Emily Skalkos-Pratt MEd 

HEAD OF INCLUSION & ADAPTIVE SUPPORTS

Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from York University and Master of Education in Developmental Psychology and Education from the University of Toronto. She specializes in providing developmental and neurodiversity-informed supports to children and youth with exceptionalities. Beyond socialskilled, she works as a program consultant for various OAP programs, including Core Clinical Services, Foundational Family Services, and the Entry to School program. 

Emily is creative and compassionate in her approach to working with neurodiverse children and youth, drawing on a strengths-based, person-centred framework to implement individualized strategies that help them thrive in recreational, clinical, and community settings. Her work emphasizes collaboration with families, accessibility, and the use of proactive tools that promote meaningful growth in everyday life.

Emily is excited to continue building strong relationships and collaborating with children, youth, families, and staff at socialskilled. She is passionate about building and delivering responsive programs that not only teach skills, but also celebrate individuality and nurture belonging, for participants and staff alike!

Kerri Goulden OCT

HEAD OF EDUCATION & DIRECT INSTRUCTION

Kerri is a mom to two awesome kids and two dogs. She grew up in Aurora, went to the University of Guelph where she got a BA, and continued her studies at Ottawa University where she got her Bachelor of Education.

Kerri began teaching in the early 2000s and her first position was at a school for kids with many different learning abilities. The school used Direct Instruction programs for their academic subjects so she had the opportunity hands-on training and professional development. It was amazing to see her students progress so quickly using these programs.

Fast forward to the present day. She has two amazing children with their own learning differences. During lockdowns, she was able to see where they needed support and was able to implement many of the Direct Instruction principles to support them with their online learning. Supporting her kids and seeing their success gave her the confidence to open up my services to support other students with reading and spelling. She loves seeing her students gain confidence, tackle challenging concepts with perseverance, and to learn how to turn mistakes into learning experiences.

Kerri is also an experienced Family Mentor and has supported parents through Children’s Treatment Network’s Family Mentor program. She looks forward to helping support children and families at socialskilled.

Stephanie Rhys MSW, RSW

SOCIAL WORK

Stephanie Rhys is a dedicated Clinical Social Worker and certified Play Therapist, specializing in attachment, Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), and complex special needs, all viewed through a trauma-focused lens. She completed her Master’s in Clinical Social Work from the University of Toronto in 2014, within the “Children and Families” stream. In 2014, Stephanie achieved certification in Play Therapy from the Canadian Association for Play Therapy, further enriching her therapeutic toolbox with creative and effective methods to connect with children and youth.

With a profound passion for mental health, Stephanie employs evidence-based practices, including trauma-focused interventions, to provide comprehensive support to children, youth, and families. Her approach creates a secure space for therapeutic exploration, utilizing play-based interventions to nurture growth and healing. Stephanie places a strong emphasis on collaborating with caregivers to harness their strengths and collectively achieve therapeutic goals. As an advocate within healthcare and education systems, she ensures that families receive integrated care tailored to their unique needs.

Billie Schulman MSW, RSW

SOCIAL WORK

Billie Schulman is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, where she earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree. Currently, she is working on the next phase of her educational journey as she completes a Master of Social Work at Yeshiva University, all while maintaining her registration as a social worker with the OCSWSSW.

Billie’s commitment to nurturing children’s growth and development is complimented by her specialized expertise in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – Level 2 certification. This training equips her with a strong understanding of psychological principles and evidence-based techniques. Armed with this knowledge, Billie works to foster a supportive and empathetic environment where children can comfortably explore their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours.

CBT – Level 2 certification empowers Billie to effectively address and wide range of challenges that children may encounter, from anxiety and depression to self-regulation and trauma. By utilizing proven CBT strategies, she aims to help her young clients develop essential coping skills, challenge negative thought patterns, and build resilience, with her passionate guidance and evidence-based interventions.

Alyssa Ament OT Reg. (Ont.)

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Alyssa is a passionate Occupational Therapist with experience working with infants, children, and teens with various developmental delays and diagnoses. She takes a child-led, play-based approach to therapy, aiming to build a trusting, enjoyable relationship that allows each child’s unique interests and personality to be explored. By fostering an environment where children feel seen and understood, Alyssa helps them make meaningful progress across areas such as gross and fine motor skills, sensory processing, executive functioning, hand-writing, self-regulation, and activities of daily living.

Alyssa is certified in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding and has pursued specialized training in areas including handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears), sensory processing, feeding, and autism spectrum disorders. She is also trained in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and holds certifications to administer both the Chedoke McMaster Stroke Assessment and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

Alyssa earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Western University and her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Health Studies from Queen’s University. She is a registered member of the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO) and is also affiliated with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) and the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists (OSOT). Alyssa is deeply committed to ongoing professional development to provide the highest quality care for her clients.

With a holistic approach, Alyssa looks forward to collaborating with families to support children in building confidence, developing essential skills, and fully participating in their growth and development.

Sarah Yong OT Reg. (Ont.)

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Sarah graduated from Queen’s University with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2021. Prior to this, she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at York University. Since graduating she has worked as an occupational therapist supporting a variety of client populations and has had the pleasure of supporting various early intervention programs (Entry to School, Play Project).

Sarah has experience in supporting children in understanding and developing their sensory-motor profile, social communication, interoceptive awareness, and gross and fine motor skills. Sarah has had training in the DIR/Floortime approach and is PLAY project certified.

Sarah is excited to collaborate with families to best support their child! She takes a holistic approach, hoping to use what the child is interested in to develop various skills and generalize those skills to their everyday lives. When she is not working you can find her teaching dance, enjoying music, knitting and playing DnD!