News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Katie Diez, right, has opened an occupational therapy practice in Sisters. She is sharing space with Vina Marz, a speech pathologist.
Nothing is more troubling for a parent than the realization that their child is lagging in development. Good occupational and/or speech therapy can successfully address a range of challenges, but driving to Bend to access services can be an additional strain on families.
Now families can get the quality help they need right here in Sisters at Bend and Balance Physical Therapy Services.
Katie Diez, OTR/L, and Stephanie "Vina" Marz, MA, CCC-SLP are offering therapy services in Sisters in a spacious facility in Town Square, right above Sundance Shoes.
Diez specializes in children's occupational therapy, and Marz is a speech-language pathologist who is extending her Bend Speech Express practice to Sisters, sharing space with Diez.
"I primarily work with kids... who may be struggling in their sensory processing skills," Diez told The Nugget. "Sometimes kids have a difficult time interpreting that sensory information that is coming in."
That can lead to inappropriate responses and difficulty in class or in life outside school.
"I work a lot with kids who are on the autism spectrum, kids with ADHD, kids who... seem a little awkward in their movements... I get a lot of kids who don't quite qualify for special ed."
An occupational therapist focuses on skills ranging from daily living requirements such as eating, dressing, bathing, etc. to gross motor balance and coordination to academic skills.
Occupational therapy can be for kids who are bright and potentially very successful in school who have problems with things like fine motor skills required to write, use scissors and execute other skills necessary for their "occupation" as students in elementary school.
Marz is a speech pathologist based in Bend.
"I contacted Katie when I heard she was going to open a clinic," she told The Nugget. "I felt like it was a great opportunity for me to expand my practice to Sisters, where kids who need anything of that kind have to go to Bend."
The practices are complementary.
Diez notes that "I work with motor delays - which often goes hand-in-hand with speech."
Marz helps children who have a problem forming correct sounds, children who have a hard time processing language and also assists with the connection between speech capability and reading.
Diez moved to Sisters with her family in 2008. She and her husband Shawn lived in Portland and grew tired of constant commuting.
"We actually decided to take a leap because we wanted a simple life," she said.
Shawn is the coordinator of the Sisters Schools Initiative and an elementary school counselor. In addition to her work as an occupational therapist, Katie has a background in acute psychology.
For more information, contact Bend and Balance Pediatric Therapy Services, LLC at 503-367-4205 or e-mail [email protected]
gmail.com.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
Reader Comments(0)