As a young child, Toby dreamed of being a singer or TV anchorwoman. The field of medicine was a distant third option, but circumstances intervened. Toby’s brother, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome late in life ignited her passion for helping others and set her on a path to becoming an occupational therapist.  

 

Growing up, Toby was frustrated and saddened that her brother’s behaviors and social/emotional difficulties left him alienated and lonely. Always quick to protect and defend him, she sensed that he was deeply misunderstood, at a time when autistic spectrum disorders were rarely identified and the concomitant behaviors were interpreted inaccurately.

 

Toby first learned about occupational therapy while studying at FIT in New York. “The intersection of science, psychology, and creativity spoke to me intellectually and spiritually,” she explains. Her “aha” moment came while creating a vision board which inspired her to transfer to Brooklyn College and pursue a degree in OT. 

 

With over 15 years of experience in early childhood/early intervention and special education, Toby has specialized training in executive function, Therapeutic Listening, Sensory Processing Disorder and Handwriting Without Tears. Committed to life-long learning, she learns as much from her patients as she helps them. One of Toby’s greatest joys is witnessing how her patients develop confidence and achieve things they never thought possible. This is what energizes her and inspires her work every day.

 

Outside of work, Toby enjoys running, hiking, yoga, all forms of music, dancing (poorly), exploring new places, listening to podcasts and watching shows about murder and mayhem! Fun fact, Toby also enjoys playing the drums!