Frequently Asked Questions

No. I do not require a physician referral or a formal diagnosis to evaluate or treat your child. OT is functional — we work with what we observe and what you tell us, not with what's on paper.

That said, if your child has an existing diagnosis (autism, ADHD, SPD, developmental coordination disorder), that context is helpful and we'll use it. And if you're early in the process of figuring out what's going on, OT evaluation can sometimes be part of that puzzle — I'll share what I observe and you can decide how it fits with what you're hearing from other providers.

Some common signs that OT might help:

• Meltdowns or shutdowns in response to sensory input (noise, light, crowds, textures)
• Extreme clothing sensitivity, food texture refusal, or aversion to certain sensations
• Difficulty sitting still or needing constant movement to focus
• Struggles with handwriting, scissors, buttons, or fine motor tasks
• Clumsiness, avoidance of gross motor activities, or coordination difficulties
• Major difficulty with transitions, changes in routine, or unexpected events
• Emotional regulation challenges that seem beyond what's typical
• Daily tasks (dressing, meals, hygiene) that are consistently battles

If any of this sounds familiar but you're not sure it "counts" — reach out. I'd rather have a conversation that concludes OT isn't needed than have a family wait months wondering.

Use the contact form or email me to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation. You'll tell me about your child — what you're seeing, what's been hard, what you've tried. I'll ask questions and give you an honest sense of whether OT seems like the right direction.

If we decide to move forward, the next step is a comprehensive evaluation, which typically takes 1–2 sessions. The evaluation gives us a detailed picture of your child's sensory processing, motor skills, and daily function — and it's the foundation for everything that follows.

Primarily school-age children (roughly 4–14), with a particular focus on the elementary and middle school years. This is when sensory and motor challenges become most visible in daily life — in learning, self-care, social participation, and independence.

Families with younger children (2–4) can reach out — there may be referrals or early-intervention guidance I can offer depending on the situation.

Sessions are primarily play-based — which surprises many parents. That's by design. Children's nervous systems are most receptive when they're engaged, motivated, and enjoying themselves.

Depending on your child's goals, a session might include swinging, climbing, and obstacle courses (vestibular and proprioceptive work); play-doh, putty, or sensory bins (tactile tolerance and fine motor); tabletop activities targeting pencil grip, visual-motor integration, or fine motor precision; or more structured practice of specific self-care or daily living skills.

I explain what we're doing and why at every step — so you leave each session with a clear understanding of the therapeutic targets, not just what we played.

Very involved. OT is not a drop-off service where I work with your child in isolation. The strategies only make a real difference if they're implemented at home between sessions — and that means you need to understand them thoroughly.

For most sessions, parents observe and participate. I explain what I'm doing and why, demonstrate strategies you can use at home, and answer questions as we go. By the end of a therapy episode, you should feel fully equipped to continue supporting your child's regulation independently.

Sessions are offered in-home in Central Florida. This has significant advantages over a clinic setting — I can directly observe and address your child's specific environment, assess how their sensory challenges play out in their actual daily spaces, and help you design sensory-supportive modifications to your home and learning space on the spot.

For homeschooling families especially, in-home OT is often more effective than clinic-based services — the strategies are built into your actual context, not a clinical environment your child has to generalize from.

It depends significantly on the nature and severity of the challenges, the child's age, and how consistently the strategies are implemented at home. General ranges:

• Evaluation + parent consultation only: 1–3 sessions for some families who primarily want a framework and strategies to implement themselves
• Focused, targeted episode: 3–6 months for families with a specific, well-defined set of goals
• Ongoing therapeutic relationship: Some children with more complex sensory profiles or multiple areas of need benefit from longer-term involvement, with natural check-in points as goals are met

I'll give you my honest assessment of what I think is realistic after the evaluation — not a vague commitment to indefinite sessions.

The goals are the same — improve sensory regulation, build motor skills, increase independence. But the implementation is different in a few important ways.

First, the learning environment is already highly flexible, which is a huge advantage. I can design a sensory diet that builds directly into your school day — not something you have to carve out extra time for.

Second, you're with your child all day. That means a) you'll implement strategies far more consistently than a teacher managing 25 kids could, and b) you need to understand the strategies deeply enough to navigate the moments I'm not there for. Our sessions focus heavily on parent education for this reason.

Third, your homeschool has specific goals — academic, philosophical, or personal. We work toward those goals, not generic outcomes.

Yes. Many of the families I work with have been homeschooling from the beginning — their children were never in traditional school. OT doesn't require a school context. We assess what's happening at home and build strategies for the life your family actually lives.

This is one of the most common situations I work with. Often, just removing the school environment produces a remarkable improvement — the child isn't depleted daily by sensory overwhelm, rigid schedules, and inadequate support. They arrive home calm, and learning becomes possible again.

OT builds on that foundation. We identify which specific sensory patterns remain challenging even in the home environment, design a sensory diet to support daily learning, and help you optimize your environment and routine for your child's nervous system. The goal is not just to function at home — it's to thrive.

Currently accepting private-pay clients. I do not bill insurance directly at this time.

Upon request, I can provide a superbill — a detailed receipt with the diagnostic and procedure codes your insurance requires — which some families use to seek reimbursement from their insurer directly. Whether your plan reimburses for out-of-network OT depends on your specific coverage.

Some families also use HSA or FSA funds to cover therapy services — check with your account administrator to confirm eligibility.

Based in Central Florida. Services are provided in-home across the Central Florida region. Reach out to discuss whether I serve your specific area.

None at all. The initial consultation is free and completely no-obligation. If after talking through your child's situation I don't think OT is the right fit, I'll say so — and I'll try to point you toward what I think would help more. I'd rather lose a potential client than have a family invest in something that won't make a meaningful difference for them.

Yes, and often this is valuable. Many children have overlapping needs that span OT, speech therapy, behavioral support, and medical care. I'm happy to communicate with your other providers (with appropriate consent) to ensure we're working toward aligned goals and not contradicting each other's approaches.

If you're looking for referrals to other providers — pediatric neurologists, speech therapists, developmental pediatricians — I'm also a useful resource for that. I know the local landscape and can often help families find the right people faster than starting from scratch.