Anastacia Bruce received her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne, and Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Ball State University. Anastacia is both a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist as well as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Anastacia is a Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor with the Association for Play Therapy. Anastacia is trained in Level One Theraplay as well as Group and Trauma adaptations. Anastacia utilizes theoretical approaches to restore health and normalcy to families in need. Anastacia is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and The Association for Play Therapy. Anastacia has utilized her skills and experience as a Limited Term Lecturer for graduate level courses in her field. She has provided Clinical and Site Supervision to Master’s Level and Associate Level Therapists with Huntington University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Grace College, and NorthCentral University. Anastacia is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor.

Alysia Marshall-Seslar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Ball State University, with a minor in Special Education. She joined the Hand in Hand team in 2023 as a developmental therapist for First Steps. Alysia has worked in early childhood education for 13 years, including experience in Early Head Start classrooms and administration. Alysia is certified in the Parenting Journey parenting curriculum, as well as trained in Teaching Strategies: Creative Curriculum, Frog Street’s Love and Learn home visiting curriculum, and Conscious Discipline. Outside of work, she enjoys live music and exploring hiking trails around the Midwest.

Kelly joined Hand In Hand in December of 2018. She earned her Bachelor’s in Audiology and Speech Sciences from Purdue University. She pursued a career in sales for the past 10 years but is now working back in the medical field doing what she loves.

Kelly is a high energy individual who is goal oriented, and loves spending time with her family and friends. Kelly is looking forward to growing with Hand in Hand and making a difference in our clients lives.

Helen graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne in 2010. She started working at Hand in Hand in 2013 as a First Steps Developmental Therapist provider covering most of our northern counties and a few in the south. Helen expanded her journey with Hand In Hand by joining the the office as an administrator. She is able to converse in Spanish and some sign language as well. She loves to help others and loves to see how the children and people we serve change and grow during their journey with Hand In Hand.

Marilyn was raised in a small community with an emphasis on the importance of family and faith. She has been married for over 45 years and has been blessed with a family of her own. She became part of the Hand In Hand family in 2010, where she is able to continue to be a part of a family atmosphere. Marilyn finds reward in helping people and making new friends along the way.

Janis graduated from International Business College in Fort Wayne with a medical office specialist certification. She has past experience working with insurance claims and administration. Her experience serves her well in the office setting at Hand In Hand coupled with her passion for children in our Pediatric Clinic setting. Janis appreciates her family and friends, often spending her free time with them.

Leah graduated from Marian University with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. She is pursuing her graduate studies at Huntington University’s Doctoral program in Occupational Therapy. This past fall (August–December 2024), Leah had the incredible opportunity to intern at the IU Health MOVE Program, where she worked closely with cancer patients before, during, and after treatment. This experience deepened her passion for helping others through meaningful, personalized care.

She has a strong passion to work with children. She has worked at a summer school engaging with kids aged 3 to 7—planning fun, creative activities and helping with early learning and development. She loves finding ways to connect with kids and support them through play and purposeful interactions. Her experiences shadowing occupational therapists across pediatric and assisted living settings—both inpatient and outpatient—have confirmed her passion for the field. She is inspired every day by the difference OT can make in people’s lives, and she is excited to continue learning and growing in this profession.

Mallory received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from IPFW in 2014. Since graduation she has worked and gained experience as a speech-language pathologist assistant and a registered behavioral technician in the pediatric population. She earned her Master’s of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University in 2018. Mallory enjoys working with the birth to preschool population as the children grow and development so much during that time. She believes these children soak up every little bit during that time and it’s her goal to provide them with positive and educational experiences that they will keep with them for the rest of their lives. Mallory will work hard to provide your family with resources and activities to work on your child’s developmental milestones in between therapy sessions. Mallory is experiencing this specific population firsthand at home with her three young children! When Mallory is not working with your kiddos, she is cuddling her babies or spending time outside with her family either camping, hiking, reading, or enjoying lake weekends!

Alex graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Previously, she attended Manchester University where she received her Bachelors in Exercise Science. Alex has a passion for working with children and their families to help reach all their goals and for each child to reach its fullest potential. In her free time, Alex enjoys being outdoors, spending time with friends and family, playing with her cats, reading a good book, and playing slow pitch softball.

Anastacia Bruce received her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne, and Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Ball State University. Anastacia is both a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist as well as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Anastacia is a Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor with the Association for Play Therapy. Anastacia is a certified AutPlay Therapist. Anastacia is trained in Level One Theraplay as well as Group and Trauma adaptations. Anastacia utilizes theoretical approaches to restore health and normalcy to families in need. Anastacia is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and The Association for Play Therapy. Anastacia has utilized her skills and experience as a Limited Term Lecturer for graduate level courses in her field. She has provided Clinical and Site Supervision to Master’s Level and Associate Level Therapists with Huntington University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Grace College, and NorthCentral University. Anastacia is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor.

Kristin earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Cairn University in Philadelphia with specialization in professional counseling from a Christian perspective. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor. Her passion is to create a safe therapeutic relationship in which healing, insight and growth occur. Kristin utilizes integrative therapeutic approaches to help adolescents, adults, couples and groups overcome challenges and restore hope. She has extensive experience as a leader and trainer in nonprofit settings. Prior to counseling, Kristin earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and practiced as a Certified Public Accountant.

Jeni earned her Master’s degree from Indiana University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor. She has experience with individuals, couples and families with a variety of issues, ages, ethnicities and sexual orientations. She has a strong working knowledge and practice of multiple theories regarding individuals, families and couples. Jeni has a deep passion for meeting you where you are on this journey and assisting you in processing your path; challenging you to live your most fulfilled life.

Nicole has worked in the mental health field for over 18 years, earning her Masters in Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. Her passion in therapy is to partner with her clients to support a relational foundation that can facilitate growth, empower strengths and expand coping strategies for all of life’s joys and challenges. Nicole has over 11 years of private practice experience, in addition to certification in Reflective Supervision and specialized training in Birth – 5 dyadic therapy and early intervention. She enjoys training and consultation services to further promote learning and expanding best practices in her field and community. It is her privilege to work with clients of all ages, with an emphasis on attachment, interpersonal relationships and communication. Nicole has treated a wide variety of issues in therapy, including but not limited to, trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, ADHD, FASD, marital struggles, parenting challenges and process disorders. She utilizes a multi-modal approach to meet each client(s) unique needs, and she is a firm believer that there is always hope for a better tomorrow.

Hannah received her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northcentral University. Hannah works with Individuals, Couples and Child and Adolescents in Therapy. Hannah enjoys helping individual from all age ranges reach their goals in therapy through individual treatment approaches. Hannah has worked in different human service positions such as a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor and a high school English teacher and has grown in her understanding, compassion and empathy through these experiences. She believes that all individuals are unique and life experiences are equally unique. Hannah greatly values a comfortable, trustworthy and safe relationship with clients and understands that this is the foundation for effective growth. In Hannah’s approach to therapy, clients are able to be the authors of their own story and directly collaborate with the therapist on the journey to healing.

Traci earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work with a concentration in Mental Health and Addictions from Indiana University in South Bend, Indiana. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has experience providing mental health support and therapy services to individuals, families, and groups with chronic and acute concerns while honoring and accepting the varied backgrounds, abilities, and belief systems of those she is privileged to work alongside.

Shelby earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Huntington University and currently practices as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate. Shelby works as a Counselor with Individuals, Couples and Families. She believes working with individuals of all ages provides a well rounded experience as a therapist and drives her passion in counseling. Prior to counseling, Shelby earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Oakland University and practiced Applied Behavioral Therapy as a Registered Behavior Technician with a focus on early intervention. It is here that her desire for working with children truly ignited. Shelby enjoys integrating play-based techniques into her work with children to help process difficult emotions, develop communication and problem-solving skills, in order to foster self-esteem and emotional regulation, all within a safe, supportive environment. In her work alongside individuals, Shelby believes that every person carries a unique story shaped by their life experiences, and by honoring that individuality with empathy and understanding, allows exploration of how thoughts and beliefs have developed while providing guidance in finding new, healthier ways of thinking and being.

Alex graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Previously, she attended Manchester University where she received her Bachelors in Exercise Science. Alex has a passion for working with children and their families to help reach all their goals and for each child to reach its fullest potential. In her free time, Alex enjoys being outdoors, spending time with friends and family, playing with her cats, reading a good book, and playing slow pitch softball.

Kelly graduated from The University of Missouri where she received her Masters of Occupational Therapy. Kelly is a Certified Educator in Infant Massage. Kelly shares her passion for Occupational Therapy with all children both in our clinic and as an Early Intervention provider. 

Aubrey graduated from Huntington University where she received her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy. She has a passion for helping children grow and achieve their goals by utilizing interventions that are meaningful, fun, and that support their strengths and interests. Aubrey spends her free time being active and being with family and friends.

Bethany graduated from Trident Technical College in May 2014 where she received her Associates degree in Occupational Therapy. Bethany is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. She has a passion with working with children and their families to assist in their developmental milestones and to increase their independence in life thru fun and meaningful interventions. She loves working with ages from birth to kindergarten population and helping them grow and develop being that this is a crucial learning time for them. Bethany is certified in feeding therapy working on developing normal feeding routines, assisting with picky eaters, and for behaviors that come with eating. Bethany enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and other family & friends, shopping and relaxing for fun.

Courtney graduated from Huntington University and is Licensed as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.  As part of her degree, she developed an educational framework for libraries for increasing accessibility for neurodiverse children and developing family support.  She has worked with kids for several years in different settings ranging from one-on-one therapies to planning community events.  She looks forward to continuing to expand my education and learn about different diagnoses to better help children in the community to achieve their goals.  Her favorite part of working with children is seeing the ‘lightbulb’ moment when they learn a new skill or achieve a new goal.  She is thankful to be a member of the Hand in Hand therapy team as a COTA and to connect with children and families to make a positive difference in their lives.

Kayla received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne in 2014. Since graduation she has gained experience with the pediatric population working as a registered behavioral technician. She earned her Master’s of Arts degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Cincinnati in 2019. Kayla enjoys helping children learn language and has taken a special interest in Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC). Her passion is helping children, especially those with complex communication needs, find their voice. She has knowledge and experience working with children on the autism spectrum and other complex communication needs during her graduate school internships. She strives help each family become more comfortable with facilitating language and communication in their everyday activities. In her free time she enjoys taking jeep rides with her husband and hanging out with her friends and family.

Lydia graduated with her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology from Ball State University in 2021. She loves working with her clients and helping them to become independent communicators! Lydia understands the importance of family involvement in the therapeutic process and works hard to provide families with the necessary information and skills to be able to best support their kids at home. Lydia loves the broad scope of practice within the field of speech pathology and has completed additional training for the treatment of speech sound disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Gestalt Language Processing, and early language development.

Carmella is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communicative Disorders. She worked with children with autism as an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapist after graduation. She continued her education at Minot State University in North Dakota and graduated with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2019. She worked at a nearby pediatric clinic until 2022 when she moved to Indiana after having twin daughters. She has a special interest in speech sound disorders including Articulation Disorders, Phonological Disorders, and Childhood Apraxia of Speech. She has recently completed training in Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) and Natural Language Acquisition (Gestalt Language Processing).

Mackenzie Willett started at Hand In Hand as a Developmental Therapist in First Steps after obtaining her Undergraduate Degree. She now serves in our Clinic as an esteemed Speech-Language Pathologist after completing her Masters Degree. Her complete biography is to come depicting her accomplishments and passion for the field of Speech-Language Pathology.

Andrew received his B.S. Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from PFW. Andrew has been furthering my understanding learning of emotional regulation for the purposes of creating an environment that is more conducive for learning and speech/language progress. The sessions he conducts rely heavily on play and providing an environment for children to have fun while improving their speech and language goals. His therapeutic perspective is that when the work is fun more gets done!

Alexis earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Purdue University Fort Wayne. She is working towards a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Brescia University. She has taken the Meaningful Speech course to learn more about Gestalt Language Processing (GLP). Alexis is interested in language skills (especially GLP), social aspects of communication, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Literacy. She currently serves at Hand In Hand’s Pediatric Clinic as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.

Michaela attended the University of Cincinnati where she received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Bachelors in Allied Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology. She has a passion for helping others flourish and grow toward their goals through fun and motivating interventions. Michaela also enjoys ballroom dancing, sculpting, volunteering with adaptive sports groups, and spending time with friends and family

Jessica Crass graduated from Midwestern University in Downer’s Grove, IL with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2011.  Jessica enjoys working in the field of pediatrics.