Tarryn Shnider

Current Role:

Paediatric Occupational Therapist and Director at My Diffability Australia

A little about me: 

I am a Paediatric Occupational therapist and I have always had a passion for working within the disability sector and with young children. I specialise in early intervention for children who have Autism and intellectual disabilities. In 2011, a colleague and I noticed a gap in the services and support available for families and professionals looking to use toys/tools at home to support their child's therapy and intervention, so we created our company, My Diffability Australia. My Diffability is an online store that sells toys and resources for people with 'Diff'erent abilities (not disabilities).

How has your Jewishness impacted your career:

Interestingly, I have always shied away from connecting with the Jewish community when it came to my professional career and when starting up our company. I love the support of the Jewish community, but growing up outside this concentrated Jewish community has taught me that I don't always want to use connections that might make my success feel less authentic. I am very proud to be a Jewish business owner and professional, and I am equally (if not more) as proud to be a woman business owner and professional.

What do you wish you'd known in year 12 or early on in your career:

I wish I knew that grades and academic results don't reflect the success we are capable of. 

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given:

"Let go, or be dragged". This mantra has helped me move forward after failures or missed opportunities, and to think about what I could do better next time or how I can aim to try again and have a different result next time.

How do you 'pay it forward' in your career:

I really love to mentor and supervise new graduates or other OTs at any level. I think supporting others in the same profession is a mutually beneficial experience that allows me to always be learning from them, and paying forward my knowledge and experience reciprocally. This year at My Diffability, we have hired our first young adult, who is on the Autism Spectrum. We hope to continue employing people with different abilities who can contribute to our business in their own unique ways, utilising their strengths. 

What is your definition of professional success:

As a therapist, professional success to me is seeing children and families achieve their therapy goals. It's not an acknowledgment of how I helped them get there, but being a spectator to their increase in independence and quality of life. As a business owner, professional success for me is being able to achieve the goals of hiring people with disabilities, or people are supporting families members who have additional needs.

What is your dream job:

I truly believe I am already working a combination of my dream jobs. The only thing I would change is for families and services to have more resources and financial support available for families to be able to access ongoing therapy and services - this is becoming more achievable through the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) funding now! I also have a dream of hosting a large Disability Conference one day with a range of educational and inspiring speakers, including people and family members of people on the Autism Spectrum.

What do you do for self-care:

I try to do something at least once a week that honours who I am as a person. I love cooking, reading up about exotic foods and flavours and wandering the isles of different cultural grocery stores, reading how to use unfamiliar ingredients. This helps me to separate the emotional/complex interactions and experiences I have at work during the week and find joy in something simple with a clear beginning, middle and end process.