Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)

I was raised in the Mojave desert where I spent my days running around in ripped blue jeans, catching snakes and building forts with forgotten scraps held together by hope and rusty nails. The neighbor girl half a mile up the road became my best friend and taught me to speak the language of horses. We rose with the sunrise, saddled up, and galloped into a world of wonder, the wind a wild song in our hair. I found just the right amount of trouble, learned to take risks and earn every victory. I thank my parents for a foundation built on steadfast love, the gift of resilience and for encouraging the power of my own imagination.

It wasn't out of common knowledge that I learned about occupational therapy, it was out of necessity. When my youngest son became a toddler, I noticed he was struggling in ways that my 3 older children didn't. He did not giggle when being held up in the air; instead he clung to me for dear life. He refused to sit on anything that rolled. The little swing that hung from the backyard maple tree was his worst enemy. Food that was not neutral in color made him gag at the sight, and the loud noise of a blow dryer or flushing toilet would send him into sheer panic. His everyday life was becoming more difficult and I wasn't equipped with the tools to help him. We found OT and over several months in therapy, I noticed milestones of progress in my son. This big world that used to be such a scary place for him was now his new playground. And that swing under the maple tree? There's a little boy currently swinging on his belly with arms extended as he sways back and forth. I call him Lachlan. He calls himself Superman. It was not just Lachlan's world that came to life after therapy, it was the opportunity I was looking for to share the joy in another family's small victories.

My husband and I tend to a small lavender farm where we grow, harvest and steam distill lavender essential oil. We are passionate about growing food, beekeeping, plant medicine, and most importantly, growing our 4 amazing children. The greatest joy of my life is being a mother. You will find me relishing in the company of my family, the stillness of nature, dancing to music, and finding gratefulness in all things.