Improve Brain, Body,
​Function and Life

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What Other People Just Like You Are Saying About
​A Rise Above Occupational Therapy

From a Parkinson's patient who had traditional therapy elsewhere:

From a concussion patient when learning about interoception:

From a concussion patient who felt like everywhere else was dismissive:

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A Rise Above: Occupational Therapy Services LLC

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ABOUT OUR OWNER​
​DR. ALICIA REISER, PPOTD,  MS OTR/L, ADHD-RSP

Dr. Alicia Reiser, PPOTD, MS OTR/L, ADHD-RSP, helps teens and adults with neurological conditions think, move and perform everyday tasks better to lead a fulfilling life, even if they didn't even know they needed Occupational Therapy.

Alicia understands that those with brain conditions are SUFFERING A LOSS… a loss of self in terms of who they were yesterday or a loss of expectations for their child.

No one expects to have a sudden brain attack or a progressive neurological disease that slowly takes away their independence.

No one expects to watch their child have difficulty with attention, sensory overload or a typical day at school, especially as a teenager.

Alicia has seen too many active adults feel like this is as good as it gets after going through typical therapy.  She has heard far too often that, “if you don’t get better after three months from your stroke, you won’t improve at all.”

She has also heard time and time again that concussion patients’ eye health is fine and their eye issues will resolve on their own and therapy won’t help.

And lastly, she has seen far too many worried parents and struggling children fly under the radar at school and then realize as a teen that there is something different in the way they learn and how they feel, because they were able to do just enough to get by.

After witnessing these stories over and over, Alicia decided to focus her private practice on those that others have given up on, or were never even identified.  With that, A Rise Above Occupational Therapy was born and has continued to assist those with brain-based deficits succeed in life.

As a mother of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), she understands the struggles of children growing into adults when they have sensory and executive functioning issues and school is excruciating.

As a therapist who has cried with patients when they move their arm for the first time after others have told them it doesn’t move, she understands that it is never too late and that you the patient have not plateaued, but maybe another therapist has plateaued.

She graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Muhlenberg College and went on to complete her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Misericordia University.  Sixteen years later, she went back for her post-professional clinical doctorate in vision remediation from Salus University.

Dr. Reiser is LSVT BIG certified clinician for Parkinson’s Disease, offers Interactive Metronome for auditory processing and learning conditions and has her clinical doctorate in optometrist-directed vision therapy for those with uncomfortable vision.  She is also a member of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA). Alicia is a certified rehabilitation service provider for those with ADHD who struggle with executive functioning skills in the home, school and work settings.  She is trained in The Interoception Curriculum for self-regulation and incorporates this technique, along with Polyvagal Theory, to help her clients improve their symptoms and promote self-regulation in all aspects of their life.

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Meet our Staff

Dr. Meghan Chemidlin, OTD, MS OTR/L, CBIS, ASDCS helps kids, teens, and adults with neurological conditions think, move and perform everyday tasks better even if they feel like they plateaued or never even got identified.

Meghan is an occupational therapist who believes in helping every individual reach their greatest potential. She believes that everyone is a unique individual who should be treated that way. Meghan takes a holistic approach to treatment, taking into account every aspect of the child, teenager or adult. 

Through her own experiences, Meghan understands what it’s like to suffer from a concussion and wants to be there for you as you work together to get back to feeling like yourself. She also gets how kids can fly under the radar or fall through the cracks. She aims to treat every child in a way that makes them feel comfortable and heard.  

Dr. Chemidlin graduated from Elizabethtown College with a B. S. in Health and Occupation and then with a Master's Degree of Science in Occupational Therapy. She later received her clinical doctorate from Elizabethtown College with a concentration in Trauma Informed Care and Interdisciplinary Autism Support. Meghan is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist, a Functional Vision Rehabilitation Specialist, an Autism Spectrum Certified Clinical Specialist and a LSVT BIG Certified Clinician and is trained in both the Alert Program and Interactive Metronome. She has also had the privilege of presenting alongside Kelly Mahler, developer of the Interoception Curriculum and has published with her an Interoception Curriculum for individuals who have sustained concussions. In her free time, Meghan enjoys playing tennis, hiking, eating ice cream and spending time with her puppy. ​

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Alexia DeNardo, MS OTR/L is a dedicated and compassionate occupational therapist who is committed to enhancing the lives of individuals through personalized and holistic therapeutic interventions. Lexi has spearheaded research initiatives aimed at harnessing the potential of smart home technology solutions to empower individuals with disabilities, chronic conditions, and aging-related challenges.

Lexi holds a B.S. in Health Science from The University of Scranton, where a developed passion for helping others inspired her to pursue a career in occupational therapy and receive her Master of Science from Scranton in 2023 as well. Lexi’s expertise lies in developing and implementing innovative strategies that integrate smart home devices into therapeutic interventions, enabling clients to maximize their independence and participation in meaningful activities. At the core of Lexi’s practice is a belief in fostering independence, resilience, and well-being through personalized and compassionate occupational therapy for pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations. In her free time, Lexi enjoys being outside, reading, baking, and spending time with loved ones.

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​Savannah Fehnel, MS OTR/L, born and raised in Easton, PA, is a recent occupational therapy graduate student from Moravian University. Her excitement for occupational therapy began in nursing school, where she quickly made a career change to focus on each patient as a whole. What she loved most about the OT profession was the ability to connect with her patients and truly understand their wants and needs. She values the rapport that can be built with each individual and believes that trust is the true foundation to treatment that will guide the road to recovery. 

Professionally, Savannah has a wide range of experience within the geriatric population, and more recently specialized in interventions for neurological deficits among all age groups. During her free time, she enjoys CrossFit, exploring local vegetarian dishes, and spending time with her friends and family. 

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Karly Fitzpatrick, MS OTR/L, is an occupational therapist committed to helping individuals lead independent, satisfying lives. Through the implementation of creative and customized treatment plans, Karly works to help all patients improve in various activities of daily living. 
Karly received a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from James Madison University in 2021, and then earned a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Towson University in 2023. At Towson, Karly gained a great deal of hands-on experience through her clinical fieldwork placements, helping her develop a strong foundation in therapeutic practices and patient care. 

Karly fulfilled a student work placement in outpatient pediatrics, where she developed client-centered goals and group therapy interventions for kids experiencing various disabilities including hemiparesis, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, and autism. She also brings skills from JFK Inpatient Rehab where she provided evidence-based care to individuals recovering from significant brain injuries. Her dual experience equips her with a unique perspective and a holistic approach to therapy.

​Outside of work, Karly enjoys skiing, running, golfing and spending time with her family.

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Kristy Pereira, PT,  helps patients of all ages with orthopedic and various neurologic conditions recover from injury and improve their quality of life by focusing on the patient as a "whole human" and not just a body part.

Early in her career, she became a McKenzie credentialed practitioner focusing on spinal related pain, however, after years of seeing patients with chronic pain often being passed around the medical community and misunderstood, her career path shifted. It is common for these patients to have poor outcomes in therapy and slowly, they withdraw from their normal routine and often from others. She began taking classes with the NOI (Neuro orthopedic Institute) which focuses on the biopsychosocial style of treatment. This treatment approach takes into consideration all aspects of the patient- from their surroundings/environment, to previous experiences, beliefs and mental health, among other things, and how it influences their pain/symptoms and function. She
often sees patients who have been unsuccessful in the past and frequently have written physical therapy off, however, she is able to educate that patient on new methods and thought processes to re-educate their nervous system to address pain and improve body awareness to help gain their life and a sense of self back.

She graduated in 2002 from Alfred University in upstate NY with a Bachelors degree in Athletic Training and 2005 with a Masters degree in Physical Therapy from D'Youville College in Buffalo, NY. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband and three boys being outdoors, paddle boarding, gardening/homesteading, kayaking, and hot yoga.

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Discover how concussion can have a tremendous impact on Mental Health with Alicia and Beachfront Therapist

Podcast is available here:


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CONCUSSION PODCAST

Read Alicia's latest publication on
"Concussion-related Vision Disorder Practice Patterns in
Occupational Therapy"
​in the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy.​
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Interested in learning more about vision as a therapist?  Join Alicia and Meghan, along with other national leaders on the topic of vision, where they bring you the latest on how OT can treat the client factor of vision in a brand new way.

Pushing the field of OT forward, join Meghan and Interoception expert, Kelly Mahler, and see how interoception is impacted after a concussion, learning how OT can help.

PUBLICATION

VISION COURSE

INTEROCEPTION COURSE

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