Alicia Reiser, OTD, MS, OTR/L, ADHD-RSP: OT in Ophthalmology
In this episode, we will learn from Alicia Reiser, OTD, MS OTR/L, ADHD-RSP. With over 24 years of experience as an occupational therapist, Dr. Reiser is passionate about redefining rehabilitation through a truly integrative and evidence-based lens. After earning her clinical doctorate from Salus University at Drexel in 2018, specializing in vision remediation, Alicia opened her private practice, A Rise Above Occupational Therapy Services, the same year. Her practice was born from a mission to bridge the gap for individuals recovering from concussions, as well as those with ADHD who were often underserved, aged out of traditional services, or never realized how transformative occupational therapy could be. At A Rise Above, Alicia combines neurological rehabilitation with vision remediation, cognitive retraining, trauma-informed care, interoceptive awareness, and polyvagal interventions to address autonomic nervous system dysregulation. Her holistic, brain-based approach helps clients regain not just function—but balance, confidence, and control in daily life. Dr. Reiser’s work reflects her commitment to helping people truly rise above their challenges through science, compassion, and innovation in occupational therapy.
Q & A with Alicia:
Please tell us a little about yourself and a few of your favorite occupations.
Founder & Director at A Rise Above Occupational Therapy, located in Bethlehem, PA. Driven by her own experiences as a mom of children with unique developmental needs—and backed by advanced training in vision remediation, concussion rehab, and executive functioning—Dr. Reiser founded A Rise Above to help people who felt left behind. She’s celebrated every small step forward and fought “plateaus” alongside her clients to always look for a solution. As a published researcher and co-author, collaborating with one of the top optometrists in the nation, she’s leading the charge to make sure OTs confidently and responsibly use evidence-based vision remediation within our profession’s scope. Favorite Occupations: music, nature, water and hikes, forever learning
What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?
To promote the ability of OTs to perform Vision Remediation while collaborating with optometry! This is the magical recipe for success when treating learning related and concussion-related vision disorders
Please describe the UncommonOT work that you do and the setting in which you work, the population you serve, and the needs that you address.
Uncommon work: An integrated approach to neuro vision rehab, integrating the best of OT and function with the best of Optometric tools, with their support. We address the aspects of concussion care that others miss through vision remediation, cognitive retraining, trauma-informed care, interoception, and ANS Dysregulation. Setting: Outpatient Private Practice Population: Neuro, including concussion, ADHD, and ASD, peds through adults Needs addressed: remedial vision, cognition- memory and Executive Functioning, return to work, school, and play; trauma-informed care; polyvagal interventions
What inspired you or drew you to this type of OT work?
A lack of providers: I knew that something was missing in our standard OT approach, and optometrists who provided vision therapy were so far away or didn't accept insurance. The system was broken. So I went back for my OTD and got my clinical doctorate in vision remediation. I opened my own private practice and brought in specialty OT care that treats the whole person.
How did you get there? Can you describe your path?
-Was working in a network setting that did not believe in vision’s impact on the neuro population -During my OTD, transferred to another network that was to integrate OT and vision and management chose not to use OT seeking a more cost effective avenue -Neither location was how I wanted to treat, I was frustrated with having a tool and not being able to use it, so I was fortunate to have a PT colleague who asked me to join her at her private practice and A Rise Above was born. We grew to develop a program that didn’t align and so we parted ways and have since added our own PT that integrates the use of our strategies with his, including cervicogenic issues due to the cranial nerves and balance with our prism goggles, integrating vestibular and vision rehab together. It is constant work to collaborate with OD's to educate them that we can help in so many ways.
Please describe a typical day or OT session at your uncommon setting? What OT skills do you utilize?
Common treatment interventions include: Combination of standard OT oculomotor interventions Addition of Optometric Interventions AFTER referred by an OD (Brock String, Quoits, Ap Rule, Hart Charts, prism and lenses, Spirangles, Tranaglyphs, Anaglyphs) Interoception Trauma informed care Cognition: Memory and Executive functioning, ANS Dysregulation, we use additional holistic interventions like red light and microcurrent for symptom regulation
Can you talk about some recent highs (successes) and lows (challenges) of your current role?
Successes: every time a patient says "I should have come here first"- 95% of our patients get better! ; The growth of the private practice indicating that what we do matters; growing awareness for vision remediation and fighting the fight that we have a seat at this table; collaborating with Optometry and saying, I think this RX may be better functionally and the OD accepts our recommendation....and it works! Challenges: Every time a patient says "I should have come here first,"- it indicates a lapse in time that they could have gotten better; it indicates a marketing gap for me to get the word out there; trying to find optometrists who understand how comprehensive OT is and want to share clients with us; referral resources in a sea of networks
How do you continue to learn to stay on top of things within your role?
capstone mentor, read articles, research when a patient isn't improving to find the why, collaborating with ODs and asking the why for areas I'm not sure of, other continuing ed courses, developing continuing ed courses
Can you share a little bit about salary and compensation in this setting? How do OT or the services you provide get funded?
Private practice is limited- our salary is lower than the networks no doubt but the reward is in flexibility, teamwork, extra days off, work celebrations. Because most patients are AUTO or WC, they aren't working so they can't pay private. We are deserved of much higher compensation but we have to settle for insurance reimbursement.
Any career advice for our followers and listeners on how to get started on this path?
Understand how to name vision remediation: we do not do vision therapy…Optometry does, and this is what has the potential to get us in trouble. We do OT that looks at 41 areas of the OTPF-4 that are impacted by the client factor of vision….we call it vision remediation or neurovision rehab. Find an OD who gets us and start a relationship! Be respectful to optometry- FB groups can get nasty. EDUCATE yourself on what we are allowed to do, how, and when- do not go rogue, you will get in trouble
What’s a common myth or misconception about your job/role you’d like to call out or demystify?
We are not trying to steal optometry patients- we want to work together. We also want the patient to get the benefit of both professions.
How do we find you, follow you, be in touch with you, and promote your unique work?
Website: www.ariseaboveoccupationaltherapyservies.com
Facebook and Instagram: @ARiseAboveOT
Please list any resources you would like me to include with your Show Notes (courses, articles, assessments, tools, etc.)
Website: www.ariseaboveoccupationaltherapyservies.com
· Book and consulting website link: https://neurotconsulting.com/
· Business website: https://www.ariseaboveoccupationaltherapyservices.com/
· YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjYkggEWqhKMVwWuX-jaoeQ
· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARiseAboveOT/
· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Neurot-Consulting-61556820418616/
· IG: https://www.instagram.com/ariseaboveot/
· IG: https://www.instagram.com/neurot.consulting/
· Drexel OTD program: https://drexel.edu/academics/grad-professional-programs/cnhp/occupational-therapy-post-professional
· resources/articles: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ojot/vol8/iss4/6/
· https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ojot/vol11/iss3/8/
· https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.covd.org/resource/resmgr/vdr/vdr_6_3/vdr6-3_article_fessier_web.pdf
· https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ojot/vol12/iss4/2/
· AOTA Community of Practice: Occupation Based Neuro Remedial Vision Rehab: https://www.aota.org/community/communities-of-practice
· NORA: https://noravisionrehab.org/
· Screening tool: Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2782898/figure/F2/
· Screening tool: QOL Symptom Survey: https://www.oepf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/JBO-18-2-Harris.pdf
As always, I welcome any feedback & ideas from all of you, or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot
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