Providing personal care,
art therapy and cleaning services
Providing personal care,
art therapy and cleaning services
to the Macarthur, Southern Highlands, Liverpool and the Hume region of NSW/VIC
to the Macarthur, Southern Highlands, Liverpool and the Hume region of NSW/VIC
Meet
the team
Our NSW branch focuses on Community Participation, Art Therapy, Equine Therapy, Music Therapy, Transport and Domestic Cleaning.
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Meet Jodie
Owner/Director
Jodie started HandyBelles six years ago when she finished singing with Opera Australia. She wanted to create a company that worked for the whole family. Five years later HandyBelles has a team of 25 Belles, all in employment that enables them to put their family first. Employees can work between school hours if they need to be at the school gate for their kids. This allows a good work/life balance which is a priority for HandyBelles.
Jodie herself is a mum to two young girls. When she’s not overseeing the policies and procedures at HandyBelles HQ, she can be found in front of the easel painting portraits in oil. She has a passion for all things artistic. She is also a keen calligrapher and a conducts The Cobbitty Community Choir every Wednesday night.
Every year Jodie and her Choir perform at ‘Opera in the Barn’ at Denbigh, a yearly charity concert Jodie inaugurated in 2018 to raise funds for local Macarthur-based charities.
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In 2021 Jodie was named Macarthur 'Woman of the Year' for her services to charities in the Macarthur region.
Meet Abigail
Art Therapist
Abigail met Jodie 6 years ago when their daughters were in the same dance class. At the time Jodie was starting her business and Abigail was doing her studies and training to become an art therapist. They spent many hours chatting away and sharing their interest in art. They both recognised the power of art as therapy. They have joined together and are excited about the opportunity to bring art therapy to the local community.
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This year Abigail and Jodie held the first ever HandyBelles Connects' Art Exhibition in Partnership with a Camden Council Cultural Grant. They intend to hold this exhibiton every year to showcase the work of our NDIS Art Therapy Participants.
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Abigail is a Registered art therapist and a member of ANZACATA and the ACA, the Australian Counsellors Association.
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Born into a family of art lovers, Abigail understands the importance of exposure to art is early in life.
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Abigail has been involved in her husband’s photography business for the past 20 years and enjoys working with a large range of people from different backgrounds, traditions and beliefs.
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For the past 4 years Abigail has been running school holiday workshops at local libraries focusing on the process and the well-being of the participants. Abigail is passionate about creating a safe and contained space to encourage creativity and the freedom to express feelings through art making.
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After completing her training as an art therapist Abigail has done further University courses to expand her knowledge about Mental Health, Age Care, Multiple Sclerosis, Brain Injury and Dementia.
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Interest: Textile art, watercolours and photography. Passionate about the importance of mental health and early exposure to art.
Meet Eloise
Music Therapist
Eloise is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in voice and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Music Therapy.
Eloise has worked as a professional singer for almost twenty years in opera, musical theatre and as a guest artist on luxury international cruise lines. She is the recipient of the Dame Joan Sutherland Scholarship, the Australian Opera Auditions Committee’s ‘Sheila Prior Memorial Study Grant’, the ’Grace Johnston Operatic Aria Award’ and the ‘Horace Keats Song Award’. Other scholarships Eloise has received include study grants from the Sports and Youth Tourism Foundation, the Opera and Arts Support Group and the Opus 50 Trust.
For fifteen years Eloise has taught talented young singers in both classical and contemporary styles for auditions, concerts and examinations. She holds long standing voice tutoring positions in several well established Sydney private schools, and also offers piano tuition to students who are interested in learning how to accompany themselves whilst singing.
Lessons with Eloise are tailored to bring out the best in each student. Some students like to have lessons because they simply enjoy singing for themselves. Others take their lessons more seriously setting goals for competitions, exams and auditions.
It doesn’t matter what age you are or what previous musical experience you have. Eloise always enjoys meeting new students and believes singing should be a joyful experience.
It has been proven that singing at any level of skill releases endorphins, lowers anxiety and stress levels, and builds self confidence. So if you have often thought about giving it a go then now is your big chance!
Meet Sebastiaan
Equine Therapist
Sebastiaan moved from Europe to Australia in 2002 and has since made it his home. For many years he made his living as a professional singer. But in 2020 (with COVID causing the music industry into complete lockdown), he decided to retrain in the field of EAL.
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Asked why he made the change, his response was that while the move might seem odd, his greatest joy in performing music in front of a live audience, was the emotion his music would bring out in the audience. Music has the ability to heal. And so, having an affinity with horses and people, and a desire to be a healing influence on others, the transition felt natural.
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During his extensive training with the EPI, he experienced first hand the power of the work and was convinced that this was what he was made to do.
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Sebastiaan has a calm, warm manner about him and approaches each individual session with every client as a unique opportunity to work with whatever shows up on the day.
Meet Giorgia
Physiotherapist
Giorgia is an Italian-born physiotherapist currently registered in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. She is a compassionate person with a strong desire to provide the highest possible level of care for her Participants. Giorgia has a proven ability to design treatment plans that will improve a client's capacity to perform physical movements and activities freely and confidently. She is committed to delivering exceptional care and support to all Participants in order to improve their quality of life.
