Nicole Mattarelli

South African Occupational Therapist with extensive experience in clinical practice, community health, educational supervision, and pastoral ministry. Currently homeschooling daughter with learning difficulties while continuing involvement in church ministry and postpartum community support programs.

Homeschooling at Self (2025-03 – Present)

At the end of 2024 my 7-year-old daughter was diagnosed with learning difficulties, likely dyslexia. In March 2025 I began to homeschool her, which I am still doing.

Franchise Owner - Johannesburg East Branch at WOW MOMS (2026-08 – Present)

7-week group which provides community, care and education for moms who are postpartum.

Sessional Lecturer at University of the Witwatersrand (2016-01 – 2024-12)

Supervising 2nd and 4th year students in their urban, paediatric, psychiatric or physical blocks.

Pastor at Cornerstone Church (2016-01 – Present)

My husband and I started working full-time at Cornerstone Church Bedfordview, running the Children's Ministry. We did this for 3 years before running and administrating the church site.

• Involved in running pre-marriage, marriage and parenting workshops and individual counselling with parents in these areas
• Mentor young women and run groups for ladies and mothers
• Church runs three nursery schools and supported the schools with OT knowledge and screened children and referred children who were not coping in the school setting

Chief Therapist at Johannesburg Metro District (2014-01 – 2016-12)

Took up responsibility in running the Occupational Department in the whole of the Johannesburg Metro district.

• Supervised Occupational therapists at their clinics
• Supervised Occupational therapists, podiatrists, physiotherapists, speech and audiologists and social workers in cluster
• Did performance evaluations and continued professional development
• Oversaw the process of ordering stock and distributing it where needed
• Involved in the Early Childhood intervention task team, the Provincial OT planning group, and various tender groups, and doing training on visual impairments
• Audited the mental health NGOs in district as residential or day facilities with children or adults with mental health problems

Chief Therapist - Visual Impairment Program at Johannesburg Metro District (2012-01 – 2012-12)

Appointed Chief Therapist in Johannesburg Metro district to run the Visual Impairment Program.

• Responsible for ordering devices for those with visual challenges
• Conducting home visits in the whole of the Johannesburg Metro district and providing therapy
• Worked with the NGOs in the district and helped clients access these services

Senior Occupational Therapist at Johannesburg Metro District (2010-01 – 2011-12)

Did patient care, orders and other admin tasks specific to running OT services across a number of clinics in the district.

• Ran OT meetings and ordering stock in the district
• Set up training programs with caregivers of Early Childhood Centres in district
• Trained caregivers and set up stimulation programs at the Mental Health NGOs and other old age homes in the community

Junior Occupational Therapist at Johannesburg Metro District (2009-01 – 2009-12)

Based at Hillbrow clinic and outreached to clinics and facilities treating patients both adults and children with physical and psychiatric illnesses.

• Responsible for supervising 4th year students from Wits University
• Ran continued professional development programs with staff
• Ran individual and group therapy with children with learning problems at a mental health clinic

Occupational Therapist - Community Service at Johannesburg Metro Clinics (2008-01 – 2008-12)

Ran the Occupational Therapy services at the local authority.

• Saw a variety of outpatients, adult and children, with physical and psychiatric illnesses (CVAs, TBIs, arthritis, Schizophrenia, Bipolar, intellectual impairment and children with cerebral palsy and learning problems)
• Ran health promotion and prevention campaigns
• Responsible for ordering and providing patients with assistive devices
• Managed the admin and stock taking at the clinics
• Did home visits, outreaches to Nursery Schools and psychiatric NGOs in the communities
• Provided workshops for caregivers
• Ran a Hippotherapy program with some of cerebral palsy children

Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy – University of Witwatersrand (WITS) (2003-01 – 2007-12)

Secondary School Diploma – Edenvale High School (1998-01 – 2002-12)