SINGAPORE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT CENTRE - Key Persons
Charmaine graduated from Murdoch University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, where she studied developmental psychology. During the course of her study, she developed an interest in working with children and discovered her calling for helping and nurturing others, further reaffirming her aspiration of being a therapist.
Before her work at Singapore Brain Development Centre, Charmaine dedicated two and a half years as an English Tutor, guiding Secondary School students and inspiring them to reach their academic goals. Furthermore, she served as a Psychology Research Assistant at the National Institute of Education in Singapore for over a year, playing a crucial role in administering a diverse range of academic and psychological tests for young children.
Charmaine's commitment to making a positive impact extends beyond her professional endeavours. She led and organised a school-building project for refugee children in Johor, Malaysia, and contributed as part of a tutoring team for children from underprivileged families. These experiences have equipped her with invaluable skills to interact with and cater to the individual needs of children. Charmaine deeply values her interactions with students and strives to empower them to reach their full potential.
Outside of work, Charmaine enjoys singing and playing the piano. An avid reader of all sorts of books, she can often be found browsing in bookstores.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Professor
- Sensory Processing Disorder Expert
SBDC welcomes Sensory Processing Disorder expert Dr. Erna Blanche, as an advisory board member. Erna Imperatore Blanche received her basic training in occupational therapy at the University of Chile (Santiago, Chile) and later earned her Master of Arts degree in Special Education at Columbia University. She received her PhD degree in Occupational Science at the University of Southern California. She is an expert in pediatric occupational therapy and interventions based on occupational science. She has co-authored two books, "Understanding the Nature of Sensory Integration with Diverse Populations" and "Observations Based on Sensory Integration," and one video series, "Combining Neurodevelopmental Treatment and Sensory Integration Principles," on pediatric practice.
Job Titles:
- OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
- Occupational Therapist / Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
Guo Hua graduated from Nanyang Polytechnic with a diploma in Occupational Therapy in 2011 and has obtained Master of Science, Occupational Therapy from Queen Margaret University (Edinburgh) in 2014. He took part in a research paper titled "Normative Data of the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration of Pre-schoolers in Singapore", which was presented at the Asia-Pacific Occupational Therapy Conference 2011. In 2014, the research paper has been published in an international peer reviewed journal, Child, Care, Health and Development. This research was carried out in various preschools and provided useful normative data for clinicians to assess children's visual motor abilities.
Guo Hua takes a keen interest in working with children with special needs and had gained his clinical experience by providing occupational therapy services at Fei Yue Community Services (EIPIC) and MINDSville - Children's wing. He has been trained in various approaches such as the following:
Reality therapy, Choice theory (William Glasser Institute)
Social thinking (Michelle Garcia Winner)
Therapeutic listening: Listening with the whole body (Vital links)
Cognitive Orientation for daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP)
Sensory Integration & Praxis Test Certified (SIPT)
Interactive Metronome Certified (IMC)
Greenspan Floortime Approach
His clinical experience includes managing children with sensory processing difficulties, learning disabilities and other developmental delays. He values providing family-oriented therapy and parent education, as these are essential for successful intervention outcomes in the child's development.
Job Titles:
- Founder of Learning Technics
SBDC (SBDC) established partnership with Learning Technics in 2015. With the partnership and programs from Learning Technics, SBDC aims to further assist individuals who struggle with reading, math, spelling, memory, ADHD, ADD, and Dyslexia. One of the programs that SBDC is training in Singapore is the patented Physio-Neuro training of Learning Technics, that will help a struggling student markedly improve his/her ability to learn and to overcome the roadblocks to a brighter future. John Heath has appeared on television numerous times and has lectured at universities and academic institutions throughout the country. In 2006 Oxford University recognized Heath's advances made in the field of solving learning disabilities and invited him to present his research at the university.
Wen Xin graduated from University at Buffalo with a Bachelor's in Psychology, where she studied Child Psychology and this fuelled her interest in working with children even more. Growing up, she always had aspirations to work as an educator as she enjoys facilitating activities and interacting with children. Wen Xin's bubbly personality and her enthusiasm helps create a lively and positive experience for her students.
Wen Xin was part of the Organising Committee for several community involvement events, mostly serving families and youths. She enjoys being on the ground and interacting with the beneficiaries or participants. She hopes to be able to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
In her free time, she likes to explore the outdoors and enjoys being in nature. She also enjoys social activities such as cycling, rollerblading, table tennis and hiking.
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant / Master of Science in Management
Job Titles:
- Occupational Therapist
- Trainer
- International Trainer
SBDC welcomes Maude Le Roux, an accomplished occupational therapist, as an advisory board member. Maude Le Roux, OTR/L, SIPT, RCTC, DIR® Certificate, Director and Trainer of Cellfield Reading Intervention, is an accomplished occupational therapist with great affinity for learning and understanding the human brain. She is SIPT certified and specializes in Sensory Integration services as it applies to functional activities of daily living, including improving the ability of any child to partake in his/her learning environment. She also holds a certificate in DIR®/Floortime™, and is a certified Cellfield Intervention provider. She is also a certified Tomatis Consultant. Maude is an international trainer in Tomatis Sound Therapy, DIR/Floortime through ICDL, Interactive Metronome, Cellfield Reading Intervention, as well as for the courses she had developed herself.
Mr. Jason Teo holds several accreditations, reflecting his passion for helping others unleash hidden potential, amongst them including Certified Clinical Therapist from IACT (International Association for Counsellors and Therapists), Certified Trainer and Coach, PDTD (Professional Diploma in Training and Development) Master Trainer in Cognitive Psychology, Certified Family-Life educator and a Masters in Business Administration. He is also well trained in the field of Neurotherapy using Brain Maps, Neurofeedback, and Neurostimulation. He is also a Certified Trainer in SOI (Structure of Intellect), MNRI (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration Therapy), Neuro-physio therapy, and a Level 4 Consultant in The Tomatis Method.
Mr. Jason Teo has diverse training and experience in Cognitive Skills Development, Sensory Processing and Sensory Integration Therapy, Vision Therapy, Reading & Language Therapy, Developmental Play (DIR floortime), Sandplay & Expressive Art Therapy.
Mr. Jason Teo had conducted training and spoken to many audiences, among them Channel News Asia, Good morning Singapore, FM 93.8, NTU alumni, numerous Primary & Secondary schools, Parents' support groups, Temasek Polytechnic, and corporations like the IRAS, Great Eastern Insurance, NTUC, AMD, and OCBC bank. Jason has also conducted many workshops in Indonesia and India.
Sakshi graduated from the University of Murdoch with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Human Resource Management. From an early age, Sakshi has always been intrigued by human behaviour and understanding how the mind works. This interest has been enhanced through her study of psychology. Henceforth, she aims to enhance her knowledge to become properly equipped to help others in need, especially that of children.
Sakshi believes every child can accomplish their goals if given the opportunity to understand their capabilities, for which early intervention plays a significant role in this journey. With that in mind, Sakshi hopes to gain further insights, learn valuable skills, and further develop her interest in the field of psychology so that she can contribute and make a positive impact to the society.
In her free time, Sakshi enjoys watching historical and thriller documentaries. She also enjoys and indulges in new outdoor activities with her friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- SENIOR CONSULTANT
Shiva graduated from University of Buffalo with a Bachelor's in Communication. Over the past 10 years at Singapore Brain Development Centre, Shiva has accumulated substantial experience working with children with diverse learning needs. She embraces the challenges of training children and providing valuable guidance to their parents.
Shiva has a keen interest in literacy and speech difficulties. In 2017, She had developed an English Language Literacy program that specifically targets children with Phonological and language difficulties. This program adopts a pragmatic approach to help children at the centre improve their written and verbal expression.
Shiva is a dedicated consultant who excels in analysing clients, offering constructive feedback, and creating profiles to support their development. Her true passion is in helping others, using her expertise to empower individuals and facilitate their growth and progress.
Shiva is an apprentice Wine Sommelier and food hedonist. During her spare time, she enjoys going for wine tasting and exploring different cuisines.