From Overwhelmed to Informed
Journal Club for Paediatric Occupational Therapists
Guided research conversations that connect us, grow our confidence, and strengthen our practiceÂ
Build Research Confidence
Get access to a clear, step-by-step on-demand webinar that shows you how to make sense of review papers - no jargon, no pressure. It’s designed especially for OTs who want to feel more confident using research in real life.
Collaborative Learning
You’re not in this alone. Join four journal club sessions each year, guided by an experienced facilitator, and connect with a supportive community of OTs. Ask questions, share insights, and build your confidence in a space where learning is collaborative and judgement-free.
Practical Application
Research shouldn’t sit on a shelf. We’ll help you make sense of it and turn it into strategies you can use right away in your clinical practice. No confusing academic language - just clear, relevant takeaways that make your clinical work easier and effective.
So, what's included in the Quarterly Journal Club Membership?
 If you’re a paediatric OT supporting kids with neurodevelopmental differences, and you’d love to feel more confident reading and using research to inform your everyday practice - this is for you.
Each quarter, we’ll explore one big-picture review paper (like a systematic or scoping review) that’s directly relevant to our clinical work in the neurodiversity space. You’ll get access to the paper, a user-friendly critical appraisal tool, and a live online session where we unpack it together.
We’ll collectively discuss how the findings fit with what we’re already doing, and whether they nudge us to tweak or strengthen the way we work with children and families. Each session will be facilitated by Michelle Newby, an experienced paediatric OT and published researcher.Â
To help you build confidence, you’ll also get access to a practical on-demand webinar that guides you step by step through how to critically appraise review papers. It’s clear, jargon-free, and designed specifically for OTs, so you can strengthen your skills at your own pace.
This isn’t about being academic. It’s about making research feel doable, relevant, and actually useful in your clinical day-to-day.
What’s included:
- 4x live online sessions (one per quarter) - confirmed dates 08/08/2025; 21/11/2025; 20/02/2026; 22/05/2025 - 12:00-13:00 AESTÂ
- A featured review paper to appraise and discuss each session
- Access to our Review Papers Decoded on-demand webinar, which you can come back and watch again and again if you need
- Downloadable appraisal tool and reflection prompts
- CPD certificate following each Journal ClubÂ
- Supportive discussions where questions are welcome and perfection isn’t expected
 If you’ve ever wanted to engage with research without the overwhelm - and feel supported as you do it - then this is for you!
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SIGN ME UP!Meet Your Journal Club Facilitator
Michelle Newby PhD(c), MSc, BHSc(OT) is a paediatric occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience and a passion for helping children with neurodevelopmental conditions thrive. She is the Clinical Director of Stepping Stones Therapy for Children and has recently submitted her PhD, with research papers published in leading OT journals. Michelle has presented her work internationally in Australia, the USA, UK, Sweden and Brazil. She’s committed to making evidence-based practice feel practical and achievable, and loves supporting other OTs to build their confidence with research and clinical reasoning. At the heart of it all is her drive to make evidence-based support practical, doable, and meaningful for the children and families we work with.
Let's Do This!
Checkout What Other OTs Are Saying About Journal Club...
Robyn Hoddle OT
Being part of journal club has made research feel way more approachable. It’s helped me think more critically about my practice, and I’ve learned so much from the discussions with other therapists and hearing how they work. It’s also reassuring to know our day-to-day work is backed by evidence!
Grace Holland OT
I’ve found our journal club to be incredibly valuable in building my confidence and helping me apply evidence more meaningfully in my clinical work. It’s been such a great space for learning, discussion, and connection with other therapists.
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Amy Dufour OT
As an early career therapist, research can feel overwhelming and scary. Being part of our Journal Club has built my confidence and understanding of how to use the research evidence to inform my work as an OT. It is a great opportunity to learn from others and use the time to reflect on your own practice.
12 Month Membership
$299 (+GST)
This gives you access to FIVE hours of CPD over a 12-month period, including:
- On-demand access to our Review Papers Decoded webinar
- Four live journal club sessions facilitated by Michelle NewbyÂ
- Downloadable appraisal tool and reflection prompts
- CPD certificates for your 5 hours of learning and development
Make Research Work for You - and the Kids You Support
You became an OT to help kids thrive - not to spend hours decoding academic papers. But you also want to feel confident that what you’re doing is backed by solid evidence and leads to the best possible outcomes.
That’s exactly why this Journal Club exists.
We take the heavy lifting out of research and turn complex review papers into clear, practical insights that make sense in your paediatric neurodiversity practice.
No pressure to sound academic. No need to “get it right.” Just the support, structure, and tools you need to build your confidence - step by step - so you can keep showing up with clarity and purpose for the children and families you work with.
