I have been an occupational therapist since 1984, graduating with honors with a BSc. O.T., from The University of Western Ontario, School of Occupational Therapy, in Canada.  For 8 years after graduation, I provided occupational therapy services in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings to deepen my understanding of the challenges facing people with a variety of medical and mental health diagnoses. In 1989, I left Toronto to marry a Los Angeles native. After completing the National Board Occupational Therapy certification exam and gaining US residency status, I began to practice OT in the United States and served as a staff OT at Thalians Community Mental Health Center, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and then as the Director of OT on the mental health unit at Encino Hospital.  It was during that time that my husband and I began a family of our own and in 1994, I took a hiatus from the formal work force to raise our two daughters who were born in 1992 and 1995.

 

My long time passion dedicated to understanding children was significantly deepened by having children of my own.  As I began to understand the intense emotional changes occurring within me as I transitioned to becoming a new mother and was introduced to the work of Selma Freiberg and T. Berry Brazelton, I entered a psycho-dynamically oriented, doctoral program, specializing in the development of children from birth through 18 years and graduated in 2007 with a doctoral degree in clinical child psychology. My dissertation was entitled “The Psychological Journey of Becoming a Mother”.  My practice as an occupational therapist was forever enriched. I gained a tremendous new foundation that informs my clinical work daily. The intricate and reciprocal nature of the child/parent relationship is an essential element that I always keep in mind when providing occupational therapy services to children. 

 

Since 2007, I have owned and operated a private pediatric occupational therapy practice specializing in early intervention and home visiting with parents, infants and children that are faced with a variety of developmental challenges. By utilizing sensory-motor based play and meeting children where they are developmentally, a relationship is built, challenges are slowly modified, new goals are achieved and new hopes emerge. Please see my “Services” page to see if your child could benefit from occupational therapy and learn more about the specific services I provide.

 

I look forward every day to the honor of joining with parents and children and supporting them in reaching new dreams for their child. Nothing is insurmountable when you work as a team.