About

Testimonials

Pediatric Hands on Therapy, PC is a therapist owned company providing speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy to children of all ages. Established in 2007, Pediatric Hands On Therapy provides outpatient clinic based therapy services, community based services, and developmental educational services. In addition to providing direct services, we can assist in developing sensory diets, home programs, and assist with transitioning between early intervention services to school system services. We are able to assist with equipment and/or orthotic needs as well. Our skilled therapists develop comprehensive and personalized treatment plans to accommodate the needs of each family we serve. We promote a collaborative environment with parents and caregivers to enrich and empower children in all areas of development and personal growth.

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Owner

  • Freida Poag, MS, OTR/L

    FOUNDER

    I opened Pediatric Hands on Therapy in 2004 with the goal to provide high quality therapy in a fun loving environment. I believe by providing individualized therapy to children and families, we can provide them with opportunities to be successful in all areas of life. I believe by using a family-centered approach we can maximize each child’s progress, potential and overall development.

  • "Angels are often disguised as children with special needs to teach us to be better people"

Office Staff

  • Cathryn Beasley

    Office Manager-2008

    Cathryn is the glue that holds everything together! Cathryn has been married for 25 years and has 3 wonderful children. Rebecca, Cullen and Greyson. In 1990, she graduated from Meredith College with a degree in Early Childhood Education and used her degree teaching preschool for many years before coming to Pediatric Hands on Therapy in 2008. Besides traveling with her family, she enjoys cooking, knitting and reading.

  • Susan Vale

    Patient Care Coordinator-2016

    Susie makes sure children are scheduled and receive regular therapy. She feels right at home in our clinic having taught preschool for the last 14 years and loves seeing the kiddos before and after treatment sessions! Susie keeps us laughing from the office! She lives in Gastonia with her husband and has two children, Chelsea and Joey. When not at work, she enjoys family time, cooking, concerts and traveling to the beach.

  • Katie Belk

    Office Assistant

    Katie graduated from Gardner Webb University in 2022 with her Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management. In her free time she likes to be out on the lake, play with her dog, and explore different cities. Katie loves seeing all the kids come in the clinic and hopes she can be a shining light to their day

  • Sara Beatty

    Sara grew up in Belmont, NC. She attended Appalachian State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a concentration in Health Studies. Sara started in our clinic as an intern and was overjoyed when she was able to work full time in our office. She loves working at PHOT and getting to see all the kids makes her day. In her free time she loves to cook, read books and travel.

  • Laura Parrish

    Description goes here

Occupational Therapists

  • Trina Mingus

    Occupational Therapist

    Clinical Manager

    Trina was born in New Zealand and graduated from Occupational Therapy school there in 1993. Trina started working full time with pediatric clients in 2000 and has found this to be her true passion. Trina is adult NDT certified and has attended training for Beckman and SOS feeding. Myofascial Release, pediatric NDT, Vision Therapy and a number of other specialized skills. She has experience in working with children with a wide variety of needs in school, home & clinic settings. Trina values spending time with her family and enjoys travel, a variety of sports & spending time in their home in the NC mountains.

  • Madison Harkey

    Occupational Therapist

    Madison graduated from Lenior-Rhyne University with a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She has worked in healthcare since 2012 as a certified nursing assistant. She lives in Lake Wylie, SC and enjoys going to the beach, the lake and spending time with family and friend. She has two dogs, Mocha and Pumbaa.

  • Bailey Bullock

    Occupational Therapist

    Bailey was born and raised in Gastonia, NC. She attended NC State University for undergraduate, earning a BA in Biology in 2019. She then attended the Medical University of South Carolina where she earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy in 2022. She has always had a passion for working with children, babysitting from an early age, and working as a Certified Nursing Assistant with children throughout college. Her OT doctoral research focused on the promotion of social emotional learning skills and emotional regulation techniques for children following the COVID-19 pandemic. Bailey is excited to be back in the area and working with the PHOT team! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, exercising, and traveling.

  • Tricia Vangastle

    Occupational Therapy Assistant

    Tricia is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who graduated from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences in 2017. She started working at Pediatric Hands on Therapy, PC after completing her Level II fieldwork rotation. Prior to making the decision to pursue Occupational Therapy, Tricia owned a printing business. She found her calling to Occupational Therapy through a series of events. She feels very fortunate to be a part of the PHOT team and loves the field of OT. Tricia has special interest in working with children of all ages with sensory integration, visual deficits, autism and those severely/profoundly disabled. Tricia lives in Belmont with her husband, 3 daughters and several pets. She enjoys spending time with her family and close friends, going to the beach, hiking, doing anything outdoors and gardening.

  • Kara Smith

    Occupational Therapy Assistant

    Kara graduated with an Associates Degree in Applied Science at Central Piedmont Community College. Her combined love for children and the field of occupational therapy constitutes the perfect job working as a pediatric COTA. She lives in Mount Holly and enjoys spending free time listening to live music, traveling and spending time with her dogs, friends and family.

  • Caroline Miller

    Occupational Therapist

    Caroline attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a degree in Early Childhood Education in 2008. She received her Master’s of Occupational Therapy also from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2012. Caroline practiced inpatient spinal cord rehab in Chapel Hill and home-based pediatric therapy in Morganton before returning to the Charlotte area to work in outpatient pediatrics. Caroline has been with Pediatric Hands on Therapy since 2013 and enjoys working with a variety of patients of all different ages and abilities. She has attended training for pediatric NDT, myofascial release, vision therapy, pediatric feeding, and other skill sets. Caroline lives in Lake Wylie with her husband, two children and fur baby Tar. She enjoys running, swimming, watching college sports, interior design, and spending time with friends and family.

  • Adrianna Tallman

    Occupational Therapist

    Adriana graduated with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Elizabethtown College in 2017. Adriana found her passion for pediatrics early in her career, working at an outpatient clinic in New York before moving to the Carolinas in 2021. Adriana also has experience working with adults post brain injury within sub-acute and inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Adriana believes a strong therapeutic relationship and trust between the child, therapist, and family are vital for optimal progress and goal attainment. Adriana focuses on a child's strengths and the importance of play when applying evidenced-based treatment approaches. Adriana has training in DIR-Floortime, pediatric feeding, oculomotor skills, reflex integration, and NDT infant handling. Adriana lives in Lake Wylie, SC with her husband and sheepadoodle puppy. She enjoys going to the beach, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

  • Emily Lombardo

    Emily graduated with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2023 from Pfeiffer University in Albemarle, North Carolina. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois but moved to North Carolina in 2020 to pursue her degree in Occupational Therapy. Emily has always had a passion for working for children. She has experience in working with children in the clinic, early intervention, and in the mental health setting. Outside of work, Emily has a passion for traveling, having visited over 20 different countries. Emily lives in the Charlotte area with her boyfriend and cat Baylee

  • Wendy Clavijo

    Wendy grew up in New York City and New Jersey. She moved to Charlotte in 2020. She graduated from Winston-Salem State with a Bachelors degree in Recreational therapy and a Masters degree in Occupational therapy in 2020. She has always had a passion for working with children and helping them reach their best potential. She has training in DIR-Floortime and SOS Feeding. Wendy is also bilingual and enjoys working with Spanish speaking families. Wendy lives in Charlotte with her husband and Australian Shepherd. She enjoys reading, going to the mountains, and spending time with family.

  • Jessica Myers

    Jessica earned her Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC and stayed there to earn her Masters of Science in Occupational therapy. She developed a passion for pediatric occupational therapy because she loves empowering her clients and adapting activities to help reach their goals and to function at their highest level. Her favorite treatment activity is building obstacle course to work on executive functioning skills. In her free time, Jessica is an avid swimmer and loves spending time at the lake or beach, watching movies, and snuggling with her pup Arlo.

  • Bailey Waugh

    Bailey graduated from North Greenville University in 2018 with a degree in clinical biology. She worked in the home health setting for 3 years with kids and young adults who had developmental or intellectual disabilities before pursuing a degree in occupational therapy. She graduated from Lenoir Rhyne University with Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2023. Her passion is helping kids reach their full potential and have fun while doing it. Currently, her special interests are in reflex integration and fine motor skills development. She enjoys spending her free time hanging out in local coffee shops, serving at her church, or playing competitive board games with her friends and family. She currently resides in Belmont with her husband Christopher.

  • Claire Gardiner

    Claire was born and raised in Huntersville, NC. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies at UNC Chapel Hill and her Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy at East Carolina University. Her and her husband just moved to Belmont, NC in 2023. She is  passionate about child development and empowering others to engage in what is meaningful to them. She enjoys working with a variety of ages and partnering with families to support their child's growth and overall quality of life. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling and exercising

Physical Therapists

  • Meredith Dixon

    Physical Therapist

    Meredith grew up in Shelby, NC. She attended East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology in 2013 and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2015. She has aspired to work with children since she personally had a bout of physical therapy in high school. Meredith completed her pediatric clinical rotation at Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Greenville, SC where she evaluated and treated patients with orthopedic conditions from all over the world. Meredith has special interests in developmental delay, gait deviations, toe walking and Cerebral Palsy; with additional training in Kinesiotaping, pediatric bracing and Torticollis. She lives with her husband, two children, and their dog Molly. In her spare time she enjoys running, traveling, taking her dog on walks, watching movies and baking.

  • Raechel Reynolds

    Physical Therapist

    Raechel attended Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA earning a degree in Exercise Physiology in 2006. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in St. Augustine, FL in 2008. Raechel practiced in the outpatient adult setting before moving to the Charlotte area to work in pediatrics. Raechel has been with Pediatric Hands on Therapy since 2013 and enjoys working with a variety of patients. She has additional training and special interest in Myofascial release, Kinesiotaping and NDT protocol. Raechel lives in Belmont, NC with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys running and spending time with friends and family.

  • Emily Waugh

    Physical Therapist

    Emily grew up in Gastonia, NC. She attended North Greenville University in Tigerville, SC and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2017. She then attended Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC, and graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2020. Emily completed her pediatric clinical rotation at Levine Children’s Hospital Inpatient Rehabilitation in Charlotte and treated a variety of patients including patients with traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. After graduation, she worked at an outpatient pediatric clinic in Lake Wylie, SC, prior to joining PHOT. She has special interests in developmental delay and toe walking, recently completing additional training with idiopathic toe walking. Emily currently lives in Gastonia with her husband Matt and enjoys spending her free time playing volleyball, pickleball, and board games with friends and family. She currently plays the piano and sings in a church band and loves music!

  • Annmarie Shotwell

    Physical Therapy Assistant

    Ann Marie attended the University of Delaware, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 1994, as well as Old Dominion University, completing Secondary Education Certification in 1996. Initially a high school Biology teacher for Norfolk City Schools in Norfolk, VA, Ann Marie relocated to Charlotte, NC with her husband and began teaching high school Biology/Anatomy and Physiology for Charlotte-Mecklenburg and then Gaston County Schools. After several years Ann Marie left teaching to ultimately become a stay at home mother to her two children until they were old enough for her to consider going back to school for a second career. Ann Marie graduated from Central Piedmont Community College with an Associates Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant in 2019 and started working at Pediatric Hands On Therapy. She loves to create interesting and fun therapy sessions for her pediatric patients as well as working with parents to help them re-create those ideas at home.

  • Keri Price

    Keri is a native of Shelby, NC. She started her academic journey at UNC Chapel Hill where she earned a Bachelor's in Management and Society. Driven by a desire to help others she then attended East Carolina University and graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2023. Keri completed her pediatric clinical rotation here at Pediatric Hands on Therapy where she loved getting to work with patients of diverse ages and diagnoses. This solidified her commitment to pediatrics and the PHOT team. Outside the clinic, Keri enjoys spending her free time traveling to new destinations, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Speech Therapists

  • Laura Nine

    Speech Language Pathologist

    Laura grew up in Greensboro, NC and attended Appalachian State University for both undergraduate and graduate school, graduating in 2009 with her Masters in Speech Language Pathology. She has worked for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, but has mostly spent her career thus far practicing speech therapy in the home health/early intervention setting. She joined the team at Pediatric Hands on Therapy in 2020 and is excited to work with a diverse range of patients. Interests in the field include: Articulation/Phonology, Early Intervention, the use of Parent Coaching to help empower parents to help their children, Diverse Language differences/Bilingualism, early language development in toddlers and preschoolers. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, anything active outdoors, spending time with family and friends, live music, movies, cooking, photography, and animals. Laura has been married since 2018, and lives in Lowell with her husband and son, Adam.

  • Lisa Millspaw

    Speech Language Pathologist

    Lisa received her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from James Madison University in VA. She has been working with children with speech and language disorders in home, clinic, and school settings for almost 20 years. She joined our team in 2015 and enjoys working with toddlers and preschoolers on early language skills. Lisa also has extensive experience working with patients on fluency. She lives in Belmont with her husband and two sons. She enjoys spending time with family, hiking, and traveling.

  • Allison Walsh

    Speech Language Pathologist

    Allison grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2014. She then attended West Virginia University, graduating from there with her master’s degree in 2016. Allison developed a passion for working with young children in Washington, D.C., where she worked for three years in their Early Intervention Program. Allison joined her husband by moving to North Carolina in 2019, where they live in Belmont with their three cats. Allison loves being a “cowboy cookie” of a therapist and is always learning something new. She has attended the following trainings: PROMPT Level One, the Brain-Mouth-Gut Connection, teletherapy, fluency disorders, and among others. Allison has a passion for articulation disorders, fluency disorders, pragmatic language, emerging language users, and AAC devices. In her free time, Allison likes to spend time with her family, read, and work on decorating her house.

  • Emily Gohr

    Speech Language Pathologist

    Emily graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Appalachian State University in 2017 and received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from UNCG in 2019. She has completed fieldwork In various settings including public schools, acute care hospital and inpatient rehabilitation. Her speech therapy interest areas including pediatric feeding and swallowing difficulties, expressive and receptive language delays, articulation concerns, and phonological disorders. In her free time, Emily enjoys hiking, playing the piano, and spending time with family and friends.

  • Britt Mason

    Speech Language Pathologist

    Britt attended Appalachian State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2007. She received a Master of Speech Pathology degree from the University of South Carolina in 2009. Britt began her career in the public schools in South Carolina. She worked in North and South Carolina schools for 7 years before deciding to pursue her interest in private practice. She started working at Pediatric Hands On Therapy in 2017 and enjoys working with a variety of patients. She has attended training for Beckman Oral Motor protocol, pediatric feeding, teletherapy, and other skill areas. Britt lives in Lincolnton with her husband, two daughters, and dog MacGyver. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and being at the beach.

  • Rebecca Shiflet

    Speech Language Pathologist

    Becca attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earning a degree in Communications in 1995. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 1998 with an MEd. in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Becca has over 22 years of pediatric experience in school, clinic, and private settings and has been with PHOT Since 2012. Becca enjoys working with kids from preschool to high school on all language needs. She has special interest in working with patients across the autism spectrum. Outside of work, Becca enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 kids traveling, hiking, and hanging out with friends.

  • Crystal Teets

    Speech Language Pathologist

    Crystal graduated in 2001 with her Bachelor's degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and in 2003 with her Master's degree in Communication Disorders from Valdosta State University. She has worked primarily with pediatrics over the past 20 years in hospitals, schools, and private practice. Crystal lives in Clover with her 12-year old twins and two cats. She enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

  • Emily Ross

    Emily grew up in Dallas, NC and graduated with her bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Appalachian State University 2021. She received her master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from UNC Greensboro in 2023. She is especially interested in early childhood language and speech sound disorders, pediatric feeding disorders, AAC, and fluency. She has completed fieldwork in a variety of settings including: elementary schools, acute care, private practices, and university clinics. In her free time, Emily enjoys shopping and spending time with family and friends- especially at the beach

  • Andrea Jenkins

    Andrea graduated from Western Carolina University in 2014 with her Masters in Communication Sciences and Disorders.  She worked in the schools for 9 years before coming to PHOT in 2023.  Andrea loves ​seeing her patients grow in their communication skills.  She enjoys music, cooking, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog. 

  • Mollie Carlson

    Mollie is a licensed speech-language pathologist, certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. She graduated from Fort Hays State University (Kansas) with a Bachelors (B.S.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Masters (M.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology. She has worked with children and adults and their families for 10 years within various settings including the school system, outpatient clinics, and assisted living facilities. With her years of expertise, she has received extensive training with apraxia, fluency, cleft palate speech, and language disorders. She delivers evidence-based therapeutic interventions to her patients through the application of PROMPT, child-centered approach, and more. She has provided support to children with multiple diagnosis including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down Syndrome, Apraxia, Dysarthria, Developmental Delay, Cleft Lip and Palate, Learning Disabilities, and other conditions. She loves spending time with family and friends, baking, and traveling.

  • Aylssa Hannon

    Alyssa graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Appalachian State University in 2022 and is currently studying for her Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology at UNC Greensboro. Alyssa loves the relationships she gets to build with clients and families as an SLPA. Her speech therapy interest areas include expressive and receptive language delays, pediatric feeding, articulation concerns, and a special love for kids on the autism spectrum. She lives in Kings Mountain with her husband and their two dogs, Belle and Storm. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys anything with music, shopping, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.