IRON MOUNTAIN – Iron Mountain native Ashley (Kleikamp) Bernard, has recently joined the staff of Dickinson Rehabilitation Services as an occupational therapist.

She has worked primarily with inpatient and home health patients, but will expand her scope of treatment to the pediatric population this summer.

Bernard is a graduate of Iron Mountain High School and earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Ferris State University when she graduated magna cum laude in December 2011.

She continued her education at Western Michigan University, attaining a master of science degree in occupational therapy in December 2014.

Despite being a recent graduate, Bernard brings with her some solid experience thanks to the clinical fieldwork she completed as part of her degree.

She completed two and three month long clinical rotations as follows:

-Western Michigan University Unified Clinic in Kalamazoo, a community based outpatient pediatric setting, which gave her experience in working with developmental delay, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder.

-Mercy Health St. Mary’s Heartside Clinic in Grand Rapids where she provided occupational therapy services to the homeless population.

– Spectrum Health Rehab & Nursing Center in Kalamazoo where she provided occupational therapy services to patients recovering from brain injury and stroke.

-Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District in Escanaba where she provided occupational therapy services through the Early On Program to children ages 0 3 years of age in their homes and to grades pre-k through third grade within multiple schools.

Bernard noted that the field of occupational therapy appealed to her because she liked the idea of being able to help people improve and regain their independence.

“This is my first job, and it has been a great experience so far,” Bernard said. “Everyone has been very helpful and very willing to share their experience.”