Growing up I lived in a neighborhood with many children, who, like myself, had endless energy. I used to love to create new outdoor activities for all the kids in the neighborhood. I craved movement participating in gymnastics, ballet, track, bike riding and any other outdoor activity I could come up with.
At the age of 19, I worked as a fitness instructor, to help satisfy my own need to move. My passion for horses began during my first year of college, when I enrolled in a gym class on horseback riding. I fell in love with the way the horse’s movement while riding, brought me a sense of peace. I couldn’t get enough of this sense of calm while around them and tending to them.
I purchased my 2-year-old horse named Diamond Clipper during this time at college, and loved him for his entire 34 years of life. I managed to keep Clipper after transferring to Quinnipiac College, where I attended OT school. While studying at Quinnipiac, I learned about hippotherapy, and knew that I wanted to eventually utilize the horses’ movement as one of my treatment tools. I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Occupational Therapy.
I landed my first job working at North Shore University hospital in acute care rehab. After working there for two years, I decided I wanted to work solely with children, and I haven’t looked back since. Children bring me joy. Shortly after working in pediatrics, I obtained certification in administration and interpretation of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT).
In 2005, after taking numerous continuing education classes given by The American Hippotherapy Association, I started using hippotherapy as a treatment tool at Pal-O-Mine Equestrian.
In 2011, I opened my own practice: Occupational Therapy in Motion, PLLC, located at the beautiful 13-acre Pal-O-Mine Equestrian facility in Islandia, and at a spacious therapy clinic located 4 miles from the equestrian center in Hauppauge.
It is a joy and a privilege to combine my passion for working with children, with the unique experience of working with horses and other animals. Having these opportunities for flexibility and creativity within my profession, not only engages my patients using the natural environment, influencing spontaneous motor changes, but most importantly, promotes fun and engagement during challenging therapy sessions.
I have been an occupational therapist for 34 years, and I absolutely love what I do.
