Our Team
Chris Mannes
Happy Lives Therapeutic Supports Director | Registered Behaviour Support Practitioner
Chris is an NDIS registered behaviour support practitioner, with extensive experience in the disability and behaviour support fields. Chris studied at the University of Melbourne, completing a BA with a double major in Psychology. Since entering the workforce Chris has engaged in a wide range of learning regarding various disability and behaviour topics, including training run by the Institute of Applied Behaviour Analysis. Chris has also completed a Cert IV in Training and Assessment.
With nearly 25 years of experience in the disability sector, Chris has worked extensively with both children and adults (and their support networks) in a wide range of settings including schools & kindergartens, family environments, residential services, day programs and in the community. After initially being involved in the early intervention behavioural therapy field for many years, Chris then joined the Department of Health and Human Services, working for 12 years in the Family Team and then the specialist Behaviour Intervention Support Team. In 2020, Chris formed his own behaviour support business, Happy Lives Behaviour Support, which operated in collaboration with his wife Merae’s business, Happy Kids Psychology. The two have now merged, forming Happy Lives Therapeutic Supports, which provides behaviour support services, therapeutic psychology services, and psychological assessments.
Chris brings a wealth of knowledge in behaviour management and disability to his work, with particular experience and interest in supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder. He has a strong focus on strengthening the skills and understanding of those supporting individuals with behavioural concerns, to enable continued improvement and maintenance of behaviour improvements.