Melissa Buffin OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Melissa is a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist.  She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2003 and went on to obtain a master’s degree in science and Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University.  Melissa has worked in outpatient clinics; school districts; early intervention; and community-based settings.  She believes strongly in parent education and inclusion and that therapy should be FUN and meaningful in order to yield the best treatment outcomes. She even partnered with a Facility Dog (via Canine Companions for Independence), Mr. T, for 8 years of her career.  He is now retired, and she hopes to work with another dog in the future.

Melissa has experience working with children of all ages and a range of abilities such as Autism, Learning Disabilities, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, Developmental Delays, CP, TBI, Down Syndrome, Speech Delays, and general fine and gross motor delays.

Melissa has completed training in numerous areas.  Some of the highlights are sensory integration (SIPT certified); Therapeutic Listening (certified); Advanced Therapeutic Listening (certified); Interactive Metronome (certified); Primitive Reflexes; Beckman Oral Motor Assessment & Intervention; The Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding; Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction(certified); and Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking programs.

Outside of the OT world, Melissa loves spending time with her husband, two children, and one fur baby.