Growing up in South Africa, Ansunette witnessed the effects that acquired speech and language difficulties had on two members of her family, and this fueled a passion for wanting to make communication accessible to all. She completed her B.Communication Pathology (Specialization in Speech-Language Therapy) honors degree at the University of Pretoria in 2010.

Following her qualification, Ansunette worked in a public hospital setting at Pelonomi Regional Hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Here, she had the opportunity to work with both the adult and paediatric populations and was fortunate enough to gain experience in treatment of children with special needs, especially autism, Down Syndrome, and cerebral palsy. Her caseload also included clients with diagnoses of stuttering, articulation and phonological disorders, language and language learning disorders, voice disorders, and traumatic brain injuries. She worked with preterm and high-risk infants in the neonatal intensive care unit in the hospital and completed her Little Steps certification in Neurodevelopmental Supportive Care in this time. In this year, Ansunette collaborated with a colleague to establish an Early Childhood Intervention group at the hospital; she also collaborated with physio- and occupational therapists to present a monthly group for children with cerebral palsy and their caregivers. These experiences were invaluable to her growth as a therapist, and the skills of resourcefulness, creativity, and collaboration with caregivers she honed there are still central to Ansunette’s approach to therapy.

Ansunette brings her years of experience to her current role in private paediatric therapy. She aims to make therapy fun and engaging for her clients, celebrating each victory, big and small, and making her clients feel seen and valued. She implements a strengths-based approach in therapy and keeps each client’s individual strengths in mind in intervention. Ansunette absolutely adores her work and brings this energy and enjoyment to her sessions.

Specialty Areas Include:

• Early Intervention 

•  Autism

•  Literacy

•  Social Communication/Social Skills

• Articulation

• Phonological Processes

Additional Training Includes:

• Hanen Program "More Than Words"

• Lindamood Bell - “Seeing Stars” : Symbol Imagery for Phologocial and Orthographic Processing in Reading and Spelling

• Workshop on Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Fishbowl Hands-On Intensive Training on Working with Learners on the Autism Spectrum Disorder

• DIR 101: Introduction to DIR and DIR Floortime

• Sensory and Emotional Regulation: An Introduction to Sensory Regulation

• Sensory and Emotional Regulation: An Introduction to Emotional Regulation

• Sensory and Emotional Regulation: Sleep & Arousal

• Sensory and Emotional Regulation: Picky Eating

• The Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability: Theory and Background

• Challenges in Stuttering Therapy: Are We on the Right Track?

• Stuttering: An Overview on Assessment and Treatment

• Childhood Apraxia of Speech

• Speech-Sound Disorders: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment

• Understanding Dyslexia: The Speech-Language Pathologist's Role

• Dyslexia: Conceptual Framework and Therapeutic Interventions

• Breastfeeding Basics for Health Professionals

• Early Childhood Intervention

• Feeding Therapy: A Sensory-Motor Approach

• Little Steps Level One Training: Neurodevelopmental Supportive Care of the Preterm Infant

• Little Steps Premmie Parenting Facilitation

• Fibre-Optic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)

• Modified Barium Swallows: The Clear Picture

• South African Neuro Rehab Congress 2013

• Myofascial Release and K-Taping for Dysphagia

• Train the Trainers: Transference of Practical Skills

• Mental Health in the time of COVID: Facts, Fictions and Feelings

• South African Neurodevelopmental Therapy Association (SANDTA) Introductory Course to Clinical Analysis, Treatment and Management of Children with Cerebral Palsy

• Pediatric and Neonatal Dysphagia