Who is Janine?

Janine has been visionary in her practice since she was a Master’s student in Jefferson’s OT program. She was instrumental in establishing the partnership between Jefferson and Laurel House- a domestic violence shelter in Montgomery County, PA. By the time she left, the partnership with Laurel House had grown to host students for their Level 1 and 2 fieldwork and capstone placements. Janine was awarded the Inquisitive Practitioner Award for her graduating class in her Master’s Program. She is currently back in graduate school for her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy where she has been awarded a substantial grant from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. Through this grant, she is a research fellow working on research studies based around coaching. Some of the populations she is working with are neurodivergent STEM students, individuals with spinal cord injury or disease and individuals with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Janine will be focusing her doctoral research on coaching for those with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and has been spending her time in her program raising awareness about anti-ableist ideology.

Janine is focusing her studies and practice on the forefront of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome research and Disability Justice. Janine has amassed a following of 37.1k followers on the popular social media app TikTok by sharing her experience as a disabled occupational therapist living with multiple disabling conditions, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. She also shares both her research and her expertise as an OT. Janine strives to make OT accessible and easily understood by the general public and professionals alike. She has presented to SOTA organizations online and the American Occupational Therapy Organization (AOTA) on varying topics. She is currently working with AOTA on including disabled OTPs and addressing ableism in the profession. 

Janine prides herself on “being a person first and everything else after.” She draws on her experience living on both sides of the healthcare spectrum- an OT and a patient- to drive her empathetic and empowering OT services. She believes her clients are the experts in their lives and should be treated as such. Her main goals are to foster confidence in those she works with- clients, OT students, coworkers, and more- by centering them in conversations and pulling on their strengths. 

Her therapy and coaching style: 

• Strengths Focused 
• Client-driven 
• Neurodiversity Affirming 
• Anti Ableist 
• Positive-Psychology based

Certifications and Continuing Education Courses held by Janine:

• CPR Instructor and Basic Life Support Certified
• Sensory and Motor Learning Course 
• Handwriting Without Tears- PreK-5th Grade
• Certified Aquatic Therapist- Specializing in Neurologic Rehab
• 40 Hour PA DV certified 
• IAPC Death Doula Course 
• Going with Grace End-of-Life Doula Training 
• National End-of-Life Doula Alliance member and Proficient Provider
• Learn Play Thrive Neurodiversity Affirming Provider Summit
• LPT Neurovidersity affirming goal writing course
• Coaching in Context Advanced Practice Certificate in Coaching