Our Therapists

Hand Therapy is the specialised rehabilitation of the upper limb performed by Occupational Therapists or Physiotherapists. Sunshine Coast Hand Therapists are committed to best and latest therapies to achieve return to a productive lifestyle.

Principal Therapist Profile

<strong>Katie Whittle (Owner)</strong>
Katie Whittle (Owner)Accredited Hand Therapist (AHTA), Occupational Therapist, B.Occ.Thy., P.D. Hand Rehab., CHT, Member of AHTA
Katie has run her own hand therapy practice since 1994 after working in hand therapy units in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and the UK and qualifying as an Occupational Therapist at UQ in 1987. She moved to the coast in 2001 and founded Sunshine Coast Hand Therapy. She has continued to develop her considerable knowledge and experience  in this specialised field and is a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT USA). Katie keeps abreast of new developments in therapy through her membership of Australian and US organisations. She has excellent links with local and Brisbane Hand Surgeons and mentors undergraduate therapists.

Therapist Profiles

<strong>Emma Sayle</strong>
Emma SayleOccupational Therapist, B.Occ.Thy., Accredited Hand Therapist as awarded by the AHTA, Bsc.Sport and Exercise

Emma is an occupational therapist who graduated from UniSC in 2015. She had previously completed a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science (2002) and Diploma of Remedial Therapy. Emma worked alongside a private allied health team before turning her focus to her current occupation therapy path of hand therapy. She is an accredited Hand Therapist as awarded by The Australian Hand Therapy Association and loves being able to facilitate the recovery of her patients young and old. She has a special interest in wound and scar management and care of traumatic conditions and post operative care.

<strong>Therese Garstka</strong>
Therese GarstkaOccupational Therapist (B.OccThy), Certified Hand Therapist (CHT USA)

Therese has over 20 years experience in hand and upper limb rehabilitation. She graduated from the University of Queensland in 1991 and earned her Certified Hand Therapy (CHT) qualifications in 2004. Therese developed a passion for the field of hand therapy early in her career, working in several premier Hand Units in both the public and private sectors in Australia, UK and USA. She has extensive experience and actively seeks to remain current through attending conferences and undertaking course work. On her return to working in Australia she is excited to have joined the Sunshine Coast Therapy team and is looking forward to working with passionate clinicians in the pursuit of excellence.

 

<strong>Hikaru Ueno</strong>
Hikaru UenoOccupational Therapy Assistant

Hikaru is from Japan and moved to Australia in 2022.
He graduated from Tohoku Fukushi University in Japan in 2018 with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy.

Hikaru spent three years as an occupational therapist at a preeminent rehabilitation hospital in Japan focusing on stroke patients. He also gained experience providing therapy for clients facing a broad range of other conditions such as cervical spondylosis, limb amputation, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Hikaru lives on the Sunshine Coast and looks forward to assisting clients and his fellow therapists while further developing expertise in upper limb therapies.

 

<strong>Lily Brosnan</strong>
Lily BrosnanOccupational Therapy

Lily graduated in 2022 from the University of the Sunshine Coast with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours – First Class). Lily developed a passion for hand therapy during her clinical placement at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) in 2021.

Passionate about ongoing learning, Lily pursued an Honours research pathway and presented her findings at international conferences in Canada and Singapore. Lily also gained valuable experience as a Health Research Assistant at the University of the Sunshine Coast, where she contributed to the design of physical function assessment tools including grip strength devices.

Lily is looking forward to pursuing further training in the field of hand and upper limb rehabilitation, and working under the guidance of the dedicated team at Sunshine Coast Hand Therapy to deliver excellent outcomes for clients.