Who we are

Emmi

Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Founder of Matern-O.T

Emmi has her doctorate in occupational therapy and specializes in perinatal mental health. She strongly believes that you do not need a diagnosis to have a mental health disturbance. New roles or changes in a persons environment can easily disrupt their mental wellness. Furthermore, over the past decade she has worked in several inpatient psychiatric units and in a community mental health center. She has developed and ran psychoeducation groups and sees people individually for one on one sessions.

When she became a mother in 2021, she realized the lack of care and attention given to mothers mental health during their postpartum period. She aspired to be the change she wanted to see. Thus, she created Matern-O.T with the goal of enhancing mental health services to people from the moment they are trying to conceieve through postpartum.

Emmi’s clinical background as an occupational therapist allows her to see a person through a biopsychosocial model that enables her to assess a persons biology, psychology and social factors leading to their current presentation. She has continued to expand her clinical knowlegde by taking continued education courses in applying cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) all through an occupation based lens.

She has also taken Postpartum Support Internationals (PSI) classes and is pending taking the exam for her perinatal mental health certification (PMH-C). Emmi took the Postpartum Stress Center’s class “The Art of Holding Perinatal Women in Distress,” taught by Karen Kleiman.

See below for further details on Emmi’s educational background and advanced trainings.

On a personal level, Emmi enjoys photography and likes being busy. She enjoys romantic comedies and crime shows. Her current favorite shows include Abbot Elementary and Nobody Wants This. She had a beloved dog named Oso though he passed away in early 2023. Emmi loved him so much that his passing was very hard leading to the hesistation of her family ever getting another dog. Though only time will tell.

Education & Advance Trainings

Emmi obtained her clinical doctorate in occupational therapy. While in school she investigated the effects of internalized stigma on people admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit.
Emmi graduated with her master’s of occupational therapy. She has worked various settings including acute care, sub-acute, and inpatient psychiatric units in various hospitals in Chicago since graduating.
Emmi graduated with her bachelors and began working in a mental health crisis stabilization unit in addition to an inpatient psychiatric unit. Prior to graduating from undergrad she worked in a community mental health center.
Emmi has completed Infant Massage USA 4 day training to be able to teach parents/caregivers how to connect with their babies via touch.
Emmi completed PSI’s 3 day training and is pending taken her exam to receive her credentials as a perinatal mental health certified (PMH-C).
Emmi has completing the 12 hour advanced training focusing on The Art of Holding Perinatal Women in Distress.
Emmi has taken continuing education courses on the above psychological approaches. She has been implementing them in her 1:1 sessions and groups she has been running on the inpatient psychiatric units.