Meet The Team

Our passionate practitioners are dedicated to supporting individuals and families with compassion, expertise, and a commitment to meaningful change.

Niki Heracleous

Founder | Senior Behaviour Support Practitioner | Social Worker

With a vision for building something meaningful, Niki brings a blend of big-picture thinking and hands-on clinical experience, setting the tone for everything Compassionate Connections represents. As Founder and Clinical Director, she is a passionate and highly experienced behaviour support practitioner, social worker, and advocate for individuals with complex disabilities, known for her deeply compassionate and trauma-informed approach.

Niki holds a Bachelor of Social Work and began her journey in disability support with a strong commitment to ensuring that every person, regardless of their challenges, has the right to be seen, heard, and supported with dignity and respect. She is a NDIS Registered Senior Behaviour Support Practitioner (Advanced) and Registered Social Worker, with extensive experience supporting individuals with complex needs through strengths-based, person-centred, and evidence-informed practice.

Throughout her career, Niki has held senior leadership roles and is a highly experienced clinical supervisor who mentors practitioners to uphold ethical, neurodiversity-affirming, and collaborative approaches to behaviour support. Her leadership style combines reflection, compassion, and clinical excellence, fostering growth across teams and promoting high-quality outcomes for participants and families.

Niki’s genuine care, advocacy, and unwavering dedication leave a lasting impact on the individuals and communities she serves. Through Compassionate Connections, she continues to champion a future where people are empowered to live with purpose, autonomy, and meaningful connection.

Hayley is a Registered Counsellor and Behaviour Support Practitioner with more than 15 years of experience across mental health, counselling, and disability services.

Hayley has extensive experience working within both government and non-government sectors and has developed strong partnerships across the mental health and disability support industries. She is passionate about delivering person-centred, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive supports that empower individuals to overcome barriers, achieve their goals, and improve their quality of life.

Drawing on her experience in counselling, behaviour support, and multidisciplinary collaboration, Hayley supports individuals with complex needs to build capacity, develop meaningful connections, and navigate challenges in a way that is respectful, strengths-based, and evidence-informed.

Hayley is committed to maintaining high standards of clinical practice and ensuring supports are delivered in accordance with relevant legislation, quality frameworks, and best-practice principles.

Known for her warm, compassionate, and approachable nature, Hayley takes pride in building genuine relationships with the people and families she supports. She believes that trust, collaboration, and understanding are at the heart of meaningful outcomes and is dedicated to helping individuals feel heard, valued, and empowered throughout their journey.

Behaviour Support Practitioner | Registered Counsellor

Hayley Mccristal

Anneta Maroulis

Anneta is an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner and Certified Play Therapist who is deeply passionate about working with children and young adults to support their growth, wellbeing, and meaningful participation in everyday life. She has a strong focus on supporting children and their families to achieve meaningful, individualised goals and works collaboratively with families and key supports to promote emotional regulation, communication, and positive engagement across home, school, and community environments.

Anneta has a particular interest in supporting neurodiverse children and young people and practices from a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and neurodiversity-affirming framework. She incorporates play-based and developmentally appropriate strategies to support emotional expression, regulation, and connection, ensuring each child’s unique needs, strengths, and communication style are respected and valued.

Behaviour Support Practitioner | Play Therapist

Alyssa is an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner and Provisionally Registered Psychologist currently completing her Master of Clinical Psychology. She is passionate about supporting children, young people, and their families to achieve meaningful goals and enhance wellbeing through evidence-based, person-centred practice.

Alyssa has extensive experience working with neurodivergent children, adolescents, and families across early childhood, preschool, school, and community settings. She is committed to fostering emotional regulation, communication, independence, and participation through collaborative and individualised supports that reflect each person's unique strengths, needs, and goals.

Drawing on play-based, naturalistic, and developmental approaches, Alyssa creates engaging and supportive environments that promote skill development, confidence, and meaningful connection. She adopts a strengths-based, neuroaffirming approach to practice, ensuring that individuals and families feel heard, respected, valued, and empowered throughout their support journey.

Known for her warm and approachable nature, Alyssa prioritises building trusting relationships and working alongside families to create positive, sustainable outcomes that enhance quality of life and support long-term growth and wellbeing.

Behaviour Support Practitioner | Provisional Psychologist

Alyssa Kafetzi

Karen Katsinas

Karen is a qualified NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner (BSP) who is passionate about supporting children and young people to thrive by improving quality of life and reducing behaviours of concern through evidence-based, positive behaviour support approaches. Karen works collaboratively with participants, families, and support teams to understand the function behind behaviours, build emotional regulation skills, and create environments that promote safety, connection, and meaningful participation.

With over 10 years of experience as a secondary teacher and wellbeing adviser, Karen brings a strong understanding of child and adolescent development, inclusive education, and trauma-informed practice. Her experience includes working with the Stage 5 NESA PASS Life Skills syllabus and supporting individuals with diverse learning, behavioural, and emotional needs.

Karen’s practice is grounded in a person-centred, strengths-based approach that values neurodiversity and prioritises dignity, empowerment, and long-term capacity building. She is deeply committed to helping children and young adults develop confidence, strengthen communication, and engage more successfully within their families, schools, and communities.

Behaviour Support Practitioner