Tova Vertes
Certified Orton-Gillingham Practitioner | Dyslexia Advocate | Co-Founder, Phenomenal Minds Network
When your bright, capable child struggles with reading, the path forward can feel overwhelming. That's where Tova comes in — not just as a literacy specialist, but as your partner in navigating this journey.
With a decade of pediatric therapy experience and lived experience as a parent of a neurodivergent child, Tova brings both professional expertise and genuine understanding to every family she works with.
Professional expertise. Lived experience. A genuine understanding of the journey.
Tova Vertes is a Certified Orton-Gillingham Practitioner and Certified Dyslexia Advocate with a decade of experience as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and Speech-Language Pathology Assistant. She understands both the therapy and education worlds — and more importantly, how to bridge them.
Her specialized training means she can speak the language of schools, therapists and medical professionals while translating everything into practical next steps for families. Her approach is neurodiversity-affirming, therapeutic and grounded in evidence-based, science-backed structured literacy methods.
"Every child deserves support now — not in 18 months when the diagnosis comes through."
Tova also knows this journey personally — as a parent navigating the complexities of raising a neurodivergent child. That lived experience shapes everything she does, ensuring families never feel alone in the process.
Based in Dundas, Ontario, serving families throughout Hamilton and surrounding communities.
Different brains need different on-ramps to literacy.
Tova's work is built on a simple conviction: that how a child learns to read should honour how their brain actually works — not try to force it into a different mold. Using Orton-Gillingham structured literacy methods paired with play-based, multisensory activities, she makes learning joyful while building the foundational skills every reader needs.
Her comprehensive literacy assessments go beyond numbers on a page. Using Acadience Reading K-6, observational assessments and other standardized, evidence-based measures, she creates a complete picture of a child's learning profile — then translates that into clear, actionable strategies families can use right away.
She's always playing the long game — thinking about high school, post-secondary and ensuring children maintain their confidence while conquering reading challenges.
Comprehensive support for children and the families who love them.
- Comprehensive literacy assessments — that provide real answers and clear direction
- Orton-Gillingham intervention — evidence-based, delivered through playful and engaging activities
- IEP advocacy — attending school meetings as a knowledgeable support for families
- Educational navigation — psychoeducational report translation, coordination with therapists, long-term strategic planning
- Parent coaching — building sustainable support systems that work at home
The expertise behind the work.
Literacy
Certified Orton-Gillingham Practitioner. Acadience Reading K-6 certified. Evidence-based structured literacy specialist.
Advocacy
Certified Dyslexia Advocate. IEP meeting support. Psychoeducational report interpretation and educational navigation.
Therapy Background
Decade of pediatric experience as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.
Co-Founder, Phenomenal Minds Network
Tova co-founded Phenomenal Minds Network with Sherri Dockree — a community for neurodivergent practitioners building practices on their own terms, in good company.
Learn About PMNReady to connect with Tova?
Reach out to learn more about literacy support, advocacy or working together.
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