Julia's Story - TheraPeeds

Dr. Julia Harper

Julia Harper, PhD, MS, OTR/L is a wife, mother, occupational therapist, business owner, psychologist, life coach & mentor, speaker, and writer. She holds a BS in Occupational Therapy from SUNY Health Science Center (Downstate), Brooklyn, NY, a MS in Occupational Therapy from Boston University, Boston, MA and a PhD in Psychology from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN. She brings all of these roles together to serve her mission of helping people- all people to live their lives beyond limitations

For over 25 years, Julia has worked as a pediatric occupational therapist focusing on creating brain-based therapeutic programs that tap into neural-plasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and change. Her world-renowned therapy center offers a WAY to HOPE which merges her two models: H.O.P.E. (Harper’s Optimal Protocols for Enrichment), which focuses on re-wiring the brain, and W.A.Y. (What About You), which retrains the mind to move beyond emotional and thought limitations.

Creating change is at the center of her work, as she knows that to best serve the world, she needs to be an agent of change. This begins with the work she has done to change her own life, which includes becoming a Certified Master Life Coach and a Master Clinician. She hopes that through her change, she can change her clients and have the ripple effect of changing the world. She is a firm believer that all change begins with her. Daily she lives this change to be the change.

Our Team

Sensorimotor

TheraPeeds Family Center has a dedicated team of occupational and physical therapists that we call sensorimotor therapists because their focus is the brain. This team of licensed professionals all hold advanced degrees, own certifications in countless therapy programs, AND have all gone through rigorous training directly supervised by Dr. Julia Harper. They have all had to pass multiple levels of training to demonstrate expertise in her research-based H.O.P.E. Method that stimulates specific areas of the brain, with precise and targeted input to get the most optimal and functional motor and social/emotional output.

Communication

Our committed team of licensed speech pathologists train for years to learn H.O.P.E. specific protocols and treatment that facilitate brain-based communication. At TheraPeeds our focus is communication, NOT talking. We know that communication encompasses not only speaking, but listening, understanding what is heard, and choice of the appropriate verbal and nonverbal response. This team ensures that communication is not just one-sided in the sense that language is developed and trained, but rather that communication which is pivotal to cognitive and social/emotional skills is developed.

Cognitive Education

At TheraPeeds Family Center, we have a group of learning specialists that make up our Cognitive-Education Department. This team is trained in highly specialized, brain-based, H.O.P.E. protocols to develop all aspects of cognition, learning, and appropriate classroom behaviors, which include in-seat behavior and attention. Our staff is equipped with a range of academic and brain-training tools including Pace, Lively Letters, Linda-Moode Bell, Orton-Gillingham, Visual-Perceptual Training, and a range of academic and teaching tools that we use in a specific order, at a specific time to get the most optimal cognitive development and learning.

Audiology & Sound Intervention

It’s not just about hearing, it’s what you DO with what you hear, which is the definition of Auditory Processing. Because this is such a fundamental part of brain development and is so necessary for good communication, cognitive, and social skills, here at TheraPeeds Family Center we have one of the world’s leading experts in Auditory Processing.

Dr. Aimee Levin-Weiner has almost 40 years of experience and has trained other professionals. Every person seen for treatment is provided with a thorough evaluation to assess both subcortical and cortical auditory processing. We use this testing to customize sound intervention programs that include a range of tools such as: Therapeutic Listening, Tomatis, ILS, Interactive Metronome, Fast Forward, and a range of other listening programs that we use guided by our H.O.P.E. protocols to determine correct stimulation of the brain at the correct time.

Nutrition

The brain is like a car; it needs gas and electricity. The electricity of the brain comes from activity. The gas of the brain are the neurochemicals, which we make from the food we eat. To change the brain, we facilitate an ideal diet to build the chemistry needed for brain processing. Our on-site nutritionist will guide you to optimize your nutrition to ensure that the right chemicals are available to the brain. Our outstanding team brings multiple years of experience together to address issues such as picky eating, food restriction, limited diet, and a host of feeding concerns.

Behavior Intervention

Cortisol and stress are toxins to the brain. Research supports that an inflammatory response limits the brain’s ability to change and rewire. Led by our expert licensed mental health counselor, with over 25 years of experience, we create programs that focus on stress reduction to allow the brain the opportunity to maximize the work of our clinical team. This team also provides programs that we implement to manage a range of behavioral issues including defiance, opposition, anger-management, and tantrums.

Psychology & Coaching

Change at TheraPeeds Family Center involves not just training the brain, but training the mind. Our expert team of psychologist and coaches use our research-based W.A.Y. Method, along with the principles of neuroplasticity to offer a W.A.Y. to H.O.P.E. that drives lasting behavior change for all of our clients.

Client Care

Because your family is important to us, we have a team that is dedicated to just that! You and Your family. Our client care team manages all aspects of your client experience before, during, and after the intensive. This team of professionals will answer every question from scheduling issues, to how to get support and guidance on anything you or your family could need while at TheraPeeds Family Center.

Administration

This is not just business to us. As our logo depicts, our hearts are in this! TheraPeeds Family Center is led by a devoted team of experts with extensive years of experience that merges a variety of administrative skills including: project management, marketing, business management, human resources, and logistics. Our leadership holds advanced degrees and certifications in their specializations. The individuals on this team represent our clientele as many have the lived experience of having family members with special needs. This team has a personal stake in seeing you succeed at our center and in your life.

Research & Development

We change so you can change. As a brain-based center, we are at the forefront of ensuring that the tools we use are evidence-based. Our R&D team consistently reviews current literature and compares the efficacy of what we are doing with what is relevant in the industry. We are always developing new strategies and implementing them in our practice, while incorporating the best and latest tools into our strategies. We are not static; things are always changing.

Careers at TheraPeeds

Join our World Class team! We are always looking for sharp minds that are open to change, both personally and professional.

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