Back to Independence Rehab

Start feeling better.

Your neurological impairment or disease has left you struggling to get back to your day-to-day life that you had before. Let's change that.

Commonly Treated Diagnoses

Spinal Cord Injury

Amyotrophic Laterals Sclerosis

Brain Injury

Cerebral Vascular Accident / Stroke

Cerebral Palsy
Parkinson's Disease

Guillain–Barré Syndrome

Multiple Sclerosis

Neuromuscular Disorders

Transverse Myelitis

Occupational Therapy Services

Dr. Darci develops individualized treatment programs for clients through comprehensive assessments of the following skill areas:

    • Darci Pernoud, OTD OTR/L CEAS

    Doctor of Occupational Therapy

    Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist

     Dr. Pernoud began her university training at Villanova University earning a Bachelor degree in Comprehensive Sciences and a Minor in Mathematics. She was immediately accepted to University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences and graduated with her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy in 2005.  She has earned an additional certification in Ergonomics from the Back School of Atlanta and .
    Dr. Pernoud has worked with neurologic disease and injuries for over 18 years. She began her therapy career at a specialty rehab hospital, Shepherd Center in Atlanta, focusing on Catastrophic Injury (spinal cord injury, brain injury, and neurological disorders) for 8 years. During that time, She worked through the continuum of care with experience in the ICU, Inpatient rehab, Day Program, Outpatient rehab, Upper Limb Lab, and the Upper Extremity Program. Over her time there she developed a leading role as a mentor for upper extremity dysfunction, neurogenic bowel and bladder, and self-care problem-solving. She has spent time on continuing education to further her clinical skills and physical handling of clients with advanced casting and splinting, manual therapy, myofascial work, and upper extremity dysfunction treatment. She has educated therapy staff in program development for returning to work for the wheelchair user, creative solutions to advanced home modifications and upper extremity treatment. She also taught patient groups on topics such as the quadriplegic shoulder, wheelchair maintenance, cooking, shopping, bowel education, wheelchair sports, and fire safety

    She has provided professional education on Rehabilitation and Spinal Cord Injury with Lectures given at Race to Walk (2018, 2019), Shepherd Center (2018) and co-created the “Neurogenic Bowel Management after Spinal Cord Injury” webinar for healthcare professionals through the Shepherd Center.

    Most recently Dr. Pernoud has been certified as a PWR!Moves therapist. This specialty certification allowes her to use the PWR!Moves, a set of research-based, Parkinsons' Disease(PD)-specific exercises, with her clients to target and reduce specific PD symptoms, work toward personalized goals and help them move better and live better. PWR!Moves Certified Therapists can work with clients to reduce freezing, tremor, stiffness, and incoordination and to improve thier everyday movement, posture, strength, and overall quality of life.

    Life events took her away from her rehab family but instilled in her a love to teach others how to return to independence after whatever life event occurred. She loves to be challenged and creative for personalizing a client’s care whether it be to adapt someone’s glass cutting tools for their jewelry making or fine tune a self-care routine to maximize independence.

    When Dr. Pernoud is not helping clients, she enjoys time with her family, being active outside, or taking on a new craft or home project.


    “Darci is always willing to troubleshoot any and all stumbling blocks that her clients have! Her sessions are always filled with a mixture of hard work, stretching exercises and games that support the therapy. She always makes it interesting!”

    Rachel S., stroke survivor


    "Darci has been a life saver and a game changer for our family. She started coming to our house only 1 week after our daughter Mckenna came home from Inpatient Rehab. Because of her extensive knowledge of Spinal Cord Injuries, she helped Mckenna and she helped us as parents caring for Mckenna. We worked on everything you can think of and even took a field trip and worked on accessibility and adaptability in the community. All this to work on Mckenna's goal of being independent and doing it safely. We wouldn't be where we are without her. Two years later, we still have her work with us as new things come up."

    Michelle W., parent of SCI client

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