About Us

We believe that people in speech, occupational, and physical therapy are fighters and survivors and that they deserve therapy resources that inspire them.

The medical model is changing. We are shifting away from the top-down medical approach where patients blindly follow the dictations of healthcare providers. We are entering a time of collaborative medicine- where we are co-explorers with our patients. While we don’t have all the answers, and we can’t give them a magical answer/solution to their challenges, we can arm them with information, insights, perspectives, and experience that allows them to make their own informed decisions that align with their personal values and goals.

We believe that the true power of therapy lies in the human connection between therapist and patient. That is your superpower. You shouldn’t have to trade productivity for quality care. You shouldn’t have to spend your time off cobbling together resources. Our goal is to help you save time with the Access Pass, including instant access to printables, live and on-demand courses, and research summaries. With all the time you save, you can spend your energy connecting with your clients and changing lives.

Are you with us?

Everything we create is grounded in the social/empowerment model of care.

Megan Berg, MA, CCC-SLP

Founder
Host of the adult SLP edition of the Resource Roadmap Show

Therapy Insights was founded by Megan Berg, MA, CCC-SLP. Megan spent 8 years as a science communicator before returning to grad school to pursue a career in speech-language pathology. Working and living with scientists from Antarctica to New Zealand to Tanzania built her skills in visually distilling complex information for diverse audiences. In order to capture the science story, she’s gone 5 weeks without a shower, survived 40 below temperatures camping on an ice sheet, and driven 8 hours in first gear of a busted Land Cruiser in the middle of the night across the east African rift. She captures the world in these three words: complex, magnificent, paradoxical.

Megan received her undergraduate degree in history from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand and graduated with a masters in speech-language pathology from the University of Colorado-Boulder. She interned for the Oglala Lakota County School District in Pine Ridge, South Dakota and on the stroke and traumatic brain injury units at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska. She completed her clinical fellowship at the Weld RE-4 school district in Windsor, Colorado. She spent three years serving post-acute care and long-term care with Innovative Rehabilitation and is currently a PRN SLP in western Montana.

Megan brings her broad range of experience as a science communicator to the field of clinical rehabilitation by creating visually engaging, inspirational therapy materials that are balanced with both evidence-based practice and the art of human connection.

Stephanie Henigin, MA, CCC-SLP

Writer and Editor

Stephanie earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Minnesota Duluth. During her professional career, she has provided therapy to adults within a variety of settings including: skilled nursing facility, home health, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, and hospital acute care. Stephanie currently works for Regions Hospital in the acute care and inpatient rehab department within the hospital and outpatient rehab at the Neuroscience Center in St. Paul, MN. She provides therapy to individuals with aphasia, apraxia of speech, brain injury/concussion, cognitive impairments, degenerative diseases, dementia, dysarthria, dysphagia, head and neck cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. Stephanie is also a facilitator for a Minnesota Connect Aphasia Now (MnCAN) conversation group in St. Paul, MN. She enjoys supervising graduate students and helping them develop their clinical skills as they prepare to be future SLP professionals. Stephanie has a passion for continuous learning, teaching other medical professionals about speech language pathology, and advocating for the SLP profession. She is excited to join Therapy Insights and help create innovative and inspiring materials to support SLPs in providing the best patient care. Stephanie describes the world in these three words: fascinating, curious, dynamic.

Melissa (Missy) Haidle, OTR/L

Editor

Missy studied at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho and enrolled in the combined bachelor to master program in Occupational Therapy. She thought that she was going to work with the pediatric population and completed fieldworks in outpatient pediatric clinics serving children with autism and sensory processing disorders, early intervention, and completed her second level II at Shriner’s Children Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Life is funny and during her level II fieldwork in physical dysfunction she was surprised at how much she enjoyed working with the geriatric population. In May 2014 she successfully completed her coursework and passed the National Board Certification for Occupational Therapy. Missy’s first therapy position was with TD Therapy Services based out of Pocatello, Idaho and served primarily at a skilled nursing facility at a critical access hospital, and a rural school district in Southeast Idaho. In 2015 she accepted an occupational therapist position at a skilled nursing facility with Innovative Rehabilitation and has enjoyed the dynamics of the residents, family, colleagues, and healthcare system. Missy enjoys being a fieldwork educator to occupational therapy students by supporting and guiding their clinical skills and critical thinking to provide best patient care. Missy would describe the world in these three words: beautiful, changing, exciting.

Ross Eckstein, DPT, OCS

Writer and Editor

Ross is an experienced outpatient physical therapist practicing in Plains, Montana. He grew up in Colorado before attending Northern Arizona University, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. He then completed PT school and graduated with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2016 from the University of Montana. He treats all varieties of outpatient injuries including orthopaedic, neurological, and cardiopulmonary conditions. His passion is for exercise, diagnostic ultrasound imaging, and orthopedic injuries. He has been board certified as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) since 2019. He develops and edits content for Therapy Insights. In his spare time you are most likely to find him exploring beautiful Montana, reading physical therapy related research, or exercising with his wife and Maltese puppy, Clover.

Bailey Womack, M.S. CCC-SLP

Editor and host of the pediatric SLP edition of the Resource Roadmap Show

Bailey is a pediatric speech-language pathologist and feeding therapist who has worked in schools, outpatient settings, and private practice for the past 8 years. She received her Master’s degree at the University of Vermont. Bailey is thrilled to be a part of Therapy Insights’ mission to provide helpful, evidence-based, and person-centered resources to fellow clinicians everywhere. She is a Nashville native and enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, dog, and family/friends. Additionally, she and her husband are working on opening an outdoor preschool. If she were to describe the world in three words, they would be: extraordinary, challenging, inspiring.

Megan Wilkinson, OTR/L

Writer and Consultant

Megan is an occupational therapist residing in Shaker Heights, OH. Her primary area of expertise is in specialized post-acute neurorehabilitation, but she has also worked in inpatient rehabilitation, and skilled nursing facilities. Additionally, she works as a content writer and consultant for Therapy Insights. She is passionate about providing functional and creative tasks for her patients in order to maximize their independence and make therapy enjoyable! When she’s not working, she loves music, creating art, and exploring the outdoors – with her greatest joy being spending time with her two boys and husband.

Troy Adam, DPT

Writer

Troy graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in exercise science. He went on to graduate with his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Montana in 2016 and has since been working for the University of Montana ever since. He is involved in both patient care and education of current physical therapy students.

In the university’s outpatient clinic, Troy specializes in treating patients who have neurological impairments and those with complex medical diagnoses. He is a certified LSVT Big practitioner as well as a trained therapist in body weight support treadmill training. He is a level two certified clinical instructor, and mentors students in the clinic 7 months out of the year. Troy mainly serves patients with spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, TBI, and MS.

His contributions to the University of Montana’s physical therapy program include laboratory instruction in Anatomy, Musculoskeletal Examination and Evaluation, Foundations of Physical Therapy, Cardiopumonary System, Exercise Physiology, Physical and Electrophysical agents, and Physical Therapy and the Healthcare System.

Troy enjoys living in Missoula, Montana. He is an avid curler during the winter months and loves to spend time on the rivers and in the mountains during the summer.

Tasanyia Sebro-Calderon, MS, CCC-SLP/TSSLD

Writer

Tasanyia Sebro-Calderon is a licensed speech-language pathologist with over 14 years of clinical experience with individuals across the lifespan. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in language & linguistics, and her Master of Science degree in speech-language pathology. She is currently a PhD candidate, and Clinical Science Doctorate candidate. Tasanyia provides speech and swallow intervention, training and resources to individuals domestically and internationally. She is currently the Director of Pediatric Rehabilitation at a medical facility in New York. She is also the CEO of a private practice servicing individuals in New York. Tasanyia is fluent in spoken Creole, French, Spanish and American Sign Language. Tasanyia would describe the world in these three words: divine, karmic, and enigmatic.

John (Johnny) Rider, PhD, OTR/L, MSCS, CEAS

Writer

Johnny earned his Bachelors of Arts in Deaf Studies and Linguistics from Utah Valley University, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Touro University Nevada, and his PhD in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (Rehabilitation Science emphasis) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has practiced in a variety of settings including inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, acute care, home health and hospice, school-based, and primary care. He is a visiting researcher at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and presents nationally on topics related to chronic pain rehabilitation, neurological and orthopedic rehabilitation, and health behavior change. He has advanced training/certification in physical agent modalities, post-concussion management, mental health, ergonomics, functional movement analysis, vestibular rehabilitation, neurodegenerative disorders, and fall prevention. Johnny is currently an Assistant Professor at Touro University Nevada in the School of Occupational Therapy and enjoys exploring beautiful Southern Nevada and Southern Utah with his wife and five children. In his limited spare time, he also works as a certified American Sign Language Interpreter specializing in mental health and medical interpreting. Johnny would describe the world in these three words: intriguing, beautiful, and inspiring.

 

Jennifer Leger, MSP, CCC-SLP, CBIS

Writer

Jennifer earned her bachelor’s degree in Experimental Psychology and master’s degree in Speech Pathology from the University of South Carolina. Jennifer’s passion for the field of speech-language pathology and working with the adult population stemmed from first-hand experience of her father suffering from a stroke at the age of 49, leaving him with both expressive and receptive language deficits or what is known as aphasia. Jennifer’s career began working in private practice with both the pediatric and adult populations; however, she is thankful to now have her dream job as the primary speech pathologist on the Traumatic Brain Injury team at Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, which is now affiliated with Prisma Health – Upstate. Jennifer primarily evaluates and treats speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing skills from a variety of etiologies such as anoxia/hypoxia, brain tumor resection, car accidents, falls, status epilepticcus, stroke, and more, and is also co-leader of an aphasia support group. Jennifer is excited to join the Therapy Insights team and assist with creating ideas and improving her research skills of evidence-based practice. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys watching sports, spending time with her husband, family, friends, and her adorable miniature dachshund, Bentley. Jennifer describes the world in these three words: diverse, encouraging, surprising.

Heidi Miller, M.S. CCC-SLP

Writer

Heidi Miller earned her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech in international relations and after a five-year special education teaching career that took her from Philly to Denver, she headed back to the east coast and earned her master’s from the University of Tennessee in speech language pathology. Heidi and her family now live in southwest Virginia where she currently works as a pediatric SLP for a rural health network where she serves patients in an outpatient clinic, early intervention home-based services, and newborns in labor and delivery. Heidi has extensive experience working with kids with receptive, expressive, and pragmatic language disorders. In her current position, she has developed a passion for infant feeding and swallowing challenges and has worked to build up support for this population in her rural community. Heidi firmly believes knowledge is power and access is imperative. Part of our job as therapists is to provide not only services and support to our patients, but also to their families and caregivers and is committed to ensuring that all patients and all communities have access to quality therapy services. In her free time, Heidi enjoys spending time with her husband, young daughter, and two pups. They all find joy in hiking together, cooking together, and watching sports.

Kate Hawkins, M.A., CCC-SLP

Writer

Kate studied at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities for both her undergraduate and graduate studies in Speech Language Hearing Sciences. She first gained interest in speech pathology after working as a personal care assistant in high school and bringing her client to therapy appointments. She recently returned to school, receiving a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas. She vows to be a life-long learner, which connected her with the innovative Therapy Insights team.

Kate’s clinical experience includes work with the pediatric population in the inpatient and outpatient settings, and work with adults in the home setting and in a skilled nursing facility. She enjoys working with people across the lifespan and finds joy collaborating with families and caregivers across settings. Her passions include patient advocacy, education, and coaching others to help them achieve their goals.

Kate lives in Minneapolis with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t working or buried in research articles, Kate enjoys gardening, scrapbooking, playing tennis, baking, and going on long bike rides with family and friends.

Shweta Subramani, PT, MHS, CLT

Host of the PT edition of the Resource Roadmap Show

Shweta was born and raised in Mumbai, India. She completed her bachelor’s in physical therapy from India in 2011 and graduated with a master’s degree in health sciences from the University of Indianapolis with emphasis in neurological physical therapy. She has a passion for geriatrics and has experience working in skilled nursing and outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation. She is the past vice chair and current secretary of the APTA Geriatrics Balance and Falls Special Interest group and holds certifications in Lymphedema, Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall prevention, LSVT Big, and is a Certified Exercise Expert in Aging Adults. She loves reading in her spare time.

Karissa Simon, MS, OTR/L

Host of the OT edition of the Resource Roadmap Show

Karissa is an occupational therapist in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She was born and raised in Maryland where she earned her Bachelors and Masters of Science at Towson University in 2013. She went on to work for two years at Johns Hopkins as an acute care therapist specializing in neurological disorders and has since worked in a variety of settings including acute care, short term rehabilitation and outpatient. In 2016 Karissa became LSVT-BIG certified. Karissa is now the occupational therapist for an assisted living where she enjoys helping her residents to age in place through the use of meaningful occupations, compensatory techniques and home modification. In her free time Karissa enjoys spending time with her husband and two children exploring the beauty of nature.

Cultural Expansion Cooperative

Our mission is to foster conversations, create resources, and hold space so that a broader base of backgrounds, life experiences, and cultures can be integrated into the fields of speech, occupational, and physical therapy. As historically monolithic groups with deeply ingrained patterns of beliefs, behaviors, and unconscious agreements to keep things the way they always have been, we are missing out on an extraordinary range of humanity. We as clinicians suffer because there is no fertile soil for truly innovative and expansive ideas, which at their core, require the push and pull of different perspectives. Our clients suffer because we collectively do not have the tools, resources, or capacity to truly meet them where they are. Let’s change this.

Glenn Handoko, OTD

Cultural Expansion Coop: Health Literacy Team

Glenn was born and raised in Indonesia. He studied biochemistry at the University of California at San Diego, CA where he earned his bachelors degree. After a few years of exploring career opportunities in biotechnology, Glenn decided to go back to graduate school for the doctorate of occupational therapy—this time in Bismarck, North Dakota. He is loving his new life in North Dakota and graduated in April of 2021.

Jilliane Marai Lagus, MS, CCC-SLP

Cultural Expansion Coop: Health Literacy Team

Jilliane completed her B.S. in speech pathology at the University of the Philippines-Manila and her M.S. Communication Disorders at the University of Texas-Dallas. Currently a medical SLP in Seattle, WA, she will matriculate into the Ph.D. Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences program at The University of Texas-Austin in Fall 2021. While her primary research focus and clinical practice do encompass geriatric practice, dysphagia, and data science, her pastimes include audiobooks, biking, paddle boarding, and learning new languages.

Minal Kadam, MA, CCC-SLP

Cultural Expansion Coop: Safe Space Team

Minal was raised on Long Island, NY where she completed her undergraduate degree and Stony Brook University. She went on to the University of Connecticut where she received her Masters in speech-language pathology. She has been working with adults in the outpatient setting for the past 4 years. She has previously worked in skilled nursing facilities and in an inpatient rehabilitation hospital. She has special interests in cognitive rehabilitation and voice therapy. When she is not working, she enjoys singing, reading, and walking on the cranberry bogs with her dog, Felix. Minal is excited to join Therapy Insights in building more diversity and inclusion in the field of rehabilitation.

Kristina Doyle, M.S., CCC-SLP

Cultural Expansion Coop: Podcast Team

Kristina (she/her) is a bilingual, Latine speech-language pathologist residing in Minneapolis, MN. Kristina primarily works with the pediatric population and has a strong passion for providing speech therapy to bilingual children, children with fluency disorders, and individuals seeking transgender voice modification. Kristina graduated with her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 2016 and completed her graduate degree at New York University with an Advanced Certificate in Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology from Columbia University in 2020.

Christopher Rorke B.Speech-Language Hearing Therapy

Cultural Expansion Coop: Podcast Team

Christopher is a cisgender, homosexual married man with a beautiful 4-year-old daughter by surrogacy. After completing his honors degree in speech therapy, he worked for 3 years in primary health care in Khayelitsha, Cape Town’s largest township servicing the district hospital and many community health clinics within the metro district health system. In 2017, he started his private practice in Cape Town with a focus on the pediatric population. During this time, he also worked at New Somerset Hospital focusing on adult and pediatric acute care. He previously trained as a professional singer in London (Royal Academy of Music) and has a passion for working with voice pathology.

Jenan Maaz, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIS

Cultural Expansion Coop: Podcast Team

Jenan is an acute care speech-language pathologist at a Level 1 Trauma Center in California with primary interests in dysphagia and aphasia. She is a doctoral candidate at Northwestern’s Doctorate of Speech Pathology (SLPD). Jenan is MBSImp Certified, SPEAK OUT! Certified, and a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. She performs MBSS and FEES in the acute care setting. Jenan has experience in acute care, acute rehab, SNF/subacute, outpatient, and home health primarily with adults.

Stephanie T. Lewis, M.S., M.A. Ed., CCC-SLP

Cultural Expansion Coop: Outreach Team

Stephanie T. Lewis is a certified early childhood educator, early childhood special educator and speech-language pathologist (SLP). She is passionate about working with young children and supporting parents with their child’s social and emotional development. Currently, Stephanie works as an SLP within a public school system. As a first generation college graduate (Howard University and GWU) and a daughter of Jamaican immigrants, it’s important to Stephanie to help contribute to a field that has allowed her to have a voice by paying it forward to students and/or other clinicians who may not know how to effortlessly stumble into your purpose.

Susie Nam, MS, CCC-SLP

Cultural Expansion Coop: Outreach Team

Susie is a medical speech-language pathologist in Los Angeles. She was a Norman Topping Scholar at the University of Southern California where she received a bachelor’s in Psychology and Neuroscience followed by completion of post-baccalaureate and Master of Science in Communication Disorders and Sciences at the University of Oregon. As a first-generation college student and second-generation American, she is passionate about minority recruitment and tailoring healthcare delivery to meet the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of all patients.