Deborah Dorsett, MOT, OTR/L, CEIM

debb@circletherapypeds.com

My love for children, families and my own personal experiences raising children with developmental needs led me to help create Circle Therapy. Our model is focused on helping families experience support in the context of their home, their family, and their culture.

As a mother of four, I can relate to the need to balance many roles as a parent. I believe that children achieve their biggest potential when parents understand and believe in their child’s abilities. My passion for hands on treatment drives an engaged and collaborative intervention style tailored to your families unique needs. Further, I understand that we can only do our best as parents when we are in a healthy space and participating in self care. It is an honor to work alongside families and children in their homes.

Besides providing OT services for children, I have held various roles including public speaking, mentoring, and teaching in my career. I have a commitment to supporting other therapists and the community as we help each other grow. Clinical approaches used in sessions include sensory processing, floortime / DIR, oral motor, feeding, and swallowing interventions, infant development, infant massage, craniosacral therapy, kinesiotaping, reflex integration, neurodevelopmental treatment, Beckman oral motor, and yoga to name a few. I currently host CEU events locally in NC and travel throughout the US to teach therapists wanting to broaden their pediatric evaluation and intervention skills.

Masters of Science, Occupational Therapy | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Bachelor of Science, Interdisciplinary Health Studies | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Associate of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant | Cabarrus
College of Health Science

Licensed Occupational Therapist: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapist: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Certified Educator of Infant Massage: Infant Massage USA

Derek Rodriguez, Vice President

derek@circletherapypeds.com

I fell in love with Occupational Therapy by observing how it is able to change children’s lives. When I had the opportunity to support the development of a company with ideals that I believe in, I knew it was the right decision for me and my family. I love being part of something that makes a real difference in our community.

Robin Hodges, COTA/L

Student Coordinator, Clinical Lead

robin@circletherapypeds.com

Before beginning my career as a COTA, I spent 6 years working in a pre-school setting with 3-year-olds. While there, I gained exposure to occupational therapy and fell in love with the profession. I went on to attend Cabarrus College of Health Sciences to earn my Associates in Occupational Therapy Assistant.

I am passionate about helping kids meet their goals and strive to make therapy fun through creative, play-based, meaningful activities. I have additional training and special interest in yoga, fine motor development, sensory processing, pediatric feeding, torticollis and primitive reflexes and other methods of pediatric intervention. I have worked with children who have a wide variety of developmental, genetic, and neurological diagnosis and enjoy helping families figure out challenges in a positive light.

When I am not working to help children maximize their confidence and independence, I enjoy movie nights, being outdoors and spending time with my husband, daughter and pets.

Bachelor of Arts, English | College of Charleston

Associate of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant | Cabarrus
College of Health Science

Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Amber Rhodes, COTA/L

Executive Assistant, Clinical Lead

amber@circlehtherapypeds.com

I have always been drawn towards the medical field because of my passion for helping others. I chose occupational therapy because I love how versatile the field and work can be. Occupational therapy helps people of all ages and experiences in every aspect of their life, and I love the whole-person approach that OT takes. Occupational therapy meets the person where they are and focuses more on what matters to the person, rather than their challenges or deficits. What I love most about what I do is that I get to see the children I work with grow and change towards a happier and healthier version of themselves, and even if that change is small, it brings me so much joy.

I have had an interest in working with children since I was in high school. I spent time helping out in local youth councils, schools, and libraries which eventually led to me gaining experience in hospitals, psychiatric residential treatment facilities for teens, daycares, and child development centers. I am passionate about helping children to meet their goals and strive to be the best and happiest that they can be, and in ways that are fun, interesting, and meaningful to them.

To help me be better equipped to support children with feeding, eating and swallowing concerns, I have completed additional training in oral motor assessment and intervention in pediatrics. Some of my clinical interests include DIR / Floortime interventions and play based strategies for supporting childhood development.

Bachelors of Science, Psychology | University of North Carolina- Wilmington

Associates of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Madison Harmon, MS, OTR/L

madison@circletherapypeds.com

I decided that I wanted to be an occupational therapist because I love its focus on function and helping people complete daily activities. OT is so holistic, viewing each part of a client and seeking to find out how to help that person reach their greatest potential and be as independent as possible in the things they want to do and need to do. OT because gives value to each person in every walk of life. 

I have wanted to work with pediatrics ever since I was a kid! I love how kids are always changing, seeing things in a new and exciting way, and learning new skills. I am so excited to be part of each of my pediatric client’s journeys. Before joining Circle Therapy, I completed a 12 week placement at a pediatric outpatient clinic in Burlington, NC where I was able to gain experience in the field. I also volunteered at Camp High Five, a camp for children with hemiplegia focusing on Constraint Induced Movement Therapy. My special interests with pediatrics include sensory processing difficulties and fine motor skills.

The thing that I love most about OT is seeing it work! I love to watch children progress and meet their goals. I also love being able to form a relationship with each child and their family as we work together. Connecting with children, seeing them smile and supporting them in have a great time engaging in a session always warms my heart.

Masters of Science, Occupational Therapy | Winston Salem State University

Licensed Occupational Therapist: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapist: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Melissa Boger, COTA/L

melissa@circletherapypeds.com

I decided to pursue occupational therapy because I loved the idea of helping people achieve their goals and dreams, regardless of any “limitations”. I am a firm believer that everyone has their own unique powers and all they need is someone to advocate for them, and furthermore, to advocate for themselves. I always knew I wanted to work in pediatrics, to work with children and help them achieve the greatest success in their lives by providing them the tools.

I grew up in a home with a brother with developmental delays, and my parents struggled and felt unprepared. They could have benefitted from collaborating with an OT/OTA to understand the needs of my brother better. Working with pediatrics means having the opportunity to change the lives of the child and family early on in life in order to set them up success towards a happier life.

With pediatrics, I am interested in all aspects of pediatric intervention including oral motor, sensory processing, behavioral, developmental, and social skills. In my clinical experiences, I had the opportunity to work with children and families in clinic and school settings. I was able to see so much growth even within a short time, and it was truly amazing to see the progress. I am extremely passionate about developing strong relationships with my families; that’s what drew me to this profession. Families invite us into their homes and lives, and I love building that trusting relationship with them.

Associates of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Katlyn Spivey, COTA/L

katlyn@circletherapypeds.com

I chose to pursue a career in occupational therapy after attending therapy sessions with a family member. I was hooked after witnessing the occupational therapy practitioner consider all pieces of the person to help them achieve their goals. I wanted to be able to provide that same holistic experience to others to help clients and their families thrive. I love that the scope of occupational therapy practice allows barriers to be tackled from all angles. No problem is too big or small, our skills as occupational therapy practitioners allow us to consider each piece of the puzzle. Being able to treat from such a holistic view allows practitioners to target a wide variety of barriers clients have.

During my clinical experiences while pursing my degree in OTA, I was able to support children meeting their goals and gaining skills. Each small skill is such a big celebration for kids. I particularly love watching children’s confidence in themselves improve as they practice new skills. Working with children also allows us to help those around them and provide them with the tools to help their families flourish.

While in OTA school I completed a rotation at a constraint induced movement therapy camp where I was able to work with a variety of conditions that caused hemiplegia. I also completed an 8-week placement at an outpatient clinic where I was able to gain experience in pediatrics. I have completed additional training in oral motor assessment and intervention for pediatrics. My special interest include sensory integration, oral motor, global developmental and neurological conditions. 

Associates of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Sara Fulton, COTA/L

sara@circletherapypeds.com

I have always been fascinated with the healthcare field from a young age and knew I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. I chose to pursue working in occupational therapy after learning about the profession because I wanted to be able to help others achieve their goals. The thing I love most about my profession is the ability to help others and seeing the impact that occupational therapy has on their lives. I also love the relationships that are built with the clients and their families during the time that we are working together.

During my clinical rotations, I was able to focus on pediatrics and gain experience working with children supporting sensory processing, ADL, and feeding / swallowing. I love working hands on with kids and seeing the changes in their life!

I am interested in all areas of pediatrics, but some of my favorite areas include oral motor, sensory processing, fine motor, and developmental skills. I have chosen to pursue additional training in feeding, eating and swallowing by attending a CEU course focused on this area. Additionally, I wrote a booklet "The beginners guide to oral motor in pediatrics” to support new practitioners develop skills in addressing oral motor interventions.

Associates of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Emily Edwards, COTA/L

emily@circletherapypeds.com

I love occupational therapy’s philosophy that you make what is most important to the client important to treatment intervention.  I find occupational therapy to be a field with endless possibilities for critical thinking, problem solving, and being able to be creative with clients on a daily basis.  The profession is so client-centered and thereby promotes a holistic view of how children can participate in therapy.

I’ve always loved working with children.  I’ve often found that when you give children the space to be treated with understanding and respect, they flourish with enthusiasm and willingness to learn.  I love that children are always excited by new things and able to try despite obstacles.  I worked as a camp counselor for many summers, and knew that I wanted to work with children in some capacity in my career.  I found out about occupational therapy work in pediatrics from an article my class read in my junior year at UNC. The article detailed the activities OT practitioners would use as interventions to improve handwriting.  I found that the prospect of using play with children to help them improve a meaningful aspect of their lives was an inspiration.

I am especially interested in oral motor and sensory processing difficulties within pediatrics.  Additionally, I find that addressing social skill development is important because it can be used to enable many other aspects of a child’s ability to grow and learn.  I’m also interested in fostering strong family relationships because caregivers have much power in affecting the development of their children.  I am excited about being able to help educate and enable parents in their role.

What I love most about my profession is the ability to address all aspects of the person.  Occupational therapy can support people in so many settings, ages, and diagnoses.  It’s inspiring to think about occupational therapy being a medium for people to achieve what’s important to them.  This profession allows us to be passionate about facilitating our client’s passion.  I can think of no better way to work!

Bachelors of Science, Exercise and Sports Science | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Associates of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Elise Herring, COTA/L

elise@circletherpaypeds.com

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved helping others and knew a future in healthcare was right for me. Fast forward several years, I learned about OT through a family friend whose son was receiving OT services. I fell in love with OT from that moment on after seeing everything that you could do to help someone live their life with such independence just by working on the activities they valued most.

My areas of interests within the OT field include: Sensory processing, behavior modification, Handwriting, development and social skills, and oral motor. In addition I love the freedom and creativity that this profession allows. OT gives you the ability to find a solution no matter the situation especially in the pediatric field. Having fun and playing is the best way to work on all skills.

Bachelors of science, Exercise Science |Appalachian State University

Associates of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Morgan Pepper, COTA/L

morgan@circletherapypeds.com

I have always wanted to work in the medical field due to my love of people and helping people, but in highschool I couldn’t figure out what job in the medical field I wanted to pursue. As fate would have it, my health science class took a tour of Wingate University and I was able to sit in on an occupational therapy lab and I immediately fell in love with the profession! 

I especially enjoy working on sensory, oral motor and feeding interventions to help families, as these are the types of  interventions that have helped my son who has been in occupational therapy.  Seeing his progression and how much occupational therapy helped him really got me motivated to give back to other families in the same way!  Knowing how my profession can help kids gain skills and independence through play, and then seeing the progression of growth in the kids, not to mention the smiles on their families’ faces, has been what I love most about our profession and what continues to motivate me every day.

Associates of Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant |Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Ariona Smith

ariona@circletherapypeds.com

Bio coming soon!

Madison Faulkner, OTR/L

maddie@circletherapypeds.com

I grew up next to a camp that was dedicated to making the whole camp experience accessible to children with disabilities. I loved this idea of meeting people where they are and making solutions on how to make the world more accessible. From that experience I began to research jobs where I could help people complete the things in life that they want/need to do and found Occupational Therapy. From the moment I learned about OT I knew that this was my calling,and throughout the years of making this dream a reality I have only fallen more in love with this profession.

Since then I have fallen in love with how OT focuses on getting clients back to the things that matter the most to them! We look at the whole person and are able to develop a plan that specifically targets their desired goals. OT’s are able to use their creativity to find unique solutions to different situations and I have personally seen how these solutions have changed families lives. My motivation to work in pediatrics specifically came from knowing that I can help children build a strong foundation in many skills that will support them as they grow up, which also gives me the opportunity to support families as a whole. Prior to joining the Circle Therapy team I completed a 12-week fieldwork in pediatrics in Columbia, SC where I was able to hone my skills in fine motor and developmental skills. I learned that I love every part of pediatrics, but my special interest includes sensory processing, fine motor, developmental, and oral motor skills.

Bachelors of Science,Exercise Science with a concentration in Psychology | Montreat College

Masters of Science, Occupational Therapy | Lenoir-Rhyne University

Licensed Occupational Therapist: North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy  

Certified Occupational Therapist: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy  

Taylor Moore, COTA/L

taylor@circletherapypeds.com

Growing up, I knew I wanted to work in the medical field but did not have my mind set on anything specific. After my first few years of college, I chose to pursue Occupational Therapy because I wanted to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Occupational Therapy looks at the person as a whole and develops plans of care solely based on what is most important to them.

I have always had a passion for working in a pediatric setting. My niece is a major factor in why I chose to work with children. Watching her grow and learn everyday life skills has been such a blessing. I love being able to see life through childrens eyes. Being able to incorporate a plan of care into play time is my favorite part of working with children.

I graduated from Cape Fear Community College located in Wilmington, North Carolina in May of 2024. A few interests of mine within the pediatric scope are sensory processing, emotional regulation and oral motor interventions.

My favorite thing about Occupational Therapy is the holistic approach. Treating the client as a whole is so important and helps make your relationship with them even stronger. I also love watching my clients become more independent in skills that have made their everyday lives difficult.

Brenda Calderon OTR/L

brenda@circletherapypeds.com

Bio coming soon!

Jessica Baker-Pybus COTA/L

jessica@circletherapypeds.com

Bio coming soon!