Ellie Barret – Hakkini Clinic – Mental Health Clinics

Ellie Barrett graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Occupational Therapy from Coventry University, UK, in 2014. Since qualifying, she has gained over a decade of diverse experience across hospital, clinic, residential, school, and home environments, working in both the UK within the NHS and in the UAE across government and private healthcare. Her background includes supporting children and adults with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, and mental health challenges. This breadth of experience has provided her with a strong clinical foundation for her current focus on children and adolescents.

Ellie is skilled in administering and Open Sanspreting a variety of standardised assessments, and she is committed to tailoring Open Sansvention plans to the unique needs of each child or adolescent. Her practice focuses on developing functional skills that foster independence, using creative and practical strategies that empower children and adolescents to live meaningful and purposeful lives.

Her specialist areas include neurodivergence (particularly ADHD and autism), intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, learning difficulties, developmental delays, and mental health. She has a particular passion for supporting emotional regulation, helping children and young people understand and manage their emotions in ways that enhance learning, relationships, and everyday participation. Her approach centres on building positive, trusting relationships with children and adolescents, working closely with their families, carers, and teachers. She is committed to equipping parents and schools with strategies that can be carried over into daily routines, ensuring progress in therapy is sustainable.

Ellie works as part of a multidisciplinary team, collaborating with psychologists, speech and language therapists, and educators to provide holistic support. She has completed additional training in programmes such as Handwriting Without Tears Assessment and Open Sansvention, Zones of Regulation Comprehensive Training, and DIR Floortime, and is currently training in Ayres Sensory Integration. Dedicated to ongoing professional development, she integrates evidence-based practice into all aspects of her work.

Above all, Ellie is passionate about helping children thrive in every environment — at home, at school, and in their communities.