Therapeutic Interventions
What do we do?

Occupational Therapy was founded in mental health in community-based settings, but due to shifts in healthcare and insurance policies - this form of our profession has diminished. At it's core, occupational therapy strives to improve the occupations, or the way we spend our time (e.g. work, leisure, school, sleep, hobbies, relationships, eating, self-care skills, etc.) to increase joy and fulfillment in life. When our mental health declines, our occupations are impacted. Children are no different. A child's main occupation is play. A teenager's main occupation is leisure and social connections. The Climbing Tree aims to help children, youth, and teenagers to improve the quality of engagements in all areas of occupation.

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Occupational therapy sessions consist of interventions or approaches to change the trajectory of a concern, deficit, diagnosis, etc. The Climbing Tree utilizes a variety of intervention strategies that have been researched and practiced by the following: Interpersonal Neurobiology by Dr. Dan Siegel, Polyvagel Theory by Dr. Stephen Porges, Self-Reg by Dr. Stuart Shanker, Neurosequential Model by Dr. Bruce Perry, and Understanding Baffling Behaviors by Robyn Gobbel, MSW and many more. 

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Each theory shares methods (e.g. brain body activities, guided discussions, self-reflection tools) to facilitate healing and growth towards a desired outcome. Therapy sessions are always centered around the parent and child's need as well as the interests of the child. The therapeutic approach or intervention chosen for children can range from playing on the floor with manipulatives to jumping off a slide to land in a puddle. Often, for youth and teenagers, interventions at The Climbing Tree may involve constructing art, bottle feeding a raccoon, or playing a card game while sharing life updates. 

climb a tree."

- Pooh Bear