Lena ThoresenOTR/L, Owner
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Lena is one of the owners as well as founders of Children's Therapy Solutions Inc.(CTS). CTS was created in 2004 and it’s purpose is to provide a caring and supportive environment for employees as well as families seeking therapy services. Lena graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with her degree in Occupational Therapy. She has over 20 years of experience in her field and has a strong desire to “help people” and work with “difficult and challenging therapy situations.” Lena has worked with many medically fragile children, premature babies, and a variety of families with a multitude of challenges. One of her specialties is working with babies who are diagnosed with Torticollis. She has attended specialized courses in FloorTime, Hippotherapy, Sensory Integration, Reflex Integration, Neuro-Developmental Therapy and Aggression Control Training (ACT) among many other classes. Lena is originally from Norway, speaks fluent Norwegian as well as brings a unique perspective into multicultural living. Lena believes it takes as many adults as possible to help love and raise children. “Parents need all the support they can get, as well as children can never have too many people who love them and look out for them”. Lena enjoys spending time with friends/family, running, volunteering and traveling. |
Megan HallidayM.S., OTR/L, Owner
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Megan obtained her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy at Eastern Kentucky University. Her love for children and helping families brought her into this field. Megan has been with CTS since 2008 and has extensive experience in Sensory Processing Disorders, Handwriting Without Tears and academic based therapies, and feeding therapy utilizing the S.O.S. Feeding Approach. She also has training in the Alert Program for self-regulation, FloorTime, and Brain Gym. Megan connects with families and individualizes treatment to meet the family’s needs. One of her specialties is problem solving difficult situations to create practical solutions to apply in the home setting to maximize progress. Megan enjoys anything outdoors, volunteering with Junior League of Manatee County and other non-profits, spending time with family and friends, traveling, music, and watching sports (Go Rays!). |
Hayley PurdyMarketing Director
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Hayley was born and raised in a small town in Tennessee. She moved to Florida in 2016 and got married. Hayley and her husband have two precious dogs that she adores. Hayley radiates joy and carries the nickname “Sunshine”. With her kind and positive spirit, she is loved by all. She started working at age 16 as a billing specialist. For CTS, since 2017, she has functioned as a billing specialist, HR manager, Assistant to the owners and currently, her position has developed to Director of Marketing. Employees and clients immediately feel comfortable with Hayley, and she gets all the calls where “help is needed”. In her spare time, she is the director of children's services at a local church. In all Hayley does, she is a helper to others. |
Sarah BoyceM.S., CCC-SLP, Speech Mentor
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Sarah received her bachelor’s degree from Calvin College in Michigan and earned her master’s degree from East Tennessee State University. She is trained in Enhanced Milieu Teaching language treatment strategy for early intervention. In addition, Sarah previously worked on a NIH grant, established and led a speech and language clinic and worked as an assistant professor teaching undergraduate students online courses. Sarah also has experience as a clinical supervisor mentoring graduate student clinicians and speech-language pathology assistants. At CTS, Sarah focuses on pediatric evaluation and treatment of early intervention through school-aged children with a variety of disorders using teletherapy as well as providing bilingual speech and language assessment and therapy. Sarah has a working proficiency of Spanish and uses it with her Spanish speaking clientele and families. Sarah’s passions include early speech and language intervention, involving the parent/caregiver in the therapy session, and targeting therapy through play for maximum generalization/carry-over at home. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and sons, exploring new places, spending time with family and friends, and completing furniture/home renovations. |
Jes CostaPT, DPT, PCS, Director of Therapy
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Jessica (Jes) Costa is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy. Jes obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy Degree from the University of South Florida in 2008, and her Bachelor of Science Degree in 2004 from Eckerd College, where she was also a collegiate women’s soccer player. Jes has spent the last 14 year specializing in pediatrics with, with concentrations in fragile infants, torticollis, and myofunctional work. While working in this field, Jes has also published, presented and implemented evidence based evaluations, as well as promoted best practice for infants throughout the CTS system. Jes is also a part of the Women’s Center at CTS where she uses these skills to assist with oral motor feeding, and overall body work on infants postpartum. Jes also has strengths in intensive strengthening/frequency of physical therapy to be utilized in the pediatric population. As well as a strong passion for the sports/orthopedic population. Jes is certified in Infant Massage/Myofascial release, Kinesiotaping for the pediatric population, Serial Casting, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, Pelvic Health in the pediatric population, and Thera-suit Intensive Method. In her free time Jes enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys being active and outside. |
Amanda CrumpM.S., OTR/L, Director of Therapy
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Amanda graduated with her Master of Science degree from Eastern Kentucky University in fall 2008 and has been at Children’s Therapy Solutions since 2009. She had a desire to help others which led her to Occupational Therapy. In fall 2017, Amanda became a Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner, which is a trauma informed approach for working with children who have experienced early life adversities. Through her experiences as an OT and as a foster and adoptive parent, Amanda has a passion for supporting children and their families. She has also completed continuing education courses in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing difficulties, Myofascial release, Interactive Metronome and behavioral interventions. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her children, participating in church activities and watching sports. |