I am a pediatric occupational therapist, integrating sensory approaches into movement interventions to build self regulation, neuro-motor control, and functional life skills.
I provide evaluations, therapy intensives, parent coaching, and professional consultations through Wild Fig OT.
My Story
“Neither spectators nor victims, we can be directly involved in the making of ourselves and our world. Life’s solutions lie in each of us daring to create our own life and art. Daring to listen. ”
Growing up, I had that generic passion to help others, sprinkled with a need to be creative and physically active. I volunteered in hospitals in high school and worked in them to pay my way through college. I loved healthcare, especially the problem-solving element of it, but was hungry for experiences outside of the box. I wanted adventure.
After completing my bachelor’s degree, I joined the Peace Corps as a community health specialist in Tanzania. It was more amazing and life changing than I expected. I left with a newfound understanding of how culture influences our perspective (and how freaking beautiful the world can be). I returned to the US and continued the volunteering path for another year with Americorps VISTA (akin to a domestic version of Peace Corps). I spent that delightful year integrating health education into vulnerable school populations in NYC and figuring out how to maneuver city life after living in a rural village for 2 years.
Hunkering down in NY for the long term, I completed my master’s degree from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. I opted for graduate work in occupational therapy because of its approach of treating the mind AND body AND community. Graduation brought clinical work splitting my time between pediatric and adult populations, which was a really cool way to understand how moments in a lifespan impact it all the way through. Working with young children was, and remains, my passion. But it takes a village to raise little humans so it is equally as important to help parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, and best friends who are helping raise them. This is why I continue to educate myself on both adult and pediatric treatments.
The itch for adventure and service work came back and I returned to the Peace Corps service. This time to Grenada in the Eastern Carribean with my specialized skills as a therapist. I was focused on training providers, setting up programs, and consulting (being the only OT on the island at the time). It was magic. I got to innovate and expand my skills in new directions that I didn’t even know existed. Also, I love the sunshine so it made my heart happy on a whole other level to be near a beach.
When I returned to New York City, I decided it was time to formally break out of the standard operating procedure of health care. I wanted more for my clients, my myself, and my community. I started taking additional certifications to deepen my knowledge on movement approaches, integrative medicine, and sensory integration. I expanded to leadership and operational roles, putting in action my unique skill set of being able to interpret concepts into clear maps, tangible plans, and actionable steps. I found my niche and set up Wild Fig OT to finally integrate all the isolated concepts I had been learning and practicing.