My Story

I have years of experience working with both children and adults impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injuries and Genetic Disorders, as well as anxiety, impulsivity and sensory processing issues.

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I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA and attended Purdue University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. I then moved to the DC area to attend the University of Maryland, and earned a master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology. My internships in the school system and the Kennedy-Krieger Institute exposed me to autism and started my journey into the field of neurological disabilities.

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My career as a Speech-Language Pathologist led me into the public school system, where I worked with many children with a wide range of difficulty, from Speech and Language delays to autism. I eventually transitioned into starting a private practice working with children with autism in their homes. During this time, I was both exhilarated and curious about my work. I felt that I was helping children with autism learn to talk, but not addressing the core issues.

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It was that curiosity that drove me to continue my study of autism. I attended many seminars and conferences. I spent hundreds of hours on the Internet and reading books. After moving my family to North Carolina,  I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Steven Gutstein, the founder of RDI™, speak at a conference. I remember the gratitude I felt hearing him articulate the difficulties that people with autism experience daily. And I remember the relief I felt when he began mapping a way to address difficulties with dynamic communication and thinking directly. I earned my first Certification in RDI™ in 2004, and since then I have been recertified five times.

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My work within RDI sparked a desire to know more about the deeper issues around anxiety, sensory processing and focus and attention issues. I learned that those issues are associated with the subcortical areas of the brain, which led to further curiosity into how to therapeutically address those brain structures. Then, I found the Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI) method, which addresses the non-conscious functions of the brainstem via repatterning of retained/pathological primitive reflexes.  The MNRI helps with concentration and focus, sensory processing, fight/flight responses and anxiety as well as many other issues.  While studying to become a Core Specialist in the MNRI Method, I began to truly appreciate the body-brain connection and its importance for basic abilities such as feeling safe in one’s body and processing the information that is typically processed subconsciously. I have been a Core Specialist in MNRI Method since 2016 and also serve as an Instructor in the methodology.  My work in MNRI has opened many possibilities for children and adults with many different types of neurological issues.