Featured Providers
Looking for a provider to help your child or clinic?
These OTs, PTs, SLPs, family coaches, and other service providers have elected to be RITP Featured Providers.
Featured Providers
Looking for a provider to help your child or clinic?
These OTs, PTs, SLPs, family coaches, and other service providers are RITP Featured Providers.
Brittney Higgins
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
Hi everyone I'm Brittney! I am an occupational therapist in the state of Illinois. I am very passionate about utilizing a play based approach with my patients as well as taking a holistic view to truly determine how to help each individual patient. Reflex integration is something that I am very passionate about. I want to share my knowledge and continue to help patients, parents, and teachers better understand the influence that primitive reflexes have on daily life.
Carrie Punger
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
Carrie earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at New England Institute of Technology in Rhode Island. Carrie comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Carrie has practiced in school-based settings, private practice, and in an Autism Clinic. Carrie specializes in working with children to address sensory integration, reflex integration, and vision challenges. Carrie is trained in Brain Gym, Visual Rehabilitation for Pediatrics, and Primitive Reflexes. Carrie is a certified level 1 specialist in Handwriting without Tears and is trained in Bal-a-vis-X (a rhythm program that addresses visual tracking deficiencies and auditory imprecision, impulsivity, balance and anxiety issues). Additionally, Carrie has trained in RISE (Reflex Integration to Support Education. Carrie is additionally trained in Therapeutic Listening a program designed to impact the nervous system to increase attention, balance, body awareness and control, communication, social engagement and organization of sensory input and Astronaut Training, a protocol designed to provide precise input to all vestibular receptors, this protocol assists in integrating the vestibular-auditory-visual triad. Carrie has previously worked as a COTA and vision therapist. Carrie takes pride in creating a unique, personalized treatment experience for her patients. When not working and learning, Carrie enjoys time with her family and friends, spending time outdoors hiking and kayaking, learning to play the guitar, reading, journaling, and crafting of all types.
Chantelle Meckenstock
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
Since 2010, I have been helping children improve their handwriting. My experience in a transdisciplinary therapy team from 1994-1995 gave me valuable insights into effective assessment and intervention programs for children's motor skills. This knowledge has profoundly influenced my approach to teaching and supporting children with reading, handwriting, and language challenges.
I began tutoring in 2010 and have successfully worked with many children facing handwriting difficulties, including my own two children. Collaborating with occupational and vision therapists, I addressed their handwriting challenges and discovered the importance of integrating primitive reflexes. This led me to become certified in Reflex Integration Therapy through Play with Kokeb Macdonald.
Now, I focus on helping children with handwriting issues, incorporating these specialized techniques into my therapeutic programs.
Danielle Kyman
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
Danielle received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from A.T. Still in 2019 and has worked in the pediatric home health setting since graduation. She is the owner of In Motion Pediatric Physical Therapy and is also adjunct faculty for the pediatric classes at A.T. Still. She has experience treating a wide range of diagnoses focusing on ages 3-20. She recognizes the joy and value each of her patients bring to the world and treats with a holistic play-based approach. Danielle lives at home with her husband, their son, dog Bella and bearded dragon Benny. She loves to travel (Banff is at the top of her list so far!), spend time with family, hike, bake and relax in her hammock.
Erin Blake
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
I am a pediatric occupational therapist providing services for children with exceptional abilities and injuries. I help children improve their abilities in order to function independently and functionally within their environments such as home, school, community, and sports/extracurricular activities. I am passionate about serving children ages 0-21 with exceptional abilities and injuries in order to function in their best ability independently by providing therapeutic strategies and concepts. Some of the services I provide are kid’s yoga, handwriting, fine motor development, primitive reflex sessions, feeding therapy, kinesio-taping, sensory-integration, and community involvement/collaboration.
Faye Diskin
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
I am an Occupational Therapist with over 33 years of pediatric experience most of them in the area of inpatient pediatric rehabilitation. I have most recently became interested in the area of primitive reflexes and was intrigued by what I was learning and decided to pursue further education and certification in this area. I am currently working with a neuro optometrist. I am originally from the East Coast (NJ) but have been living in Northern CA for 28 years. I enjoy working with children, being outdoors in nature including camping , walking , and riding bikes. I am married and live with my 3 rescue dogs.
Fran Rubio-Katz
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
Fran Rubio-Katz, also known as Coach Franny, is a parent, professional educator, and the founder of Mindful-Ish®, an online parent education and coaching program. With over twenty-five years of experience, she has been guiding schools and families in Mindfulness-Based Social-Emotional Learning (MBSEL) and responsive, holistic behavior management.
As a thought leader in human potential, Coach Franny's expertise lies in recognizing the best in others, particularly children with challenging or concerning behaviors and providing optimal support for them and their home and school families.
Leah Hawks
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
I am a full time working Mom with 3 very active boys. After several years in adult rehabilitation, including acute care and long term care clients, I now get to work as a school based OT, covering 5 campuses in Calhoun County, MS.
Krystle Lopez
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
The very best part of being a pediatric therapist is seeing the smiles & weight lifted that happens when a child and his or her community feel like they’ve reached a new level of ability and peace!
An OT for 15 years, I’ve always had a special love for connecting with families by learning personal interests and goals and empowering families to incorporate workable solutions via meaningful activities based on routines, goals and interests.
I specialize in primitive reflexes, sensory integration, handwriting, emotional awareness/regulation, toilet training, and coordination and see kids of all ages.
In addition to helping kiddos, my approach includes a specific and tailored plan for parents to guide and empower you with the tools needed for success. I love also collaborating with caregivers, teachers, coaches, and/or other service providers your child may have in his or her life.
If we sound like a great fit I’d be honored to help you!
Melissa Biedak
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
Hi I'm Melissa!
As a Podiatrist and Art Therapist with a special interest in paediatrics and supporting neurodiverse children, I am committed to helping children explore and realise their full potential. My approach is child-led and play-based, rooted in a deep understanding of primitive reflex integration. I provide holistic, individualised therapy that fosters development in:
Emotional Regulation
Executive Functioning
Cognitive Abilities
Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Motor Coordination
Planning Skills
Biomechanics (foot posture and gait)
All my therapeutic strategies are aimed at aiding the transition to mainstream schooling and life. Creating a nurturing and safe environment where children and adolescents can freely explore their inner world without judgement is central to my practice.
Tera Timmons
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
Tera is a wife, mom to four incredible kids, and an occupational therapist with 20+ years experience.
Tera is a proud graduate of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington and has worked in a variety of settings as an occupational therapist to include hospitals, schools, outpatient settings, and private homes.
She has extensive training the use of sensory processing strategies, reflex integration, feeding and using functional play to achieve individual and family goals.
Renee Coetzee
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
Renee has a passion for working with children struggling with barriers to learning and development.
In 2005 she completed her degree in Human Movement Science at the University of the Free State, South Africa and in 2006 her Honours degree in Kinderkinetics at the University of the North West, South Africa.
As a movement specialist with a specific interest in pediatrics she has enriched her learning with courses related to movement and its importance to the maturation and development of the brain.
Kitchel Scheufler
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
I am a pediatric occupational therapist who has practiced over 25 years and currently I own a private practice, Top Therapy, located in Wichita, Kansas. We provide OT and PT pediatric services with a focus on providing a holistic and collaborative treatment model utilizing a variety of interventions including, DMI, TMR and TASES.
Victoria Scattini OTR/L
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
My name is Victoria. I have a degree in Kinesiology and earned my Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University. I have a special interest in the brain-body connection, particularly as it relates to mental health and I enjoy working with children to support their self-esteem and confidence to engage, play, and learn to their full potential. I advocate for more movement and less screen time for children and strongly believe in the Model of Human Occupation as my guiding framework in supporting children in activities that bring them a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and set them on a positive trajectory for the rest of their lives. I have many roles and occupations, but my top ones include being a wife, sister, teacher, learner, hiker, beach explorer, cook, and dog mom.
Wendy Grossman
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
I am a pediatric physical therapist and have worked in outpatient and early intervention settings, as well as school based settings. The majority of my career has been spent with birth-5 years of age. I enjoy collaborating with other team members to help children make progress and enjoy teaching families and school staff how to incorporate activities into their day to help their children progress.
Xue Yi Khoo
Occupational Therapist • Illinois
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
brittney.higgins142@gmail.com
At Star Whale Occupational Therapy, we believe in the power of play and purposeful activities to unlock the full potential of our clients.
Our dedicated occupational therapy services are designed to create a nurturing environment where children, adolescents and adults can thrive, learn, and develop essential life skills.