PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY 

Sheryl Lozo, founder of SL Occupational Performance Therapy , is a certified emotional freedom technique Practitioner and has been a licensed occupational therapist with over 20 years experience in her field. She has provided skilled Occupational Therapy services to hundreds of clients ranging from new borns to 90+ years of age with physical, developmental, psychiatric, psycho-social and cognitive disabilities and dysfunction.  Sheryl has created her own specialized rehabilitation programs that incorporates her own wellness model, The Occupational Intention Wellness Model and a treatment technique founded by Gary Craig (emotional freedom technique, EFT) combined with the common theories, models of practice, and frames of references used within the field of occupational therapy. Sheryl's programs address the clients' and their families' core issues which are having a negative impact on one or more performance areas within their lives.  Her focus is to help adult clients and children regain and maintain their optimal performance while engaging in their daily living activities.

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A LETTER TO MY CLIENTS

Dear Future Clients,

           I am writing you this letter because it is important to me that you have an understanding of who I am professionally and the services SL Occupational Performance Therapy provides a more detailed and personal manner than a professional biography includes. I have learned through my own experiences that I am much more comfortable hearing from my healthcare provider directly, rather than about my healthcare provider indirectly. I am a licensed occupational therapist, and certified emotional freedom technique practitioner. I am also the founder of SL Occupational Performance Therapy. and The Occupational Intention Wellness Model. 

 

          Many people are unaware of what an occupational therapist is and the role he or she plays as a rehabilitator within different environments. The word occupation refers to a person's usual or principle work of business, especially as means of earning a living.. It also refers to an activity in which a person is engaged in. For example play or leisure activities and activities of daily living ( i.e. dressing, bathing, cooking, driving, shopping, cleaning etc.) The goal of an occupational therapist is to maximize a person's ability to engage in occupations that they want to, need to, or are expected to do. occupational therapists use a variety of different treatment modalities in order to treat a person's decreased ability to function physically, mentally, cognitively or developmentally.

 

           Emotional freedom technique (EFT) founded by Gary Craig, is an incredible healing tool which was used to resolve physical pain and emotional issues. Today it is applied directly to diagnosed conditions, physical injuries, chronic pain, psychological difficulties and more. EFT originated from a combination of Eastern Medicine and Psychotherapy and has been scientifically researched and proven effective for a variety of symptoms caused by stress. EFT increases and decreases specific hormones that are generated from the midbrain resulting in the acceleration of the body's healing process. This hormonal process was discovered by Dr. Herbert Bensen and Dr. Walter Cannon and can be found in more detail on The Science Behind The Therapy section of this website.

 

           The Occupational Intention Wellness Model is a new wellness model that seeks to explain the important correlation between ones past emotional and physical traumas and their intended present, and future occupational performance. By offering such explanations, this model offers an integrative approach in addressing all aspects of one's physical and emotional health for increased wellbeing and optimal performance in all the areas of their life.

 

           For the past 16 years I have had the pleasure of helping hundreds of individuals develop, regain and maintain their daily occupations. In regards to children, I've helped them reach their developmental milestones.  Each person that experiences a decline in functional ability, regardless of the cause, is unique and heals at a different rate.  Over the past 10 years I have noticed a significant decrease in the rate of recovery time and extent of recovery in individuals receiving skilled therapy. With the constant shift in the economy and the drastic changes in healthcare, people have been expected to heal at a faster rate for two reasons, the need to resume their employment and limited insurance coverage.  Unfortunately these expectations cause an understandable stress for the person, their families, and their healthcare providers who are trying to help them regain their functional ability. There is the emotional stress of the event that caused the decline in function and the stress of regaining optimal functional performance in a short amount of time. There may also be pain accompanying the situation.  A combination of  all these factors actually slow down recovery time and impedes on the extent and lasting effects of the human body's healing process. Being a healthcare provider I have witnessed this stress daily with my clients. I have also experienced this stress in the past with my own rehabilitation. After further research and continuing education I began to learn that Occupational Therapy was not meeting all my clients' needs. The teachings of Dr. Herbert Bensen and Dr. Walter Cannon began leading me to change the way I rehabilitate adults and children. This is what gave me the incentive to research different wellness models and treatment modalities and what today allows me to offer more permanent results.

 

          Theories, models of practice, and frames of reference, are what shape occupational therapy as a practice and how practitioners, like myself, look at their clients and design the interventions they use. While I still pull from and utilize aspects of these principles, my entire approach in designing individualized treatment for clients has changed and the reason I created SL Occupational Performance Therapy.

 

            My therapeutic approach will address any difficulties you are experiencing within any of your performance areas whether they originate from physical, mental, emotional, or cognitive issues. I recognize that my client's dysfunction not only affects them, but impacts their loved ones (i.e. spouse, partner, children ). This allows us to offer our services to them as well.

 

           I look forward to helping you and the special people in your life to achieve the highest level of performance.

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          Sincerely,

          Sheryl Lozo OT/L, EFTP