Why choose
Accelerate Center creates possibility. Through an integrative and individualized platform, we provide the resources and services needed to accelerate the success of children with special needs. Our comprehensive platform utilizes a holistic approach that fosters awareness and progress in the home, school, and community environment.
Accelerate Center understands the unique facets of the people, new businesses, and schools we work with. We believe in doing all that is necessary to help our clients reach their full potential.
Our Mission
Our mission is to create, deliver, and accelerate possibilities for children with special needs. Through a holistic environment that incorporates academics, social, psychological, and physical health, our multidisciplinary team strives to empower children and their families with the strength to improvise and adapt, accentuate their learning strengths, and overcome their learning needs.
Accelerate Center provides children, schools, caregivers, and communities with the professional support needed to thrive, accelerate success and exceed academic, social, psychological, and physical expectations.
We at Accelerate Center aspire to understand every facet of the people, new businesses and schools we work with and adapt to their individualized needs. We believe that “if a student cannot learn the way we teach, we should teach the way they learn.”
Our Philosophy
IMPROVISE
ADAPT
OVERCOME
We at Accelerate Center believe that “if children can’t learn the way we teach, then we should teach the way they learn.”
Our Vision
Conceptualize facilities and establish remote global services that educate children, teachers, and caregivers in a culturally sensitive, multilingual global arena. We envision an accessible and adaptive platform designed to transform and increase individual capacity, foster positive thinking attitudes, and provide multidisciplinary services in speech and language, reading, occupational therapy, behavioral and psychological services, etc., in a no or low cost environment.
Our Team
Accelerate Center would like to express sincere gratitude to our team members for being instrumental in the development of all our programs and services.
Michelle OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Specialties: Serving Infants with nursing issues and experience in Pediatric Feeding Challenges. Addressing Learning Differences, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anxiety, Tics and more. Reflex Integration added as appropriate to support optimal results. Interdisciplinary Consultation to School, Group Home, and other community settings upon request.
Michelle has extensive experience across a variety of pediatric settings including: school-based OT, multi-disciplinary private clinic, home-based intervention, and consultative services. Michelle has pursued extensive post-graduate professional training in areas related to Pediatric OT, Sensory Integration Theory and Practice, Quantum Reflex Integration, Advanced Oral Motor and Sensory Feeding Training including the SOS approach, Advanced Training in Therapeutic Listening™ , CranioSacral Therapy, Holistic Circus Therapy, Bal -A -Vis-X, and the ALERT program. Michelle began her private practice specializing in interdisciplinary collaboration on comprehensive play based ABA behavioral programs. She is the co-author of "A Parent Manual for Improving Child Development, Ages 0-12 months".
Additionally, Michelle brings a holistic approach to her practice as a Kalos Health Facilitator to help clients achieve improved health and a sense of well-being.
Rowena OTR/L, SIPT
Occupational Therapist
Rowena is originally from Los Angeles and relocated to the Silicon Valley in Northern California. She has been an active member of the USC Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science alumni, since graduating from the program in 2001. She has extensive experience as an occupational therapist for over 13 years, working primarily in school-based and clinic-based practice. She has assumed leadership roles as lead therapist in clinic-based settings in both the school district and private clinics. She is highly trained in sensory integration including the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT) certification, as well as collaborating with parents and teachers for home/classroom sensory diets. She has functioned as Advising Therapist to new graduates and entry level occupational therapists, as well as
Clinical Instructor to fieldwork level I and II occupational therapy students. She has operated parent education programs with an emphasis on sensory integration and for the specialized autism programs. She is currently running sensorimotor groups for multiple preschool programs for the school district.
Rowena volunteers her knowledge and time with various Special Olympics events in the community. She is an avid international traveler, who loves exploring new experiences though food and travel. She enjoys yoga, hiking and staying active. She believes in work-play balance, the foundational philosophy of Occupational Therapy.
Kavita OT
Occupational Therapy Intern
Accelerate Center
Vera Kugel, MFT, CGP
Psychotherapist, EMDR Therapist
Vera is a psychotherapist, with a background in humanistic, psychodynamic and experiential (here-and-now) psychological theories. These mean that she sees the source of our psychological blueprints originating from our childhood experiences, relationships and events that happened to us in our early life.
She has an extensive experience working with people with severe emotional trauma, women and men struggling with infertility issues, relationship issues, people dealing with serious/life threatening diseases.
She is a certified EMDR therapist and she has extensive experience working with people with severe trauma. She uses several psychodynamic tools that can often include hypnosis, guided imagery, meditations and variety of relaxation techniques in my therapy sessions when it’s necessary. In addition to EMDR Vera has extensively used several psychological modalities such as DBT, Solution-Focused, Narrative therapy. She is a Certified Group Therapist and is big advocate in combining individual and group therapy in her practice. She also enjoy working with couples in my practice, mostly (but not exclusively) using Emotionally Focused Therapy approach.
Having worked at settings like adolescent and college counseling centers, community mental health outpatient program, and a non-profit clinic providing psychological help for general population, She brings expertise from working with diverse populations into my private practice. She welcome’s people with any genders and sexual orientations in her practice.
Her therapy style is strength-based, encouraging and collaborative. Together you will set specific and measurable goals, and highlight your strengths, resources and positive aspects of your life, as well as be reflective and openly curious about the difficulties you are experiencing. Vera tailors her counseling to fit your needs, versus applying a “one size fits all” approach.
Katie
Orientation & Mobility Specialist
"As an Orientation and Mobility teacher, I have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a array of people, who have had different experiences and come from different backgrounds. One of the aspects of teaching that I love is that each opportunity for teaching is individualized and unique. I approach every day as another opportunity to learn something new about my student, discover some new strategy for teaching, and how I can better facilitate my student’s learning. I also love when opportunities arise where my student can teach me something! The concepts and skills I teach can often be disconcerting and overwhelming, and I find it extremely important to build rapport and trust with each one of my students. As a teacher, the desired outcome I have for my students is not that they will grasp 100% of the knowledge, or that they will be able to do everything and anything under the sun. It is knowing that my students have been given the opportunity to grow and evolve as individuals, feel that they have been successful, that they felt like they had support along the way, and have a motivation to continue learning, that makes me love being a teacher."
Chris
Creative Designer
Accelerate CenterZoha BCBA, LPCC
Board Certified Behavior Analyst & Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Dr. Zoha Fazel has worked in the field of education and school psychology since 2001.
She started her journey in the field as a general education teacher and has taught students from first to seventh grade.
She has her doctorate in educational psychology, is a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). She has worked as a school psychologist and has worked with students and their families from preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school and continuation school. She has also worked as a district behavior specialist and has worked creating behavior plans and systems for Autistic, ADHD, Emotionally Disturbed and Intellectually Disabled students. She has created autism classroom and helped train teachers and aides on how to work with students utilizing behavior techniques.
Currently, she is working on creating her private practice as a mental health therapist continuing to help students and their families in the private sector.
Amy DHH
Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Accelerate CenterGreta SLP- CCC AT
Speech and Language Therapist/ Assistive Technology Specialist
Accelerate CenterJustin APE
Adaptive Physical Education Teacher
Accelerate CenterShelley VI
Teacher for the Visually Impaired
Accelerate Center
Maadhevi
Copywriter
Maadhevi Comar is a Los Angeles based wordsmith who dreams of filling the world with beautiful language and literary art.
As a writer with more than 10 years of experience, Maadhevi focuses her talents on creative nonfiction as well as helping businesses transcribe their visions, mission, and identity through various platforms. She began putting her copywriting skills into action after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a minor in Creative Writing.
When she is not writing, you can find Maadhevi helping local organizations plan various events, baking pecan pies, or spending time with her family. She is currently working on a collection of personal essays and hopes to publish her work in literary journals.
Ahuva
MFT
As your therapist I value my relationship with you. And I know that maintaining a good relationship means helping you to feel comfortable to share and communicate with me. Therefore, in therapy I collaborate with my clients to identify and integrate the most useful approach for them and their present situation. My approach to therapy is focused on my clients’ strengths rather than pathology.
I work collaboratively with my clients to: (1) reduce painful symptoms related to stress, depression, anxiety, grief, and life-transitions (2) learn healthy communication and social skills to build healthy relationships (3) learn new positive coping ways and skills (4) support in the realizing their ideal life.
I graduated with a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University. My professional experience as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist is varied and includes individual, couples, and family and group counseling in different setting in the Bay area, including The Center for Living with Dying, The Bill Wilson Center, Santa Clara County Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM), and Foothill College.
Rosemarie
School Psychologist PPS
My brief bio:
I have been a school psychologist for 6 years. I have worked in Indiana, Arizona, Southern California and now Northern California. I have experience as a psychologist at day treatments and mental health assessment. I have also been an on-site school psychologist and I have assessed a wide range of students. I enjoy being a school psychologist because I know that I make a difference every day. I look forward to being part of a great team with parents and teachers!
Hila SLP-CCC
Speech Therapist
My brief bio:
I have been a school psychologist for 6 years. I have worked in Indiana, Arizona, Southern California and now Northern California. I have experience as a psychologist at day treatments and mental health assessment. I have also been an on-site school psychologist and I have assessed a wide range of students. I enjoy being a school psychologist because I know that I make a difference every day. I look forward to being part of a great team with parents and teachers!
Ellen
Teacher for the Visually Imparied
My brief bio:
I have been a school psychologist for 6 years. I have worked in Indiana, Arizona, Southern California and now Northern California. I have experience as a psychologist at day treatments and mental health assessment. I have also been an on-site school psychologist and I have assessed a wide range of students. I enjoy being a school psychologist because I know that I make a difference every day. I look forward to being part of a great team with parents and teachers!
Chad
School Psychologist PPS
My brief bio:
I have been a school psychologist for 6 years. I have worked in Indiana, Arizona, Southern California and now Northern California. I have experience as a psychologist at day treatments and mental health assessment. I have also been an on-site school psychologist and I have assessed a wide range of students. I enjoy being a school psychologist because I know that I make a difference every day. I look forward to being part of a great team with parents and teachers!
Nate
School Psychologist PPS
My brief bio:
I have been a school psychologist for 6 years. I have worked in Indiana, Arizona, Southern California and now Northern California. I have experience as a psychologist at day treatments and mental health assessment. I have also been an on-site school psychologist and I have assessed a wide range of students. I enjoy being a school psychologist because I know that I make a difference every day. I look forward to being part of a great team with parents and teachers!