Rachel Maunsell is a Senior Occupational Therapist and Clincial Manager in our Rathcoole Clinic. She has been working in clinics and schools around Dublin for the last two and a half years. She trained in Trinity College Dublin and spent five years (2014-2018) working overseas in Singapore after graduating in 2013. She is fully registered with CORU and is a member of AOTI. She is a certified practitioner in DIR Floortime and Ayres Sensory Integration Therapy (Ulster University)

Initially she was working with adults in a hospital setting. Her case load included working with the neurology team for people that had suffered from strokes and brain injuries, the orthopedic team for people who had suffered fractures or had undergone joint replacement surgery and the dementia unit for elderly patients suffering from cognitive and physical decline. She also spent time in the palliative care unit, helping people receive end of life care.

Further to working with adults, Rachel started to pursue her passion of working with the pediatric population. She spent the next three years in Singapore working in a private practice and in local and international schools. She then began working with children from the ages of 15 months up to 18 years, with difficulties including Autism (ASD), sensory processing issues, difficulties with self-care, handwriting issues, gross and fine motor difficulties (DCD/dyspraxia), emotional regulation issues and executive functioning difficulties (planning, sequencing organising and executing higher level cognitive tasks).

Rachel loves working with children and their families to create client and family centred goals and help children reach their maximum potential at home, with friends, and in school, in whatever occupations they endeavor to improve.

Rachel is passionate about working with people, particularly with children. When she is not working; she loves to travel, plays golf, watches rugby, participates in volunteer work, is learning about photography and loves  music.

She continues to engage in professional development and competed the following courses over the last number of years since graduating:

• Scar management
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
• Housing Modification (level 1)
• Learn To Play (by Karen Stagnitti)
• DIR Floortime 101
• DIR Floortime 201
• Ayres Sensory Integration Module 1 “Foundations and Neuroscience”
• Ayres Sensory Integration Module 2 “Clinical Reasoning in Sensory Integration Assessment”
• Ayres Sensory Integration Module 3 “Clinical Reasoning and Practice in Sensory Integration Intervention”
• Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (training to administer part of the assessment for Autism)
• Social Thinking (Michelle Garcia Winner)
• The Zones of Regulation
• How Does Your Engine Run?

Sorcha Rice joined the Sunflower Team in 2021 and is based in the Rathcoole clinic. Sorcha has a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from the University of Central Florida. She graduated with her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Limerick in 2020. Her degree is recognised by the Regulating Health and Social Care Professional Body (CORU) and she is a member of the Association of Occupational Therapists Ireland (AOTI).

Along with experience working with adults in rehabilitative hospital settings, Sorcha has worked with children aged 0-18 with varying abilities. Sorcha provides assessment and intervention for children with motor, sensory processing, social emotional, and handwriting difficulties. She works with children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)/Dyspraxia, Sensory Processing Disorder, and Intellectual Disability and Global Developmental Delay. Sorcha also provides occupational therapy care to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is trained in the administration and scoring of the ADI-R and ADOS-2. Additionally, Sorcha has completed basic training in the Floor Time model (DIR Floortime 101). Sorcha aims to work using a client-centred, holistic approach which can assist children and their families to achieve their occupational goals. When she is not working; she loves to go hiking, enjoys painting, cooking new recipes and playing guitar.

I have been working for The Sunflower Clinic since May 2019 based in the Dublin clinic. I am the administrator here and my role is to answer calls, emails, book appointments and deal with the daily queries that come in. I really enjoy working here and I especially love meeting the new children and parents that come into the clinic.

I graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in Occupational Therapy from University College Cork in 2019 and I am fully registered with CORU. My career to date has allowed me to work with various populations in different clinical settings, in both Ireland and Australia. This includes working in community and hospital settings with paediatrics, adults and older adults.

I am passionate about working in paediatrics. I enjoy working with children, their families, teachers and carers. I have assessed and provided intervention for children with various diagnoses including Autism, Developmental Coordination Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I work holistically within a family centred approach, to target motor skills, play, sensory processing and interaction. I have passion for helping kids to reach their full potential by providing strategies, building on their strengths, and collaborating with the family and other professionals involved in the child’s life. I believe that it is important for therapy to be play-based and enjoyable for both children and parents.

I am a certified DIR/Floor-time Practitioner and I have studied a range of sensory integrative principles and executive functioning concepts. I continuously engage in regular professional development, which includes:

• DIR Floortime 101
• DIR Floortime 201
• Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Training
• The Zones of Regulation
• Seating Matters modules
• Best Practice Assessment and Intervention for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
• Sensory Integration Therapy and DIR/Floortime Masterclass

Play: The Risks and the Benefits Masterclass