Your body knows when life feels safe long before your thoughts catch up. That single idea reframes anxiety, burnout, and “stuckness,” and it’s where our conversation with occupational therapy consultant Anele Griessel begins. We dig into how sensory-informed practice helps neurodivergent teens and adults reduce overwhelm, rebuild resilience, and find a route back to connection by working with the nervous system, not against it.
Anele walks us through the foundations of OT—function, roles, and context—and why stress and trauma often present as a “can’t do” long before words are useful. She breaks down the safety-to-action pathway in accessible language, explaining how the brainstem gatekeeps input and why talk therapy can stall when the executive brain is offline. From there, we get practical: stop, breathe, notice. Annelle shares playful prompts for “notice with intent” that double as micro-mindfulness without the jargon, giving listeners tools they can use at a bus stop, in a corridor, or between meetings.
We also explore choosing joy as a daily stance rather than a fleeting feeling. Inspired by Desmond Tutu, Anele shows how joy, safety, and playfulness are not soft add-ons but evidence-aligned strategies that cue regulation and open the door to change. She offers clear examples from her work with autistic and ADHD clients, discusses family-wide sensory literacy, and reveals why small actions become routines, habits, and—eventually—durable resilience.
There’s a sneak peek at Anele's upcoming sensory journal app that pairs daily noticing prompts with a playful profiling tool to map sensory preferences—seekers, sensitives, avoiders, and low registrants—and translate them into morning routines, workday adjustments, and rest strategies. Along the way, we touch on expert witness insights, the realities of time and bureaucracy, and the simple power of rest and humour to protect clinicians from burnout.
If you’re a clinician, parent, educator, or anyone who feels flooded by modern life, this conversation offers grounded science, kind language, and steps you can try today. If it resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find it.
👤 Guest Biography
Anele Griessel is an Occupational Therapy Consultant, Sensory Integration Specialist, and Expert SEN Witness with over 25 years of experience. Based in Warwick, UK, she supports neurodivergent teens and adults through body-based, sensory-informed approaches that help regulate stress and build resilience. Anele is also the founder of Estemoa-OT Ltd, and is currently developing a mobile app that helps users better understand and nurture their sensory systems. Her clinical lens blends neuroscience, trauma-informed practice, and the belief that healing begins when we choose joy.
Contact Details
About Dr Andrew Greenland
Dr Andrew Greenland is a UK-based medical doctor and founder of Greenland Medical, specialising in Integrative and Functional Medicine. With dual training in conventional and root-cause approaches, he helps individuals optimise health, performance, and longevity — with a focus on cognitive resilience and healthy ageing.
Voices in Health and Wellness features meaningful conversations at the intersection of medicine, lifestyle, and human potential — with clinicians, scientists, and thinkers shaping the future of care.
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