JESSICA FAITH

Associate Director

OT Reg. (Ont.)

Jessica Faith is associate director responsible for clinical development at Ellen Yack and Associates Paediatric Therapy Services. For the past 22 years, she has provided occupational therapy services to children, adolescents and adults. Her passion and areas of expertise include working with children and youth who are neurodivergent and/or have autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorders, developmental coordination disorders, learning disabilities, feeding challenges such as selective eating/ARFID, social thinking and self-regulation challenges. 

Jessica is certified to perform the SIPT (Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests), DIR/Floortime® intervention, The Play Project, the Safe and Sound Protocol, and the Beckman Oral Motor Evaluation Protocol. She also has extensive training in the use of Neuro-Developmental Treatment, Therapeutic Listening, SOS Approach to Feeding, Astronaut Training, and primitive reflex integration and its impact on vision and motor skills. 

Jessica is a trauma-sensitive practitioner who understands the sensory and self-regulation challenges related to trauma that children and families experience. In 2007, Jessica was involved in supporting the emotional regulation and sensory needs of institutionalized adults with developmental disabilities transitioning into community housing through the Reena Foundation. She has also provided consultation to health professionals and families involved with Children’s Aid Society, Jewish Child and Family Services, and Native Child and Family Services. 

Jessica has extensive experience working with parents, teachers, daycare staff, resource consultants, behaviour therapists, healthcare professionals, and administrators in public and private institutions in the Greater Toronto Area.

In addition to her clinical work, Jessica is an invited speaker at local, provincial and national conferences for parents, educators, camp staff, and health professionals. Jessica has a unique ability to engage clients and workshop participants through imagination and humour, drawing on her improvisational, musical, and theatrical training. 

Publications

 
 
 

Angela can’t eat solid food: decision-making in paediatric care

By Karen E. Faith, BSW, MEd, MSc, and Jessica B. Faith, BSc OT, OT Reg (Ont)

Featured in Rehab and Community Care Medicine Magazine (2017)

 

Workshop Presentations

  • 2024.   Presenter, Supporting Children’s Regulation: Tools, Tips and Tricks From an Occupational Therapist. Military Family Services Beyond Boundaries National Conference. (Virtual) Canada.

  • 2024. Presenter, Teaching your staff to become beacons of regulation. Ontario Camps Association Annual Conference. Markham, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2024.  Presenter, Therapeutic Use of Self: Becoming a Beacon of Regulation. Montcrest School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2024.  Presenter, Tools To Support Regulation: Tips and Tricks From An Occupational Therapist. Macaulay Centres for Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2023.   Presenter, Therapeutic Use of Self: Becoming a Beacon of Regulation. Council for Exceptional Children Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2023.   Presenter, Exploring the Eight Sensory Systems, Leo Beck Day School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  • 2023.   Presenter, Regulation in the Classroom: Tools, Tips and Tricks From an Occupational Therapist. Early Childcare Resource Teachers Network of Ontario’s (ECRTNO) provincial conference, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2023.   Presenter, Fight, Flight, Freeze, Appease: Recognizing stress response behaviours and developing tools for your staff and campers. Ontario Camps Association Annual Conference. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2022.    Keynote Speaker, Interprofessional Collaboration: Creating a Common Language, One Kids Place Conference on Interprofessional Collaboration, Timmins, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2022.    Presenter, ASD and Self-Regulation, One Kids Place Conference on Interprofessional Collaboration, Timmins, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2021.  Co-Presenter, Super Simple Setup to Support Self-Regulation: Four Easy Lessons, Council for Exceptional Children Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2020.    Presenter, Supporting Children with Mental Health Challenges, Jackman institute for studies in education Master’s Student Community, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2020. Presenter, Self-Regulation at Camp, Ontario Camps Association Annual Conference, Markham, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2019.    Co-Presenter. The Inter-professional Rosetta Stone: Finding a Common Language Amongst Behaviour Analysts & Occupational Therapists. Poster Presentation. Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysts (ONTABA). Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  • 2019. Co-Presenter. Developing a Sensory Lens to Enhance Your Paediatric Practice, Ellen Yack and Associates Professional Workshop, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2019. Co-Presenter. Occupational Therapists: Agents of Change For Individuals with ASD, Ellen Yack and Associates Professional Workshop Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2018. Presenter. ASD and Sensory Differences: Impact on Behaviour and Daily Routines, Ottawa Children’s Coordinated Access & Referral to Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2018. Presenter. ASD and Sensory Differences. Family Medicine Forum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2018. Co-Presenter. Developing a Sensory Lens to Enhance Your Paediatric Practice, Thames Valley Children’s Treatment Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2016. Co-Presenter. Pulling it All Together: A Comprehensive Approach to Feeding Challenges. Ellen Yack and Associates Professional Workshop.Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2016. Co-Presenter. Triggers, Treatment and Tools: A Comprehensive Exploration of Self-Regulation, Ellen Yack and Associates Professional Workshop. Toronto, Ontario. Canada.

  • 2016. Presenter. Self Regulation at Camp. Ontario Camps Association Annual Conference. Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2015. Presenter. Self Regulation Strategies to Enhance Clinical Practice. OT PT Paediatric Network. Toronto, Ontario,Canada.

  • 2015. Co-Presenter. OT: Agents of Change for Children with ASD. Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2014. Presenter. Assessment and Strategies for Sensory Integration Issues: Tools for the Occupational Therapy Consultant. VHA Rehabilitation Services. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2014. Co-Presenter. Developing a Sensory Lens to Enhance Your Paediatric Practice. Ellen Yack and Associates Professional Workshop. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • 2012. Co-Presenter. Building Partnerships: Exploring OT/SLP Co-Treatment for Children with ASD. Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.