Why GPS Therapy?
The GPS Therapy name gives a hint at the guiding principles the company was built around:
Growth: Occupational therapy is rooted in the belief that every individual has the capacity to grow—physically, emotionally, cognitively, and socially. Through personalized, goal-oriented interventions, OTs empower people to overcome barriers, build new skills, and rediscover purpose in daily life. Whether supporting recovery, fostering independence, or enhancing participation, occupational therapy nurtures growth by meeting people where they are and guiding them toward where they want to be.
Purpose: At its core, occupational therapy is about helping people live with purpose. Whether it's returning to meaningful work, engaging in meaningful routines, or discovering new roles after life changes, OTs guide individuals toward what matters most to them. By aligning therapeutic goals with personal values and aspirations, occupational therapy transforms everyday activities into pathways for identity, connection, and fulfilment.
Skills: Occupational therapy is fundamentally about building, restoring, and refining skills that enable people to live fuller, more independent lives. Whether it's relearning how to dress after an injury, developing executive functioning for school or work, or mastering adaptive techniques for daily tasks, OTs tailor interventions to each person’s unique goals and contexts. By focusing on practical, transferable skills, occupational therapy empowers individuals to participate meaningfully in the roles and routines that matter most.
[Life] Skills: Occupational therapy champions the development of life skills—those essential abilities that enable people to navigate daily routines, relationships, and responsibilities with confidence. From budgeting and cooking to time management and emotional regulation, OTs tailor interventions that foster independence. By embedding skill-building within meaningful contexts, occupational therapy equips individuals to thrive in their environments and pursue purposeful, self-directed lives.
Who is GPS Therapy?
Luke Francis is an occupational therapist based in Adelaide, South Australia, with over 20 years of experience helping people, environments and systems work together better.
Luke has had a varied career that has seen him work professionally in the public and private sectors across Australia as well as in New Zealand and Canada. Apart from his occupational therapy degree, Luke also holds an honours degree in Criminal Justice.
Luke’s professional experience varies from hands-on clinical work to strategic leadership, managing multi-disciplinary teams to managing projects involving government and university partnerships. Luke has also worked within the teaching faculties of the University of South Australia and the University of Manitoba (Canada).
Broadly, Luke’s professional history can be separated into two parts - the first involving more than a decade providing physical, emotional and cognitive interventions including:
Catastrophic Injuries
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI/ABI)
Spinal Cord Injury
Orthopaedic, Amputee and Burns
Mental Health
Disability (NDIS)
Vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work
The other decade of Luke’s career includes work with specific vulnerable populations including:
Youth Justice services
Adult forensic services
People living with disabilities
Young people under Child Protection
Individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
Refugees and new arrivals
First Nations / Indigenous / Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples
Individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
Members of LGBTIQA+ communities
Luke has always been drawn to the intersection of care and strategy. He is passionate about assessing and addressing environmental impacts to individuals and organisations, mentoring individuals and teams, designing and implementing novel service models, designing inclusive programs, and advising on adaptive technologies. Luke has led projects that improve service pathways, uplift team capability, and embed continuous quality improvement — all with the goal of making systems more human, more responsive, and more effective for staff and residents/clients. He is focused on creating environments that foster growth, purpose, and real-world impact. Importantly, Luke is also still at home working in a one-on-one therapeutic capacity with clients with a wide range of needs.
Luke is passionate about driving change that matters, both on a micro (individual) and macro (team/departmental) scale — especially for those navigating complex challenges.
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