The very best things to do with kids in Carlsbad, California.
Dani Jaffe, OTD, OTR/L; Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Dani is a pediatric occupational therapist with her masters and doctorate degrees from USC. She completed her bachelor of arts in psychology and disabilities studies at UCLA. Dani has experience working in sensory integration clinics, homes, and schools, promoting social, emotional, sensory, and motor skills necessary for child development. She is also an excited soon-to-be mama!
ulia accompanies moms in the early season of mothering, specifically newborn to 2 years, to lean into more connection to self and baby through infant massage, babywearing, movement, dance & mindfulness in mothering. Originally from South Africa, Julia has a background in Occupational Therapy, is certified in Infant Massage, Babywearing as well as Babywearing Dance & Movement She is a mom of four and is passionate about integrating all parts of being human and connecting to the innate call of mothering. Julia teaches regular Dance with Baby (babywearing dance classes) Junior Jive! (for littles walking to under 5 yrs) Infant massage classes, provides Babywearing support, education, fittings & consults as well as offers her signature 6 week course, Blossom with Baby, which is for moms with babies newborns to 6 months and is centered around the importance of connection Julia is the founder & owner of Joyful Connections~ Embracing Joy through Connection in the ‘Dance of Motherhood’
Tefi is a dedicated holistic health coach, certified yoga instructor, and compassionate advocate for moms. With a deep passion for empowering and supporting women, she has made it her mission to help mothers achieve balance, wellness, and fulfillment in their lives.
She founded and owns the Mindful Mama and created her signature program, The Mindful Mama Method. As a holistic health coach, she provides personalized guidance and support, focusing on the integration of mind, body, and spirit to nurture overall well-being. Her expertise in yoga further enhances her ability to assist moms in reconnecting with their bodies, reducing stress, and enhancing their vitality, through tailored yoga, meditation and breathing, helping mothers embrace their inner strength, cultivate self-care practices, and find solace in the present moment.
Cecelia, an Encinitas-based mom of two, holds space for mindfulness through tea ceremony and sound baths. She runs a 5-acre retreat house in Temecula, providing a sanctuary for guests to find community, healing, and inspiration.
Erin Cutler
Erin Cutler is a passionate craft hobbyist and the founder of Mom’s Pillow, a nonprofit cause helping Moms access meaningful friendship. In addition to being a Mom herself, she has a master’s degree in psychology and has worked for eight years as a consultant in women’s wellness and nonprofit spaces.
Christa Mantey RDN, CLE, CHHC
Christa is a skilled Registered Dietitian, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Certified Lactation Educator, and Gottman Educator specializing in Intuitive Eating. With a passion for empowering individuals to cultivate a positive relationship with food, Christa combines her nutrition, holistic health, and lactation expertise to guide clients toward nourishing their bodies and embracing their intuition. She is dedicated to supporting others in creating conscious relationships with their bodies, babies, and partners.
Deanna has been working at Tri-City Medical Center for 16 years. Her time at the hospital has included the ER and Cardiology Department, and she has done hundreds of CPR codes for every age- from a 2-week-old to a 102-year-old. She brings many years of real-life experience. Deanna has taught CPR/First Aid/Bloodborne Pathogens and EMT school for over ten years.
Katrina Niesen is a former teacher and mother to her one-year-old daughter Sophia. She has always had a passion for cooking and baking. She finds it the perfect artistic medium, from crafting vibrant smoothie bowls to scoring intricate patterns on a loaf of bread. She regularly teaches others the art of sourdough, and you can often find her in the kitchen or attending other cooking classes to continue to expand her knowledge.
Lauren F. Leipper, MA OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist, feeding specialist, and mama to two. She has over 15 years of experience helping families navigate feeding challenges and coaching parents in all feeding-related things.
As a mother and national fitness expert specializing in core strength, pelvic floor activation, and kegel connection. Erika Baker is known as “the isometric body expert” with over 20 years of experience in movement and mind-body connection. Her focus is to create a sense of control and confidence within her clients, changing their relationship with their bodies in a powerful way. Erika’s experience ranges from competitive + professional dance to breath work, yoga, fascia lengthening, barre, and much more. As a national leader and creator of the bay wreath co. body method™️ she has cultivated and created a one-of-a-kind motherhood curriculum “the bay wreath co. body method – Motherhood Workshops©️.
I am an Emergency Medicine Physician practicing in San Diego for three years. I trained in San Bernardino at a Level 2 trauma and burn center.
Dr. Jennifer Santamaria is a SoCal resident specializing in pelvic floor and orthopedic conditions. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos, Ca. Jennifer has gained experience working with orthopedic, neurological, pelvic floor/women’s health, and pediatric patients throughout her career. She developed other neurological therapy skills while completing a two-month internship in Italy and has completed various manual therapy courses. As her career progressed, she developed a passion for pelvic health rehabilitation and completed advanced coursework to address women’s health and pelvic dysfunction. Since then, her passion for helping women address their concerns flourished into creating Femme Strong Physical Therapy.
Jen Varela, Certified Gentle Sleep Coach® – Pediatric Sleep Consultant, co-author of “Loved to Sleep,” Sugar Night Night owner since 2010. Jen provides parents with solutions that work with each child’s temperament in the sleeping location that the parents prefer, from bed-sharing, room-sharing with the baby on a separate sleep surface, or the child being in their bedroom, all while keeping tears to a minimum.
Dr. Ivy is a pelvic floor physical therapist and owner of Empower Physical Therapy, a pelvic health clinic specializing in prenatal care and postpartum recovery. In addition, she is a prenatal and postpartum corrective exercise specialist, a mother of two, and passionate about empowering women throughout womanhood through education about their bodies.
As a Dietitian, Lactation Consultant, and mom, Jaren specializes in helping mothers to bring their healing full circle. In her private practice, she supports mothers in developing the tools they need to nourish their relationship with food and body so that they can raise kids who live without food and body shame. Jaren has specialized in supporting women’s health through nutrition and lactation consulting for seven years in private practice.
Dr. Vincent is a licensed psychologist practicing in Encinitas, CA. She obtained her master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology. She founded and owned Nourished Wellness Group, a holistic group therapy practice. She is also a certified gentle and restorative yoga teacher. Her clinical experience includes 9+ years of helping individuals manage and heal from anxiety, depression, and trauma through a mind-body approach.
Lisa Klinger, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is a Speech Language Pathologist who joins the Lullabar family with over 15 years of clinical experience. She holds her Bachelor of Science in Communication Science from Boston University and her Masters of Science in Communication Disorders from Hunter College in New York City. She earned her Board Certification in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders in 2016. In addition, Lisa has served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Communication Disorders at Hunter College in New York City and California State University – Los Angeles, where she taught at the graduate level. With a strong passion for working with pediatric populations, Lisa joins our team to help caregivers grow their confidence in supporting the communication development of infants and toddlers through thoughtful and purposeful interactions.
Rachel Gerretsen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in women’s mental health. Rachel earned her master’s degree from Pepperdine University in Clinical Psychology and is a certified Eating Disorder Specialist. With nearly 15 years of experience in mental health, she works with teens, adults, families, and couples to improve their overall quality of life. Rachel is located in Encinitas, and when she isn’t in her office supporting clients, she is chasing around her two young boys.
