Jan Pascual M.Ed, OTR/L

Jan has over 20 years of experience working with children with special needs in public and private schools, sensory clinics and home settings. She graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2000 where she double majored and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Jan also received her Master of Education in Special Education from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Her passion has always been in helping dysregulated children organize their sensory system so they are more available to learn. Jan has been the Sensory Integration Coordinator at a preschool for children with Special Needs in White Plains, NY for over 12 years. She believes in the importance of early intervention and how it provides children with the tools needed to be functionally independent in everyday life. As a pediatric occupational therapist, she embraces working with the whole child by finding what is meaningful through a child’s ‘occupation’, which is to play!

In 2018, Jan became certified in Sequential-Oral-Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding which assesses problematic feeding behaviors by focusing on increasing a child’s comfort level by exploring and learning about the different properties of food.

Jan has always had a special interest in early literacy and uses a multisensory approach when leading weekly handwriting readiness groups using Handwriting Without Tears methods. She works on building the foundation blocks of strengthening motor skills to improve grasp and develop visual perceptual motor skills while using a developmentally appropriate sequence to promote handwriting automaticity.

Jan incorporates her extensive expertise in sensory based interventions and behavior training with children with a variety of diagnoses (autism, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, ADHD) and ages; from infants through adolescence. She uses a child-centered approach to treatment and strives to find the ‘just-right challenge’ to assist children in reaching their full potential and achieve their goals.

Sharlene Ferrer MS. CCC-SLP, TSSLD-BE

Sharlene is an ASHA certified and New York State licensed Bilingual Speech and Language Pathologist with 10+ years experience working with multiple, complex, and rare disabilities. She received her Bachelor of Science in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology from Ithaca College and obtained her Masters of Science in Speech and Language Pathology from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she returned to obtain her Bilingual Extension in 2019.

She holds certification in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding, is trained in the Dynamic Temporal Tactile Cueing method, and is PROMPT Level II trained. She has experience working in home based, school, medical and private settings.

She believes in supporting the whole child and a collaborative effort that centers the child and their families in intervention. She successfully piloted and managed both a school based Augmentative and Assistive Communication classroom for children with varying and complex communication needs, as well as group based feeding therapy that included both classroom training and parents as valuable partners using the Sequential-Oral-Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding.

Do our available days/times not work with your schedule?

CONTACT US to inquire as we will be opening additional classes, or book your own pod today!

Sensory Play and Language Groups

30 minute sensory friendly play time in our state of the art gym! Children are guided through different play stations that are modified to their individual needs. Need to crash? Run? Jump? Roll? We incorporate it all! We use child directed routines, following their cues to tell us what they need. Language opportunities are built in to each station and transition through a multimodal program. We use a total language approach and support all forms of communication knowing that the most efficient and effective language and learning happens through multi-modal experiences.

Food School - enrichment

Hour long feeding enrichment groups designed to address the needs of our picky eaters! 20-30 minutes of sensory prep, and 20-30 minutes of meal time, with parent education embedded, including follow up tips and tricks. While there are expected times where picky eating can occur, this does not mean that families have to endure long periods of stress and extreme frustration. Guidance through this stage is often brushed off or not easily accessed. We support you in promoting positive meal time experiences with food from prep to plate! We teach strategies to help your picky eater learn to expand their food repertoires and learn HOW to learn about new foods without the fear!

Feeding Therapy

For children who require specialized and systematic intervention. Often these children have severely limited food repertoire for a variety of reasons and are either on their own growth curve, or are losing weight. Our 12 week intensive program is conducted in small peer groups and provided within limited session offerings during the year. Both therapists provide direct intervention designing highly specific menus to advance your child’s feeding skills. Included in this program are parent only trainings, in home consultation and feeding space modifications, and support to improve everyday mealtimes in addition to therapeutic feeding sessions. Our program is designed using the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding as we are two of only 3 listed certified providers in New York State and have experience implementing this approach with medically complex/fragile children with marked success.

Speech, Language and Occupational Therapy

Private individualized speech and language, or occupational therapy supports are also provided either in our clinical setting, or in the home based on availability and location. Your child may currently be receiving therapies, and you are looking to supplement, or your child may not have qualified for services, and you are seeking additional support to advance their skills.

special session: jam with Miss jenny!

Are you ready to sing and play?

Join us for a special collaboration with the amazing Ms. Jenny!

**JUNE 2 @ 12:15PM**

Check us out on instagram!

Which feeding package is right for you?

address

388 Westchester Avenue, 1A1B

Port Chester, NY 10573

Phone

(914) 500-8452

Email

contact@spotontherapywestchester.com

social

Expertise aside, we are a team that truly practices what we preach. We believe in what we do and live what we teach.

Jan is a mom of two girls (Ashley, 13 and Maddie, 9) who has firsthand knowledge of raising children with completely different sensory needs! Living with both a “sensory seeker” and a “sensory over-responsive” kiddo, has definitely made life interesting, but the family’s love of adventure; exploring new places and trying new foods, has helped bring meaning and joy to their lives (and help to keep them regulated!)

Sharlene is a mom of two (Alyana, 4 and Mateo, 2), who have both been subjected to mom proving a point, being raised bilingually, multiculturally, using sign language and symbol based communication, and growing up knowing the SOS feeding lingo. With our love of travel and experiencing the world, it has truly shaped and contributed to positive experiences around the stresses of daily living and travel with toddlers.

Our focus at SPOT on Therapy of Westchester, PLLC is always, first and foremost, the families with whom we work. In order to dedicate as much time necessary to the families we serve, we operate as a fee-for-service practice and we do not contract with any insurance providers.

At this time, SPOT on Therapy of Westchester, PLLC does not bill, nor do we contact insurance companies on your behalf. We are considered “Out of Network” providers. It is your responsibility to call your insurance provider prior to confirm out of network benefits and reimbursement. Upon request, we will provide a detailed superbill that you can submit to your insurance to request reimbursement; however, please keep in mind that your reimbursement may not cover the full cost of service provided by SPOT on Therapy of Westchester, PLLC.

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