Meet our therapists

Jenny trained at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital School of Physiotherapy in Birmingham. She worked in hospitals in Birmingham for several years, where she began specialising in paediatrics, undertaking the CSP Validated Paediatric course and the Bobath Foundation course. Jenny then worked in Milton Keynes and Luton. In these posts, she developed her community paediatric experience and her interest in quality services. Jenny joined the therapy team at Cerebral Palsy Cymru (then Bobath Cymru) in 1998 as Therapy Manager becoming Centre Director in 2006 and a Bobath Tutor in 2009.

Jenny has completed numerous advanced Bobath courses and also trained in Sensory Processing for Adults with Learning Disability, Sensory Integration and Children with Cerebral Palsy and Prechtl’s Method of Qualitative Assessment of General Movements and EI SMART. Jenny completed an MA in management studies in 2000, a Post Graduate Certificate in Postural Management for People with Complex Disabilities in 2003, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education in 2013. She regularly attends international conferences pertaining to cerebral palsy to ensure the centre stays at the forefront of practice.

Working in an area with insufficient clinical evidence, Jenny has always championed measuring of individual interventions and services. This has led her to become knowledgeable in Goal Setting and Goal Attainment Scaling. The centre has become internationally known for this work and it has been presented nationally and internationally.

Jenny regularly teaches and is part of the International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability (IAACD), Global Professional Education Committee. In this role, she has taught with an international team the fundamental concepts in childhood disability. She has also been key in developing and managing the IAACD Knowledge Hub which provides free access to educational materials for professionals from across the globe.

Jenny is co-leader of the Cerebral Palsy Register for Wales.

Heather qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 1988 at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.  From the outset of her career, Heather worked with children and specifically children who have cerebral palsy.  She has worked in special schools as well as in the community and private practice.  Heather completed her Bobath Foundation course in 1990 in Bloemfontein, South Africa.  Shortly after this, she moved to the UK to gain further experience and training in the field. Heather was delighted to gain the opportunity to work at Cerebral Palsy Cymru, where she joined the team as one of the first therapists in 1994. Heather subsequently moved to the Bobath Centre in London to complete her tutor training; she qualified as a Bobath Tutor in 2000 and Senior Tutor in 2008. She has taught on a number of Bobath foundation, refresher and advanced courses over the years as well as workshops on a variety of topics.  

Heather enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with families and therapists and she has had opportunities to travel extensively while doing so; including to Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Japan, Belgium and Finland.    

Heather has served on the Executive Committee of the European Bobath Tutors Association since 2000, a role which brings her in contact with Bobath therapists from across the world.   

Gosia graduated with an MSc degree in Physiotherapy from University in Wroclaw, Poland in 2005, and she permanently moved to the UK later that year. She gained experience working with adults and children with neurological conditions in both acute and community settings across Wales and Southwest England, before joining the team at Cerebral Palsy Cymru in 2011.

Gosia is the strategic lead for the Better Start, Better Future early intervention service and has a particular interest in early detection and intervention for infants who are at high risk of delayed neurodevelopment and cerebral palsy. Gosia works closely with Glenys delivering the initial consultations for babies who are referred to our service and co-runs the Better Start Together monthly playgroup, which provides an opportunity for families to meet each other. As part of her role Gosia is also involved in organising and delivering the EiSMART Infant Course, an internationally recognised course in early intervention.

Gosia’s clinical training includes Advanced Prechtl’s General Movement Assessment, Newborn Behavioural Observations (NBO) and the Mini-AHA assessment. She currently undertakes further master’s studies in Neonatology at University of Southampton.

Gosia has presented her work at international and national conferences. She is a member of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) and Neonatal Neurodevelopmental Follow up (BANNFU), and the Early Intervention special interest group within the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD).

Marissa qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 1998 from Coventry University. Following graduation, she specialised in paediatrics whilst working for Leicestershire Community Children’s Service. Marissa then worked in the Midlands and in Australia before joining Cerebral Palsy Cymru in 2007. Marissa completed her MSc in Neuro-rehabilitation at Cardiff University in 2013 with her research focusing on ‘bimanual upper limb function in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy’. She has since worked with Breathe Arts Health Research to host the ‘Breath Magic programme’ at the centre and also developed and now run the ‘Jungle Explorers programme’, which is an intensive programme for children with hemiplegia which aims to incorporate constraint-induced movement therapy and intensive bimanual therapy. Marissa also completed the ‘Sensory babies’ course in 2017 and ‘Early Assessment and Intervention with babies and children’ course in 2018 and is involved in the Better Start, Better Future early intervention service, including carrying out initial consultations and co-organising the ‘Better Start Together’ playgroup. She has attended and presented at national and international conferences, and been involved in teaching within and outside of the Centre.

Helen qualified in 1994 as a Speech and Language Therapist from DeMontfort University in Leicester. Following graduation she worked in England in both NHS and education settings, specializing in working with children with physical disability and learning difficulties. She moved to Wales in 2002 and continued to work within the NHS with a variety of paediatric client groups in Special Schools and Children’s Centres across South Wales.

Helen completed her Bobath 8 week foundation course in 2011. She has continued to update her knowledge and skills base in working with children with CP; most recently completing PROMPT training (for speech), and Bobath Early Assessment and Intervention with Babies and Young Children in 2018.  Helen is a member of BABTT committee as editor of BABTT newsletter.

Kirsty trained as a physiotherapist in Cardiff University, graduating with a First Class Honours in 2010. She was keen to specialise in Paediatrics and commenced her employment as a Paediatric Physiotherapist in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. She worked in the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales, doing rotations in trauma and orthopaedics, neurology and oncology, and respiratory. She also did community rotations, managing varied caseloads in the children’s centres, mainstream schools and schools for children with additional learning disabilities. Kirsty trained as a clinical educator and supervised several physiotherapy students. She undertook paediatric respiratory emergency duty and was a Paediatric and Adult BLS Cascade Trainer. Kirsty is a member of the APCP and has attended various study days and courses, relevant to her work. For example, she completed Posture Management for Adults and Children with Complex Disabilities in 2014, the Assisting Hand Assessment Course in March 2018 and the Early Intervention Course in May 2018. Kirsty joined the team at Cerebral Palsy Cymru in June 2015. She completed the Bobath Introductory Course in 2012 and the Bobath Foundation Course in November 2015.    

Natasha is the first point of contact for baby referrals to our Better Start, Better Future early intervention service. Natasha, along with one of our senior therapists provides an initial consultation appointment with parents to assess the needs of the baby and address any concerns parents may have. Natasha also provides a Family Support service for parents and family members where they can have a more informal chat over coffee; are able to ask questions about cerebral palsy, discuss their concerns and have some early support. From a personal/parental point of view, Natasha can give support for the often uncertain and difficult situations parents may find themselves in. Natasha meets with families each time they return to the centre enabling her to build a relationship with the family and child providing appropriate and on-going support to the whole family.

Natasha’s daughter has cerebral palsy, meaning she has a strong understanding to share with families who attend the centre.

Iwona is an experienced physiotherapist with 16 years of expertise in treating individuals with neurological conditions.  After completing her Bachelor’s degree in 2009 and Master’s degree in 2012 at the Medical University of Gdansk, Poland, Iwona began her career in Poland, specializing in the treatment of infants and children with neurological conditions. She worked there for over seven years before moving to the United Kingdom in 2016. In the UK, Iwona joined a highly skilled Multidisciplinary Team in Warwickshire, where she worked with adults with neurological conditions.

In 2019, Iwona relocated to Wales, where she continued to work across both acute and community settings, expanding her expertise with both children and adults. Her broad experience allows her to approach treatment from a holistic perspective, providing personalized care that takes into account the needs of her clients and their families.  Iwona joined Cerebral Palsy Cymru in 2023.

Iwona completed numerous postgraduate courses, strengthening her skills in comprehensive assessment and treatment to people with neurological conditions, including her 8 weeks NDT-Bobath training in 2014 - Poland, Krakow. Iwona views comprehensive assessment as a cornerstone of effective therapeutic intervention. She believes that working closely with families and other professionals is key to setting meaningful goals that enable clients to reach their full potential.

Her therapeutic approach is holistic and creative, focusing on a client’s abilities rather than their limitations. Iwona has a particular interest in postural control, gait, communication, cognition, and the use of assistive technology to support her clients’ success.

Iwona is experienced in working with complex neurological conditions in both adults and children, delivering evidence-based, patient-centred care. She works with babies, children, and adolescents, supporting them as they transition into adulthood.   Whether addressing concerns related to participation in activities, movement difficulties, posture, walking, running, or managing pain, fatigue, or injuries, Iwona is dedicated to helping her clients’ overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

Iwona is a registered member of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), British Association of Bobath Trained Therapists (BABTT), and the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD) and Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP).

In her free time, Iwona enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking the Brecon Beacons, wild water swimming, practicing yoga, and traveling.

Gopi is an experienced physiotherapist who graduated in 1999 from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University in India. With a strong foundation in treating neurological conditions, Gopi has worked extensively with both children and adults in diverse settings, including hospitals, communities and special schools. His expertise spans a wide range of neurological conditions and he has a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by individuals with cerebral palsy. In 2023, Gopi joined Cerebral Palsy Cymru, where he continues to make a positive impact by providing specialized care and support to those living with cerebral palsy.