OUR MISSION
We are on a mission to help every child experience the joy of a daily win! At Partners in Therapy, we believe these victories are only possible when we build a powerful partnership with you. This partnership is at the heart of our work because you are the true expert on your child. We will work with you to determine what strategies, modifications, or opportunities for practice can be built into your typical daily routines to simultaneously make these routines a little smoother while steadily creating lasting change one day at a time. Not only does this approach limit disruption to your family’s life, but research has proven that children learn best when they learn within the context of their naturally occurring routines. By working as a team, we will help your child feel the joy and confidence they deserve to feel every day while reaching their fullest potential, and we will celebrate all the small victories together!
MEET THE OWNER
Mara Cappelletti, MS, OT/L
Owner/Occupational Therapist
Mara is an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience in pediatrics. She received her Master’s Degree in Occupational Science from The University of North Carolina in 2001. Mara started Partners in Therapy in 2010 with the mission of building strong partnerships with parents in order to help every child feel success. She is committed to maintaining the values and standards that shape Partners in Therapy while developing more specialized services to meet the needs of the children and families of our community.
Debbie Giles
Office Manager
Debbie joined Partners in Therapy in February 2019 and has over 25 years of administrative experience. She assists with referrals, pre-authorizations, benefits/insurance verification, claims, medical records, and payments. She serves as a resource for our therapists and clients.
In her free time, she and her husband enjoy spending time outdoors with their two fur-babies Madeline and Drake.
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OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
Samar Alhassani MA, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Samar is a pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT) who holds a Bachelor and a Master degrees in Occupational Therapy. She is certified in Sensory Integration. Some of her specialty areas include early intervention, sensory processing challenges, feeding therapy, hippotherapy, and handwriting intervention.
Samar has been a practicing OT since 2013 and is experienced in working with children of different ages (0 to 12 years) with a wide variety of diagnoses including Developmental Delays, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Processing Disorders, Learning Difficulties, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Samar has experience in working with children in various settings such as hospitals, out-patient clinics, schools, and homes.
Samar adopts a family-centered, team-based and play-based approach in her practice. She is very passionate about her work with children and their families and has dedicated her entire career to helping children achieve their full potentials while having fun in therapy. Her international contributions include organizing and conducting an Occupational Therapy clinic for children in Kuwait. Samar is fluent in English and Arabic. In her leisure time, Samar enjoys reading, swimming, and biking.
Trish McCabe, BS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Trish graduated from East Carolina University with a B.S. Degree in Occupational Therapy and has served children for over 20 years. Trish has worked in a variety of settings including Pediatric and Rehabilitation Clinics, Early Intervention Programs, Montessori and Public Schools, Home and Community Based settings, Daycare/Preschools and for the Developmental Evaluation Center. Trish has earned many certifications including: Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears Program and HWT Evaluation, Astronaut Training: A Sound Activated Vestibular-Visual Protocol, and in Assistive Technology. Trish also has had training in: NDT for infants by Bobath, Habilitation from the Core, and Oral Motor/Feeding Protocols. Additional training/continuing education courses and experience include the areas of Sensory Integration, treating anxiety in children, ADHD, executive functioning, Wilbarger’s brushing program, primitive reflex integration, adaptive equipment and positioning.
Trish enjoys working with all ages and their families and believes in a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment.
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Emily Hymes, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Emily is a licensed occupational therapist who graduated from D’Youville College in Buffalo, NY with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She has a passion for pediatrics and has experience treating children with a variety of diagnoses including pediatric feeding disorder, prematurity, developmental delays, neurological disorders (schizencephaly, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury), genetic disorders, cognitive delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory processing challenges, epilepsy, Down syndrome, and VACTERL association.
Emily is a skilled therapist dedicated to providing occupation-based interventions utilizing evidence-based research to guide her treatment. She utilizes a variety of treatment approaches and techniques including self-regulation curriculums such as the Alert! Program and the Superflex curriculum, the Beckman oral motor protocol, sensory approaches to feeding, sensory integration, strengths-based approach to autism and behavior, and neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT). She has also assisted in the assessment and procurement of splints and orthotics. Additionally, Emily has enjoyed developing her skills with numerous specialized training courses including Neurobiology of Swallowing and Dysphagia, Autism Strategies for Early Childhood Providers, NDT: Pediatric Problem solving and advanced handling for function, Pediatric feeding and swallowing training, Feeders and Growers- Using baby led weaning for advanced feeding outcomes, Learn Play Thrive-Approach to Autism, and the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol.
Emily is dedicated to an interdisciplinary approach, team communication, and child and family-centered care. She enjoys supporting families by using the coaching model and developing home programs.
Zulema Ferrin, MS, OTR/L ,ASDCS, CPRCS
Occupational Therapist
Zulema Ferrin is a bilingual (English and Spanish speaking) pediatric therapist with over 14 years of experience. She graduated from Keiser University in Florida with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. Zulema is a certified autism spectrum disorder clinical specialist (ASDCS) and a certified primitive reflex clinical specialist (CPRCS). She has also done training in basic American sign language. Since 2011, Zulema has been treating children and adolescence from 0-21 years of age. Her experience includes working with children with a wide variety of diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, sensory integration disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, achondroplasia, microcephaly, ventriculomegaly, conduct disorder, and developmental delays. Zulema has worked in a variety of settings including clinics, homes, daycares, and schools. She uses several different approaches, customizing a plan for each. She has extensive knowledge in sensory integration, feeding development, and has completed continuing education courses in kinesiotaping, development of play skills, and attention span techniques, and continues to expand her knowledge through continuing education courses.
Alyson Asparro, BS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Alyson is originally from Long Island, New York. She relocated to the Raleigh area in 2021 with her family. She has been married for 26 years and has three children aged 25, 23 and 22. Alyson received a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy from New York Institute of Technology in 2000. She has worked in pediatrics for over 25 years. Alyson has worked with children with various developmental delays and diagnoses (Autism, ADHD, Down’s Syndrome, developmental delay, sensory processing challenges) in both the home and school setting. Alyson began working in Early Intervention in 2022. She is a team player and works well with other service providers to best support each child.
Alyson loves children and believes they learn best through play. She believes each child is unique and their individual strengths should be used to further promote their development. Alyson is passionate about supporting each family's goals for their child and believes that parents and/or caregivers play an integral role in improving each child's development.
PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
Leslie Lynch, BS, PT
Physical Therapist
Leslie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and brings over 35 years of experience in pediatric physical therapy. Throughout her career, she has worked in a variety of settings, including pediatric acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient clinic, developmental preschool, public school, and home-based services. Her clinical expertise spans a diverse population of children with orthopedic and neurological conditions, genetic and muscular disorders, developmental delays, and those who are medically complex. She strives to help children build the foundation for movement, independence, and participation in everyday life.
Leslie has extensive experience in adaptive equipment evaluation and procurement. She enjoys helping families navigate the process of finding solutions that improve comfort, mobility, and participation in everyday activities. She works closely with families, physicians, and vendors to support each child’s functional needs across home, school, and community settings.
While she has treated children from birth through young adulthood, Leslie’s true passion lies in early intervention. She is committed to a collaborative, team-based approach that includes families, caregivers, and interdisciplinary providers. Leslie believes that meaningful progress happens within a child’s natural environment and values working in homes and daycare settings, where family involvement plays a vital role in supporting growth and development.
Leslie has completed certification in Pediatric and Advanced Baby Neuro-Developmental Evaluation and Treatment and has pursued additional training in kinesiology taping for pediatrics, orthotic assessment, pediatric gait, and torticollis management.
Outside of her professional work, Leslie enjoys reading, cooking, and gardening. She and her husband have three children, and family life continues to be one of her greatest joys.
Morgan Haskins, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Pediatric Certified Specialist
Morgan is a licensed physical therapist who graduated from East Carolina University in 2017 with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. She is a board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy. Morgan has a passion for pediatrics and has always worked in a pediatric setting including outpatient clinics, homes, schools, and an inclusive day care for early intervention. Her extensive experience includes evaluating and treating clients birth through 21 years old with diagnoses including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, torticollis, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, brachial plexus injury, spinal cord injury, arthrogryposis, Rett syndrome, and developmental delays. She is also experienced in assisting in the evaluation and procurement process for foot orthotics, bracing systems, cranial helmets, and durable medical equipment.
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Morgan uniquely approaches each patient and situation guided by her dedication to an interdisciplinary approach, team communication, and child and family-centered care. She enjoys problem solving, working together with other disciplines for a common goal, and collaborating with families to help each child achieve success.
Melanie Cobos, BS, PT
Physical Therapist
Melanie graduated in 1998 from La Trobe University in Australia with a Bachelor’s in Physiotherapy and is a licensed physical therapist in the state of North Carolina. She has experience in pediatrics in a wide variety of settings including acute care, school settings, outpatient therapy, aquatic therapy and in the home. Melanie has a passion for working with children ages birth through 5 using a functional play approach to address gross motor delays and orthopedic issues. She is highly skilled in manual therapy techniques including Myofascial Release, soft tissue mobilization, Maitland and Mulligan therapies which she incorporates into her treatment plan when indicated.
Melanie is married and the mother of 4 children. One of her children is on the autism spectrum and another has severe scoliosis. She has found this very personal experience has made her a more perceptive pediatric therapist. She is a strong advocate for treatment in the home setting through family education and involvement.
Natalia Love, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Natalia Love is a pediatric Physical Therapist (PT), specializing in early intervention birth- 3 y/o, since 2009. She has a Master’s and Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Natalia’s areas of specialty include neurologic, musculoskeletal, genetic, cardiac, and sensorimotor conditions contributing to gross motor delays and physiological impairments including but not limited to SMA, CP, Down Syndrome, Prematurity, Autism, stroke, Torticollis, postural dysfunction, hyper/hypo-tonia, and developmental delays. Natalia is a skilled manual therapist, utilizing variety of treatment techniques such as NDT, soft tissue mobilization, orthotics and other adaptive equipment consultation, kinesiology taping, and variety of therapeutic exercises and activities. Her primary goal is to assist the child in reaching the highest possible level of function through specific physical therapy intervention that is based on normal sequential patterns of gross motor (musculoskeletal and neuromuscular) as well as personal-social, cognitive and self-help skills. Natalia is fluent in Bulgarian. She has basic Russian and Serbian language skills, Spanish for PT, and is a beginner in the Arabic language