Sucking Dysfunction & the Role of Bodywork for Lactation Consultants Lecture Pack

Elissa is a passionate osteopath, business owner and mentor.

Elissa has worked as an Osteopath in private practice in Melbourne since graduating in 1998.

She started her own multidisciplinary clinic in 2002, combining osteopathy with, massage, naturopathy, kinesiology and counselling. In 2015 Elissa merged her business with a local podiatrist and started The Balwyn Health Hub.

She is well known for her treatment of children and pregnant women although her patient base also includes a strong focus for; the family unit, the elderly, performers, athletes and the chronically ill. Her special interest in osteopathic diagnostic reasoning often helps patients understand why chronic dysfunctions are not healing.
Elissa's passion for working with pregnant women, babies and children allows close professional relationships with lactation consultants, midwives and doulas which has led to her guest lecturing at a number of multidisciplinary conferences.

Michelle has been a pediatric neurodevelopmental Occupational therapist specializing in precrawling infants for over 26 years. She has specialty certifications and training in lactation, manual therapy, and pre and peri natal psychology. Michelle has specialized in optimal cranial nerve function and oral restrictions, with an emphasis on infant movement, innate biological imperatives and human potential, providing novel curriculums, support and resources for both professionals and parents. She enjoys collaborating and working in teams for babies and families going through the tethered oral tissues release process.

Dr. Hazelbaker has been a therapist in private practice for over 30 years. She specializes in cross-disciplinary treatment and to that end has taken training in several modalities to best assist her clients. She is a certified Craniosacral Therapist, a Lymph Drainage Therapy practitioner, a Tummy Time™ Trainer, a Haller Method practitioner, A Pre and Perinatal Psychology Educator, a Lactation Therapist Diplomate, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and a fellow of the International Lactation Consultant Association.

She earned her Master’s Degree from Pacific Oaks College (Human Development specializing in Human Lactation) and her doctorate from The Union Institute and University (Psychology, specializing in Energetic and Transformational healing.)

People recognize her as an expert on infant sucking issues caused by various structural problems like torticollis, plagiocephaly, brachycephaly and tissue shock-trauma. She invented the Hazelbaker™ FingerFeeder and the Infant Breastfeeding CranioSacral Protocol™ to assist in the resolution of this type of infant sucking dysfunction.

Kristie Gatto, MA, CCC-SLP, COM received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. She has worked as a speech-language pathologist in the public and private school systems, skilled nursing, rehabilitation and children’s hospitals, and in private practice. In 2004, Ms. Gatto became the co-owner of a private practice in Northwest Houston and began her journey in treating children with pediatric feeding disorders. After years of searching for answers in traditional feeding approaches, she underwent training in the field of Orofacial Myology and became the first certified orofacial myologist in the city of Houston in 2011. Ms. Gatto is currently the owner of The Speech and Language Connection, which has two offices in the greater Houston area and employs 21 speech-language pathologists with various specialties.

For the past ten years, she has focused her clinical skills on treating patients with issues in feeding, dysphagia, deglutition, oral sensory aversion, orofacial myology, and swallowing- related disorders, as well as articulation, phonological processing, apraxia, and early childhood intervention.

Ms. Gatto is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM), American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology & Audiology (AAPPSPA), Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA), and Houston Association for Communication Disorders (HACD). Additionally, she serves on the board of directors for the IAOM and AAPPSPA and the Community Advisory Board for the University of Houston.

Carol has been a therapeutic bodyworker in Portland, Oregon for over 26 years. She is a retired home birth midwife. She specializes in infant and maternal Craniosacral Therapy.
Carol is convinced that if women are appropriately supported in growing, birthing and nurturing their babies, their lives will improve. When women's lives improve their children's health improves. Healthy children grow up to be healthier adults who create healthier communities and a saner, more peaceful world. Carol believes that when things are out of balance even the smallest intervention can bring about great healing. Our need for it is so great. Carol is passionate about using her CST skills to gently make space in maternal bodies so babies can assume ideal positions for gestation and birth. She is currently developing specialized prenatal yoga classes to support and enhance the maternal bodywork techniques she practices and teaches.

Dr. Valérie Lavigne graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College  in 1998. In July 2005, she became an IBCLC, the first chiropractor in Quebec with the title. She has her fellowship in pediatrics from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and has graduated in November 2014 with a Master of Science  in Pediatric Musculoskeletal Health from the Anglo-European Chiropractic College.    She is working in private practice in her chiropractic clinic in Kirkland, Quebec.