A dedicated team of therapists with years of experience
Gabrielle has worked in a variety of pediatric settings, including school districts, in home early intervention and private clinics around the Bay Area. She opened the doors of Little Hands in September of 2006.
She is experienced in working with children ages 0 to 18 with varied developmental challenges & diagnoses (e.g., Anxiety-related disorders such as selective mutism, ADD/ADHD, spectrum disorders, pervasive developmental delays, sensory processing disorders, and self-regulation & social skill challenges). She has advanced certification in the care and treatment of children with sensory processing challenges & anxiety-related disorders, specifically Selective Mutism. Her treatments have included sensory integration therapy, fine motor coordination intervention, wellness and prevention, family/parent education, reflex integration, perceptual problem solving and handwriting intervention. Therapy sessions incorporate the following programs and therapeutic techniques::
Gabrielle strongly believes that treatment is most effective when the therapist and child’s family work together to formulate therapy goals using the child’s occupations (interests and/or motivators) as a means towards achieving those goals. Gabrielle offers family consultation for parents for: sibling relationships, educational placement, prioritizing therapy, IEP/504 school based services support and creating plans for challenging home/school behaviors.
Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Samuel Merritt College in December of 2004
Allison has extensive experience in both pediatric clinics and pediatric school-based settings. Allison has worked intensely with Autistic children and various learning differences. She has a specialized pediatric yoga based training certificate which she incorporates into therapy sessions. Allison is a trained instructor through The Lindamood Bell Learning Processes Center and has provided instruction with children using programs such as Visualizing and Verbalizing, Seeing Stars, Lindamood Bell Phoneme and Sequencing and On Cloud Nine. Allison believes in an individualized therapeutic approach for each child, and she thrives in maximizing communicative growth. Allison’s clinical strengths include early language development, articulation and phonology, preschool and school-age receptive and expressive language delays, social skills, and literacy skills. As a mother of two children ages 15 and 16 and a child with learning differences, Allison has gained a better understanding of the joys and struggles her clients’ families go through. This has strengthened her passion to be an advocate for individuals and families with children with specific learning styles.
EDUCATION
Allison graduated from The University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s degree in Communicative Disorders. She received her Master’s Degree from SFSU in Speech-Language Pathology. Allison is continuing her education through courses in the Neuro-Sequencial Model of Therapeutics.
Bryant is a bilingual licensed occupational therapist with a passion for pediatrics preceding OT school. His background includes working with children with various developmental delays and conditions, but he has had the most experience working with children and young adults with autism. As a workshop mentor at Autistry, Bryant has assisted bright, young individuals in self-directed projects to hone their skills in fine and gross motor areas, task sequencing, self-regulation, and building self-esteem through “project-based therapy”. At the ANOVA Education campus in San Rafael, he assessed for functional deficit areas, identified goals, developed treatment plans, implemented child-centered interventions, and collaborated with parents and teachers on a daily basis. In his practice as an occupational therapist, Bryant stresses the importance of the therapist-client relationship and believes that interventions should be client-centered and goal driven. He believes that therapists working with pediatric populations possess a special, unique role in that they are able to intervene at such an early age and truly make a difference in the growth and development of a child, paving the way for success and participation in meaningful occupations for years to come.
EDUCATION
Bryant received his Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Dominican University of California. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton.
Caitlin grew up in Southern California and has worked in a variety of pediatric settings, including public school districts, in-home early intervention, and private pediatric clinics around the Bay Area. She has worked collaboratively with other specialties, including teachers, Occupational Therapists, Behavior Specialists, and Physical Therapists, in order to best support the individual child. Clinical strengths include pragmatics/social skills, early language development/early intervention, articulation and phonology, preschool and school-age receptive and expressive language delays, cognitive communication, auditory processing, and literacy skills. Other areas of practice include Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), fluency disorders, and oral-motor deficits. Caitlin is level 1 PROMPT-trained and has participated in the Talk Tools: A Three-Part Treatment Plan for Oral Placement Therapy workshop, in addition to completing numerous courses focused on the pediatric population. Caitlin enjoys working with children of all ages and skill levels but is especially passionate about early intervention.
Away from the clinic, Caitlin enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters, and her big & playful pup. She loves the sunshine and is an avid sports fan.
EDUCATION
Caitlin graduated from San Diego State University (SDSU) with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, followed by her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.
Chelsea is a fresh mind in the occupational therapy field. She has been working as an Occupational Therapist for over a year and has fully immersed herself in the pediatric setting. Chelsea has worked with children in school-based and outpatient settings. Her experiences span across age ranges, from early intervention to teens and young adults, as well as various diagnoses and differences, including neurobehavioral disorders, genetic conditions, intellectual and learning disabilities, and developmental delay. Chelsea is passionate about teaching and supporting the children she engages with in a way that meets their individual needs, and she is motivated to learn from them through a child-led, play-based structure.
EDUCATION
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, Exercise Science, and Minor Certificate in Communicative Disorders, California State University, Fresno
Cierra has experience in several pediatric and adult settings with clients ranging from preschool to geriatric populations. Settings have included a vast range of abilities and cultures in public and nonpublic schools, workplace readiness sites, private practice, and home health across the Bay Area, San Diego, and Hawaii. Cierra has completed advanced training focused on early intervention (Hanen) as well as childhood apraxia of speech (DTTC, PROMPT). She has participated in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) workshop, as well as multiple seminars and continuing education courses focused on pediatric populations. Along with early language development and childhood apraxia of speech, Cierra’s clinical interests also include augmentative and alternative communication, preschool language delays, literacy skills as well as phonology and articulation disorders. Other areas of practice include cognition, Selective Mutism, fluency disorders, and pragmatic language. Cierra adores working and laughing with children while focusing on functional skills to maximize the generalization and benefits of therapy. With a personal family connection, Cierra truly understands and values the importance of family-clinician relationships and collaboration across disciplines and environments.
EDUCATION
Cierra graduated from San Diego State University (SDSU) with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, followed by her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.
Emma has worked with the pediatric population in many capacities prior to pursuing a second career as an Occupational Therapist. She spent 20 years in Seattle working as a preschool teacher, dance teacher, children’s choreographer, and nanny before getting her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland. In the Bay Area, she has provided occupational therapy services in both the pediatric clinic and school settings, working with kids with a variety of diagnoses including ADHD, Selective Mutism, Behavioral and Anxiety Disorders, and Autism, as well as kids with a wide range of sensory and social/emotional challenges, and motor skill differences. She helped with the development and funding of an afterschool program for public school students in the Sacramento area targeting self-regulation and handwriting skills to address learning loss challenges due to COVID related to school closures. Emma combines her background in dance and teaching with her OT training and experience to help children and their families meet their goals through creative, individualized, and play-based therapy.
In her free time, Emma is passionate about the performing arts (especially musical theater), spending time with family, laughing, hiking, and eating good food.
EDUCATION
Emma received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Samuel Merritt University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts.
Emily previously worked as a Para Educator at the Marin County Office of Education and as a summer camp counselor for children with type one diabetes. As a Para Educator, she engaged and supported students with autism to meet their individual academic objectives and adapted to the diverse emotional, mental, and cognitive abilities of students. Her most recent achievement is her work in the Environmental Leadership Program at the University of Oregon. Along with her classmates, she was able to connect 241 kinder through third grade students to their local environment using their outdoor education lesson plans. Emily graduated from the University of Oregon Spring of 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and minor in Global Health. She is excited to contribute to a team where she can apply her combined experience working with children and her passion for healthcare administration.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and minor in Global Health at the University of Oregon
Jazmine has always enjoyed working with the pediatric population. She draws early experiences from working as a tutor, after-school enrichment facilitator, summer camp counselor for children with and without disabilities, and field experience at a preschool. Jazmine’s current areas of OT specialties are working with children and families through evaluation and treatment of: sensory processing differences, regulation challenges, kindergarten readiness, autism, ADHD, visual motor impairments, gross and fine motor challenges, handwriting challenges and social skill challenges. Jazmine is passionate about facilitating inclusivity for all children, and focused her graduate school thesis project on creating accessibility for children in the local Marin theater community. Jazmine enjoys facilitating child-led, play-based therapeutic sessions and strives to create connections between children, families, and teachers in order to support children’s growth and development.
EDUCATION
Jazmine completed her Bachelor’s degree in Health Science and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Dominican University of California.
Katarina is a bilingual occupational therapist that has provided therapy to pediatric populations in school-based, home-based, and outpatient settings. She has experience treating children diagnosed with autism, down syndrome, intellectual disability, pervasive developmental delay, selective mutism, cerebral palsy, sensory processing challenges, ADHD, visual impairments, developmental coordination disorder, tic disorders, depression, and anxiety. She takes pride in collaborating with children and their families to provide quality therapy by implementing innovative activities to help facilitate learning and promote development in meaningful ways.
Advanced certifications and therapeutic curriculums:
EDUCATION
Katarina attended Florida International University (FIU) where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy.
Kellie’s background includes providing occupational therapy interventions in different practice settings for children with varied disabilities and developmental delays. She is experienced in addressing fine motor delays, visual perceptual skills, handwriting skills, social skills, visual-motor skills, sensory processing skills, and activities of daily living, such as dressing and self-feeding. Kellie maintains a holistic perspective when working with each child and directs her treatment sessions to meet the interests of the child while facilitating a successful environment for children to develop their skills and independence. She has participated in the Sequential Oral Motor Approach to Feeding (SOS) workshop by Dr. Kay Toomey, PhD in addition to completing numerous courses focused on the pediatric population. She enjoys working with children of all skill levels and ages and believes in child and family centered therapy to support each child’s unique needs to support occupational engagement at home, school, and in the community.
Kellie has attended the SOS Approach to Feeding course presented by Kay Toomey, PhD. and Erin Ross, PhD. CCC-SLP. In addition she has attended advanced course training in SOS as it relates to using the SOS Approach when working with children aged 6 years and older.
EDUCATION
Kellie graduated from Samuel Merritt University where she received her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy.
Kristen is a Bay Area native who entered the field of occupational therapy after working with preschool and elementary-aged children for over 7 years. She is passionate about the pediatric population, and pursued occupational therapy as a second career after recognizing the variety of unique challenges families face, and the need for comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence-based support to address these challenges. Kristen began her occupational therapy career working in public elementary schools, but moved to the clinic setting in order to provide more holistic support for the entire family across the broader contexts of their child’s life. Kristen has worked, interned, and volunteered in a variety of settings both prior to and during her occupational therapy career, including working with blind young adults, children and young adults with autism from ages 3 to 22, unhoused individuals, and older adults. Kristen feels strongly about celebrating the diversity of human identities and experiences, and aspires to help families thrive according to their own value systems and personal goals.
EDUCATION
Kristen received her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, and holds an undergraduate degree with a focus on Writing and Literature from The New School in New York.
LaShelle has worked with children in schools, medical outpatient settings, private clinic settings, and in a multi-disciplinary clinic setting where she collaborated closely with ABA interventionists, Speech Therapists, Music Therapists, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatricians and Child Neurologists. Her experience spans across physical and developmental diagnoses including: Global Developmental Delay, Cerebral Palsy, Seizure Disorders, Postural Disorders, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Sensory Processing Challenges, and Visual-Motor and Visual Perceptual difficulties related to handwriting. LaShelle has experience in leading a multi-disciplinary team to provide comprehensive care for children with neurodevelopmental challenges (birth through teenage years). She also has experience in participating in Medical Research to identify and explore the effects of sensory processing challenges in the brain in ages 8 – 12 years old. LaShelle is motivated to help children thrive, learn new skills, and cultivate a confident, curious and exploratory spirit. LaShelle’s ultimate goal is to help children of all ages connect with others and the world around them, and to provide client-centered support and care for families.
Advanced Certifications Include:
LaShelle has pursued additional training in the following conditions and treatment modalities:
LaShelle completed her Bachelor’s in Health Sciences and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Dominican University of California.
Mary has experience in a variety of settings. With a background in administration and management through being a pool manager and supervisor, as well as team captain of her college swim and water polo teams, she has developed the skill needed to collaborate and support a team as diverse as Little Hands. She has experience in different clinical settings, including athletic training, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and cardiovascular surgery.
She is passionate about working with children through her experience as a swim instructor, youth swim coach, youth water polo coach, and summer camp instructor in the local Bay Area community of Vallejo, CA. Upon graduating college, Mary was a volunteer in the United States Peace Corps and worked as a Rural Family Health Educator in Monkey River Village, Belize. She was able to work in fields that involved nutrition, exercise and fitness, and environmental health. She worked with the Ministry of Education in the local school and started an after-school literacy program with the help of the school teachers.
Mary believes that all children have the capacity to accomplish something great and enjoys being a member of a team that allows children to strive to be the best versions of themselves. She greatly enjoys watching the tremendous growth and being a part of a team that can instill confidence in children!
EDUCATION
Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from Chapman University in May of 2018
Meghan has had a wide variety of experiences with the pediatric population. She has treated children diagnosed with pediatric feeding disorders, intellectual disabilities, autism, down syndrome, developmental delays, rare genetic disorders, sensory processing disorders, ADHD, and fine motor coordination deficits. Meghan is passionate about working with children of all ages to create individualized treatment plans. Meghan has been trained using the SOS Approach to Feeding by Kay Toomey, PhD, and has completed numerous pediatric feeding courses.
She completed her undergraduate degrees at Bucknell University, double majoring in Education (with a concentration in autism studies) and Psychology. She went on to teach in various classrooms throughout the Bay Area, ranging from preschool to high school, as well as special education classrooms, before attending the University of Southern California for Occupational Therapy for both her masters and her doctorate degrees. During her masters program she had additional experience in psychiatric emergency departments, skilled nursing facilities, and child development institutions. During her residency year, Meghan focused her specialty and portfolio on the relationship between caregivers and children with feeding difficulties, and providing caregiver education and coaching. She has completed USC’s Sensory Integration certification program, and is currently finishing her California Board of Occupational Therapy’s advanced credential in Swallowing Assessment, Evaluation or Intervention. A Marin native, Meghan is happy to be back and working in the Bay Area. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, spending time at the beach with friends, and trying new restaurants.
EDUCATION
Michelle has always had an interest working in pediatrics. Prior to beginning her occupational therapy program, Michelle used her pediatric skills of effective communication and leadership through coaching volleyball and basketball, in addition to working as a teacher’s assistant for a summer program. She has experience in various pediatric occupational therapy settings, partaking in the UCSF Volunteer Rehabilitation Program and California Children Services where she used her skills of creativity, playfulness and organization to learn how to best implement various activities with clients. Michelle’s current areas of specialties are working with children and families through evaluation and treatment of: sensory processing differences, regulation challenges, kindergarten readiness, anxiety related disorders, autism, down syndrome, ADHD, visual motor impairments, gross and fine motor challenges, handwriting challenges and social skill challenges. Michelle enjoys incorporating play-based occupations into treatment, and values collaborating with both child, family, teacher and caregivers to promote client-centered care.
EDUCATION
Michelle completed her Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at the Dominican University of California.
Monica started her career in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in 2013, shortly after graduating with a B.S in Neuroscience from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She obtained an M.S in ABA with an emphasis in Autism from The Sage Colleges and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2016. Spending years working with neurodiverse children led her to form some core beliefs.
Her core beliefs drove her to continue to seek experience that would allow her to implement a form of therapy that was not only effective but felt good to the child and family. She collaborated closely with clinicians across disciplines such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, music therapy, mental health, and neurology to create a more cohesive treatment experience for her clients. In 2017, she began receiving mentorship in DIR Floortime and has been working to integrate developmental and relationship-based therapeutic strategies from this model ever since. In January of 2021, she began pursuing a Ph.D. in Infant and Early Childhood Development at Fielding Graduate University.
In her free time, Monica can be found spending time with her family, getting outdoors, playing board games, and watching in amazement as her son grows and develops in his own unique way.
Nicole has a wide variety of clinical experiences with the pediatric population. Pediatric experience includes working in preschool through middle school as well as after school programs and camps for kids with autism. While in the pediatric settings she has worked with kids from a variety of backgrounds, ages, and abilities. Areas of interest include working with children with developmental delays, pragmatic skills, and receptive/ expressive language delays. Nicole is passionate about working with children of all ages and capabilities in order to provide them with the tools they need to express themselves. She enjoys getting to know kids and their families in order to create a collaborative environment.
EDUCATION
Nicole graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelors in Speech and Hearing Science. She then attended Cleveland State University, obtaining a Masters in Speech Language Pathology.
Nikki is an Occupational Therapist who’s always had a passion for working pediatrics. Nikki’s passion for working with children stems from her experience as a youth gymnastics instructor for children ages 2-12 years old. Post graduate experience includes a broad range of pediatric settings: special education preschool, elementary schools, and outpatient clinics (specializing in sensory processing disorder). Nikki has worked with a variety of diagnoses including (but not limited to): developmental delays, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, anxiety disorders, global developmental delay, visual and motor impairments, gross motor coordination difficulties, fine motor coordination difficulties, social skill challenges, kindergarten readiness support, learning differences and sensory processing disorders. Nikki strives to provide each child with a treatment plan that is focused on the whole child, that harnesses each child’s strengths, is fun and creative, while also helping the child to learn and develop the tools and skills they need to succeed at home, at school, and in the community. Nikki enjoys working with the pediatric population and believes that therapy should be child-led and play-based and utilizes the Developmental, Acquisitional, Behavioral, and Sensory Integration frame of references.
EDUCATION
Nikki completed her Bachelor’s degree in Health Science and a Master’s degree in
Occupational Therapy at the Dominican University of California.
Samuel graduated from Dominican University of California in 2015 with a B.S. in Biology. While there he participated in research on drug resistance in Malaria and worked as an after school tutor for 1st – 8th graders teaching subjects like Math, Sciences, and English.
Since graduating he has worked in medical settings as a CNA/HHA predominantly aiding families with loved ones with Dementia. While working in that capacity he learned a lot about the people he cared for, picking up on social and body cues, and how to communicate with the team members, patients and families.
His current role at Little Hands allows him to support the clinicians in preparing their fun therapy sessions, organizing the clinic space and interacting with the kiddos during transition in and out of their session.
Whitney has worked with children in school-based, home-based, medical, and outpatient settings. Her experience spans physical and developmental diagnoses, including cerebral palsy, ataxia, seizure disorders, postural disorders, Erb’s Palsy, Down Syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, sensory processing challenges, visual motor and perceptual difficulties, feeding challenges, and developmental delays. Whitney is motivated to help children of all ages experience playfulness and joy while developing new skills, cultivating self-confidence and connecting to others.
Ultimately, she strives to improve the overall quality of life by addressing daily challenges that affect family relationships, friendships, play, school-related tasks, and independence in self-care. Her background as a nanny has provided a strong foundation in identifying the contextual demands of each child’s daily environments. Whitney is committed to providing family-centered care featuring consistent collaboration and communication.
Advanced certifications include:
Whitney has pursued additional training in the following conditions and treatment modalities:
Whitney completed her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Santa Clara University.
Our camps are conveniently organized by month (June & July). Reach out to Emily, our camp coordinator, with any questions.
Emily O’Brien, Clinic Coordinator & Administrator
(415) 758-2768 | eo@littlehandsot.com
Summer Camps