Lani grew up playing in the forests and lakes of Michigan.  She finally found her way to the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, where she gets to play as often as possible with her husband and their four legged children, Rosie and Bagel.  Lani has been a practicing occupational therapist for 7 years.  She received her Master’s of Occupational Therapy from Colorado State University.  Lani comes to Bend via Seattle where she completed her fieldwork at Seattle Children’s  Hospital and then took a position with Children’s Therapy Center.  In that position, she was initially mentored as a clinic based therapist with older children, before she moved to the early intervention team, where she spent 3.5 years.  Prior to beginning her occupational therapy adventure, she worked as a behavior data specialist, implementing Applied Behavior Analysis and as a Mental Health Associate, caring for young children living at a residential psychiatric hospital. Later, Lani graduated from the Atlanta School of Massage and practiced therapeutic massage therapy, including pediatric massage, until she decided to go back to graduate school.   Lani has a passion for working with children and families and has experience in clinic, hospital, home and community based occupational therapy. Lani has participated in continuing education classes including “The Get Permission Approach to Mealtime Challenges” and “Play Project Intensive Workshop.”  Lani is also certified to give the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test, and has extensive education related to sensory processing and integration.  Most recently she has earned certification in pediatric Neurodevelopmental Treatment, a hands-on/facilitative approach to intervening with neuromotor disorders, such as cerebral palsy.   When she is not at work, you can find her at the local climbing gyms,  in the mountains, or relaxing in her yard.