I have been an Occupational Therapist (OT), since 2000. Before becoming an occupational therapist I received my Bachelor of Science in 1993, in Business Administration, majoring in Marketing and minoring in Logistical Management and Human Resources.

Therapy has been my dream job since my youth. I spent 3 years not walking due to an injury playing outside. I had several surgeries and years of Physical Therapy. This is where my interest in therapy began. During those years of not walking my mother made me find a way to participate in everything from playing to chores. She used to say, "Amy, you don’t know if you will always be like this, so figure out a way and do it." So I learned to hop on one foot while cutting the lawn, cleaning the house by scooting around, playing lots of cards and training our dog some really neat tricks. Then in 2001 I had Bell’s Palsy on the right side of my face (Bell's palsy is a paralysis or weakness of the muscles on one side of your face). I could not keep my right eye open, my right side of upper lip kept getting bit, and my face was numb. Having this gave me the experience with losing the ability to move or sense a part of my body that I wanted to use daily and also how frustrating it was to not be able to use it or know if it would ever return. Most of it returned but there are still some deficits with muscle movement and vision.

In 2003 I started Therapy Solutions to provide private practice services to clients in Northern Michigan. My passion to help others has continued to grow exponentially year after year! I sought out additional training, certifications, education, and experiences to enhance my understanding of the nervous system and brain and how it impacts persons with deficits in these areas. In addition, I continually reach out to clients, caregivers, and attend educational events to learn how to assist families who are dealing with deficits in a family unit. On a personal note, I am a wife and mother of 2 young men. I love being physically active in outdoor activities including skiing, swimming, biking, hiking etc. My love of dogs has motivated me to raise 3 puppies to be Leader Dogs for the Blind. In my "spare" time I am an active member on 2 boards in the Northern Michigan community.

My training includes:

• Complete Concussion Management certificate (since 2020)

• Certified in Vestibular Assessment and Management (since 2018)

• Certified Brain Injury Specialist (since 2010)

• Advance trained Integrated Listening System Practitioner (2013)

• Certified Interactive Metronome Provider (2005)

• Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (2003)

• Webinars, conferences, courses, and presentations

Current Member of:

• Michigan Occupational Therapy Association (MiOTA)

• National Board of Certified Occupational Therapists (NBCOT)

• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

• Brain Injury Association of Michigan (BIAMI)

• Brain Injury Network of Northern Michigan (BINNMI)

I became interested in becoming a speech language pathologist following a sport related TBI in 1995.  I had three SLPs tell me I would never go back to college and never play contact sports again.  At 18, that was not what I wanted to hear and all I could think was, “these are the people that are supposed to be helping me?”  I decided if I was able to continue with college, I would become a better SLP than they were.  I thought if they were the standard my chances, even post TBI, were pretty good.  There was one doctor I worked with as a patient, who had had a head injury when she was young.  She made what I was experiencing throughout my recovery make sense to my parents and I.

I got my B.S. and M.A from Central Michigan University, completing graduate school in 2000.  The field of SLP is vast.  I had a mentor recommend I work in as many areas as I can to become a well-rounded therapist .  I spent several years in pediatrics and geriatrics working in private clinics, hospitals and post-acute care.  I found that no matter the environment, the treatment of the individual client’s wants, needs and aspirations was the same.  A diagnosis can be unnerving but it doesn’t change the person.  People can do great things with encouragement, patience, and simple course correction.  My experience working through my own TBI gave me an understanding of the processes of recovery that most people only get to read about.

Today I am a speech language pathologist, the clinical supervisor at Therapy Solutions, and a devoted father of two.  I am a volunteer firefighter and a high school soccer coach. 

If I had not met that one doctor, at that very specific time, I might not be where I am today.  I believe that the lessons we learn in life are waisted if we don’t pass them on.  My career has been an attempt at doing for someone else, what someone once did for me.

I have had the privilege of being a pediatric speech language pathologist for the past three years. My journey started as an undecided major at Grand Valley State University where I was interested in both education and health care. I eventually found the field of SLP and decided that this career encompassed both of my interests. I was also excited by the opportunity to work with individuals across the lifespan in many different settings, which fulfilled my need for challenge and variety.

After graduating with my master’s degree in speech language pathology from Grand Valley State University in 2019, I began working for a school district in Muskegon, Michigan where I serviced students with IEPs from kindergarten through sixth grade. In March of 2022, I moved to Petoskey where I took a position working for the local ISD as a part of the early childhood team, providing speech and language support services for children ages birth to 6 years old. Throughout my time working in the schools, I have supported students with visual impairments, Down Syndrome, speech and language delays, Autism, developmental delays and a variety of physical or other health needs. In addition, I joined Therapy Solutions in the summer of 2022 to provide services for clients in a private setting after school hours. I am excited for this rare opportunity to work with children one on one and the freedom to work on various functional communication skills that are meaningful to clients and their families.

The field of speech language pathology has a wide range of specialty areas. Some of my interest areas include early intervention (birth to three services), augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), language development, Childhood Apraxia of Speech and Autism.

When I am not working, you can often find me enjoying the beautiful trails and lakes northern Michigan has to offer with my golden retriever, Cash.

My Training Includes:

• Inside Out Sensory Certificate Course for SLPs

• Natural Language Acquisition/Gestalt Language Processing Course

• Trained in LAMP and PODD for augmentative and alternative communication

Current Member of:

• American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association CCC-SLP certified member

My journey to become a physical therapist started with several bouts my own experiences in physical therapy growing up. I have always been a very active person which came with many injuries along the way. With each recovery I started to have a growing appreciation of the body’s ability to heal itself when the right strategies are applied.  

I completed my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Toledo with a focus in Athletic Training and Exercise Science in 2012. While completing my degree I was simultaneously working as technician at a physical therapy clinic. I truly loved the experienced I gained working specially with athletes as part of my training of my Athletic Training degree, but I was starting to see that physical therapy would allow me to expand into treating an even larger population so I decided to continue on to grad school and pursue my degree in physical therapy. 

I received my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, OH in 2016. Going to a small private grad school allowed me several great learning opportunities that molded me into a well-rounded therapist. I was afforded a range of opportunities including training at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital working as a PT in an adapted classroom, learning at two different mixed population outpatient Orthopedic and Neurologic clinics, and working in a hospital that specialized in care following joint replacements.  

Upon graduation I knew I wanted to move back to my home state of MI and the lifestyle that is offered in Northern MI seemed like the best fit. A family friend said it best then they stated “It’s God’s country up there.” I couldn’t agree more and I am grateful to live and work in such a beautiful community. I began my career working for 5 years in orthopedics and when a position opened up to work with the specialized team at Therapy Solutions, I knew it was a great learning and growing opportunity for me. Neuroplasticity is an amazing thing both for me as a lifetime learning and for the clients I serve, who I believe are endlessly capable of learning new things and obtaining new skills. 

While away from work, I enjoy being with my husband and children. I love staying active with hiking, gardening, skiing, and running but also taking time to just enjoy the simple things in life.  

My Training Includes:

• LSVT BIG Certified 

• APTA Women’s Health Level 1 certified

Current Member of:

• American Physical Therapy Association

• Michigan Physical Therapy Association

I grew up in Elk Rapids, spending most of my time outside and in the water. I loved (and still do) learning about people and how the things around me worked, observing and asking endless questions about everything I encountered.

During my time at Michigan State University as an undergraduate, I studied a range of topics from nutrition and dietetics, to music and anthropology, to chemistry. Although these were interesting and fulfilled my need to learn about how the things in my environment worked, I knew I hadn’t found a perfect fit.

Finally, I signed up for an internship in pediatric rehabilitation in Lansing. I didn’t really know what I was getting into, but from the moment I started working with the OT, children, and their families, I knew I had found what I had been searching for. After living in Cleveland, OH for 3 years, I moved back to Michigan and earned my Master’s of Science in Occupational Therapy in December, 2019 from Western Michigan University and became Board Certified in the beginning of 2020.

For me, Occupational Therapy allows me to use my natural curiosity and observation skills to learn about people and the daily activities that give them a sense of value and meaning. It is a career that allows me to get to know others and work together to find the most realistic and long-term solutions that target the cause of their challenges rather than providing a superficial or temporary fix. I am still holding on to my roots in pediatric rehab with an interest in neurologic development and reflex integration, but I am so glad to have branched out to working with clients across the life span. Working in neuro rehab, I have started to see some of the incredible ways humans are capable of changing our brains and bodies - by the way we set up the environment, the activities we do and the way we choose to think and work through challenges. I’m so grateful to work in a field where there is no “one size fits all” solution to a problem and I get the opportunity to pursue my love of endless learning about the world around me.

My Training Includes:

• Class Participant of MNRI

Current Member of:

• AOTA

• MIOTA

During that time, I learned the importance of doing whatever it takes to return patients to the highest level of independence possible. I learned that survivors of brain injury - given the right therapy at the right time by experienced, involved professionals - can do more and can regain a normal rhythm of living. 

After a few years of endless sunshine, I packed up my apartment and moved across the country to Baltimore, Maryland where I worked for the RETURN! Brain Injury Community Re-Entry Program, an intensive neurorehabilitation day treatment program, and the outpatient Mild TBI Program, at Sinai Hospital. During my employment at Sinai Hospital, I obtained clinical specialty in the management of mild TBI, was elected to and completed an emerging leaders program, and served on the hospital's diversity council committee. I enjoyed living in a city with numerous distinguished hospitals but had difficulty maintaining a good work-life balance. So, I packed up my life again, and this time moved overseas to Prague. I taught courses in phonetics, phonology, and teaching methodology at a Teach English as a Foreign Language school, volunteered at a brain injury clinic, and presented on topics related to the management of TBI to rehab professionals, survivors, and caregivers. 

While I enjoyed the brief break from healthcare, living close to my family in Poland, and traveling throughout Europe, the greatest joy from my time overseas was meeting who would eventually become my spouse and lifelong partner. We moved to Michigan in 2015 and initially settled in the Grand Rapids area where I worked for various inpatient and outpatient facilities specializing in TBI and also taught courses for the speech-language pathology program at Grand Valley State University. We traveled a lot throughout Michigan and found an immense connection to the UP and the northern Lower Peninsula. We're elated to finally call this area our home and I'm thrilled to have joined this fun team of dedicated therapists at Therapy Solutions. 

While away from work, I enjoy spending time and hiking with my husband and our two massive dogs, Shrimp and Duke, camping, playing tennis, attending live music shows, cooking, running, reading, and planning our next vacation. I'm fluent in Polish, and my husband and I joke that between the two of us, we're fluent in Spanish - I've got the vocabulary down, and he helps with grammar.

Trainings:

Vital-Stim Provider

Interactive Metronome

Memberships:

ASHA

Site visitor for the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA) for graduate programs in speech-language pathology

I have been in the accounting field for over 35 years. I received a BA in Business/Finance in 1987. While the majority of my experience is in the business world, over the years I have had to learn how insurance, Medicare and Medicaid work from both sides of the fence.In 1994 I was blessed with my first born son. He was born with Down syndrome. His birth changed my life forever. I was told that I should not expect him to do much and he would most likely be lethargic. Well, anyone who knows me knows that was not acceptable to me. I began researching everything I could about Down syndrome and talking to parents of children with Down syndrome and other disabilities… and I learned that he was capable of so much more than I was originally told. I enrolled him in Early Intervention before the age of one, which included Occupational Therapy, then a couple of years later Speech Therapy, taught him to communicate using Sign Language, all the while watching him bloom into a very special person. Through a lot of hard work and perseverance, I managed to help him grow and achieve things that I was originally told he would never do. This battle never ends and I will never give up on him. Over the years I have been in contact with numerous individuals of all ages with many different challenges and the one most important thing I have learned is that "life is full of challenges… what we chose to do with them, is what matters."My ultimate dream in life ever since my son was born is to open a business that is run by individuals with unique challenges!

My Affiliations consist of:

• Events Coordinator, Parents of Children with Down Syndrome

• Events Coordinator, Offering Alternative Therapy with Smiles, Inc. (O.A.T.S.) Therapeutic Horseback Riding

• Coach/Volunteer for Lake Orion Special Olympics

• Creator/President, TEAM SEPTA of Lake Orion (Special Education Parent Teacher Association)

• Delegate at Large/Parent Representative, The Arc of Oakland County

• Member, The Arc of Oakland County

• Member, AMORC (Association for the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center)

Additionally, I was blessed with a second son who has endured food allergies, ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder, ADD and anxiety. Today he continues to battle with anxiety but has made me so proud of all his accomplishments.

Miracles happen everyday!

Having grown up here in Northern Michigan I’ve always had a love for this area and the community here. I grew up across the bay in Harbor Springs and now reside here in Petoskey with my wife and two children and we feel so blessed to call this area home. Together we enjoy the numerous nature trails in the area, camping in our beautiful Upper Peninsula and occasionally a round of Disc Golf here and there.  

Throughout the winding path that led me here to Amy and Therapy Solutions I’ve always sought to give back to the community that I have been a part of my whole life. In High School I was lucky enough to be a part of a State Champion Cross Country team. That experience taught me early on how important team work and team dynamics are. Here at Therapy Solutions, you really get to experience how powerful a cohesive team can be as all of our clinicians work together to improve the lives of our clients. It is so rewarding to be a part of such a hard-working, talented and compassionate team here in this clinic. Being able to assist in providing such a vital service to Northern Michigan and beyond has been a true blessing and watching our clients progress on a week-to-week basis is a constant reminder of how strong and adaptable we truly are. 

My name is Ruby Dubey and I am a Yellow Labrador Retriever and this is my story:

In September 2015 I was born in Rochester Hills, Michigan. My career was already chosen for me before I was born. I was to become a Leader Dog for the Blind. At 3 months old I began living at my foster home, in Wolverine, Michigan and received intense training for becoming a Leader Dog: hours of learning to sit, stay, off, come, around, heel, not eat food off the floor, not to bark, walking up curbs and on stairs, plus many other skills. It was really hard work for me, just being a puppy and all. When I was 1 year old I was returned to Rochester Hills to the Leader Dogs for the Blind training facility. I made it past basic training and began my community work. After 8 weeks at the school and some goofing off, Leader Dogs for the Blind decided that I was not focusing enough all the time. So I became “career changed” and was offered back to my foster family who welcomed me back home.

Now I have a new career; one I never knew existed! I am a Therapy Dog! What that really means, I am not sure. All I know is that I get lots of hugs, pets, treats, loving, walks, and I get played with most of my days. It’s really a great job and easy to do. I still lose focus at times, but someone always helps me to get back on track. They call it “squirrel!”

So, even though I am not what I thought I would be, a Leader Dog, I have found a new purpose and like what I have become. I hope to get a chance to meet you.