In this episode of OT Unplugged, Nikki, Alyce and Sarah return from the school holiday juggle and dive straight into the increasingly challenging realities of working in the NDIS space. From the chaos of school drop-offs and camp kitchens to the harsh truths of the new NDIS price guide, the team doesn’t hold back. They share what it really looks like for OT providers navigating service cuts, plan manager pushback, and a system that’s doubling down, not backing down. You’ll hear honest reflections on: The “three A’s” of surviving NDIS reform: Advocate, Accept, Adapt Business sustainability in the face of shrinking margins Strategic pivots (like dropping travel-heavy work or moving to niche assessments) The emotional weight of turning away referrals and letting go of staff The wild inconsistencies in plan manager responses Why Section 100 reviews feel like a formality and the shocking ART stats Big changes brewing in Aged Care and Support Needs Assessments Whether you’re a sole trader or running a large team, this episode is your no-fluff guide to staying afloat while staying ethical. 🛠️ Resources Mentioned: NDIS Provider Harm Tracker - https://www.thisisanpa.org/the-harm-tracker-project Nikki’s “Invoicing Simplified” workshop - https://www.verveotlearning.com.au/Invoicing-Simplified-Prompt-Payments-&-Collections Sarah’s webinar on Section 33 & funding periods - https://www.verveotlearning.com.au/ndis-insights-unpacking-changes-to-ndis-section-33 Article on use of telehealth versus in person supports for OT -https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1440-1630.70036?fbclid=IwY2xjawLu6HlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHr1mLk6JKJ7zVPXNu56uAg28ZAwHPLAPRSeQrQvW8gs90i-z9iBt_V5P_ Info on Perth live events — coming September!

The recording of "Climbing the Mountain: Maintaining OT Presence in an Evolving NDIS" is now ready. Delivered as a presentation at the recent OTA conference by Sarah Collison and Jenny Gribbin, we are sharing the recording so that every OT navigating the NDIS can listen, reflect, and reconnect with the power of our collective journey.

This talk is a love letter to our profession. It’s the story of how OTs have climbed, scrambled, adapted, and persisted through every twist and turn of the NDIS since 2014. From the early days of no roadmap, through the storm of Independent Assessments, to the recent shake-up in pricing that’s left many of us reeling. This is a story of strength, solidarity, and staying the course.

📌 Whether you were there at the trial sites, building tools from scratch, or you’ve just joined the climb - this one’s for you.

💥 It's honest. It's fierce. It's hopeful.

In this raw and real episode of OT Unplugged, we’re back from the OT Australia Conference in Adelaide — inspired, exhausted, and now smacked in the face by July 1 changes to the NDIS Price Guide. Sarah, Nikki, and Alyce get candid about the emotional rollercoaster of returning to real life after a week of professional connection, community hugs, and the sudden reality of delivering OT services in an increasingly complex NDIS landscape. We talk tears, travel rates, KPIs, client communication, and the shifting expectations of OT businesses trying to remain viable without losing what makes the profession meaningful. Whether you’re a sole trader, part of a big team, or just hanging on right now — this episode is for you. 🧠 In This Episode: The emotional fallout after the OT Conference How we’re preparing our teams and participants for the new NDIS pricing environment The quiet costs we’ve all been absorbing — and what’s changing Why client-facing time isn’t the full picture Balancing team sustainability with ethical service delivery Portable Long Service Leave and other fun updates (NSW business owners, listen up!) The pie floater: a controversial culinary highlight 💡 Key Takeaways: You’re not alone. OTs across Australia are feeling the weight of these changes. Transparent, respectful client communication is essential right now. Many of us have been delivering gold-standard care without billing for all the effort behind it — it’s time to realign. There’s more happening behind the scenes at OTA than many realise — and the conference offered a much-needed reminder that they’re walking this path with us. This moment is tough — but it’s also a chance to reconnect with why we chose this profession.

In this week’s episode of OT Unplugged, Nikki and Alyce hold the fort while sending love and support to Sarah, who's attending a family funeral. Amidst personal challenges, EOFY chaos, and the looming OT Conference, Nikki and Alyce dive deep into the storm that is sweeping through the NDIS OT community.

From burnout and business survival to media advocacy and political silence, they discuss the emotional toll this season is taking and share practical insights into what OTs and business owners are really facing. You’ll hear stories straight from the clinic floor, how Nikki left her clinic unlocked for 24 hours (oops), and why she’s now scheduling media interviews between scopes of work.

They unpack:

- The ongoing advocacy battle - why OTs can't afford to go quiet

- Breaking down the $193.99/hr myth - what it really covers (spoiler: not your therapist's salary)

- Gap fees, travel costs, and how to communicate changes with empathy

- Why some practices are facing $10K+ monthly losses and what pivoting looks like

- The importance of scripting, planning, and transparency with clients and teams

Whether you're a solo OT, clinic owner, or employee feeling the pressure, this episode validates the overwhelm and gives voice to the collective stress - while offering tangible ways to move forward. 👉

Don’t miss Alyce’s firm “no” to solo OTs launching into NDIS right now- and Nikki’s relatable burnout moment that every OT will feel in their bones.

The Most Disastrous Price Guide Ever? Let’s Talk About It.

This week on OT Unplugged, we're diving headfirst into what might be the most chaotic and damaging NDIS Price Guide we’ve ever seen. Raw, unfiltered, and recorded just hours after its release, this episode captures the real-time emotional and professional impact on OTs across Australia.

From gut-wrenching client stories to logistical nightmares and moral dilemmas, we unpack what the 2025 price guide really means for service provision, sector sustainability, and most importantly our participants.

🔥 In this episode: The shocking cut to travel rates and why it’s a sector-breaking move How the changes affect therapy assistants and rural outreach What OTs are doing now to survive, advocate, and pivot Real talk about ethics, business, and burnout What needs to happen next and how the community can take action.

🎧 Why listen?

If you're an OT, practice owner, support coordinator, or anyone navigating the NDIS, this is the episode you need to hear. We’re not sugarcoating anything. We’re sharing exactly how this lands, professionally and personally, and what we can do about it together.

NDIS Pricing Bombshell: What It Means for OTs, Physios & Practice Owners

Hold onto your spreadsheets — this week, the NDIS Annual Pricing Review has dropped, and the ripples are real. In this two-part episode, Sarah, Nikki, and Alyce break down what the new pricing changes mean for OTs, physios, and allied health practice owners.

From the calm-before-the-storm long weekend catch-up to Nikki rage-reading all 134 pages of the review (with help from her 9-year-old), this episode is part therapy, part strategy — and absolutely essential listening.

🔻 Will physios really lose $10/hour?
🔻 What’s the deal with 50% travel billing?
🔻 Why was everyone blindsided?
🔻 What can you actually do right now?

PLUS: The team also dives deep into EOFY planning, with real talk on tax mistakes, accountant breakups and cashflow hacks.

What You’ll Learn

The key takeaways from the 2024–25 NDIS Pricing Review

Why the OT rate stayed the same — and what’s happening to physio & dietetics

How to handle the new 50% travel model

What the Price Guide still hasn’t told us (yet)

Why now’s the time to assess your caseload and cashflow

The difference between a P&L and balance sheet (and which one actually matters to you)

When it’s time to upgrade your accountant — and how to tell

NDIS Annual Pricing Review Summary

Episode Summary:
In this jam-packed episode of OT Unplugged, Sarah, Nikki, and Alyce dive deep into the chaos and clarity of OT life as the new financial year looms. From backseat laptop sessions and overflowing diaries to the real cost of missed billable time, we get honest about what it really takes to survive – and thrive – in today's OT landscape.

We break down:

What the Section 33 changes really mean for your service agreements

How to future-proof your paperwork against price guide updates

Time-blocking truths: what works, what flops, and why it matters

Strategies for managing billable hours without burning out

Consent, courtesy, and contracts: essential clauses every OT should know

When to pause, when to double-bill, and when to call it out

You’ll also hear:
💡 Real OT stories from the trenches
📋 Admin hacks that actually help
📢 Two shameless plugs that are totally worth your time

Why You Should Listen:
If you’ve ever felt behind on reports, confused about service agreements, or unsure how to juggle compliance with clinical care, this episode is your lifeline. We keep it real, practical, and packed with strategies you can start using this week.

Resources Mentioned:

Billable Time Webinar - https://www.verveotlearning.com.au/Navigating-Billable-Time-and-the-NDIS

Inner Circle Membership (Service Agreement Template) - https://www.verveotlearning.com.au/ot-inner-circle-membership

In this weeks episode we discuss the latest on Section 33 changes and the updates to Foundational Supports. To access the free webinar head to https://www.verveotlearning.com.au/ndis-insights-unpacking-changes-to-ndis-section-33

In this episode of OT Unplugged, we dive headfirst into the sweeping changes triggered by Section 33 of the NDIS Act, which came into effect on May 19. These changes have introduced locked funding periods within participant plans, meaning OTs and providers can no longer rely on full plan budgets being accessible up front. Instead, budgets are now broken into quarterly allocations, and unspent funds can only roll forward—not backward. The result? Increased admin, reduced therapy flexibility, and serious disruption to how assessments and supports are delivered.

If you're interested in attending the OTA conference, click on the link below to take advantage of the Friends of the Podcast rate:

https://www.otausevents.com.au/otaus2025/friendsofthepodcast-otunplugged