Children’s Therapy Services (CTS) is a community of highly qualified, like-minded, self-employed pediatric therapists who share a harmonious work-space environment and professional culture.
Denise Modolo, MOT, OTR/L became the owner and clinical director of Children’s Therapy Services (CTS) in 2017. Denise is inspired to continue the work and practice of her long-time colleague and mentor, Tona Wheeler, OTR/L. Denise earned a Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2000 from Samuel Merritt University and a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from SFSU. Since the start of her career she gained experience in a variety of school-based settings along with 15 solid years at the California Pacific Medical Center, Outpatient Child Development Center in SF and Marin. Denise took lead roles in the OT department during different relocation projects. Denise effectively worked among a multidisciplinary team of Developmental Pediatric Professionals providing OT assessments, individual OT intervention, social motor playgroups, and summer handwriting groups. In conjunction with her position at Cal Pacific Child Development Center, Denise began working in private practice in South San Francisco and then relocated to Marin at CTS. She is a skilled evaluator, administering a number of comprehensive developmental sensorimotor assessments per year since 2000. Careful implementation using a variety of therapeutic techniques is her priority. Denise is dedicated to continued education for highly individualized intervention. Her completed course work includes: SI, HWT’s, PEP, Wilbarger Protocol, Alert Program for Self-Regulation, Therapeutic Listening, MNRI, Mary Kwar Interventions, Bal-A-Vis-X, Zones of Regulation, IM, and S’cool Moves. Denise was born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area. She lives in Terra Linda in Marin County with her husband and daughter. Denise enjoys spending time with her family and friends and traveling to Brazil to spend time with her extended family.
Tonya Zimring, MS, OTR/L, founder of Attune OT graduated from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado with a degree in Early Childhood Education and went on to receive her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy in 2002 from Pacific University in Oregon. She has immersed herself in the pediatric world ever since. With over 20 years of experience working with children ages 0-15 in a variety of settings from children’s hospitals, outpatient sensory clinics, schools, and early intervention, she draws from a wide range of therapeutic approaches to determine what is going on for your child and how best to guide you to support them in their growth and development. She has done extensive continuing education to allow her to work with children with a wide range of ages and diagnoses. Tonya’s advanced training areas include Feeding and Oral-Motor development, Masgutova Reflex integration, Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation, Visual-Motor and Visual Perceptual Development, Therapeutic Listening, HWT’s, NDT, Interventions for Toe Walking, School Moves and Polyvagal theory, DIR Floortime, Zones of Regulation, Astronaut Training, Michele Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking Curriculum and Executive Functioning development. She combines her skill as a therapist with her experience as a parent to find the best path forward for each family. Tonya lives locally with her husband and is a dedicated mother raising two young daughters. Her true passion is helping every child reach their full potential.
Sarah Saven, MS, OTR/L is a pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. She earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts, and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Marketing from Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania.
Sarah has worked in a variety of settings, including hospitals, acute rehabilitation, and schools, helping children navigate different developmental paths. She works with children with a wide array of diagnoses, including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), gross and fine motor delays, and sensory processing disorder.
Sarah focuses on continuing education and advanced training to best support the families she works with. She is certified to administer the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT) and incorporates specialized programs into her sessions, including:
- Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI)
- Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) & Therapeutic Listening Programs
- Interactive Metronome
- Astronaut Training Program
- Bal-A-Vis-X
- It’s Yoga Kids
She also regularly takes coursework in reflex integration, visual-perceptual skill development, and sensory processing to offer families up-to-date therapeutic ideas.
Sarah lives in Marin County with her husband and two sons. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her family, hiking, cooking, and learning needlepoint.
Tona Wheeler, M.A., OTR/L, began Children’s Therapy Services, Inc. in 1996 as a way of serving children in Marin. Tona, currently retired and not seeing clients personally, continues to provide mentoring as needed, to support the high quality for care for the children and families at CTS. Tona’s extensive background in advanced trainings include skills in SI; NDT; DIR-Floortime; SOS Feeding Training; IM; MNRI; PEP; various Therapeutic Listening methods; HWT; various Self-Regulation and Social Skills programs; VPPS; Wilbarger Technique; Kawar Interventions; Bal-A-Vis-X, and S’Cool Moves. She graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Occupational Therapy and from San Francisco State University with an MA in Education of Exceptional Children. She has enjoyed working with children as a Special Education teacher, as a High-Scope trained preschool teacher and as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. As an OT, she has worked for CCS; for local school districts; Oak Hill School; Marin Head Start; and enjoyed 20 years at CPMC’s Child Development Center. Tona and her husband raised four children in a mini-farm setting in West Marin.