WORKING WITH JoY
O.T. PARENT COACH
My Journey
Hi there, I’m Danielle, and my relationship with Neurodivergance began as a very personal one. That’s because as a child I struggled with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Learning Disabilities. In fact, my teachers would be shocked to learn that the little girl who froze up when she saw a math problem would grow up to earn a clinical doctorate... and that little girl would have been even more shocked!
I didn’t have the benefit of a therapist, but what I had was the unconditional love and support from a mom who made sure I kept a strong self-esteem. She ferociously advocated for me and taught me to base my self-worth on the effort and not the outcome. With her boundless support, I learned to navigate my sensory challenges and to thrive on my own terms.
I knew early that I wanted to share this feeling with other kids. Infact, I began babysitting when I was only nine years old and I continued until I finished graduate school. As I grew older, I took pride in becoming a bridge between parents and their kiddos. In highschool, I wished there was a job that existed where I could further help kids and their families, and that’s when I discovered OT!
To this day, I feel deeply honored by every family and every child that has allowed me into their homes, and into their hearts. Today, I live my mission as a therapist by helping empower you to live your mission as a parent.
let's chAt!
cOffee LOVER
MoM
GARDENER
EDUCATION & TRAINING
DOCTOR OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
I’m proud to call Pacific University my alma mater. My Doctoral Capstone focused on evidence-based practice in family-centered therapy and parent education, and my findings were published in “OT Practice”, the pre-eminent publication in the field of Occupational Therapy.
STAR TRAINED PEDIATRIC THERAPIST
As a STAR Trained Therapist, I use a relationship-based approach to share sensory processing knowledge with parents. I help caregivers understand their child’s unique nervous system, and how it impacts both development and functioning. Using this method, I help parents build a sensory lifestyle with their children, as opposed to a sensory diet, which allows them to meet their child's sensory needs in real time. Using the STAR approach my goal is to help children feel more regulated throughout the day so that they can develop and navigate their world with greater ease and Joy.
INFANT & EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH
I proudly completed a 15-month advanced clinical training program at the University of Washington, which allows me to provide therapy in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. I immersed myself in both theoretical understanding and hands-on applications, empowering me to assist parents in nurturing their children's emotional expression, fostering regulation, and cultivating healthy attachments to their caregivers.
CIRCLE OF SECURITY
Circle of Security is an early intervention program for parents and children. As a trained Circle of Security Parenting facilitator, I utilize a model that supports parents in understanding their child's attachment needs to help the parent and child cultivate a more sustainable secure attachment.
ADULT SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER
During my time as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist treating neurodivergent children, I became deeply aware of the profound lack of services available to neurodivergent adults. Once given the right opportunity it became my mission to help develop a therapeutic process for supporting this population. I co-developed an Adult Therapy Program at Bright Spot, a Pediatric Occupational Therapy clinic, and am building a practice to accept adult clients.
