Pediatric Therapists in Redwood City, California

Rebecca Berry, MS, PT, Clinic Director

Becky has been an active pediatric physical therapist on the mid-peninsula since 1985, most recently as co-founder of Developmental Pathways for Kids in 1997. She received her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California. For over twenty-five years, she has provided physical therapy evaluation and treatment for infants and children with mild to severe developmental delays. In addition to direct patient services, Becky has served as coordinator of a multidisciplinary pediatric team at Mills-Peninsula Hospitals and provided consultative services to schools throughout the Bay Area. Her expertise and areas of interest include Autism Spectrum and Sensory Processing Disorders as they relate to peer socialization and play. She has completed research on the DPK Model Combining Sensory Integration and Integrated Playgroups and is a conference presenter throughout the United States.

In her practice, she combines advanced training in NDT and Sensory Integration Theory and Practices as well as expertise in Integrated Playgroups, the ALERT Program, DIR/Floortime, and Therapeutic Listening. She has co-authored the book, Pathways to Play! Combining Sensory Integration and Integrated Playgroups and is the author of Hearts and Hands Together a story of inclusion.

Diana A. Smith, M.A.-CCC-SLP

Diana graduated with a Masters in Communicative Disorders from the University of the Pacific in 1989. She has been working in pediatrics/early intervention since 1990. Diana holds a California state license, the American Speech and Hearing Association’s Certificate of Clinical Competence, and a Rehabilitative Services Credential. She has been an Infant Developmental Specialist for the Regional Center and was an integral part in changing coding and policy to increase services for the 0-3 population. Diana is the recipient of 2 ACE awards from the American Speech and Hearing Association’s Continuing Education Board. A large part of her continuing education has focused on courses increasing her understanding of the whole child (sensory-motor disorders, oral motor, feeding, and nutrition). She is NDT, PROMPT and SCERTS trained and has also received training in Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking Program and DIR/Floortime. Over the past two decades, Diana has worked with a wide variety of children and her areas of specialty are Autism Spectrum Disorders, oral motor speech disorders, auditory processing disorder, and social pragmatic language disorders.

Shannon Nasser, M.S., OTR/L

Shannon received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University. She brings with her experience from a variety of settings, which helps her to incorporate multiple perspectives into her practice. Shannon has provided comprehensive therapy to infants, children, and adolescents with mild to severe developmental delays due to a wide variety of diagnoses. She has experience with providing occupational therapy services in outpatient hospital rehabilitation, outpatient mental health, and most recently a private clinic setting. Shannon’s background consists of providing unique and specialized community-based mental health services to at-risk youth in San Francisco through the Occupational Therapy Training Program. Additionally, Shannon continues to expand her knowledge as an occupational therapist through her work in transitional care for older adults.

Shannon has received post-professional, advanced training in Sensory Integration Theory and Intervention through the USC/WPS professional program. Additionally, she utilizes numerous therapy approaches including Handwriting Without Tears, the Alert Program for Self Regulation, Zones of Regulation, and Therapeutic Listening. Shannon recently completed an advanced internship training program in the Integrated Play Groups model at DPK. She also has experience with the development of gross motor and fine motor skills, visual motor and perceptual skill development, and facilitating self-care skills in children. Shannon is passionate about making each relationship unique and creating a safe and intrinsically motivating environment in which children can develop the necessary skills to be active and fulfilled members of their own lives.

Jennifer Berry Wang M.A., LMFT

Jennifer has been providing therapeutic services to children, teens, adults, and families since 2009. Currently, she is working in private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #98916) at Developmental Pathways for Kids.

Jennifer specializes in providing therapeutic services to children and families affected by neurodevelopmental disorders, especially those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Additionally, she provides individual and family counseling to children, teens, and adults experiencing a range of clinical and non-clinical issues. These include: Anxiety Disorders, Disruptive, Impulse-control and Conduct Disorders, and Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders. She relies on attachment theory and family systems theory as foundational orientations to psychotherapy. Within her sessions, she uses systems therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR therapy, expressive arts therapy, mindfulness-based treatments, sensory-based strategies, and Social Thinking® framework to enhance the healing process.

Jennifer received her master’s in Counseling Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California after she completed her bachelor”s degree in Psychology at the University of Southern California as a Dean’s Scholar. She completed two clinical internships in private practice before she became licensed where she worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families treating a range of psychiatric issues. She completed her traineeship at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (2013-2014) where she provided trauma-based counseling services to children and families in clinic and school-based settings. Before graduate school, she worked as a behavioral therapist and behavioral consultant to children with ASD within the clinic, home, and school-based settings at Lovaas Institute, Los Angeles, and Steps Therapy, San Francisco, CA.

Abby Pucillo, M.A. OTR/L

Abby received her master’s degree in occupational therapy from San Jose State University. She has had experience working in a variety of different pediatric settings providing treatment to children with a variety of ages and diagnoses. Prior to graduating with her OT degree, Abby had a background working in an integrated preschool classroom environment, special needs classrooms for preschool to high school-aged children, and working as a counselor at an adaptive sports camp for children with a variety of physical disabilities. Additionally, she has provided OT services in the acute care unit at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, led occupational therapy groups in the juvenile detention center through the OTTP program in San Francisco, and provided outpatient mental health rehabilitation services with the R.E.A.C.H. program at Momentum for Mental Health.

Abby utilizes a variety of therapy approaches including Handwriting Without Tears, Therapeutic Listening, the Social Thinking curriculum, and Zones of Regulation. Abby recently completed an advanced internship for Sensory Integration and Practice and in the Integrated Play Group Model at DPK. Abby helps to motivate each child by integrating skill development into fun, exciting, and child-specific activities. Abby believes it is very important to include the child as well as their family in the therapeutic process in order to provide holistic OT services that are beneficial in every aspect of the client’s life.

Abby is also the creator and owner of Sense of Wonder, LLC. With a variety of activities to choose from and options for themed monthly memberships, Sense of Wonder delivers sensory play activities for children of all ages and abilities. Each purchase includes all supplies needed to get started and helps to build cognitive, developmental, and social skills. These activities are a perfect way to build upon and practice all of the hard skill work your child is doing in therapy and school.

You can visit the website at www.senseofwonderplay.com

Clarice Lai, M.A. OTR/L

Clarice received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before attending graduate school, she gained experience working with children on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and children with ADHD in a school setting as a behavior interventionist. She also worked as an instructional aide at a boarding school for children with severe physical and intellectual disabilities. Clarice has provided OT services in a variety of settings, including outpatient clinics, elementary school through high school, a group home, and a rehabilitation hospital. She specializes in assessment and intervention for children with developmental disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorders, Down Syndrome, learning disabilities, and developmental delay.

Clarice has received advanced training and mentorship in Sensory Integration Theory and Intervention from occupational therapists who studied with A. Jean Ayres. Within her sessions, she utilizes strategies from the Social Thinking curriculum, Zones of Regulation, Handwriting Without Tears, and DIR/Floortime, Therapeutic Listening, and Quick shifts. Clarice is passionate about collaborating with families and providing their children with tools to succeed in all aspects of their lives.

Kalina Kotseva, MScA, OTR/L

Kalina received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2016 in pursuit of her passion to work with kids.

She has experience providing occupational therapy services in a variety of settings, including schools, homes and private clinics. During that time she has gained skills to assess kids’ functioning and help them improve their skills across their activities of daily living to the best of their ability.

She specializes in assessment and intervention for children with developmental conditions including: Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorders, genetic conditions, learning disabilities, and developmental delay.

Among the strategies Kalina uses throughout her practice are: Handwriting Without Tears; Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP); Zones of Regulation (ZoR) and Social Thinking; Reflex integration, Sensory processing and modulation; strategies to improve independence of kids with ASD; yoga; Zumbini and Zimba for kids.

Kalina believes in parents’ participation and parents-therapist collaboration to help children to be successful in all areas of life. Kalina is passionate about making each relationship productive and creating a safe and motivating environment in which children can explore functional skills and gain confidence to become active participants on the playground, at school and at home.

Rachel Meinel, M.S., OTR/L

Rachel has been practicing as a pediatric occupational therapist since 2004 in a variety of pediatric settings including elementary schools, middle school, preschool, home-based early intervention, hospital based, and private. Rachel has completed her STAR Center Level 1 Mentorship in sensory processing. She has post-graduate training in DIRFloortime, Zones of Regulation, Reflex Integration, Safe Sound Protocol, and Handwriting Without Tears. Rachel has a strong interest in working with families and their children with challenges in sensory processing, fine and visual motor and perceptual delays, dysgraphia/handwriting difficulties, and praxis skills. She believes deeply in fostering the relationship and collaboration between the child’s team including parents, teachers, caregivers, and health care providers is what makes it all come together for the child. Rachel graduated from the University of Washington with a Master’s in Occupational Therapy.

Juliana Hsu, M.A., OTR/L

I have been an occupational therapist since 2011, specializing in pediatric populations with neurodiversity and a wide range of developmental functioning. I am proficient with procedures that will help you and me understand your child’s developmental challenges and design an intervention to improve your child’s functioning.

I have been an OT working in the school district and have extensive experience working on a multidisciplinary team to provide evaluations, therapeutic intervention in the classroom and community and establishing therapeutic goals for success. I work with parents as a team to address the goals you have for your child across settings.

Additionally, I have developed a social skills program for preschool-aged children in collaboration with speech therapists in the preschool setting.

I am proficient with standardized evaluations, clinical reasoning, and intervention in motor development and sensory integration (SI). I have extensive experience in various therapy modalities, including SI-based equipment, Handwriting Without Tears® art therapy, music and rhythm interventions, and yoga. I have certification in Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT). I am familiar with feeding protocols and oral motor assessment to support children with limited food in their repertoire.

My goal is to work with children and families who are looking to improve their child’s ability to participate in his/her daily roles by providing individualized OT interventions and parent collaboration.

I am a mom of three boys, and they are 7, 4, and 1 year old. We enjoy making omelets and waffles on Saturday mornings and going for hikes. Lately, we have been exploring and camping in the nearby state parks.