About Us
At Building Bridges, we are dedicated to empowering children and families through personalised early intervention services. We understand that each child is unique, and our strength-based approach is designed to highlight and nurture individual abilities. By focusing on what your child can do, rather than what they struggle with, we create an uplifting environment that encourages growth and self-confidence.
Our Values
Acceptance & Validation,
are both at the core of our philosophy. We strive to create a safe and welcoming atmosphere where you and your child feel valued, heard and understood. We celebrate diversity and recognize that different perspectives enrich our community. By fostering an environment of support, we enable children to express themselves freely and without judgement, building a strong foundation for development. We believe that meaningful connections between families, caregivers, and our team are essential for success, and we prioritise open communication and collaboration in every interaction.
Our team of experienced professionals will work closely with your family to develop goals that are rooted in research and evidence-based practices.
Setting individualised, achievable objectives that are meaningful to you and your family is essential for fostering personal growth. We will work collaboratively with you to tailor goals to your child’s unique strengths and needs ensuring we provide the most effective support.
We provide services in the Cooma area for children aged 3-18 years of age with varying developmental and behavioural challenges. Our services are delivered in various settings—in our clinic, at your home, or in community spaces—allowing us to meet families where they are and provide support in a way that fits their lifestyle.
We are here to help your family create meaningful changes that foster joy and belonging.
We look forward to partnering with you on this journey.
Meet Claire
Autism and Positive Behaviour Support Specialist
With over 17 years of experience working with autistic children and their families, Claire is passionate about advocating for their needs and rights. She holds an undergraduate degree in Sociology with Social Psychology, a Master's in Special Education, extensive training in behaviors supports, the Early Start Denver Model, and certification for yoga for kids. Claire is dedicated to continuous learning and regularly attends workshops and online courses to stay updated on best practices.
In January 2023, Claire relocated to the Snowy Monaro, drawn by the area's lifestyle and beauty. Her dream has always been to establish a place that harnesses her 17 years of experience and connects people to leading professionals in their field. Recognizing the immense responsibility of working with individuals, Claire believes that a team of committed, caring, and skilled practitioners can significantly influence the best support and outcomes for all involved.
Claire's philosophy combines evidence-based practice, systematic teaching, measurement, and discipline with fun, creativity, and embracing the chaos. She believes that all children deserve to be heard, feel safe, loved, and have equal opportunities to learn, play, and connect with others.
Claire is committed to providing flexible and collaborative support to families and the community to educate and support individuals and other community members. Her aim is to foster greater understanding, acceptance, and meaningful growth for all.
Meet Lauren
Autism and Positive Behaviour Support Specialist
With 18 years of experience Lauren has dedicated her career to supporting children, young adults and their families. Her journey in this field has taken her from entry level, hands-on, junior therapist roles, working directly with children, to supervisory and director positions, allowing her to cultivate a comprehensive understanding of behaviour analysis and support.
Lauren holds an undergraduate degree in psychology and a master's in special education, complemented by certifications as a behaviour analyst and registration as a positive behaviour support practitioner.
Her extensive experience spans a wide range of ages, from 3 to 21, and includes working with individuals diverse needs across schools, clinics, home and community settings
Alongside a rich professional experience, Lauren’s personal journey began when her son was diagnosed as Autistic at the age of five. This experience profoundly shifted her perspective on therapy and support, deepening her acceptance and understanding of the challenges families face and ultimately reshaping her approach to helping children and their families. Through this journey Lauren realised that strategies effective in one-on-one sessions may not always translate to the home environment. This insight has driven her passion to bridge the gap between targeted therapeutic support and everyday family lives, fostering a happy, harmonious family unit.
Lauren believes that moving forward and growing requires reflection and adaptation to allow for continuous improvement and development. Her guiding philosophy is simple: “Don’t seek to change who you inherently are; celebrate your uniqueness and seek out the support that helps you flourish.” Lauren is committed to empowering families with the tools and strategies they need to thrive together, helping them navigate challenges and celebrate successes along the way.
Meet Karen
Speech-language Pathologist
Karen has been a practising speech-language pathologist for 20 years specifically finding fulfilment in working with Autistic clients and those that require alternative/augmentative modes of communication (AAC).
She has lived in Australia for the past 10 years providing intervention in private schools (not-for-profit ABA school in Sydney), private clinics, and currently running her own practise, A Spectrum of Voices, full-time on the Mid-North Coast. More recently, finding strategies to blend literacy intervention with augmentative communication has become a passion.
Previously, she lived and worked in Denver, Colorado for 16 years in a variety of settings including: in-home, in public schools, and in the hospital setting. These experiences span from working in early intervention to primary school-aged children to young adults whom have diagnoses of ASD and other related disabilities. Her passions also include coaching staff, offering trainings, supervising colleagues who are interested in learning more about Autism and AAC, and collaborating with parents. Giving children a voice and utilising Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is an area that she is most interested in sharing.
When not working, Karen enjoys spending time with her two young children and husband by playing in nature, going on travel adventures, and relaxing with friends.
For more information regarding Karen's past work experiences and current certifications, please see the Curriculum Vitae.
Before my son started therapy with Claire, I had started to lose faith in what was possible for practical treatment options in a regional area. I was absolutely desperate for help and she patiently listened to each and every concern I had.
My son is not very trusting of new people but immediately felt comfortable with Claire. She helped build his self esteem and he is eager to see her every time they have a session. Having a safe and welcoming space to do sessions in a regional area is an absolute blessing and I am so thankful Claire came into our lives. I genuinely don’t know what I would have done without having Claire and cannot recommend her services enough!