Alyssa is a passionate Occupational Therapist with experience working with infants, children, and teens with various developmental delays and diagnoses. She takes a child-led, play-based approach to therapy, aiming to build a trusting, enjoyable relationship that allows each child’s unique interests and personality to be explored. By fostering an environment where children feel seen and understood, Alyssa helps them make meaningful progress across areas such as gross and fine motor skills, sensory processing, executive functioning, hand-writing, self-regulation, and activities of daily living.

Alyssa is certified in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding and has pursued specialized training in areas including handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears), sensory processing, feeding, and autism spectrum disorders. She is also trained in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and holds certifications to administer both the Chedoke McMaster Stroke Assessment and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

Alyssa earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Western University and her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Health Studies from Queen’s University. She is a registered member of the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO) and is also affiliated with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) and the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists (OSOT). Alyssa is deeply committed to ongoing professional development to provide the highest quality care for her clients.

With a holistic approach, Alyssa looks forward to collaborating with families to support children in building confidence, developing essential skills, and fully participating in their growth and development.

Alyssa is a passionate Occupational Therapist with experience working with infants, children, and... Read More

Deb Brand holds an Early Childhood Education Diploma from Seneca College, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ryerson University, and a Bachelor of Education degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto.

With over 30 years of experience working with neurodivergent children, Deb has served in many roles — including respite care provider, tutor, school board support staff, Reading Specialist, Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) and classroom teacher. Deb has been with the York Region District School Board for over 25 years. As both an educator and a mother of two amazing and neurodivergent teens, she brings not only professional expertise but also deep personal understanding to her work.

Deb is passionate about creating learning environments that celebrate each child’s unique strengths. She believes in meeting students where they are, supporting their individual learning styles, and fostering both growth and confidence. Her goal is to help every learner feel capable, valued, and inspired. Deb is very excited to be a part of the socialskilled team!

Deb Brand holds an Early Childhood Education Diploma from Seneca College, a Bachelor of Arts degr... Read More

Michelle Brown is a caring and knowledgeable Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) with over 20 years of experience teaching in York Region. A proud graduate of McMaster University (Honours Bachelor of Commerce, 1997) and Queen’s University (Honours Bachelor of Education, 2002), she is a Special Education Specialist who has supported students in a variety of settings, including reading intervention programs and ASD community classes.

Michelle lives in Sutton with her husband, along with their cat and dog. Outside the classroom, she enjoys crocheting, cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs and Blue Jays, and exploring North America in her RV. Her daughter is currently studying Microbiology at the University of Guelph.

Michelle is passionate about helping children reach their full potential and supporting families as they navigate their child’s learning journey. She strives to create a warm, encouraging environment where every child feels seen, supported, and proud of their growth. She is excited to connect with families and students in her role at socialskilled.

Michelle Brown is a caring and knowledgeable Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) with over 20 years o... Read More

Kerri is a mom to two awesome kids and two dogs. She grew up in Aurora, went to the University of Guelph where she got a BA, and continued her studies at Ottawa University where she got her Bachelor of Education.

Kerri began teaching in the early 2000s and her first position was at a school for kids with many different learning abilities. The school used Direct Instruction programs for their academic subjects so she had the opportunity hands-on training and professional development. It was amazing to see her students progress so quickly using these programs.

Fast forward to the present day. She has two amazing children with their own learning differences. During lockdowns, she was able to see where they needed support and was able to implement many of the Direct Instruction principles to support them with their online learning. Supporting her kids and seeing their success gave her the confidence to open up my services to support other students with reading and spelling. She loves seeing her students gain confidence, tackle challenging concepts with perseverance, and to learn how to turn mistakes into learning experiences.

Kerri is also an experienced Family Mentor and has supported parents through Children’s Treatment Network’s Family Mentor program. She looks forward to helping support children and families at socialskilled.

Kerri is a mom to two awesome kids and two dogs. She grew up in Aurora, went to the University of... Read More

Growing up, Rachel always loved working with kids whether it was babysitting neighbours or teaching swimming lessons. She then went to the University of Guelph to study Political Science where she came to realize teaching was her passion. With a hunger for travel, Rachel moved to Wales, in the United Kingdom to earn her Teaching degree. She then moved to London, England and taught there for 2 years before heading home.

Rachel has been working for the YRDSB for 6 years now working exclusively in Community Classes with students of a variety of exceptionalities. Her calm, kind and caring approach to her students supports building relationships and promotes a positive learning environment. Her experience with the board has helped her to have a strengths-based approach to student success with a particular focus on student interest in guiding her programming.

Rachel looks forward to working with a variety of different students at socialskilled and collaborating with families to develop achievable goals. She will take each student’s needs into account to promote success and progress!

Growing up, Rachel always loved working with kids whether it was babysitting neighbours or teachi... Read More

Reese is an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) who works with the York Region District School Board (YRSDB). She holds a Bachelor of Education from York University and a Bachelor of Arts from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Reese started her education journey as a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), primarily working with children and families in several EarlyON centres in York Region. Throughout these experiences, Reese has gained a great deal of expertise in supporting children and their families to foster healthy relationships to best support their growth and development.

In the present day, Reese is growing her educational experience as an Occasional Teacher in YRDSB with a specific interest in Special Education and working with students with ADHD. She is currently pursuing her Additional Qualification in Special Education through Trent University. In addition to her work as an Occasional Teacher, Reese has also built meaningful relationships with students through private tutoring. Ultimately, Reese is dedicated to making education meaningful and accessible for all students.

Reese is an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) who works with the York Region District School Board ... Read More

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Stephanie Rhys is a dedicated Clinical Social Worker and certified Play Therapist, specializing in attachment, Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), and complex special needs, all viewed through a trauma-focused lens. She completed her Master’s in Clinical Social Work from the University of Toronto in 2014, within the “Children and Families” stream. In 2014, Stephanie achieved certification in Play Therapy from the Canadian Association for Play Therapy, further enriching her therapeutic toolbox with creative and effective methods to connect with children and youth.

With a profound passion for mental health, Stephanie employs evidence-based practices, including trauma-focused interventions, to provide comprehensive support to children, youth, and families. Her approach creates a secure space for therapeutic exploration, utilizing play-based interventions to nurture growth and healing. Stephanie places a strong emphasis on collaborating with caregivers to harness their strengths and collectively achieve therapeutic goals. As an advocate within healthcare and education systems, she ensures that families receive integrated care tailored to their unique needs.

Stephanie Rhys is a dedicated Clinical Social Worker and certified Play Therapist, specializing i... Read More

Billie Schulman is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, where she earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree and Yeshiva University where she earned her Master of Social Work at Yeshiva University. She is registered as a social worker with the OCSWSSW.

Billie’s commitment to nurturing children’s growth and development is complimented by her specialized expertise in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - Level 2 certification. This training equips her with a strong understanding of psychological principles and evidence-based techniques. Armed with this knowledge, Billie works to foster a supportive and empathetic environment where children can comfortably explore their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours.

CBT - Level 2 certification empowers Billie to effectively address a wide range of challenges that children may encounter, from anxiety and depression to self-regulation and trauma. By utilizing proven CBT strategies, she aims to help her young clients develop essential coping skills, challenge negative thought patterns, and build resilience, with her passionate guidance and evidence-based interventions.

Billie Schulman is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, where she earned her Bachelor o... Read More

Sarah graduated from Queen’s University with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2021. Prior to this, she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at York University. Since graduating she has worked as an occupational therapist supporting a variety of client populations and has had the pleasure of supporting various early intervention programs (Entry to School, Play Project).

Sarah has experience in supporting children in understanding and developing their sensory-motor profile, social communication, interoceptive awareness, and gross and fine motor skills. Sarah has had training in the DIR/Floortime approach and is PLAY project certified.

Sarah is excited to collaborate with families to best support their child! She takes a holistic approach, hoping to use what the child is interested in to develop various skills and generalize those skills to their everyday lives. When she is not working you can find her teaching dance, enjoying music, knitting and playing DnD!

Sarah graduated from Queen’s University with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2021.... Read More