Our therapy team always strives to offer the most advanced and successful treatment options. Six of our occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists (the most in this area) are certified in DIRFloortime to better serve our clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder or children with other sensory needs.
While Occupational Therapist, Kelly Nesbitt, MOT, OTR/L, was completing her certification and starting tele-therapy sessions with four-year-old Grace, she was able to share this coaching model and offer skilled observations in the family's play. Sessions usually began with observing what toys Grace was gravitating to and how her mom, Lisa, could expand play to grow their interactions. Kelly found that tele-therapy really allows therapists to get an insight into day-to-day life for our clients. “I can be a fly on the wall and see their routines and behavior in a tele-therapy appointment.”
Grace's mom, Lisa, shares the start of tele-therapy was a tough time for their family. “Occupational Therapist, Kelly, met me at my most vulnerable time as a mom and took me under her wing. I had suspected my daughter had Autism, but it was still very scary to hear those words. We now officially knew we had a journey ahead of us. It took some time, but I now see this diagnosis was the key to opening every door, Grace needed to grow and succeed."
“To reflect on this with a professional like Kelly, and her great perspective, has been so helpful. By the end of our sessions together, Grace was able to play or walk away off screen and come back. She was able to hold attention in the session, which was not where we started. These tele-therapy sessions came and went so quickly and were truly the highlight of our week. The DIR model really worked for us. It met Grace where she was in development and helped her grow and helped our whole family blossom. It was unexpectedly wonderful.”
Click the link to read more how Grace and her family grew
their relationship from this specialized therapy.