Meet the team
At Neuro OT we pride ourselves on being able to provide experience and expertise in brain injury rehabilitation, with each member of our team having more than a decade of experience working in the community with the most complex of clients.
Helen Kolster
Specialist Brain Injury Occupational Therapist
BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy
MRCOT HCPC Reg
Helen has spent most of her clinical career working with clients who have complex cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioural impairments following an acquired brain injury. She has worked in the private sector and within the medico-legal framework delivering complex neurological rehabilitation since 2008, and prior to that had the privilege of working at Walkergate Park, the regional centre for neurorehabilitation and neuropsychiatry in Newcastle.
Helen strives to ensure that her clients receive high quality assessments and interventions with clear client centred treatment goals. She has a special interest in the management of sleep disturbances and fatigue and has developed exceptional treatment skills to address these common difficulties. Helen is an ambassador for interdisciplinary team working and strives to work closely with other professionals to ensure that her clients receive a coordinated approach to their rehabilitation with shared interdisciplinary team goals.
Her outstanding knowledge and clinical skills in the field of brain injury rehabilitation have earned her an excellent reputation. She volunteered with Headway Tyneside for 15 years in a range of Trustee roles including Chair and was instrumental in the commissioning and establishment of the vocational programme, Headway2Work. In 2023, she was nominated for the Headway Annual Awards in recognition of outstanding achievements and dedication of brain injury survivors and those who support them. A full CV is available on request
To hear more about Helen’s role, you can listen to an interview with Mark Quigley and Kate Oliver from Sintons Neurotrauma team as part of their ‘Meet the MDT’ podcast series:
Ellie North
Rehabilitation Assistant
BA Hons, MRCOT
Ellie has a wealth of brain injury knowledge and experience having worked in this sector since 2005 in roles of Rehabilitation Assistant, Team Leader and Support Worker, and has since worked with over 35 clients, children and adults, who have a range of cognitive, physical, emotional and behavioural difficulties, resulting from a brain injury.
Most of Ellie’s experience working in brain injury has involved working with clients who are considered to be ‘walking wounded’, who have hidden disabilities which frequently have devastating consequences on their lives. She is skilled in identifying subtle impairments and their impact on the client’s function.
Ellie has a particular interest in working with clients who present with challenging behaviour and for two years, led a team of Support Workers in a very exigent support package with frequent presentation of challenging behaviour from the client. She also has experience working with high dependency clients who have manual handling requirements.
Ellie is also a Personal Trainer and has completed the necessary qualifications to train individuals with health conditions, including brain injury, offering a unique and niche service.
Sharon Stewart
Rehabilitation Assistant
MRCOT
Sharon has worked in the field of brain injury rehabilitation since 2008 in Rehabilitation Assistant, Team Leader, and Support Worker roles. She has worked with over 15 clients who have presented with complex cognitive, physical, emotional and behavioural impairments and has built effective therapeutic relationships in the most challenging of circumstances.
Most of Sharon’s experience working in brain injury has involved working with clients who are considered to be ‘walking wounded’, who have hidden disabilities which frequently have devastating consequences on their lives. Sharon is skilled at identifying subtle cognitive impairments following a brain injury and she understands how these present in functional activities. She takes a proactive role in ensuring the client’s support and rehabilitation is personalised and delivered in a client centred manner, advocating on behalf of the client as an interface between them and the therapy team.
Sharon has a particular interest in working with clients who present with subtle cognitive impairment and challenging behaviour. She also enjoys working with clients who have a physical disability and require manual handling.
Sharon’s passion for working with people continues in her own time in the form of a football club that she manages alongside her husband.
Mark Hammond
Rehabilitation Assistant
BA Hons, HSc Cert, DPC, MRCOT
Mark has over 12 years’ experience in the sector working as a Rehabilitation Assistant and Support Worker. He has supported over 20 clients to work towards achieving their rehabilitation goals. He has a particular interest in working with children and adults who present with subtle cognitive impairment, challenging behaviour, and physical disability.
Most of Mark’s experience working with adults has involved supporting clients considered to be ‘walking wounded’, whose impairments can be difficult to discern. Mark is adept at attuning to clients and picking up on the subtleties of their needs.
He has also worked with children and adolescents whose diagnoses include severe autism and traumatic brain injury. His role when working with children has been relatively diverse with intervention focusing on play, education, emotional regulation and sensory interventions, as well as personal care, household/community integration, and leisure when working with adolescents to develop independent living skills.
Mark is also a qualified Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, working with school aged children. He has recently published a book, adding author to his list of roles.
Emily Nicholson
Rehabilitation Assistant
MRCOT
Emily has worked in the field of brain injury rehabilitation since 2019, holding roles as a Rehabilitation Assistant and Support Worker. In these positions, she has supported adults with a range of complex cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioural impairments to achieve their goals.
Emily’s experience includes working with clients who have significant physical disabilities, utilising therapeutic handling skills under the direction of the multidisciplinary team. She has also worked with clients who have subtle cognitive impairments, demonstrating skill in identifying these ‘hidden disabilities’ and understanding their impact on her clients’ functional performance.
Emily takes a proactive approach to ensuring personalised, client-centred rehabilitation, acting as an advocate for her clients and serving as a crucial link between them and the therapy team. She excels in developing effective therapeutic relationships, even in the most challenging circumstances.
Beyond her professional commitments, Emily is dedicated to charity work often participating in challenges to raise money for several causes.
Lauren Swansbury
Associate Brain Injury Occupational Therapist
Lauren has more than a decade of experience as an Occupational Therapist in neurorehabilitation, disability assessment, and social care. She brings expertise in functional assessment, clinical reasoning, and creative intervention planning, working closely with clients, families, and interdisciplinary teams to ensure coordinated and goal-led interventions.
At Neuro OT Ltd. Lauren specialises in supporting individuals with an acquired brain injury through tailored, goal-focused rehabilitation at home, in the community, or in clinical settings. Known for her client-centred and collaborative approach, she brings creative interventions, and evidence-based practice to help clients overcome barriers and achieve meaningful outcomes.
Lauren is HCPC-registered and a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT).
Barbara Blackman
Administrator
Barbara brings a wealth of administrative experience from both the NHS and private sector, having worked across a range of roles in the UK and abroad. With a background in modern languages and a career shaped by diverse professional environments, she has developed a strong foundation in organisation, communication, and project coordination.
Now working independently, Barbara provides confidential administrative support to help busy professionals focus on delivering high-quality care. She is delighted to be part of the Neuro OT Ltd. team, where she supports the smooth running of services behind the scenes.