Di Van Der Walt

02/10/2026

Some of the most meaningful connections in our work happen when a client or family feels truly seen, not just for one part of who they are, but for all of it. Neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, culturally diverse, or all of these at once, every person brings their whole identity into the therapy room, and the way we show up for them matters.

That's why I'm so excited to be hosting for Affirming Across Identities: Building connection through Neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+, and cultural inclusion.

Sandy is a neuroqueer speech pathologist and founder of All Colours Speech Pathology, bringing over ten years of experience across Taiwan and Australia along with their own lived experience. In this live webinar, Sandy brings three lenses into the one conversation:

🤎 Neurodiversity-affirming practice that supports authentic communication, connection and autonomy, rather than conformity or masking
🤎 LGBTQIA+ affirming practice that creates spaces where people can explore and express their identity, in therapy and beyond
🤎 Culturally affirming practice that starts with curiosity about each family's language, values and experiences, without relying on stereotypes

This isn't a checklist or a universal formula. It's a reflective, practical session that helps you notice your own assumptions, consider whose needs are being prioritised, and walk away with strategies for creating more inclusive clinical and workplace environments. When we feel held in our learning, we can hold space for every client who walks through our door.

📅 Friday 30 October 2026
🕛 12:00pm AWST | 1:30pm ACST (NT) | 2:00pm AEST (QLD) | 2:30pm ACDT (SA) | 3:00pm AEDT (NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS)
💻 Live online, with 15 minutes of Q&A
🎥 Recording available for 2 months for ticket holders
🎟️ $150

Grab your ticket through the link in my bio.

23/09/2026

This webinar is in just 2 DAYS!! and for a change, I will be presenting the webinar.

This is a practical session, where I will run through the differences between PDA and Demand Avoidance and how I see them show up in a session. I will take you through a case study and give you some practical strategies that you can implement in your very next strategy... with anyone.

The live session is THIS FRIDAY 25th September.
10:30am - 12:30pm AWST
Q&A time at the end
Recording is available for 2 months in the course portal
Slides, supporting documents and a reflection document (I see you SPA audits) will be available in the portal afterwards too.
$150 per ticket

https://adultlearningzones.perthhillsalliedhealth.com.au/pda-speech-therapy-webinar

14/09/2026

As many of you know, Di (owner and Speech Pathologist at Perth Hills Allied Health) lost her incredible Dad to multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, in 2025.

To honour her Dad, Di's husband, Andre, is riding 200km for cancer research. The money raised goes directly to the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research based right here in Perth.

This September, as part of Di's Birthday celebrations, Perth Hills Allied Health will donate $5 from every session held at the clinic to Andre's ride and invite you to donate to this worthy cause too.

Scan the QR code or click on this link to donate directly to Andre's page.

https://www.cancer200.org.au/fundraisers/andrevanderwalt/cancer-200-2026

07/09/2026

You know the child who can clearly do the task, who's done it easily before, and then the moment you ask, they shut down or push back. That's not wilful behaviour, it's information.

My upcoming webinar unpacks what demand avoidance actually is, how PDA fits into that picture, and what actually helps in the room, so you can keep working towards meaningful communication goals while respecting the child in front of you.

Friday 25 September, 10:30am to 12:30pm AWST.
$150
2 months of recording access,
a resource pack and Certificate of Attendance

https://adultlearningzones.perthhillsalliedhealth.com.au/pda-speech-therapy-webinar



is a speech therapist with over 20 years experience in the Allied Health space who is passionate about advocating for her industry and creating a safe space for the people helping the people to get the support they need through the Therapists Haven community.

20/08/2026

The Therapists Haven session is on today. 10:30am AWST, online via Zoom.

If you've never been before, you can come along to this one for free. If you've been meaning to, this is your sign.

Register here: https://link.tekmatix.com/widget/form/EGv1VvO4L2YVUNYd5fos



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is a speech therapist with over 20 years experience in the Allied Health space who is passionate about advocating for her industry and creating a safe space for the people helping the people to get the support they need through the Therapists Haven community.

19/08/2026

You know the child I mean. They can do the task, you've watched them do it, no bother at all. Then the moment you ask, everything shuts down. Or they push back hard over something small, and you walk away from the session wondering what actually just happened in there. If that sounds familiar, this webinar is for you. I'm running a live 2 hour session on how to support demand-avoidant children in speech therapy, built from real clinical moments rather than just definitions on a slide. We'll cover what PDA actually is, the hidden demands that show up in ordinary therapy tasks (praise and direct questions included), how to build your sessions so demand comes down before it becomes a problem, and how to explain all of this to parents and teachers without it sounding like an excuse. You'll leave with strategies you can use straight away, not just a new way of thinking about it. Friday 25th September, 10:30am to 12:30pm AWST, live on Zoom with 15 minutes of live Q&A. Certificate of Attendance. Recording available for 2 months. $150. Register here:

Practical PDA and demand avoidance strategies for speech pathologists. Learn to reduce pressure, support autonomy and adapt therapy.

04/08/2026

Curious about The Therapists Haven but not sure what you're actually signing up for? Here's the honest version.

It's online, on Zoom, about an hour. There's no pressure to have anything figured out, no expectation you'll speak if you don't want to. Some sessions we work through something practical together, some sessions it's just good to be in a room where everyone gets the private practice life.

If you've never been before, your first session on August 21st at 10:30am AWST is free: https://link.tekmatix.com/widget/form/EGv1VvO4L2YVUNYd5fos



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is a speech therapist with over 20 years experience in the Allied Health space who is passionate about advocating for her industry and creating a safe space for the people helping the people to get the support they need through the Therapists Haven community.

03/08/2026

That quiet discomfort you feel mid social skills session? That's worth paying attention to.

On 7 August I'm bringing Liz Baird to the Adult Learning Zones community for Getting Out of the Social Skills Bubble, and I am so here for this conversation.

Liz is an Autistic speech pathologist and the founder of ND Therapy. She knows this topic from the inside out, and she is going to help us move beyond the frameworks that were never designed with Autistic people in mind.

If you support Autistic teens or adults with social goals, this one is for you. Practical, affirming, and genuinely useful. Live online, Friday 7 August, 12:00pm AWST. Recording included.

https://adultlearningzones.perthhillsalliedhealth.com.au/gettingoutofthesocialskillsbubble