My Therapeutic Approach

A forest path surrounded by tall pine trees with sunlight filtering through the branches.
Young boy sitting on a tree branch, looking upward, surrounded by green leaves.

At Empowering Roots Occupational Therapy, I help children build the skills, confidence, and independence they need to thrive through the power of play and nature.

As a community-based practice, therapy takes place in natural outdoor settings throughout the Seacoast New Hampshire area rather than a traditional clinic. These environments provide rich sensory and movement opportunities that naturally support regulation, engagement, and development in ways that carry over into daily life at home, school, and in the community.

Through play, exploration, and meaningful movement-based challenges, children develop sensory processing, motor skills, executive functioning, social-emotional, and neurological development. Just as importantly, they build confidence in their abilities as they successfully navigate new and appropriate challenges in a supportive environment.

I work closely with families to help extend this growth beyond sessions so that progress becomes part of a child’s everyday routines and relationships.

Every child’s path is unique. By meeting each child where they are and integrating the therapeutic benefits of nature and play, I support growth from the roots up.

Empowering Roots OT is a Nature-Based Pediatric Practice.

Who I Work With

I work with a wide variety of diagnoses and symptoms including children who benefit from support with regulation, sensory processing, motor skills, social and emotional skills, attention, and navigating everyday routines across a range of developmental, neurological, and physical needs.

A child's hand is holding a small bundle of green grass or leaves, with an adult's hand gently supporting and guiding it.

What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?

Pediatric occupational therapy helps children develop the skills they need to fully participate in everyday activities at home, at school, and during play.

Because play is a child’s most natural way of learning, therapy sessions are rooted in play-based, child-led experiences. In my practice, this often means climbing, exploring, and engaging with the natural world to support areas of development.

I meet each child where they are and gently guide their growth in a nurturing, supportive environment that encourages curiosity, confidence, and connection.

During therapy, I may support development in the following areas, always guided by your child’s unique strengths and needs:

  • Fine Motor Skills

    Building the strength and coordination needed for tasks like holding a pencil, cutting with scissors, using utensils, playing with small objects, and managing clothing.

    Gross Motor Skills

    Supporting balance, strength, and coordination for whole-body movement such as climbing, jumping, running, and navigating play spaces or uneven terrain.

    Visual Motor and Perception Skills

    Helping children use their eyes and hands together for tasks like drawing, copying shapes or letters, doing puzzles, and organizing space on a page.

    Social Skills

    Supporting play skills, communication, turn-taking, and flexible thinking so children can build meaningful relationships with peers and adults.

    Self-Care Skills

    Facilitating independence in daily routines like dressing, toileting, brushing teeth, feeding, and managing transitions.

    Emotional Regulation

    Helping children understand, express, and manage their emotions so they can handle everyday challenges with more ease and confidence.

    Executive Functioning

    Strengthening skills like problem solving, attention, memory, planning, organization, and the ability to follow multi-step directions.

    Sensory Processing and Integration

     Supporting how children take in, interpret, and respond to sensory input such as sounds, touch, movement, and visual information to feel grounded in their body and in their environment.

Nature is a Therapeutic Partner

Nature is more than a beautiful setting. It is a powerful therapeutic partner in child development. Outdoors, children experience rich sensory input, freedom of movement, and opportunities to explore, take risks, and build essential developmental skills.

Through play, they climb, jump, dig, problem-solve, collaborate, and create - supporting development in areas like sensory integration, motor strengthening and coordination, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and social connection. Nature provides the “just-right” challenges that help children flourish in joyful and authentic ways.

As a pediatric occupational therapist, I meet children exactly where they are, celebrate their uniqueness, and build on their strengths so they can grow into their most confident and authentic selves.

Ready to take the next step? Schedule a free phone consultation today.

Let's Get Started.