Building the everyday skills that make childhood easier.
Occupational therapy helps children do the things that make up their day — playing, learning, dressing, eating, and managing big feelings — through individualized, play-based care.
What we help with
- Fine Motor Skills, including Handwriting
- Sensory Integration
- Visual Motor Skills
- Executive Functioning
- Self-Care Skills
- Early Intervention
- Social Skills
- Emotional Regulation
Credentials & training
Our OTs are licensed by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and Tennessee's Board of Occupational Therapy. They hold certifications in Handwriting Without Tears, Pediatric Kinesiology Taping, primitive reflex integration, and Family Guided Routines Based Intervention (FGRBI).
What therapy looks like
Your child starts with an evaluation that looks at the everyday skills that make up their day — fine-motor and handwriting, sensory processing, coordination, self-care, and how they manage big feelings. We use play and real activities, not drills, so the work feels like fun to your child.
You'll get an individualized plan with clear goals, regular one-on-one sessions, and practical strategies to use at home and school so the gains stick where they matter most.
Tennessee programs & funding
Many Memphis-metro families reach our occupational therapy team through a Tennessee program. We work with both — eligibility and covered services are determined by the state, and we’ll help you make sense of how your child’s plan fits with therapy.
Birth to age 3 · no cost to families
Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS)
TEIS is Tennessee's free early-intervention program for infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) with developmental delays, run by the Department of Disability and Aging. The state evaluates your child and builds the service plan (IFSP) — and when speech-language or occupational therapy is part of that plan, our team can provide it.
Under 18 · regardless of family income
Katie Beckett Program
Katie Beckett is a TennCare program for children under 18 with disabilities or complex medical needs who don't qualify for TennCare based on family income. Eligibility and benefits are set by TennCare — for families in Part A, covered benefits can include therapies like speech-language and occupational therapy. If your child is enrolled, our ST and OT teams can work with you.
Not sure whether your child qualifies? Call us at 901-654-5693 and we’ll talk it through.
Meet the team
Occupational Therapists
Licensed by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and Tennessee's Board of Occupational Therapy.
- Anna RossmanMOT, OTR/L
- Jessica OppenhuizenMOT, OTR/L
- Laken EllisMOT, OTR/L
- Maggie GuarnoMOT, OTR/L
- Julie DanielsMOT, OTR/L
- McKenzie RobertsMOT, OTR/L
- Dina ReidMOT, OTR/L
Frequently asked questions
- What is pediatric occupational therapy?
- Occupational therapy helps children build the skills they need for daily life — fine-motor and handwriting, sensory processing and regulation, visual-motor skills, coordination, and self-care like dressing and feeding themselves. The goal is everyday independence and confidence.
- How do I know if my child needs OT?
- Families often reach out about messy or painful handwriting, trouble with buttons, zippers, or utensils, strong reactions to sounds, textures, or movement, clumsiness, or difficulty calming down and staying focused. An evaluation tells you whether OT is the right fit.
- Do I need a referral for occupational therapy?
- Yes — occupational therapy requires a referral from your child's primary care provider. Have it faxed to 901-589-9001, then submit our new-client form and we'll reach out to schedule the evaluation.
- What does a typical OT session look like?
- Sessions are active and play-based — obstacle courses, fine-motor games, sensory activities, and handwriting practice woven into things your child enjoys, all aimed at the specific goals in their plan.
- Do you accept TEIS or Katie Beckett?
- Yes — for occupational and speech-language therapy, we work with families using Tennessee's Early Intervention System (TEIS) and the Katie Beckett program. Eligibility and the services covered are set by the state, so call our office at 901-654-5693 and we'll help you understand how your child's plan works with our therapy.
- Do you take insurance?
- We accept many major insurance plans. Call our office at 901-654-5693 and we'll help you verify your child's coverage and benefits before the first visit.
From our team
What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy? A Parent's Guide
Occupational therapy for kids isn't about jobs — it's about the everyday “occupations” of childhood. Here's what pediatric OT helps with.
Read more →Sensory Processing in Children: Signs and When to Seek Help
Why does my child cover their ears, refuse certain textures, or never stop moving? A plain-English guide to sensory processing — and how OT helps.
Read more →Is W-Sitting Bad for My Child? What Parents Should Know
You've probably heard W-sitting is bad. Here's the nuanced truth from an OT — when it matters, when it doesn't, and what to do.
Read more →Fine-Motor Skills: Easy Activities to Build Them at Home
Practical, no-special-equipment activities an OT recommends to build the hand skills behind handwriting, buttons, and utensils.
Read more →What Is a Sensory Diet? A Parent's Guide from an OT
A “sensory diet” has nothing to do with food. It's a personalized menu of activities that helps a child stay calm, focused, and regulated.
Read more →Self-Regulation in Kids: Why It's Hard and How to Help
Why some kids melt down over small things — and practical, OT-backed strategies to help children manage big feelings.
Read more →Pencil Grasp Development: What's Normal and When to Help
Pencil grasps develop in stages — and not every “wrong-looking” grip is a problem. What's typical by age, and when to get help.
Read more →Sensory Seeking vs. Sensory Avoiding: What's the Difference?
Some kids crave sensory input; others are overwhelmed by it; many are both. How to tell which — and what helps.
Read more →Gross Motor Skills: Fun Activities to Build Them at Home
Playful activities to build the big-muscle strength, balance, and coordination behind running, jumping, and keeping up with peers.
Read more →Scissor Skills by Age: What to Expect and How to Help
When kids typically learn to cut, why scissor skills matter more than you'd think, and easy ways to build them safely at home.
Read more →Toe Walking in Children: Causes, Concerns, and When to Seek Help
Lots of toddlers toe-walk sometimes. When it's a passing habit, when it signals something more, and what helps.
Read more →Visual Perceptual Skills: What They Are and Why They Matter
Not about eyesight — visual perception is how the brain interprets what the eyes see. Why it matters for reading, writing, and everyday tasks.
Read more →How to Improve Your Child's Handwriting: An OT's Guide
Messy, slow, or painful handwriting has fixable roots. Practical, OT-backed ways to help — and the signs it's time for an evaluation.
Read more →Bilateral Coordination: Why Using Both Hands Together Matters
Cutting, tying shoes, jumping jacks — they all need both sides of the body working together. What bilateral coordination is and how to build it.
Read more →Katie Beckett in Tennessee: Therapy Help Regardless of Family Income
Katie Beckett can help Tennessee families afford therapy for a child with disabilities or complex needs — regardless of income. Who qualifies, and how it works.
Read more →
Think occupational therapy might help your child?
Start with a short referral. Our team will reach out to schedule the evaluation and answer your questions.
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Ready to take the next step?
Tell us about your child today. We’ll take it from there.