Raleigh, MS,OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Bio:
Raleigh graduated from Ithaca College in 2018. At Ithaca her graduate research project investigated outdoor play and how it can be utilized in occupational therapy practice. Nature-based OT continues to be a passion of hers today. Raleigh enjoys connecting with families and other professionals for a holistic approach to care. Raleigh practices neurodiversity affirming therapy with a strengths-based approach to promote autonomy and self-advocacy. She has worked in a 0-3 program in her home state of Rhode Island then in an outpatient clinic with 0-21 year olds in Massachusetts before moving to Connecticut. Raleigh also has experience working as a 1:1 caregiver. She enjoys working with a wide variety of abilities and especially likes to work on executive functioning, play, and visual motor skills.

Education:

• Bachelors degree in occupational science

• Masters degree in occupational therapy

Certifications:

• De-escalation training

• Visional techniques for eye movement disorders

• Nature based therapy

• CPR and First Aid

• National board certification in occupational therapy

Personal Quote:
“Go outside.” – Raleigh

Favorite color: 
Blue and dark green

Interests:
Raleigh likes to go to the beach and on long hikes with her dogs. She also enjoys sitting around a fire with friends and family or cozying up with a good book.

Beth, SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Bio:
Beth has been an SLP for over 8 years. She has worked in private practice and the hospital setting with clients from ages 6 months to 95 years. Beth enjoys all aspects of speech-language pathology, but especially motor speech, language, and feeding disorders. She loves watching children gain new skills, learn about their environments, and grow.

Education:

• Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Misericordia University

Certifications:

• Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology

• Connecticut Speech-Language Pathology license

• Colorado Speech-Language Pathology license

• Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT) Trained

• Beckman Oral Motor Protocol trained

• Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to feeding trained

• Basic Life Support Certification

Personal Quote:
“Life is tough, but if I can help children and their families figure out a small part of it, it’s been a great day.” – Beth

Favorite color:
Purple

Interests:
In her free time, Beth loves to be outside, read, run, hike, swim, and cook.

Larissa, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Bio:
Larissa has seven years of experience as a pediatric occupational therapist in settings ranging from outpatient clinics to public and private schools. She enjoys using a creative, playful approach to help her clients achieve their goals while also having fun. Some of her areas of interest include fine motor skills, picky eating, and visual processing. Larissa is also passionate about nature-based free play opportunities for children.

Education:

• Master of Occupational Therapy from Bay Path University

Certifications:

• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Personal Quote:
“All kids and families do well when they can and it is my role as an OT to ensure they can by teaching skills and removing barriers.” – Larissa (adapted from Ross Greene’s collaborative problem solving)

Favorite color:
Purple

Interests:
Hiking, reading, puzzles and traveling with my family

Kayla, COTA/L

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Bio:
Kayla has worked as an Occupational Therapy Assistant since 2020 and has experience in pediatrics in School-based OT as well as the geriatric and adult population in Skilled Nursing Facilities. Kayla has worked with children with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and Down Syndrome. Kayla enjoys making therapeutic activities that are fun and meaningful that build confidence in children as they work towards their goals.

Education:

• Associate of  Science in Occupational therapy Assistant

Certifications:

• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

• American Heart Association – Heartsaver for K-12 Schools CPR/AED

Personal Quote:
“My goal as an Occupational Therapy Assistant at Therapy Kinections is to help children learn and grow to be successful in their daily lives. I believe in a holistic, multi-disciplinary, and collaborative approach to therapy and to provide a safe and welcoming environment for children to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.” – Kayla

Favorite color:
Pink

Interests:
Kayla likes to swim, paint, know, bake and try new arts and crafts

Danielle, MS OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Bio:
Danielle has been an Occupational Therapist for 13 years working primarily in pediatrics in a private special needs school for 10 years and various outpatient pediatric clinics. She has a passion for enhancing a child’s skills through a play based client centered approach incorporating sensory strategies . Danielle has extensive experience working with adolescents primarily with Autism and other neurological disorders with a focus on Activities of Daily Living skills, prevocational, and functional bases activities. Danielle is dedicated to working collaboratively with the children and their families to enhance their skills to live a happy and meaningful life.

Education:

• Masters of Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University

Certification:

• National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy

• Connecticut State Licensure in Occupational Therapy

Personal Quote:
“As an Occupational Therapist at Therapy Kinections I strive to enhance the lives of not only the child, but also the families through a multidisciplinary approach incorporating fun and engaging play-based activities.”
– Danielle

Favorite color:
Blue

Interests:
Spending time with my family, going out and trying new restaurants and watching movies

Dave Friebel

Business Manager

Bio:
Dave has been working with his wife Lynn, owner of Therapy Kinections, since its inception. Dave’s work experience has been broad and multi-faceted. He graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from Rochester Institute of Technology. Shortly into his career, he was guided down the path of implementing factory automation computerized systems. Subsequently, Dave also entered into consulting as well as marketing and sales. All of these work experiences have proved vital to his support of Therapy Kinections.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology

Certifications:

• Dale Carnegie Course

• CPR and First Aid

Personal Quote:
“I have seen many changes throughout the almost two decades since Therapy Kinections started, however, the best changes I like to see are the ones relating to the “kiddos” improvements and subsequent graduation from Therapy Kinections.” – Dave

Favorite Color:
Purple

Interests:
Dave enjoys reading, working on puzzles and always striving to learn new things.

Diane, PT

Physical Therapist

Bio:
Diane has been in the physical therapy field for over 25 years with a specialty in pediatrics. She has worked with all ages and in a variety of settings including outpatient, home care, school setting, and aquatics. She enjoys the creativity and flexibility that is a must when working with children. She works hard to help her clients increase their independence by enhancing their abilities to reach their full potential, all while having fun. She collaborates with families to direct them to resources and obtain the best possible outcome for their child.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Connecticut

Personal Quote:
“It is gratifying to help people and make a positive difference in their lives”. – Diane

Favorite Color:
Blue

Interests:
Outside of work, Diane enjoys coaching the Ridgefield Special Olympics swim team on which her daughter, Faith, who has Prader-Willi Syndrome, is a member.

Lauren

Patient Scheduler

Bio:
Lauren has worked in several health and wellness fields including massage, chiropractic, and dermatology. Lauren was a massage therapist for close to 10 years and found joy in the relief she was able to bring to her clients as well as the relationships she formed with them. She has always been passionate about helping others and connecting with people throughout their wellness journey. Since taking on a different roll in client care she strives to be a kind, helpful resource for people and their families to make sure their experience is positive from beginning to end.

Education:

• Branford Hall Career Institute: Massage Therapy

Certifications:

• Massage Therapy

Personal Quote:
“I think Cinderella said it best ~ We must simply have courage and be kind.”

Favorite Color:
Olive Green

Interests:
Lauren loves to bake cupcakes and other goodies for her friends and family! She also enjoys reading, working on puzzles, and spending time on walks (or the couch) with her dog, Arwen.

Chelsea

Occupational Therapist

Chelsea has been in the occupational therapy field for 1 year (new grad)

I started out as a Pre-K teacher and eventually decided I wanted to make more of an impact by becoming a COTA and working more closely with children on a personal more individualized level.

Credentials:
COTA/L

Certifications:
HIPAA, Birth To Three

Education:
B.S. in health science A.A.S. occupational therapy assistant

Interests:
Dedicated to my family, and hiking.

Your best accomplishments:
Running a marathon

Personal Quote:

“As a pediatric COTA at TK, I am driven to work with children to help them grow and become more independent every day.“
— Chelsea

Andrea, MA, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Bio:
Andrea has been in the field of Speech-Language Pathology for over 7 years, with special interest in the pediatric population. Over the past 7+ years, she has worked in the pediatric outpatient setting as part of a multi-disciplinary team of therapists. She assesses, evaluates, and treats a variety of speech, language, voice, social/pragmatic communication, and fluency disorders. In addition to individual treatment sessions, she has organized and implemented various social skills and early language development groups. She enjoys participating in outside organizations, such as the Special Olympics. Specific diagnoses that she has had the pleasure of working with include Down Syndrome, Hearing Loss, Cerebral Palsy, Genitopatellar syndrome, Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Autism Spectrum Disorder, KAT6A Syndrome, Microcephaly, Visually Impaired, Central Auditory Processing Disorder, Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome, Traumatic Brain Injury, Behavioral Disorders, Anophthalmia, Phonological/Articulation Disorder, Receptive/Expressive Language Disorder, Fluency Disorder, Voice Disorder, and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Andrea’s passion has always been working with the pediatric population and incorporating caregivers into her sessions. She enjoys facilitating language growth through fun activities such as playing games and singing songs. She enjoys working closely with her occupational and physical therapy co-workers to provide the best intervention for her patients.

Education:

• Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology

• Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders

• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

• Certifications:

• Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology

• Connecticut State License in Speech-Language Pathology

• CPR and First Aid

Personal Quote:
“Working with my amazing patients and their families at Therapy Kinections is what drives me to be the best therapist I can be”. – Andrea

Favorite Color:
Pink and Purple

Interests:
Andrea loves to spend time with family and friends, continue to grow her pollinator garden, and embroidery.

Kawana, SLP-A

Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant

Bio:
Kawana has worked in this field for 16 years with specialties in ABA, Autism, speech therapy, special needs, school settings, and private practice. Her best accomplishments are helping her students/clients achieve their goals.

Education:

• B.A. in Communication Disorders from Southern Connecticut State University

Certifications:

• CT and NC SLPA certified

Personal Quote:
“Always cultivate good thoughts and remain positive.” – Kawana

Favorite Color:
Pink

Interests:
Traveling, trying new recipes/restaurants, listening to music, designer thrifting, ziplining and gardening

Kimberly

Accounts Receivable Coordinator

Bio:
As an Accounts Receivable Coordinator at TK, Kim is driven to work with children and their loving families to help them on the financial side. She currently works with so many wonderful families and enjoys being able to help them any way she can. Managing the Accounts Receivables enables TK to thrive, grows the business, creates opportunities to invest in new technologies, and accomplishes whatever goals we may want or need to make the business be the best it can be.

Favorite Color:
Red

Interests:
When Kim is not working, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, reading, walking, and photography.

Jen, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Bio:
Jennifer has been working as an Occupational Therapist for over 23 years with a concentration in school-based practice. Jennifer also has experience in early intervention.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University

Certifications:

• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Personal Quote:
“As an Occupational Therapist at TK, I am driven to work with children and their loving family to continue my growth as a therapist in the area of pediatrics. ” – Jen

Interests:
Jen loves spending time with her family, especially at the beach!

Jennifer

Patient Scheduler

Bio:
As a Patient Scheduler for Therapy Kinections, Jen is happy to be a first point of contact for parents seeking therapy for their child(ren). Jen is enthusiastic in her approach with parents and wants to support their journey through what can seem like uncharted territory. Jen has personal experience with early intervention therapies, as her son has Autism. She can attest to the positive results that therapy provides!

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Certifications:

• Certified Medical Administrative Assistant

Personal Quote:
“Choose to see the good-it’s there, even if it’s hiding.” – Jennifer

Favorite Color:
Green

Interests:
Jennifer likes to read, spend time at the beach, go shelling and crafting.

Laura

Healthcare Insurance Specialist

Bio:
Laura has been in Healthcare for the past 34 years. She joined our team in January, 2025. It is her pleasure to assist and advocate for our kiddos and parents.

Certifications:

• BLS, CPR, AED

• Yellow Belt Gemba

• Notary, State of Connecticut

Personal Quote:
“If you can’t find Kindness, be Kindness.” – Laura

Favorite Color:
Green

Interests:
Laura has six cats and loves them all so much. I also care for a special feral cat that comes to eat twice a day and he also has his own heated house for winter. Laura enjoys working in the yard and gardening in the warm months. Laura enjoys traveling to Portugal as it is her favorite place besides Long Sands Beach in York, Maine.

Lindsey, OTD, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Bio:
Lindsey recently earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree where she consistently achieved academic honors and completed a senior research project: Occupational Therapy and Artificial Intelligence: A Collaborative Approach to Improve Quality of Life While Recovering from Concussion. During her studies, she completed her Level II Fieldwork experiences at an acute inpatient rehab unit and an outpatient pediatric center, gaining hands-on experience with adults and kids. She also attended the AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association) INSPIRE 2023 Annual Conference & Expo held in Kansas City, Missouri to gain a deeper understanding of the evolving profession and to stay current with evidence-based practices. Lindsey was actively involved in campus life, serving as the Treasurer and Member of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA), Co-Chair of Pre-Occupational Therapy Committee, Peer Mentor to incoming students, Ethics Committee Student Representative, and Member and Facilitator of the Banquet Committee. She is excited to begin her professional journey and make a positive impact on the lives of children and families.

Education:
Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Western New England University

Certifications:

• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

• Dementia Friends of Massachusetts: Dementia Training

• Mental Health First Aid Training: Adult Mental Health

Personal Quote:
“The more people I can positively impact, the more fulfilled I feel.” – Lindsey

Favorite Color:
Mint green

Interests:
Lindsey likes to go hiking, traveling, and spending time at the beach with friends and family.

Janice

Occupational Therapist

I have been in the field of occupational therapy for over 22 years, working with children and families within the school setting and pediatric outpatient setting.

I received my Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Hartford in 1999. I have maintained my National Board Certification in OT since that time. I am certified in sensory integration and administering the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test. I also have experience with the Handwriting Without Tears program, the Wilson Foundations program, the Alert program and the Zones of Regulation program.

As an occupational therapist at TK, I strive to support the families of the children that I work with and provide children with the tools and strategies that they need to become more independent and successful in their daily life skills.

My best accomplishments are my three children. My husband and I spend a lot of time driving them to and from practices, games, and tournaments. I love watching them play in all of their volleyball, basketball and lacrosse games. I enjoy spending time with my family whether it’s a sporting event, playing board games or kayaking at a nearby lake.”

Desiree, COTA/L

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Bio:
Desiree has been in the Occupational Therapy field for 5 years with specialties and experience in pediatrics, servicing children with special needs and medical and physical disabilities. She has worked with children and families for over 26 years in various settings, first as a caretaker, then as a teacher and assistant director in a learning center, and lastly as an Occupational Therapist for Therapy Kinections. Desiree is dedicated to helping and supporting children and families in all capacities. She values her work as an Occupational Therapist and the positive impact she has on the families she services. She loves working with the pediatric population and wants to be able to help as many children as she can, in all aspects of their lives. This profession allows her the opportunity to do that holistically, while also being a supporter and advocate for families on their journey.

Education:

• Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant from Goodwin University

Certifications:

• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Personal Quote:
“As a COTA, I am dedicated to providing support, skilled services and advocacy to the children I service and their loving families, so that they can navigate their challenges successfully and with hope for their child’s future.” – Desiree

Favorite Color:
Lavender

Interests:
Desiree likes to spend time vacationing in Cape Cod and camping with her family.

Sarah, M.S. CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Bio:
Sarah has been in the field of Speech-Language Pathology since 2022 and has worked in a variety of settings including schools, university clinics, CT Birth to Three, and private practice. She has experience working with a variety of diagnoses including ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Fragile X, articulation and phonological disorders, fluency disorders, expressive/receptive language disorders, social communication disorders, and dysphagia. While she enjoys all aspects of her work as an SLP, she particularly enjoys working with early language development and articulation/phonological disorders. Outside of the clinic, Sarah remains active as a teacher and choreographer for children’s theater and dance, bringing her passion for the arts and child development into her work as an SLP. She prioritizes a play-based, total communication approach, and loves collaborating with families and children to reach their individual goals.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders

• Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Southern Connecticut State University.

Certifications:

• Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology

• Connecticut Speech-Language Pathology license

• CPR and First Aid

Personal Quote:
“To me, communication is a human right. I love working with families and kids to build these skills and watch them grow!” – Sarah

Favorite Color:
Blue

Interests:
Sarah enjoys skiing, hiking, playing board games, and baking.

Linda, PT

Physical Therapist

Education:
Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy

Certifications:
CPR and First Aid

Favorite Color:
Black

Lynn Friebel, OTR/L

FOUNDER & Occupational Therapist

Bio:
Lynn has been an occupational therapist for almost 40 years, and most of her time has been involved in treating the pediatric population. Lynn started Therapy Kinections over 17 years ago as she saw the need to help children outside of the school system. Her first year at Therapy Kinections was spent in a small building on Route 67 in Southbury where she started seeing children after school hours. It only had a single therapy room. She invested in a few swings, a therapy ball, and some small items to help with fine motor skills. She then expanded to a much larger office in Woodbury and was there for 3 years. After that, she moved into the current office that Therapy Kinections is now in and she is celebrating her 14th year at this location! Therapy Kinections also proudly offers Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology to encourage continuity of care for all children. Although Lynn is no longer taking new patients, her dreams and aspirations make Therapy Kinections what it is today and she still enjoys the idea that many families can be helped and guided through their journey! She loves seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces as they have fun working on their skills while playing fun games and activities with the therapists.

Education:

• Bachelors of Science in Occupational Therapy

Certifications:

• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

• Sensory Integration and Praxis Testing

• Craniosacral Therapy

• Therapeutic Listening

• Feeding Therapy

• CPR and First Aid

Lynn’s proudest accomplishment with regards to certifications is being trained in Animal Assisted Therapy, as she and Bradley (our therapy dog who recently retired) have made a huge impact on all of the children!

Personal Quote:
“I have always wanted to help others achieve many goals and I feel that it is important to help the whole family, including parents, grandparents, and siblings”. – Lynn

Favorite Color:
Orange

Interests:
Lynn’s favorite things to do outside of Therapy Kinections are to read and go to the beach.