Kara Paat, DC
INPP Principal of Canada
After 20 years of owning and operating a successful multi-practitioner wellness practice in North Carolina, Kara has finally returned to her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie and is very excited to share her clinical and educational experience with the Sault and surrounding communities. She owns and operates her Child Neurodevelopment Centre in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, where she utilizes her knowledge and expertise to help children who struggle with reading, writing, fine motor control, focus, and behaviour. She is very excited to be able to focus on the optimal neurodevelopment of children, thereby facilitating enhanced cognitive and physical function and improving social and behavioural responses. These outcomes make the classroom experience much more enjoyable and enhance learning, unlocking each child's potential.
About Kara
Northwestern Health Sciences University
Doctorate of Chiropractic
Northwestern Health Sciences University
Bachelor of Science in Human Biology
American College of Functional Neurology
Certificate of the American Board of Childhood Developmental Disorders
Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology
Licentiate in the INPP Method
Ashton College
Autism and ABA Therapy Program
RMTi ~ Rhythmic Movement Training International
Level 1 & 2
DIR®Floortime ~ Developmental Individual Differences Relationship Based Therapy
101, 201 & 202 Proficient DIRFloortime® Provider
International Board of Credentialing & Continuing Education
Certified Autism Specialist
Dr. Kara Paat's educational path as well as her desire to help people achieve optimal health and wellness began at an early age. She enrolled in the pre-medical undergraduate program at Lake Superior State University. She was then accepted to Northwestern Health Sciences University, graduating with her degree in Human Biology and her Doctorate of Chiropractic. She became an associate chiropractor in Asheville, NC. She opened her own practice in North Carolina only a few years after graduation. She worked with patients of all ages but soon began focusing on children, discovering that many of them had specific learning difficulties, developmental delay, cognitive deficits, emotional regulation problems, autism and many more diagnoses, all of which affected their behaviour and performance in the classroom.
Dr. Paat felt the need to learn more in order to help children who struggled with learning. It wasn't until after the birth of her daughter Roxie in 2008, that she was able to pursue her post-graduate studies with the American College of Functional Neurology, completing her Child Development and Behaviour Certification. This led her to the Institute of Neuro-Physiological Psychology with Sally Goddard-Blythe. She enrolled and received her post-graduate training becoming the only INPP licentiate in Canada certified to practice the INPP method.Her primary focus was to implement any and all strategies to facilitate optimal development for her own daughter and as many infants and children she had the privilege of working with. She soon discovered that many of the struggling school-aged children she assessed demonstrated physical developmental weaknesses upon a functional evaluation. Most of these children shared one thing in common: they experienced challenges during the birth process (forceps, vacuum, caesarean section, torticollis, prolonged or quick delivery, cord concerns, premature, or late presentation).
Since then, Dr. Paat has worked with many newborns to facilitate optimal infant development in the first year, and she has helped several school-aged children to ease the struggles they face in the classroom on a daily basis.
The central nervous system dysfunction that results in challenges with reading (tracking), writing (fine motor skills), behavioural outbursts, inability to focus and lack of comprehension, relating to academic underachievement will often improve with proper neuro-motor facilitation. The vast majority of children that were on the verge of failing or those who maintained average or below average grades often end up on the honour roll. The children that were once struggling to focus typically become more involved in the classroom. Children who experienced emotional outbursts or meltdowns were no longer irritable or victims of their environment. Children that were taking longer to complete their work were recognized for their progress. Frustration and anger while completing homework at the kitchen table was no longer an issue.
Dr. Paat's passion became working with children exclusively, helping to foster optimal development. She continues to implement new strategies so she can best advise parents all over the globe. She has since received her post-graduate training to become a Certified Autism Specialist. She attended Ashton College to receive her Autism and Applied Behaviour training. Dr. Kara Paat has also received her Rhythmic Movement Training (RMT) Level 1 & 2 and DIRFloortime® training, all of which broaden her ability to help children be the best version of themselves.
In the fall of 2020 Dr. Paat authored and illustrated her first children's book called "I Don't Want to Eat That," intending to encourage picky eaters to incorporate healthier foods in their diet, so children would consume the daily nutritional requirements that allow them to think and function at their best!
During the global COVID-19 pandemic Dr. Paat was encouraged to apply to the Algoma District School Board to become an occasional unqualified teacher. She welcomed the opportunity to help the Algoma District and thoroughly enjoyed teaching and gaining greater insight to the needs of the children. She then decided to step away from her chiropractic practice in North Carolina and remain in Sault Ste. Marie, focusing her efforts on facilitating optimal child development in the region, leaving the adjusting to the plenty of excellent existing chiropractors in the Sault area for now.
Dr. Paat currently volunteers, sharing her expansive knowledge and expertise on the board of directors for THRIVE and on the board of directors for the Ontario Finnish Rest Home.
As a certified NCCP coach, Kara loves to volunteer her time to help coach her daughters team, 15U Steel City Ignite Competitive Volleyball team.
When Kara is not helping children or volunteering, she takes every opportunity to get out and enjoy the beautiful northern outdoors with her family and friends.
