Hands
El Cerrito Hand Therapy
& Acupuncture

Susan Cupples, OTR/L, CHT, LAc.


Founder and Director of El Cerrito Hand Therapy & Acupuncture Rehabilitation, estab. in 2001. Some clinical Spanish is spoken.

Education:
Ongoing/yearly CEUs in Hand Therapy & Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine
Certified Hand Therapist: 2006
Masters Degree, Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine 2000, American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, San Francisco, CA
Bachelors Degree in Occupational Therapy 1989, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda CA

Previous Experience:
Independent Ergonomic Specialist serving Pacific Bell and SBC and others. 2yrs
Contracting Occupational Therapist/ Home Health Care in all of San Francisco. 5 yrs
Accelerated Hand Therapy El Cerrito, CA. 3 yrs
Ergo Rehab/Hand Therapy. Fremont CA. 2 yrs
San Francisco General Hospital, Acute Care/Rehab. Head Injury & Stroke Rehab. 2 yrs


Katarina "Kat" Kantor, MOT, OTR/L


Education:
Master of Occupational Therapy. Samuel Merrit University, Oakland , Ca: 2016
Bachelors of Arts, Psychology : University, Ca Davis : 2010.

Previous Experience:
Excell Health Care Center : Skilled Nursing: OT ADL's : Rehabilitation.
Oakland Healthcare and Wellness Center: Skilled Nursing : OT ADL's : Rehab
Spectrum Center Schools: OT interventions for children w/ physical disabilities.
Also an Instructor for Level 2 OT students/training. 3 years employment.


Ryan Chung, MOT, OTR/L



Education:
Masters of Science Degree: Occupational Therapy: Samuel Merrit University, Oakland, Ca. 12/30/2022.
Ongoing/yearly CEUs.

Previous Experience:
Three months Fieldwork Training : El Cerrito Hand Therapy: Sept-Dec 2022.
Three months Fieldwork Training : Rancho Los Amigos National Rehab Center, Downey, Ca. May-Aug 2022.
Worked as Aide/Assistant to OTs at El Cerrito Hand Therapy 2020-2022.
COACHING/Training : Rock Climbing : Various places; 2015-2020.
ARTIST: welding, wood / glass fabrication, Sign fabrication; 2011-13.



We are all Licensed OTs: Occupational Therapist. We specialize in providing treatments from the Shoulder to the Fingers.
Many Doctors/Surgeons and lay people will refer to Us as "Hand Therapists." Very often, we are called PTs: Physical Therapists. Historically OTs much more than PTs would focus much more on restoring the patient Hand/Arm Function by using a wide variety of "Therapeutic Activities," "not just exercise."

An example, if a person has a Stroke, Head injury, Spinal Cord injury, fractured Arm or Hand, or a trigger finger, or lacerated Tendon in the Thumb; you Need An Occupational Therapist: Hand/Arm Specialist to retrain your Hand/Arm and return your injured body part to a reasonable function.
OT's focus on Upper Extremities Rehab and PTs more commonly treat the Back, Neck, Shoulders, and Legs.

In Our Outpatient Clinic ALL of Our OT Hand/Arm Therapists have specialized training.
We all utilized progressive treatment approaches for each and every patient and injury. We all provide highly skilled treatments including: Customized Home Exercise Programs for each patient: stretches, exercises, and strengthening.
Manual treatment techniques such as Soft Tissue Massage, Instrument/tool Massage, Joint Mobilization, and Taping. Custom Fabrication of Splint and Orthosis for the Elbow to the Hand. Ergonomics: joint protection, body mechanics, activity modifications, adaptive equipment training.
Modalities: Ultrasound treatments, Various Electric Stimulation machines, parafin wax, Iontophoresis.