Shreveport

Lindsay, COTA/L

Why I love working in pediatrics:

Working in pediatrics is incredibly rewarding because it allows me to combine a holistic and specialized understanding of each individual child and their families with the pure joy of helping them find success, understanding, and thriving together. There is something profoundly meaningful about stepping into a child’s life during their most critical formative years to teach them how to unlock their full potential by using creative and playful approaches to evidence-based frameworks – whether it’s calming the nervous system, reflex integration, sensory processing, play-based feeding, vestibular-ocular training, parent education, or the many other therapeutic approaches we can offer in Occupational Therapy. Children are brilliant, resilient, and full of adventure – they are truly amazing to me. Being able to guide them through therapeutic breakthroughs while supporting their families is more than just a professional path; it is a true calling that brings immense purpose to every single day. I love supporting, teaching, and caring for my patients and families!

My favorite things to work on:

All things Occupational Therapy are my favorite to work on, interventions and skills are endless, it is hard to pick favorites. I will explain my favorite way to have therapy sessions though. At the forefront of my therapy sessions are play-based and child-led approaches. Focusing on the child’s motivations, comfort or “regulation”, and happiness are what drive actual neurological change. When a session is truly play-based, it taps into a child’s intrinsic motivation. Children do not naturally practice a skill; they move, explore, and interact because they are driven to play. From a neurodevelopmental perspective, when a child is actively engaged in a self-chosen, joyful activity, their brain is in an optimal state for neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new neural connections). Play lowers the stress response, shifting the nervous system out of defensive “fight or flight” state and into regulated, receptive state. This regulation is a prerequisite for complex motor planning, sensory processing, reflex integration and more to take hold. Being child-led means meeting the child exactly where their nervous system is at that moment. I weave therapeutic interventions into the child’s chosen activity turning hard developmental work into meaningful, fun, and playful exploration that is secretly building skills.

A little about me:

I have been a COTA for over five years here at Little Works in Progress. I am currently back in school with my goal set on becoming a Master of Occupational Therapy. I am certified in Integrated Listening Systems, trained in Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration, and Beckman Oral Motor – and continuing to gain knowledge. Outside of work, I am a Holistic Nutritionist and Gut Specialist. Holistic approaches to health/wellness are something I am constantly expanding my knowledge in. I have many hobbies and interests such as plants, gardening, crafting, lifting/working out, hiking, traveling, camping, etc – basically anything outdoorsy, natural, active, artsy, or learning. I have three dogs, one cat, and six chickens with a dream of homesteading one day on a small farm near the mountains or in Japan.

What families can expect from me:

When you work with me, you can expect a true partner who sees your child not just a set of goals or behaviors, but as a whole, unique individual with their own strengths, personality, and brilliant potential. My approach is deeply holistic, meaning I look at how your child’s sensory, physical, and emotional worlds connect on every level, and how we can best support their growth within daily life. There are many pieces to the puzzle to consider and I am here to help you place the puzzle together. Caregivers are true experts of their child, therefore, family support and open collaboration are at the heart of therapy. We will work hand-in-hand to build practical strategies that support the home, school, or any environment needed. Most importantly, you can expect our time together to be filled with genuine care and support, along with a lot of fun, play, and laughter.