Hi!
I’m Maggie.
About Me
I have been working as an occupational therapist for 5 years. My absolute favorite part of this job is smiling during the majority of my day - whether that is from playful joy, authentic connection, or accomplishing something new! As a therapist, my specialty is working with neurodivergent children, young adults, and their families. My primary goal is to help people understand themselves better in order to grow new skills, participate in meaningful activity, and connect with others. I continuously work to educate myself with neurodiverse voices and strive to provide neurodiverse affirming practice.
Outside of therapy, here is what to know about me. I am bouncy - bouncy hair, bouncy energy, and sometimes bouncy thoughts. When it is time to play you can find me hiking with my dog, doing arts and crafts, reading, rock climbing or meeting up with friends. I don’t always like to cook, but I very much like to eat! Some of my best qualities are being able to listen with understanding and find joy in every day activities.
But, What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapists work with people of all different ages to help them participate in the activities that are most important and most meaningful to them. For every person this looks a little different! However, if there is something in your daily life that you find challenging, there is probably an OT perspective that can help.
Common Challenging Activities
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Dressing
Bathing
Toothbrushing
Toileting
Eating
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Cooking
Cleaning
Managing time or a schedule
Safety information and awareness
Shopping
Navigating community setting
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Finding what activities are most joyful and restorative
Use of a variety of toys and materials
Navigating play with others
Sports
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Pencil/crayon use
Scissor and glue use
Following school day routines
Communicating with classmates and teachers
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Completing work tasks
Managing schedules
Communicating with supervisors and co-workers
Common Skills Addressed
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Fine motor - coordination & precision
Gross motor - postural control & balance
Bilateral coordination
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Visual perception
Visual scanning
Visual motor integration - use of eyes & hand together
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Processing sensory information
Use of sensory information for regulation
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Knowing what you need to succeed
Communicating your needs to others
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Planning
Organizing
Following multi-step directions
Problem solving
And much more!
When we work together, we will discuss which of your daily life activities are most challenging for you. We will then work together to identify the main barriers to participating in those activities and help you to build these underlying skills.
Do you see your challenges here? Do you have trouble with something else and wondering if I can help?
Always Learning
We never stop learning, even grown ups! It is important to me that I am staying up to date with best practices and continuously improving my approach in neurodiversity affirming care. To me, that kind of work never ends!
The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism
Goal Writing for Autistic Students
Bridging Perspectives with Katrina Martin from Bridges Learning System - Neurodiversity-Affirming Social-Emotional Learning
Calm is Contagious with Dr. Gillian Boudreau, PhD
Here to Play with Kelsie Olds, OTR/L, “The OccuPLAYtional Therapist”
Therapist Neurodiversity Collective
DIR 101: An Introduction
Beginner E-Course
Advanced Course
Get a Grip: Teaching an Important Handwriting Skill