curious, learning from peers, and building solutions with real-world purpose. 

It’s also a strong reminder that Theratrak is grounded in OT values - collaboration, adaptability, and supporting participants outside of direct therapy.

Excerpt from interview:

How do you stay inspired and continue to grow your career as an OT?

“Stay curious! Connecting and learning from other OTs that are doing amazing things. I am always interested in meeting and learning from other innovative OTs around the world. I love discovering the positive social purpose behind their innovations. Theratrak plays a crucial role in this, supporting me to engage with a world outside of traditional OT. I believe this constantly challenges me to learn and adapt to the ever-evolving world of healthcare.”

Is Your Clinic Giving Main Character Energy or Background Stress Vibes?

Time to audit your allied health clinic’s vibe - and script a better story for your team.

Some clinics give Ted Lasso vibes - full of optimism. Others give The Office vibes - with everyday admin monotony taking over.

And a few clinics… are living in full-blown Succession mode with burnout running rife.

If your clinic were the character lead in a workplace drama, would it be the kind that makes people root for you? Or one where everyone’s constantly one printer jam away from a breakdown?

Spoiler: Your clinic culture isn’t just built on pizza Fridays and Pinterest quotes.

Clinic culture is shaped by your systems, your workflows, and how your team actually feels day-to-day.

So let’s take a look at your clinic’s vibe - and how to make sure your clinic’s story arc is more glow-up montage than tragic burnout spiral.

What’s Your Clinic Energy? Pop Culture Edition 🎬

Here’s how to spot your clinic’s vibe - and maybe yourself - in these pop culture archetypes:

⚽ Ted Lasso Energy ⚽

• Clear systems.

• Supportive team.

• Therapy that doesn’t rely on superhero-level effort.

Results: Low burnout, high trust, high-fives all around.

🐻 The Bear Energy 🐻

• Passionate, talented team.

• Running purely on adrenaline and instant coffee.

• Team bonding mostly happens around the printer.

Results: High skill, high stress. Everyone’s brilliant… and constantly on the edge.

🗼 Emily in Paris Energy 🗼

• Looks very digital-first.

• Behind the scenes? Screenshots, spreadsheets, and deep sighs.

• Everything’s halfway towards being improved while nothing long-term is being tracked.

Results: Great vibes on socials. Internal chaos.

🌸 Bridgerton Energy 🌸

• Everyone looks composed and put-together.

• But therapists are writing notes at 10pm and dreaming of admin-free days.

• One scheduling mishap away from a full regency-era faint.

Results: High style. Low sustainability.

🏆 Succession Energy 🏆

• Constant urgency.

• No clearly defined roles or clinical champions for new processes.

• People “figure it out” until they burn out.

Results: Therapy is delivered. But at what cost to the team?

The Clinic Vibe Audit: Are You the Main Character or the Chaos Coordinator? 📝

Take this (slightly cheeky) checklist and tally your answers:

1. You’ve had a “meeting about a meeting” this week

2. Your printer is basically your team therapist

3. Notes are written: a) during lunch b) after hours c) only when legally required

4. Families email “just checking in” because they haven’t heard anything since the assessment

5. Your team has a “who cried this week?” chat

Your clinic results?

• 0-1: You’ve got Main Character energy. Keep that sparkle.

• 2-3: Your clinic’s in its coming-of-age arc. Some tweaks, and you’ll shine.

• 4+: You might be in your renewed season slump. Time to rewrite the script.

Wondering about the levels of burnout at your clinic?

Play our Burnout Bingo to find out how many of the common 16 activities happen at your clinic.

Wondering about the level of engagement of participants at your clinic?

Take our Engagement Checklist to find out how well your clinic stacks up.

What Main Character Clinics Actually Do Differently 🎥

Creating a great clinic culture is not just about good vibes. It’s about the systems that create them.

✅ Great clinics invest in tools that support people ✅

Let your tech handle the busywork - so your team can handle what really matters. New allied health tech tools should reduce admin, not add to it.

Tools like Theratrak that can take care of:

• Home program setup

• Progress tracking

• Case note syncing

✅ Great clinics make workflows visible (and shareable) ✅

Everyone knows what’s happening, even across locations or teams.

Theratrak offers:

• Dashboards with real-time data

• Progress insights

• Shared access across the care team

• No more guessing. Just clarity.

✅ Great clinics reduce burnout - by default ✅

When the system is simple, the stress drops. Therapists stop working overtime just to stay afloat - and start feeling confident they’re making an impact within hours, not outside of them.

Ready for Your Clinic’s Main Character Montage? 🎬

A clinic culture of burnout isn’t fixed with another snack drawer, lolly jar or an inspirational quote.

It’s fixed with workflows that work. Systems that back your team.

And tech that doesn’t just exist - it actually understands your industry and the ideal clinical processes for efficiency. That’s Theratrak.

Try the Theratrak tool for 30 days - and test out a new script for your team.

Not ready to dive in yet?

Book a call with the friendly Theratrak team and we can support you to understand how this digital tool can bring main character energy back to your clinic.