Catherine Mendoza practices as both Care Coordinator and Senior Mental Health Occupational Therapist at Biio, with a special interest in the complex intersection where neurodivergence meets chronic illness. With her primary lens in Neurodivergent Health and cross-pathway expertise in complex mental health, she coordinates the first stage of care for many new patients while providing ongoing therapeutic support.
Catherine's approach recognizes that mental health symptoms rarely exist in isolation. She regularly works with clients where neurodivergence intersects with other pathway concerns—anxiety that mimics autonomic dysfunction, executive dysfunction that complicates medical treatment adherence, or sensory processing differences that amplify chronic pain. Her occupational therapy insight provides a unique understanding of how ADHD and autism affect workplace challenges, helping clients navigate accommodations and career transitions.
Catherine brings expert understanding to the reality that many neurodivergent adults also navigate chronic physical conditions. Years of masking autistic traits can manifest as chronic fatigue. ADHD executive dysfunction intersects with POTS management complexity. Her practice addresses not just individual symptoms but the whole person navigating multiple, interconnected challenges.
Her bilingual capabilities (English/Spanish) and cultural background as an Indigenous Peruvian woman, born and raised in Australia, inform her culturally responsive approach, particularly valuable for clients from diverse backgrounds who may have experienced additional barriers to accessing appropriate healthcare.
As a Care Coordinator, Catherine conducts biio.markers assessments—Biio's comprehensive intake process that captures a person's complete health story once, eliminating the need for repeated history-taking across providers. She translates complex, multi-system presentations into clear pathway and actionable team plans, ensuring seamless handoffs to appropriate specialists.
Her Functional Capacity Assessment expertise proves essential for NDIS participants, providing detailed evaluations that inform funding decisions and support access. Having navigated these systems extensively, she advocates effectively for clients within disability, education, and healthcare frameworks.
Catherine's EMDR Level 1 certification and 350-hour trauma-informed yoga training reflect her commitment to addressing trauma's somatic impacts. She understands that many neurodivergent adults carry complex trauma from years of misunderstanding, late diagnosis, or systemic invalidation. Her approach honours both neurological differences and trauma responses, creating space for healing that doesn't pathologize neurodivergence.
Her DBT training provides practical emotion regulation tools adapted for neurodivergent presentations, while her trauma-informed yoga background offers body-based approaches for nervous system regulation—particularly valuable for clients whose trauma manifests somatically or intersects with chronic illness.
Catherine's recent ASDCS certification demonstrates her commitment to current, evidence-based autism support that moves beyond outdated approaches. Her ongoing Master of Mental Health Practice studies reflect a dedication to deepening clinical skills while maintaining her occupational therapy foundation.
Her diverse training—from cognitive assessments to assistive technology prescription—enables comprehensive evaluation and intervention. This breadth proves essential at Biio, where clients often need multifaceted support that bridges traditional specialty boundaries.
Occupational therapy supports people to live with greater autonomy, connection, and a life that feels meaningful and sustainable, by focusing on the “occupations” that make up everyday life. These are the tasks and roles that shape our identity, routines, and health.
Occupational therapists help individuals adapt their environments, build skills, and reduce barriers across three core areas:
Whether someone is navigating a new diagnosis, chronic condition, trauma, disability, or life transition, occupational therapy is about affirming strengths, restoring choice, and supporting people to engage with the occupations that matter to them.