crystal NASUTI, ms otr/l

Clinical Director/ Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Crystal has experience practicing with the pediatric population in school-based, out-patient and home-based settings. She continues to better serve her clients by staying up-to-date on the latest research and continues to strive to never stop learning by attending multiple continuing educations courses to further add skills to her “OT Toolbox”.

Crystal has additional certifications in :

• Handwriting Without Tears, a sensory-motor based handwriting program for children from nursery school age and up!

• She also is an Advanced Mentored Clinician in Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) by the Star Institute. This mentorship provided Crystal with a deeper knowledge about sensory processing difficulties, access to research supporting sensory integration interventions, reasoning model for evaluation of SPD and tools in order to use the “STAR PROCESS” in her own practice. Crystal is extremely passionate about sensory integration intervention process and continues to incorporate this theory into her daily sessions.

• Crystal is certified to administer the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) by the Integrated Listening Systems. The Safe and Sound Protocol is a 5-day intervention designed to reduced auditory sensitivities and reduced stress/anxiety while enhancing your child’s social engagement as well as resilience.( ILS, 2018).

• Crystal is a certified DIRFloortime Practitioner. The DIR Model is a comprehensive framework which enables clinicians, parents and educators to construct a program tailored to the child’s unique challenges and strengths.
  
  While the DIR model helps us understand and promote the positive development of all children, DIRFloortime is most commonly utilized with children with educational, social-emotional, mental health, and/or developmental challenges.
  
  DIRFloortime has become most widely known as an approach to support children with with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). You can read more about DIR: https://www.icdl.com/parents/abaordir (ICDL, 2020)

• Most Recent Research on DIR Floortime: CEA_January_2021.pdf (aota.org)
  

• Crystal completed The Masgutova Method®/MNRI (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration) Dynamic and Postural Integration Certification in Fall 2021. This Method uses reflex patterns to awake the genetic sensory-motor memory to make it faster and easier for the nervous system to self-restore the impaired functions. This can include- movement of the body (inability to walk, poor function), functions of vision (poor eye tracking and ocular vestibular abilities), hearing (poor decoding of words affecting comprehension), focusing, memory recall, thinking processes, emotional and behavioral regulation and more. You can read more about the MNRI method here: Svetlana Masgutova Educational Institute | FAQ (masgutovamethod.com)

• In 2023, Crystal completed The Foundations of Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing - Feed the Peds Continuing education course. A comprehensive 12-week course to becoming a pediatric feeding therapist that focuses on early development. The course taught information on Normal Prenatal Development & Birth to 6 Months, 6 Months to 1 Year, 1-2 Years and Beyond, Assessment, Treatment, Tethered Oral Tissues, Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, & Various Medical Complications (NICU, craniofacial disorders, neurological, cardiac and/or gastrointestinal issues, airway considerations), instrumental assessments and the IDDSI framework.
  

• Fun Fact : Crystal LOVES pickleball, Family game nights and is a Toddler boy mom :) !

Melissa is our office manager at Sensory Stars and will be the first smiling face you will see when you enter our doors! She is the point person who will handle all of your family’s needs during your time with us at Sensory Stars. She has a degree in business administration and is a former preschool teacher with CDA certification. Melissa has always loved working with children and looks forward to meeting you and your child! She prides herself in creating a safe and friendly environment for all.

Fun Facts: Melissa is a true crime junkie, loves to do crafts, loves Disney and her favorite color is pink !

Stephanie is a registered and New York State licensed pediatric occupational therapist who has her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Salus University. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a minor in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Stephanie has experience in a variety of pediatric settings including outpatient, school-based, Early Intervention, and providing services virtually via teletherapy. She is experienced with working with children with a variety of diagnoses and delays to improve their fine motor skills, visual motor and visual perceptual skills, sensory processing, self-care skills, and more! Stephanie is a certified DIRFloortime Practitioner. The DIR Model is a comprehensive framework which enables clinicians, parents and educators to construct a program tailored to the child’s unique challenges and strengths.

Stephanie enjoys working with children of all ages and is passionate about helping children increase their independence in activities that are meaningful to them and their families. She prioritizes using evidence-based research to design treatment sessions that are both effective and meaningful to the children and families that she works with.

Fun Fact:Stephanie enjoys the beach, spending time with friends and family, and reading!

Olivia is a registered and New York State licensed occupational therapist who obtained her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Stony Brook University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from James Madison University.

Olivia is excited to begin with Sensory Stars this school year in the field of pediatrics, a passion she discovered during her time at Stony Brook working with children having a variety of diagnoses including autism, ADHD, sensory processing and conduct disorders.

Olivia’s empathetic manner and strong interpersonal skills allow her to form meaningful connections with each child she treats.  She is creative in her approach and likes to think outside the box when working to assist each child achieve their goals so they can go on to live meaningful lives.

Fun Fact:Olivia loves cooking, going on walks with her dog, and is an avid reader!

Alexa is a registered and New York State licensed occupational therapist who graduated from the New York Institute of Technology with her doctorate in Occupational Therapy. She graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science in Health Behavior Science.

Alexa has experience in various settings, including school-based, early intervention, inpatient rehabilitation, and hand therapy. Alexa is very excited to work with children at Sensory Stars, as working with the pediatric population has always been her passion. She has experience working with children with a variety of diagnoses, such as autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome.

As part of her doctoral capstone, Alexa created and implemented a virtual OT-led support group for siblings of people with disabilities at a community center. Alexa loves working with children with disabilities, as well as their siblings and other family members, as her older brother has autism, which led her to pursue a career in OT. Engaging all members of the child’s family is essential to enabling a child’s success in achieving goals!

Alexa is motivated and passionate about working with children to increase their quality of life in a fun and interactive way. She utilizes child-led therapy and is creative with intervention planning by using evidence-based practice, the child's interests, and collaborating with colleagues.

Fun Fact: Alexa loves anything that has to do with Disney, Harry Potter, or Taylor Swift!

Rachel is a registered and licensed occupational therapist who has achieved a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from American International College as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Dietetics from SUNY Oneonta.

Throughout her occupational therapy career, Rachel has worked with pediatric and geriatric populations. Rachel has experience working with children with various developmental delays, deficits, and diagnoses such as ADHD, autism, and sensory processing deficits.  

Rachel’s expertise is providing client-centered interventions that promote fine motor, visual motor, visual perceptual, and gross motor development. Rachel also has experience improving one’s overall strength, balance, and coordination to allow for increased independence, safety, and ease with daily tasks, routines, and activities.

Rachel prioritizes developing and implementing interventions that not only build upon a child’s current skills but also incorporate the child’s preferred activities, tasks, and interests.

Fun Fact: Rachel loves snowboarding, going on runs and hikes, and spending time with friends and family.

Victoria is a pediatric speech- language pathologist certified by the American Speech- Language-Hearing Association and licensed by the state of New York.

She has experience in: evaluation and treatment of speech and language skills within multiple settings of different populations including: Nassau County CPSE/ CSE, NYC CPSE/CSE, home based care, developmental preschools and private clinics.

Victoria’s expertise include: fluency disorders, articulation & phonology disorders, literacy development and intervention, expressive & receptive language, auditory processing disorders, pediatric feeding and pragmatic language. Victoria is a certified DIRFloortime Practitioner. The DIR Model is a comprehensive framework which enables clinicians, parents and educators to construct a program tailored to the child’s unique challenges and strengths. Victoria is also PROMPT trained (PROMPTS for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets).Victoria also completed The Foundations of Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing - Feed the Peds Continuing education course. A comprehensive 12-week course to becoming a pediatric feeding therapist that focuses on early development. The course taught information on Normal Prenatal Development & Birth to 6 Months, 6 Months to 1 Year, 1-2 Years and Beyond, Assessment, Treatment, Tethered Oral Tissues, Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, & Various Medical Complications (NICU, craniofacial disorders, neurological, cardiac and/or gastrointestinal issues, airway considerations), instrumental assessments and the IDDSI framework.

She is devoted and loves helping children by using her expertise and inter-professional collaboration.

Fun Facts: Victoria loves to take long walks with her dog Coco and enjoys going to the beach!

Delaney is certified by the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed in the State of New York as a Speech-Language Pathologist. Delaney received her Bachelor's degree in Cognitive Science with a concentration in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Delaware and her Master's degree from the University of the District of Columbia.

Delaney's love for speech and language therapy began when she worked as a Speech Language Pathology-Assistant (SLP-A) for a private practice in Maryland during her college and graduate years. She had the opportunity of working in the home, office, and school settings treating children and adults ages 6 months to adulthood with a variety of speech and language disorders. Following graduate school, Delaney completed her Clinical Fellowship Year at a private practice serving the Early Intervention population.

Delaney has experience working with clients with a diverse range of: speech/language delays and disorders including but not limited to Expressive/Receptive Disorders, Articulation, Apraxia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Aphasia and Feeding/Swallowing Disorders.

Fun fact: Delaney loves spending time with family and friends, running outside, and taking her golden retriever to the beach!

Kristen is certified by the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed in the State of New York as a Speech-Language Pathologist. Kristen received her Bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Long Island University (LIU) Post and her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Molloy University. 

She is a pediatric therapist with experience practicing in school-based, home-based, and clinic/office settings, treating children from 15 months to 10 years old with a variety of speech and language disorders. Following graduate school, Kristen completed her Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) at an agency serving the Early Intervention (EI) and Preschool (CPSE) population.

Kristen specializes in speech sound disorders (articulation and phonology), receptive & expressive language delays and disorders, pragmatic language delays and disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Kristen is also PROMPT (PROMPTS for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) and Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) trained.

She is passionate and loves helping children meet their therapy goals through intrinsic motivation and collaboration. Her sessions are child-led and play-based with a strong emphasis on building rapport, as well as incorporating sensory regulation and movement breaks when needed in her sessions. Kristen is a dedicated life-long learner and is continuing her education/training in pediatric feeding/swallowing and myofunctional therapy.

Fun Fact: Kristen loves the beach, reading a good book with her tea or coffee and ANYTHING Harry Potter !!

Aileen is a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist. Aileen received her Bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Maryland and her Master’s degree from Long Island University (LIU) Post.  She works full-time at a speech-pathology practice.

Aileen has experience working with: articulation and phonology disorders, fluency disorders, autism spectrum disorder, expressive/receptive language delays, social/pragmatic language disorders, motor planning disorders, apraxia, pediatric feeding, aphasia, orofacial myofunctional disorders, and augmentative and alternative (AAC) systems.

Aileen has training in PROMPT and Myofunctional therapy.

Fun fact: Aileen loves to travel and has been to 15 countries!

Jenna is a New York State licensed speech-language pathologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

She is a pediatric therapist with experience practicing in school-based, home-based and private practice settings. Jenna specializes in treating individuals with receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation and phonological disorders, oral facial muscle weakness, pragmatic language delays and feeding disorders. She is experienced in working with clients using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Jenna believes each and every client is unique and tailors her therapy sessions to best meet their needs. 

Jenna attends continuing education courses to expand her knowledge base and enhance her skills. She has completed professional training in PROMPT (PROMPTS For Reconstructing Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets), Lively Letters, Langmore Foundation FEES Course and PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) Level I and Level II. 

Fun Fact: Jenna loves the beach, yoga and going to the gym.

Beth is a New York State licensed physical therapist who received her B.S. and Doctorate of Physical Therapy from SUNY Stony Brook with extensive post graduate in-service and graduate coursework.

She has over 30 years experience working as a physical therapist with the pediatric population varying from newborns through high school in a variety of settings including public schools, specialized private schools, hospitals, private practice and home care.

Beth specializes in working with children with multiple disabilities, CP, ASD, head trauma and developmental delay. She is extremely passionate about advocating for the needs of the child and building a relationship with each child that she works with.

Fun Fact: She loves carousels and old houses!

Kaitlyn is a New York State licensed physical therapist. She obtained her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Northeastern University. Kaitlyn has experience working with children in a multitude of settings, including the sensory gym, school/daycare setting and  home environment. 

Kaitlyn enjoys working with children with a variety of diagnoses and musculoskeletal conditions. She is passionate about helping children and their families achieve their goals. 

In addition to being a caring provider, Kaitlyn holds a strong belief in the importance of purposeful play. She has been published as an expert contributor in Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine and on Motherly.com

Fun Fact: Kaitlyn is a mom of 3, who enjoys spending time with family and friends. 

Holly is a registered and New York State licensed physical therapist who received her doctoral degree from The University of Scranton. She has a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, minor in Psychology, and concentration in Nutrition from The University of Scranton.

Holly has worked with the pediatric and geriatric populations in a variety of settings including Nassau and Suffolk County CPSE/CSE, home based care, school, and sensory gym. Holly enjoys working with the pediatric population, providing dynamic and engaging sessions to children with various abilities. She has experience working with children with multiple disabilities, genetic disorders, CP, ASD, and developmental delay. She strives to be an advocate for children and families and to keep up to date on the latest evidence-based research to apply to her sessions.

Fun Fact: Holly loves board games, baking, and spending time with her family and friends!"