Description:

Outpatient Therapy Services for children, youth, and young adults.

Our occupational therapists are specialty trained to see a person holistically, in order to improve their behaviors and functional capacities from the inside out. We use fun, meaningful activities to build skills and capacities that enable youth to engage in the world around them more safely, securely, and successfully.

We are all certified brain geeks, wanting to learn and understand exactly why and how a person does what they do. We fully believe what we see on the outside is a reflection of what’s going on inside – and that matters! You will most definitely hear us say ‘if they could, they would’ at some point in your journey with CAYA.

We believe in strengths-based, empowering therapy that helps the body and brain organize and work together.

Right now, we offer occupational therapy services, in the form of direct treatment, parent consultation, and group interactions.

Our therapy is developmentally attuned and rooted in connection. For younger children, this often looks like play, movement, and sensory exploration. For older clients, sessions still feel playful and connected, but might include games, creative projects, or social time with peers.

We respect and support all communication styles, including AAC, Gestalt Language Processing, and non-speaking communication. No matter the approach, we aim to empower families and caregivers to become co-regulators and communication partners.

We understand that communication is more than just talking — it’s deeply connected to how we feel. When someone is overwhelmed or dysregulated, it’s often harder to access language. That’s why we focus on creating emotional safety and building regulation alongside communication skills. Our clinicians are trained to recognize how stress and arousal affect language, and to support each client in building the tools they need to express themselves with greater clarity and confidence.

Direct Treatment
One-on-one appointments with a patient and their therapist. Caregivers are invited to join in these sessions. Specific intervention is determined on patient needs and the therapist’s clinical reasoning.

Intensive Therapy
At times, it’s important for patients to attend therapy daily, for a brief period of time. Think of this as a giant boost for the brain, in hopes of making life-long changes in a quick period of time.

Auditory Strategies
The therapists at CAYA are trained in various auditory intervention approaches, including the Safe & Sound Protocol & Therapeutic Listening. These tools help boost safety and development and may be recommended in the form of home programs or intensive therapy sessions. Additional charges may apply.

Groups
There’s great value in learning and building relationships in groups with your peers. At CAYA, we love group work that is based on the youth’s interests. Contact us to learn about our latest group offerings.

Who we work with
We work with children, youth, and young adults, who are struggling to complete their daily tasks and activities. This may include problems with play, movement, eating, dressing & grooming, social participation, completing school work and chores, following directions and sequences, etc.

We’re not tied to a diagnosis, and we prefer to see people for how they present in person (not on paper). However, diagnostically speaking, we work with individuals who have: ADHD, Autism, PTSD, Developmental Trauma, Sensory Processing Difficulties, motor dysfunction (gross motor and fine motor), anxiety, and more.

What you can expect

There’s no special formula for our work. People are unique, their stories are unique, and so are our approaches. All that to be said, therapy here is full of movement, fun, and creativity. When we’re working with the littlest CAYA consumers, it looks like play and exploration; with our school-aged CAYA friends, it’s still playful, but a little more strategic. For the teens and young adults we work with, things could be project-based or challenge-based. Therapists have been known to use pretend play, art, music, and yes, even video games, to engage our patients in what’s interesting to them.

Typically, an initial evaluation is 60 minutes long. From there, we will recommend treatment frequency and duration. Most often, patients come on a weekly basis for a 45-60 minute long session for OT and 30-45 minutes for speech; however, this can fluctuate depending on a person’s needs and abilities.

Caregivers, we really want you here. You are welcome, always, and we hope to partner and empower you as their primary caregiver. Please join us in sessions, in as much or as little as you’d like. Bring your coffee, your notebook, or a favorite toy to join as you see fit!