Frequently asked questions

Growing Through Play provides pediatric occupational therapy, DIR/Floortime® therapy, and parent coaching for families throughout central Connecticut — Wallingford, North Haven, Branford, Cheshire, Guilford, Madison, and surrounding communities. Because therapy takes place in your home or community, we can sometimes expand into additional towns depending on scheduling. If you live within about 45 minutes of Wallingford, get in touch and we will explore whether we are a good fit.

Both — parent coaching is not an extra service here, it is part of every session. No one knows your child better than you do. Throughout each session you receive real-time coaching and personalized guidance, so you can recognize what your child’s behavior is communicating, learn strategies that fit your everyday routines, and feel more confident in moments of frustration or dysregulation. The greatest progress does not happen in one hour of therapy a week. It happens in the hundreds of small moments you already share.

Primarily young children and toddlers, including those in early intervention (Birth to Three), as well as preschool and early school-age children.

Growing Through Play is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. That allows care to be shaped around your child’s developmental needs rather than insurance rules, diagnosis-based treatment plans, or preset visit limits. If your plan includes out-of-network benefits, we are happy to provide a detailed superbill you can submit for possible reimbursement. Coverage varies, so check with your insurer about your benefits.

Individual OT and DIR/Floortime® sessions are $150 per session, and caregiver coaching is included in every session. A developmental evaluation is $250–$400, depending on its complexity and length. If your child already has a recent evaluation from an occupational therapist, you may be able to start sessions without a new one. The Relationship Intensive is customized to your family’s needs. Growing Through Play is private pay; if your insurance plan offers out-of-network occupational therapy benefits, a superbill is available that you may submit for possible reimbursement.

Yes. An initial consultation is a good first step if you are unsure where to begin. We use it to understand your child’s needs, answer your questions, and determine together whether this is the right fit for your family.

In your home and community — the places where children actually learn and grow. Working in familiar spaces makes therapy more practical and easier to fold into everyday routines, and it lets us see your child’s strengths and challenges where they really happen. For toddlers and young children, building skills through daily activities like mealtime, play, and transitions helps those skills carry over rather than staying stuck in a therapy room.

No. Floortime is a developmental, relationship-based approach, so it supports any young child working on connection, communication, regulation, or play — including children with developmental delays, sensory differences, and communication challenges, whether or not they have a diagnosis.

Submit the waitlist form with a little about your child, your concerns, and what you are hoping for. We review each family’s needs and goals, add you to the list, and reach out when an opening fits your child. Caseload is kept intentionally small, so wait times vary with availability.

DIR/Floortime® — Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based — is a child-led therapy model that builds development through emotional connection and play rather than through drills or reward systems. Instead of starting from a skill the child is expected to perform, it starts from what motivates the child, how they communicate, and what helps them feel regulated and ready to engage. In practice that means following your child’s lead, joining what already has their attention, and using those moments to build back-and-forth interaction, communication, and shared problem-solving.

It is a different model, and many families choose it as an alternative to ABA. ABA helps many families, particularly those seeking specific skill development and measurable goals. Families come to us because they want a model that places a stronger emphasis on emotional connection, child-led engagement, flexibility, and understanding the meaning behind behaviors. It is a question of fit, not of one approach being right for everyone.

Coaching happens live, during the session, so you leave with strategies that fit the routines you already have. Between sessions, reflective coaching uses short video of your everyday interactions to help you notice what your child is communicating and what is already working, then builds from there. You will never be expected to become your child’s therapist. The goal is to help you feel confident connecting with your child in real life.

Yes. Floortime is a developmental, relationship-based approach, so it supports any young child working on connection, communication, regulation, or play, whether or not they have a diagnosis. As a pediatric occupational therapist, Keri looks at sensory processing and regulation — how your child experiences the world, and what helps them feel calm and organized. Some children simply benefit from extra support in connection, play, and regulation.