Michelle Emanuel has 29+ years experience as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, with specific focus on posture, movement and connection for the precrawling baby.  She has a background in neonatal intensive care (NICU), pediatric intensive care (PICU), cardiac intensive care (CICU), outpatient and private practice populations.   She has a unique and interesting way of blending traditional and complementary forms of therapeutic applications, with her main emphasis on facilitating healthy nervous system function.

Michelle is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and a National Board Certified Reflexologist.  She has advanced training and extensive experience in a wide array of manual therapy and bodywork techniques, including CranioSacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Reflexology, Baby Facial Massage and more. 

Michelle has developed several novel curriculums: TummyTime! Method, Autonomic Nervous System Therapeutics, Therapeutic Skin Movement for Pediatrics (TSMP), BabyMyo, Dowel Rod Therapy, BabyReflexology and Dynamics of Breastfeeding Therapy.  She is a certified Yoga Instructor (RYT200), and is also certified in Infant Massage, Baby's First Massage, and Butterfly Touch Massage.  

Michelle is a knowledgeable and dynamic presenter.  She teaches her own classes and also speaks at various conferences internationally on the topics of Neurodevelopment, Oral Restrictions, Optimal Oral function, Developmental Milestones vs Needs in the Precrawling Infat, Play Therapy for Babies, Social Nervous System / Mental Health for Babies and Families and more.  She is known for saying 'the tongue is the epicenter of development', making sense of how oral dysfunction and restrictions impacts the whole baby.

Why does Michelle focus on the newborn to precrawling infant?  Because outside of working with pregnant women, this is the earliest time of intervention.  The precrawling stage contains critical periods of social and emotional connection, movement, reflexes, autonomic regulation and neurodevelopment.  Michelle has helped thousands of babies and families over the years.  She brings a vast array of knowledge, education and experience to this population. A well sought after therapist, mentor and teacher, she truly enjoys what she does.

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Michelle is specialty trained to administer the following neurodevelopmental tests:
General Movements Assessment (GMA Advanced Level)
​Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE)
​Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS)
Sensory Processing Measure for Infants
Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP)
Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function  (ATLFF)
Beckman Oral Motor Protocol
Martinelli Lingual Frenulum Protocol
Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function
Infant Behavioral Assessment (IBA)
Gross Motor Functional Measure (GMFM)

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Specialties seen in Michelle's office: 

• Postural Asymmetries  (Torticollis, head turning or feeding preference to one side)
• Plagiocephaly / Brachycephaly / Scaphocephaly (cranial molding or flattening)
• Oral Restrictions (Tongue, Lip and Buccal Ties)
• GI issues, Reflux, colic type symptoms, decreased bowel movements, etc
• Fussiness, Armoring, Stiffness, Body Tension
• Babies who have difficulty with or cry consistently in tummy time position
• Babies who spend less than 10 minutes a day in tummy time
• Sensory Processing and Integration Sensitivities and Difficulties
• Latch and Breastfeeding Issues
• Oral Rest Posture / Tongue Posture Deficits
• Breathing issues:  snoring, squeaky breathing, laryngomalacia, etc

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions, interest or concern about anything I've mentioned on this website.  
Text me! (513) 404-7786