April is OT Month!

We Love This Time of Year!

April is OT Month and ERI is thrilled to celebrate this vital profession. We are honored to serve our community of Occupational Therapists who help both children and adults flourish in their overall well-being and independence through engaging them in meaningful activities. Thank you for all that you do!

Meet ERI’s OT Faculty!

We are so happy to highlight and share our amazing OT faculty with you! 

Anne Buckley-Reen, OTR, RYT has taught with ERI since 2005. She has been a practicing pediatric therapist for 30+ years and a pioneer in the use of yoga as a therapeutic modality for nearly 20 years. Her work with yoga has been researched, published and cited in numerous journal articles and is the foundation for a researched preparatory program widely used in NYC schools special needs classrooms.

Motor Issues in Autism is Anne’s popular ERI course and teaches therapists how to more effectively expand engagement in clients with ASD while answering questions about self-stimulatory behaviors, preservation, and reactive or self-directed behaviors. This course is scheduled for the following dates and registration is now open:

Janine Wiskind Janine Wiskind, MS, OTR/L has been teaching as an ERI faculty member for the past 11 years. As a pediatric occupational therapist, beginning her career in brain injury, Janine cultivated her specific concentration in vision, which has, in turn, led her to specialize in primitive reflex integration. Working for inpatient rehab, outpatient, home health, the school system, and now within her own clinic has provided Janine with an extensive opportunity to work with a variety of pediatric populations and has led to her diverse array of expertise. 

Janine’s well-known course with ERI is Primitive Reflexes: Strategies to Promote Integration – Strengthening Foundational Skills and teaches therapists how to effectively evaluate primitive reflexes and utilize a functional and play-based approach to primitive reflex integration. This course is scheduled for the following dates and registration is now open:

Holly Schifsky, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC, CBIS has worked with ERI for over 7 years. She has been in pediatrics for the past 27 years with the past 16 years in a level IV NICU. She is a Certified Neonatal Therapist, Certified Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapist, Certified Brain Injury therapist, a member of National Association of Neonatal Therapists, and has completed 6-month mentorship in infant/child NDT.

Holly has worked within the NICU and NICU follow-up clinic to maximize patient and family outcomes for the most complex premature and medically-fragile term infant. She is the recipient of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists Clinical Excellence award in 2018, due to her clinical expertise and dedication to advancing the therapeutic interventions for NICU infants with cardiopulmonary conditions. Holly will be presenting the following courses and registration is now open:

Melissa Gerber, OTD, OTR/LMelissa Gerber, OTD, OTR/L has been with ERI for the past 7 years. Dr. Gerber is a seasoned and respected clinician with extensive experience in pediatrics. She began her career in Adult/Pediatric inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation and acute care. Currently, Dr. Gerber has been working for the Great Neck Public Schools for the past 22 years. She is president of 4MYKIDSOT, a private practice where she provides therapy and evaluations.

Dr. Gerber is enthusiastic to share her experiences and provide strategies that can be incorporated immediately. She is also affiliated with Puzzle Art Therapy, and enjoys sharing this program. 

Dana Kizer, OT has a special interest in feeding and sensory processing. Dana has worked in a variety of pediatric settings including a pediatric hospital, specialty clinic, private practice, and home health. She has presented on feeding therapy and interventions nationally and across virtual platforms. Dana is a published author on the subject of pediatric feeding disorders and currently volunteers her time with Feeding Matters by serving on the Family Advisory Council to help families navigate the complex world of pediatric feeding disorders.

Dana brings a family perspective to her treatments and teaching experiences as her initial experience with feeding therapy occurred when she would accompany her younger brother to his feeding therapy appointments. She has seen first-hand the difference therapy can make in the lives of patients and their families. Dana will be co-presenting the following courses and registration is now open: