Holistic OT Practitioner Directory

Called to be a healer at a very young age, Ana discovered  occupational therapy while working for a physical therapist and thinking to herself “there has got to be more than just exercises”.  At that time, OT’s studied values, beliefs and culture roles in healing. OT’s were taught to use therapeutic use of self along with guiding purposeful activity to empower clients and patients to discover their healing within. Over the course of the years and the change in healthcare, Ana made the decision to fully embrace her intuitive gifts and incorporate them with her formal training. She sought out more intuitive and alternative trainings, broadening her perspective, skills and abilities.   

Ana helps her clients learn to communicate with their bodies.  She shows them how to change their limiting mindset.  She shares nutritional information so they become conscious consumers.  Ana empowers her clients to reclaim their health and lives from the inside out. 

Ana has been a continuing education instructor for over 10 years, sharing with her colleagues evidence based holistic techniques. She has presented for the Texas Conference on Autism and, twice, presented at the Rehab Summit in Las Vegas. Ana is also a highly sought after guest speaker for community and corporate events where she shares Self Talk for Success.  Her audiences include Lions Club International. Mother’s of Multiples, Mother’s of Preschoolers, Women of Visionary Influence, and America Airlines Professional Women Association.  

Ana provides Zoom webinars, in house seminars, direct treatment sessions and distant treatment sessions. She is not in network with any insurance companies. 

Ana’s credentials include a Bachelor’s of Science Kinesiology from University of North Texas 1994, Master’s of Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University 1997, Master’s of Business Administration from our Lady of the Lake University 2002.  Certified Sensory Specialist from The Sensory Institute, Reiki Level III certified, BARS Access Consciousness Certified practitioner, PSYCH-K Certified practitioner, Certified Life Coach from Dr. Shad Helmstetter and the Life Coach Institute, Certified Self Talk Trainer and Speaker for Dr. Shad Helmstetter and the Self Talk Institute, Certified Personal Trainer from Cooper’s Clinic. 

Cara Koscinski has her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and has been a therapist since 1997. She is a homeschooling mother to her own children with special needs.

After both of Cara’s children were born with autism, Cara sought out services to benefit the boys.  She could not find a therapy center that provided both quality therapy for autism and Sensory Processing Disorder AND that provided direct education to parents for carryover of treatment.  So, she decided to create her own!  She was the Co-Founder of Aspire Pediatric Therapy, LLC which quickly grew to provide therapy at schools, in homes, and in centers located around the Pittsburgh area.

In the meantime, Cara developed CDs for children with fear of loud noises (auditory sensitivity) since her children had difficulty tolerating noises such as thunder, fireworks, and sirens/fire drills.  Cara and her sister, a music therapist, purchased high quality recordings and wrote lyrics and rhythms.  The CDs are a fun way to be able to hear and “control” the volume of sounds!  Cara began selling them locally and then in several national catalogues for special needs.  The CDs that Cara created, Sound-Eaze and School-Eaze can be found on Amazon, Abilitations, The Therapy Shoppe, and Achievement products.  She sells the CDs under the company name, Route2Greatness since her older son enjoys drawing routes, maps, and is on his way to doing great things!

Cara provides occupational therapy services, advocacy, and consultations as The Pocket Occupational Therapist. Cara enjoys speaking to therapists, teachers, and special needs organizations across the US.  She is a speaker for continuing education trainings for Future Horizons, OccupationalTherapy.com and Home CEU Connection. She specializes in autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, behavior, and social skills training.

Cara frequently writes articles and has been published in AutismAsperger’s Digest, Autism Spectrum Quarterly, AutismFile, APFED, Something Special Magazine, Parents, San Francisco Parent, and NewsLine, among others.   Ms. Koscinski is an advisor to AutismAsperger’s Digest Magazine. She was named as one of Jennifer O’Toole’s Asperkids Advisors of Awesomeness. Cara was the recipient of the Duquesne University’s Innovative Practice Entrepreneur Award and has served as an adjunct clinical instructor for the Duquesne University Occupational Therapy program.  She has extensive training in sensory processing disorder, Handwriting Without Tears, pediatric feeding techniques, core muscle considerations, autism, gastro-intestional disorders, upper extremity treatment, handwriting, Therapeutic Listening, caregiver stressors and support, visual perception, rhythmic movement, reflex integration. Cara has recently become a certified IRLEN Screener.