Our Services

We offer a variety of services locally and beyond.

Initial Consultation

At our first meeting, I evaluate your child in a setting created to assess and support his or her highest level of function. I observe your child’s strengths as well as vulnerabilities to determine the primary problem and to understand how they manage frustration and success. We always want to move from your child’s strengths to support their vulnerabilities. Parents are present and active during the entire session, ensuring observations are consistent their experiences outside the office.

A written report will be completed documenting the session and the recommendations.

Parent Coaching

Children between the ages of 0-5 years old work most easily within the context of his or her parents. Treatment begins with the primary caregiver and the child, however I also coach babysitters, nannies and grandparents. This is an opportunity to deepen you and your child’s relationship for more complex play and learning. You will develop strategies that you can incorporate into your home environment.

Notes are provided at the end of each session to review and reflect upon at home.

Skype Coaching

Once a child has been evaluated in-person within the office/playroom setting, parent coaching can be provided through Skype, when his or her family lives at a distance from our office. This is an excellent tool for families who live outside South Florida.

Direct Treatment

Sometimes children benefit from working with a therapist in a 1:1 situation. During this time, the parent chooses whether to be an observer in the room or wait in the waiting area.

Teacher Training

Many schools contract with me to provide professional education and inservice seminars to teachers on teacher planning days. My inservice and consultative services support all domains of function within a classroom. This includes promoting socialization, executive function and play, necessary for the transition to upper grades.

School Observation/Teacher Consultation & Training

It’s helpful to observe your child in their school setting to better understand how he or she functions in the classroom during both structured and unstructured activities (i.e. Centertime or Playground). Through classroom observation, we can learn the concerns or observations of the teacher. We provide strategies to the teacher to support your child’s function at his or her highest level of classroom behavior.

How long does it take?

Intervention, regardless of format, can take anywhere from a single consultation to several years of twice weekly sessions. Typically I observe progress within six weeks of initiating intervention. However it takes longer for new skills to become part of the child’s everyday behavioral repertoire.

 

When parents participate in our intervention, it is reassuring to see progress. Intervention can feel unnatural at first. When intervention produces progress for your child, you will develop trust in our therapeutic relationship and your own judgement.

 

 

FAQs

Q: Do you recommend treatment in an office or school setting?
A: Although it can be more convenient for children to be treated at school, the treatment plan is likely compromised because the occupational therapist doesn’t have all of the necessary tools. They can only bring what fits in their bag, privacy is compromised, and ultimately, the school is not a therapeutic space. When working on concepts of frustration tolerance or mastery, a therapeutic office setting is recommended.

 

Q: I’m interesting in getting a second opinion on my child. Should I come see you?
A: There are times when your child has already been evaluated by an Occupational Therapist or another child specialist, but either the results were confusing or progress was too difficult to measure. A second opinion can be helpful, and my goal is to be more comprehensive and clarify the primary challenges and/or diagnosis so that the treatment plan and goals can be re-prioritized. A written report will always be completed documenting the session and the recommendations that have already been discussed with you.

 

Q: I experienced challenges as a child but am now successful. Does that mean my child will also likely be successful without treatment?
A: The trajectory of development has shifted in our modern society. Children are in structured situations at a younger age and for more hours than you. Technology has also had its effects on relationships, language, and thinking. There are less opportunities for movement within a given day. These changes are critical and compromise appropriate progression in development. Parent coaching is a method for you to become informed and more mindful of specific strategies that you can use with your children to support their development.