Sue Hanisch Dip COT. SROT. MHGI. ETSI Occupational Therapy Care Expert

Throughout her working life Sue Hanisch has worked both single handedly and in collaboration with health services and charities to share her personal knowledge and experience with others who have congenital or acquired injuries.  She has delivered assistance and advice to individuals and communities whilst they have been adapting to their altered circumstances and the psychological effects associated with permanent disability and impairment.

Sue’s work has been mainly in the UK but has also taken her overseas and has been in hospitals and in community settings, where she has worked with NGO’s and other organisations and individuals after the effects of war or displacement in such locations as South Africa, Bosnia, India, Latvia and Palestine.  She has also done considerable work as a volunteer.

Sue has extensive experience on the effects of trauma on the body and provides advice and therapy in helping clients whilst adapting to disability and learning to live with physical and psychological limitations.  She applies somatic work and sensory integration to what is now known regarding our neuroplasticity and techniques to restore self-regulation when living with permanent disability and/or pain.  

Sue prepares Care and Occupational Therapy/Equipment reports for the Court which are compliant with Civil Procedure and cover a wide range of injuries in personal injury and clinical negligence cases.  The cases range from infants, children, adolescents to adults and she produces reports for both Claimants and Defendants.  She understands the litigation process and her duties under the Civil Procedure Rules pertaining to expert witnesses and Part 35 and has given evidence in Court on several occasions.

In addition to her role as an expert witness, she has also worked for many years as a Case Manager and been responsible for setting up care packages and in engaging therapists from statutory services and the independent sector.  She continues to work as an Independent Occupational Therapy Practitioner, Rehabilitation Consultant and Human Givens Practitioner/Counsellor. 

Past cases have included conditions such as:-

• Acquired and congenital brain injury
• Amputation
• Autistic spectrum disorder
• Brachial Plexus/Erbs Palsy
• Cerebral palsy
• Chromosome aberration 
• Chronic Pain Syndrome
• Learning disabilities including dyslexia, dyspraxia etc
• Life limiting conditions
• Loss of service
• Orthopaedic and spinal injuries
• Permanent Vegetative State (PVS)
• Progressive neurological conditions
• Sensory processing / modulation differences
• Spina Bifida
• Visual and hearing impairments
• Wrongful birth

Sue has set up charities to collect and ship wheelchairs and other mobility equipment overseas and has organized and participated in many fundraising events for charities such as UNICEF, Meningitis Research, CLIC Sargent and Flying Scholarships for Disabled People.  She has climbed Kilimanjaro to raise funds and has also taken part and organised several parachute jumps.

Sue is an active member for the Forgiveness Project, for whom she speaks and is frequently invited to participate in cross-community groups promoting greater understanding when working towards peace and reconciliation.