Rate My Professor Julie Netto

Dr Julie Netto serves as a Lecturer in the Curtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, at Curtin University. A registered occupational therapist, she brings extensive professional experience as a clinician, injury management consultant, and practitioner in forensic occupational therapy. Her academic journey includes a PhD, supported by the Sydney University Rehabilitation Research Centre - Motor Accidents Authority PhD Scholarship. At Curtin, she contributes to teaching and has been recognized for excellence through the Faculty of Health Sciences Teaching Excellence and Innovation Awards for her work in the Curtin School of Allied Health. Additionally, she co-leads the Valuing Lived Experience Program, promoting integration of lived experience in health education and research. In 2017, she received the Research and Engagement Award from Curtin University for her contributions in the School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work.

Dr Netto's research specializations encompass occupational therapy applications in mental health recovery, animal-assisted interventions, falls prevention for older adults following hospital discharge, employment facilitators and barriers for individuals with mental illness, assistance dogs for families of children on the autism spectrum, and peer worker roles in social work education. Key publications include 'Benefits and Challenges of Assistance Dogs for Families of Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Qualitative Metasynthesis' (Hellings et al., 2022, Qualitative Health Research), 'Reducing falls in older adults recently discharged from hospital: a randomized controlled trial' (Naseri et al., 2018, Age and Ageing), 'Evaluation of Tailored Falls Education on Older Adults' Knowledge, Beliefs and Fall Risk Behaviors' (Naseri et al., 2019, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society), and 'Peer workers as icing on the cake or re-defining the recipe: Outcomes from exploring peer work with social work students' (Sinclair et al., 2025, Social Work Education). Her scholarship on pet ownership's role in recovery for people with borderline personality disorder (2018) and neurodiverse couple relationships ('At the End of the Day, It's Love', Smith et al., 2021) further highlights her impact. With over 1,088 citations on Google Scholar, Dr Netto's work influences allied health practices, enhancing therapeutic outcomes and community engagement.