Brain & Balance Center
Back on your feet, one step at a time.
Treatment across a range of specialties
The Brain and Balance Center in Frederick, MD provides skilled physical, occupational, and speech therapy to clients across a wide range of neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), traumatic brain injuries (TBI), vestibular impairments, concussion management and other conditions affecting cognition and balance. Our clinicians are also specifically trained to treat orthopedic conditions including joint replacement rehabilitation and other conditions affecting children, adults and seniors. We also offer dry needling for pain management.
Commitment to 1-on-1 Care
Our neurologic, geriatric and orthopedic certified specialists, use of state-of-the-art technology, and commitment to 1-on-1 care make the Brain and Balance Center the region’s most advanced neuro rehab center. Therapists on staff are committed to helping each patient reach their optimal level of function and are deeply vested in the success of our clients. We accept most insurance plans including Medicare, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield and others.
About Our Center
We Provide Treatment For
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Aphasia
- Autism
- Back/Pelvic Pain
- Cerebral Palsy
- Chronic Pain
- Cognitive Impairments
- Concussion
- Developmental Delay
- Dizziness and Balance Disorders
- Dysphagia Hypotonia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Low Vision
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Neck Pain
- Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
- Rib Pain/Dysfunction
- Scoliosis
- Sensory Integration Dysfunction
- Shoulder/Arm/Hand Pain or Dysfunction
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Stroke
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Vestibular Disorders
State-of-the-Art Equipment
Spirit MT200
- Gait Assessment and retraining
- Parkinson’s and Stroke gait retraining
NeuroCom® Balance Master® System
- Balance Training
- Concussion Management
- Fall Prevention
- Vestibular Therapy
Solo-Step Overhead Track And Harness System
- Gait Assessment
- Balance Training
- Strength Training
ProPrio 5000 Reactive Balance System
- Reactive Balance Training
- Anticipatory Balance Training
- Dual and Multiple Task Retraining
Bioness Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)
- Neurological Re-education
- Neuromuscular Activation
Bioness Integrated Therapy System
- Cognitive Rehabilitation
- Cognitive Challenge with Balance Retraining
VitalStim® Therapy System
- Treatment for dysphagia
Physical Therapy
- Gait & Balance Training
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) rehab
- Treatment for Neurodegenerative diseases
- Muscle Strengthening and conditioning
- Assistive Device Training
- Treatment of chronic pain
- Vestibular therapy for dizziness
- Injury Screenings
- Pre/post surgical joint and spine rehabilitation
Occupational Therapy
- Self-care Skills and management training
- Home management techniques
- Modification techniques
- Low Vision training
- Hand therapy
- Adaptive Equipment evaluations
- Adaptive Equipment Training
- Home safety assessments
- Dementia Assessments
Speech Therapy
- Language, Communication and comprehensive re-training
- Cognitive remediation of attention, memory and problem solving
- VitalStim and LSVT LOUD therapy
- Treatment of swallowing and voice difficulties
Cognitive Rehabilitation
Cognitive rehabilitation is designed to help brain-injured and cognitively impaired individuals regain functioning and compensate for cognitive deficiencies. It can help reduce further disability and address the negative, secondary responses to the situation, including loss of self-esteem and self-confidence, or depression.
Cognitive rehabilitation therapists at the Brain and Balance Center follow a system of activities aimed at reinforcing previously learned behavioral patterns, creating new patterns of cognitive activity, and enabling a person to adapt to their cognitive disability to improve their overall functioning.
Directions to our Brain & Balance Center
From North
- Head South on US-15 toward Frederick
- Take Exit 16 for Motter Ave
- Turn Left onto Opossumtown Pike
- Turn Right into the Amber Meadows Shopping Center
From South
- Head North on I-270
- Continue North on US-15 toward Gettysburg
- Take Exit 16 for Motter Ave
- Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Opossumtown Pike and merge onto Motter Ave
- Turn Right into the Amber Meadows Shopping Center
Meet Our Brain & Balance Staff
Dr. Kelli Laffin, PT, NCS
Clinic Director
Dr Kelli Laffin PT joined the Baker Rehab Team in 2016. Dr Laffin has Bachelor’s of Science degrees in both Biology and Health Sciences and a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. She is board certified in Neurologic Physical Therapy and is a certified brain injury specialist. Dr Laffin has taught clinical education courses and collegiate lectures on electrophysiology and functional electrical stimulation.
Monica Armagost, PT
Staff Physical Therapist
Monica has been a physical therapist for 25 years. She graduated from the University of Maryland at Baltimore in 1993 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Physical Therapy. Monica has worked in several settings, beginning with acute care at Shady Grove hospital followed by many years in the rehab setting before moving into home health. Monica enjoys treating patients with various neurological diagnoses as well as post-operative joint replacements and focuses her treatments on gaining functional movement. Monica is married with three teenage children and has two sweet pups. She lives in Mt. Airy and is a huge Washington Caps fan and unfortunately, a Redskins fan too.
Sandi Lancaster, SLP
Staff Speech-Language Pathologist
Sandi has been working as a speech pathologist for over 20 years across a number of settings including outpatient rehab, inpatient rehab, private practices, subacute nursing facilities, and home health. She has extensive experience facilitating group therapy, and she has developed several community-based aphasia group programs as well. Her specialty areas are speech, language, and cognitive disorders, and she has a particular passion for working with individuals with aphasia. In her free time, Sandi likes to read novels, hike, play cards, and spend time with family and friends.
Lynn Brewer, PT
Staff Physical Therapist
Lynn graduated from Shepherd University with a Regents
Bachelor of Arts degree prior to attending the University of Maryland Eastern
Shore where she earned a Master of Physical Therapy degree. She has extensive experience working in the
outpatient setting treating a wide variety of musculoskeletal and orthopedic
conditions. She has attended numerous courses to develop
and expand her manual therapy skills which she consistently incorporates into
her daily treatment sessions. She also
has experience treating injured workers and developing appropriate Work
Hardening programs to allow clients to safely and efficiently return to
work. Lynn is committed to collaborating
with her colleagues to provide exceptional care and services to the clients of
Baker Rehab Group.
Stephanie Fletcher, OT
Staff Occupational Therapist
Stephanie is a licensed and board-certified occupational therapist with over 23 years of experience serving clients in Frederick, Maryland. A native of the Midwest, Stephanie graduated with Bachelor of Science degrees in occupational therapy and psychology from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa before moving to the East Coast. Throughout her career, Stephanie has worked with individuals with neurological conditions, such as stroke, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, and low vision in a variety of settings including inpatient, outpatient, home health, and skilled nursing. Stephanie is fascinated with the brain and is a lifelong learner who seeks to know as much information as possible in order to assist her clients with meeting their personal goals. Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys participating in fitness activities, spending time with her family and friends, and immersing herself in scripture.
Chelsea Sadaie, OT
Staff Occupational Therapist
Chelsea graduated with her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University in 2012. She started working at TIRR Memorial Hermman in Houston (a highly regarded neurological Inpatient Rehab facility) on the Brain Injury and Stroke Team. During this time, she became a Certified Brain Injury Specialist focused on facilitating recovery from brain injuries, spasticity management, and wheelchair seating and positioning. She started working for the Brain and Balance Center in May 2018 treating neurological conditions (dementia, stroke, SCI, concussion/higher level cognitive retraining, vision therapy), providing hand therapy and splinting services, and started a Wheelchair Clinic where she helps recommend and order wheelchair seating systems to best meet the patient’s needs. In addition, she started the Frederick Spinal Cord Injury Support Group that meets every 3rd Wednesday of the month at 12pm at the Brain and Balance Center to provide a support network for people in the community with this condition.
Josannah Rosario, PT
Staff Physical Therapist
Josannah recently graduated with her Doctor of Physical Degree from Messiah University. During her time in school, she had the opportunity to complete one of her clinical rotations here at the Brain and Balance Center where she found passion treating patients with neurological disorders. Since then, she had other clinical rotations where she gained more experience working with various patient populations, including amputees and post-orthopedic surgeries. She also obtained her LSVT BIG certification to further serve her patients with Parkinson’s disease. Being a California native, she has a heart for the outdoors and enjoys exploring new places.
Jennifer Wittich, PTA
Staff Physical Therapist Assistant
Jennifer is a licensed physical therapist assistant. She obtained her bachelors degree from the University of Dallas and graduated from the Houston Community College PTA program with honors in 2012. Jennifer worked at a skilled nursing facility in Texas before returning to her home state of Maryland in 2015. Prior to becoming a member of the Baker Rehab family, Jennifer worked in various outpatient clinics where she gained extensive manual therapy experience and became well-versed in treating patients with a variety of conditions including neurological and lumbosacral disorders. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and three young children.