Our Team
Michael Mentzel, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Therapist
Emily Scheiner, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Michael is a neurodivergent speech-language therapist specializing in the therapeutic communication support of neurodivergent children, teens, and adults. With a diverse educational and clinical background encompassing multiple disciplines, Michael's therapeutic approaches are firmly rooted in the principles of neurodiversity. Michael believes therapists should always explain how a therapy is rooted in the neurodiversity paradigm and how it is free from models and assumptions of the pathology paradigm.
Michael understands the paramount importance of carefully considering every autistic person's inner experience, to ascertain their needs for sensory regulation, autonomy support, and language support. Michael believes that the ultimate goal of therapy should be to support the development of a robust neurodivergent identity and effective self-advocacy strategies in a low-demand environment. He also specializes in supporting the development and use of language for Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs). Michael believes the most important metric of a therapy's effectiveness is improved quality of life for the neurodivergent individual and their families.
Michael's pioneering work supporting young neurodivergent adults in transition-to-work programs such as Project SEARCH® and Community Connection of Howard County has brought needed attention to the critical role of the language of self-identity and self-advocacy in successful employment outcomes. At the university level, Michael's experience supporting autistic and ADHD college students in the University of Maryland SIGNA program taught him the importance of executive functioning support and self-advocacy in the academic setting. Understanding that no two children are alike, Michael is passionate about creating communication interventions that are tailored and individualized for every child with communication differences. He believes that therapy should be meaningful to the child, strengths-based, and neurodiversity-affirming. Michael and his wife live in Gaithersburg, MD and are the proud parents of two neurodivergent children.
Emily is a neurodivergent Occupational Therapist who graduated from Towson University with a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy in 2021. Throughout her early career, Emily gained valuable experience working with individuals of all ages and in various settings. However, Emily has found a special connection with outpatient pediatrics, where she feels her work is truly meaningful. She loves building relationships with children and their families, providing the kind of therapy that she wishes she had received in her own childhood.
In their practice, Emily is committed to staying up-to-date on the latest best practices in occupational therapy. She has a particular interest in topics such as neurodiversity, responsive feeding and eating, and executive functioning. Emily takes a holistic approach to her work, recognizing that every person is unique and complex. Emily believes in meeting individuals where they are at, recognizing their strengths while also supporting their growth and learning.
Outside of work, Emily lives in Germantown, MD with her partner Jesse, their beloved cat, and two guinea pigs. They enjoy spending time in nature, caring for their animals, and experimenting with new vegetarian and vegan recipes in their spare time.