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Our Speech Team

Meet Lauren Glessing, M.S. CCC-SLP, Owner of OWL Therapy Services
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Lauren is a 2006 graduate of the University of Minnesota - Duluth and a 2008 graduate of Syracuse  University, where she earned a Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology. Lauren began her dream of starting OWL Therapy Services in 2011.

 

Growing up with a sister with special needs, Lauren understands being on both sides of the therapy table and is now one of her sister's legal guardians. Lauren understands the struggles, concerns and celebrations that go along with being a caregiver, and believes that your life should be easier when it comes to therapy services.

 

Lauren's experience working in Birth-Age 3 programming made her realize the importance of home-based therapy, both to reduce stress on families, and to include parents, siblings and friends in the therapy process in a child's most comfortable environment. Running to another appointment and entering an office room is not always the most welcoming environment. Lauren is thrilled you would consider welcoming her into your home and into your world of communication. 

Meet Jeffery Glessing, M.S. CCC-SLP
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Jeff is a speech-language pathologist and a person who stutters. Jeff knows the experiences of those who stutter both as a clinician and a former therapy client. He is focused on providing therapy services with the highest levels of client satisfaction and will do everything he can to meet your expectations.

 

With a vast amount of experience with all ages of people who stutter, Jeff does not have a one therapy fits all approach, rather care is taken to diagnose each client's specific needs and beliefs to design a therapy program to aid them in becoming a more effective communicator over the course of their lifetime. An investment that will payoff for the client for the rest of their lives.

Meet Sydney Moon, M.A. CCC-SLP
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Sydney graduated from California State University, Chico with her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2019. She spent the first two years of her career as a speech-language pathologist at a Montessori elementary school in California. Sydney worked with a wide variety of students, ranging from 4-14 years old, with needs in articulation, expressive and receptive language, fluency, social language, and dyslexia. Sydney loves providing play-based therapy for children of all ages. She is passionate about expanding communication for children with autism and has specialized training in gestalt language processing.

 

When Sydney is not working at OWL, she is exploring Minnesota’s trails and parks and spending time with her husband and two kids.

Meet Autum Erickson. M.S. CCC-SLP

Autum graduated from Minnesota State University- Mankato with her Master's degree in 2022. Throughout grad school, Autum gained experience working with a variety of needs including articulation disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, expressive & receptive language delays, literacy, and social aspects of communication. Autum is most passionate about helping children grow their expressive & receptive communication skills through play-based therapy, and building a strong rapport with her clients and their families. 

 

During her free time, Autum enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family.  

Meet Isabelle Holmes, M.A. CCC-SLP
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Issi graduated from Calvin University in Michigan with her master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2020. During her time there, she enjoyed internships in early childhood settings and at an outpatient AAC clinic, where she worked with children and adults of all ages with complex communication needs, including students with needs in articulation, fluency, and expressive and receptive language. For the last two years, Issi has been working in an early childhood setting here in Minnesota.

 

Issi is passionate about AAC, play-based therapy, literacy-based therapy, and education regarding shared reading and the influence of screen-time on language development. Growing up in a family with several children with special needs, Issi knows the positive impact good rapport between a therapist and family can have on a child's progress and hopes to help all of her clients feel heard and respected. 

 

Originally from the desert of southwest Texas, Issi has been enjoying exploring Minnesota and adjusting to winters with her Rochester-born husband. In her spare time, Issi can be found riding her bike, reading, quilting, crafting in general, and spending time with friends.

Meet Kathy Smith, M.S. CCC-SLP
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Kathy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with her Master's Degree in Speech Pathology in 1998. She spent her first 7 years as an SLP in the school districts working with grades 6-12 as well as the birth to 3 population. She then transitioned to the pediatric outpatient therapy setting where she has worked for the past 18 years. Kathy has experience working with a wide variety of needs including articulation, receptive and expressive language, social language, autism, and gestalt language processing. 

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During her free time, Kathy enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with her family. 

Our Occupational Therapy Team

Meet Emily Breunig, M.S. OTR/L
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Emily Breunig graduated from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s of Science degree in Occupational Therapy in 2010. The focus of her work has been in pediatrics and has many years of experience working with children with sensory processing disorders and Autistic children. Emily has specialized training in Therapeutic Listening, the Astronaut Training Vestibular- Visual Protocol, and the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Feeding Approach for picky eaters and problem feeders.

In her free time, Emily enjoys spending quality time with her husband and two children, time outside, traveling, and doing yoga.

Emily has a passion for working with children and their families and will not hesitate to advocate for their needs. She feels her creativity, playfulness, and collaboration are great benefits for being a Pediatric Occupational Therapist.

Meet Lauren Vincent, M.S. OT, OTR/L
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Lauren graduated from UW-La Crosse in 2016 with her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. After that, she moved to western Massachusetts and graduated with her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Springfield College in 2018.

 

Lauren has worked with children and their families in a variety of settings, including early intervention, schools, and outpatient clinics.  She has specialized training in feeding through the SOS Feeding Approach.

 

Lauren's areas of interest include sensory processing, feeding, and visual perceptual skills. She loves working with families and helping children succeed and participate in their daily tasks using play.

 

In her spare time, Lauren enjoys hiking, running, playing soccer, and spending time with her husband and family.

Meet Zach Gascho, OTD, OTR/L
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Zach graduated in 2020 from the University of Nebraska-Kearney with his bachelor's degree in exercise science. He then graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2023 with his doctorate degree in occupational therapy. Zach completed clinical rotations at a pediatric occupational therapy clinic where he worked with many children of varying ages. He completed his doctoral project at a neonatal intensive care unit focusing on parental education, empowerment, and support. 

 

Zach has a passion for working with children and bridging fun activities with their therapeutic goals. He has a particular interest in assistive technology, sensory processing, and advocating for the family unit. 

 

In his free time, Zach enjoys doing anything outdoors (running, biking, camping, etc.). He also enjoys spending time with his friends and family. 

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Meet Krissy Gillard, MA, OTR/L
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Krissy graduated from the College of St. Catherine with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Occupational Science in 2003 and a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy in 2005. Over the years, Krissy has practiced in several pediatric settings including pediatric community based mental health, outpatient rehab, home care and the public school systems. 

 

Krissy comes to OWL Therapy Services with a passion for providing holistic pediatric mental health OT services. Certifications in DIR/FLoortime (Proficiency Level) and Internal family Systems (IFS Level 1) help guide Krissy’s connection and play based approach for each client and family. She is a trauma-informed Occupational Therapist and is dedicated to exploring the relationship between the effects of trauma on the nervous system, specifically the sensory system and how that uniquely emerges in the child/teen’s daily activities, relationships and environments.

 

In addition to working with trauma, mental health and populations with sensory processing differences, she also has extensive experience in working with clients and families that are navigating their own unique journeys with developmental delays, feeding/eating, visual motor and visual processing, learning and attention, and coordination disorder diagnoses.  

 

In her spare time, Krissy enjoys spending time with her family and pets. She is a music enthusiast, loves to read and loves adventuring out in nature.

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