Rebekka Manzella

California State Dominguez Hills | Masters, Occupational Therapy

Pitzer College | B.A. Neuroscience

Rebekka graduated with honors from Pitzer College with a BA in Neuroscience where her passion for cognitive neuroscience led her to complete a thesis on embodied emotion perception.  While volunteering at an after-school program for individuals with developmental disabilities, she discovered occupational therapy.  Through this experience she realized that OT would allow her to merge her interest in neuroscience with her desire to facilitate meaningful change in people’s lives through rehabilitation.  She then went on to receive her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from California State University Dominguez Hills.

Rebekka is an occupational therapist who focuses on a continuum of care across the lifespan, providing services for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.  No matter the age, she seeks to empower her clients to reach their full potential and participate fully in the activities that are meaningful to them.  She has extensive experience working in a variety of settings providing services in acute inpatient, acute rehab units, subacute units, outpatient, home health, school-based, and telehealth.

She has expertise in working with clients as they overcome challenges resulting from stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal surgeries, orthopedic surgeries, and cardiopulmonary diagnoses.  In addition, she is passionate about working with children, adolescents, and adults with moderate to severe neurodevelopmental differences, autism, sensory processing disorders, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and mental health diagnoses.  She is a DIR-FDC certified therapist and applies this relationship-based, social-emotional learning approach across her practices.  She is also certified in ProACT crisis intervention and enjoys working with clients who are frequently misunderstood due to behavioral, communication, or mental health challenges.

She strives to work as a partner in the rehabilitation process with her clients and their families so that therapy services are always individualized, meaningful, and holistic.