The children's therapy team At Uplift Therapy Center
Talin Yacoubian
OTD, OTR/L, CAS
Our practice was founded by Talin Yacoubian OTD, OTR/L, CAS, a skilled occupational therapist who brings years of advanced training and experience to her work with young individuals and their families.
Dr. Talin attended the University of Southern California (USC) and was committed to the field of occupational therapy from the start. She earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral Degrees in Occupational Therapy from USC.
Dr. Talin also has advanced training and holds a Certified Autism Specialist (CAS) certificate from an accredited organization, which attests her competence and commitment to the field of autism.
Dr. Talin is passionate about her field and started Uplift Therapy Center (UTC) to assist young individuals and their families to help excel in their everyday life. She has experience in school-based, in-home and in-clinic pediatric occupational therapy services. She enjoys partnering with her young clients and their parents to make real progress and see lasting, positive changes.
Dr. Talin founded UTC in 2019 providing in-home services to the pediatric population. Due to high demand and a large number of positive referrals, in July 2022 UTC expanded to a clinic space in La Cañada, CA.
Madison L. Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP
Madison L. Gwizdalski, MS-CCC, SLP is a Pasadena native who has extensive experience working with children in a variety of settings throughout Los Angeles County. She holds a BA in Psychology from UC Davis and an MS in Communication Disorders from the University of Redlands.
Madison has worked with kids with a variety of holds extensive training and experience working in early intervention with students who are late talkers, children with complex communication needs, and those who have articulation and phonological delays. She values forming relationships with her client and families, and learns equally as much from her interactions with her clients as they do from her.
Madison has received continuing education in the following areas: SOS Approach to Feeding; Natural Language Acquisition; AAC Ally: A Team-Based Approach Determining AAC Solutions; Floortime DIR Model; Talk Tools Oral Placement Therapy.
Outside of Uplift Therapy Center, she enjoys cuddling with her two dogs, Ginger and Coco, singing along to Taylor Swift, and staying active.
Christine Hemelians
MS, OTR/L
Christine graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from California State University, Northridge in 2015. She received her Master of Occupational Therapy from California State University, Dominguez Hills in July 2020.
As part of our children’s therapy team, Christine has a passion for working with kids of all ages and experience working in the pediatric OT setting providing services in-clinic and in-home.
She works with children, with various diagnoses, who have fine motor and gross motor delays, feeding and oral motor difficulties, sensory processing issues, visual motor, and visual perceptual difficulties, and global developmental delays.
In her free time, she enjoys exercising, traveling, and painting.
Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L
Deborah Lee was born and raised in Los Angeles, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA and her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Loma Linda University.
Deborah always had a passion for kids and her affinity towards working with the pediatric population grew since completing her pediatric rotation. She enjoys utilizing her creative, vibrant, and empathetic characteristic traits to its fullest potential to ensure that not only the children but also the parents are meeting their needs through occupational therapy services. And most importantly, she believes in having fun during sessions!
During her free time, Deborah enjoys hanging out with her friends, dancing, and is a huge food connoisseur, as she loves exploring new restaurants and trying new food!
Rouzan Dishoian,MS, CF-SLP
Rouzan earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Disorders and Sciences with distinction from California State University, Northridge. She is a trilingual speech and language pathologist fluent in English, Armenian, and Arabic, providing her with the ability to serve diverse populations.
Rouzan evaluates and provides therapy to clients with various ages and diagnoses. She enjoys working with early intervention clients who are late talkers, as well as children with more significant communication deficits. Rouzan finds fulfillment in working closely with parents and providing them with education regarding their child’s communication needs.
Apart from her work, Rouzan enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending quality time with her family.
Erica Gliga MOT, OTR/L
Erica graduated with her bachelor’s degree in finance from Southern Methodist University and later received her bachelor’s in psychology from Texas State University. She completed her master’s in occupational therapy at the University of Southern California (USC). While at USC, she worked as a research assistant in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) therapy-based research lab.
Directly supporting the needs of the pediatric population drew her to the field of occupational therapy and inspired her to pivot and become an occupational therapist. She has interests in child development, sensory integration, and supporting health and wellness routines. She has experience providing services both in-home and in-clinic.
In her free time, Erica loves to be outdoors: hiking or exploring new areas, strengthening her yoga practice, and spending time with loved ones.
Karnie Babikian
Nutrition Educator
Karnie Babikian holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics with an emphasis on Physiology and Metabolism from the University of California, Berkeley. She continued her education at the Tufts, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy where she earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition Interventions, Communication, and Behavior Change.
Currently, Karnie is training to become a Clinical Dietitian specializing in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. She is passionate about helping kids establish healthy relationships with food and supporting parents in nourishing their children for optimal growth and development.
Get in Touch With The Children’s Therapy Team at
Uplift Therapy Center
Uplift Therapy Center provides pediatric occupational therapy and speech & language services. Our licensed and compassionate children’s therapy team members are here to support families and children of all ages. If you are not sure whether your child may benefit from our services, call us to schedule a free consultation. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.