In-Home or Clinic-Based Pediatric Occupational Therapy

WellCare Occupational Therapy Specialists make therapy feel more like play. They help children succeed with essential daily activities, like getting dressed, brushing their teeth, writing their name and playing with friends. 

Occupational Therapy focuses on a sensory approach, a motor approach or a combination to improve a child's ability to take in and use experiences of touch, taste, sound, sight and movement.

​Treatment includes play and social skills, incorporating hand strength, grasp, cognition and following directions.

​Activities are fun and develop skills like hand-eye coordination and improve cognitive skills, social development and the establishment of self-care routines so that children can perform daily tasks more independently.

Meet Our Therapists

What can an Occupational Therapist do?

• Evaluate the child's level of performance
• Observe the child's natural environment to determine how it may be modified to promote maximal learning
• Develop a plan of treatment in coordination with other health care professionals who are treating the child
• Teach age appropriate self-care routines, play skills, social skills, and sensory regulation
• Educate about stages of physical, mental and behavioral development Consult: with individuals involved in the child's daily life​

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What can parents and families do?

• Stay educated about the child's treatment plan
• Be involved with your child's therapy and progress
• Follow through with suggested activities to encourage further development

 
For specific questions about your child, contact us today!

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Meet Our Occupational Therapists

Jonny Haskell, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapy Team Coordinator

Bio

Jonny is a graduate from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor’s of Science and Masters of Science/Occupational Therapy.

Throughout his school experience, Jonny worked several jobs within the university’s OT Department, including Lab Assistant, Grad Assistant, Research Assistant, as well as a Peer-Academic Coach. While in his undergrad, he began a research study regarding children with ASD and their sympathetic responses to various types of food, and compared the data to typically developing children. Before graduating, his research study was published in the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy. 

As a grad student Jonny had the opportunity to work at Brain Balance centers (founded by Dr. Melillo, MS, DC, PhD (C) DABCN, FACFN, FABCDD) for 3 years under a neurochiropractor who specializes in primitive reflex integration.  Since then, Jonny has worked with Dr. Melillo himself in New York, where he now specializes in primitive reflex integration.

Growing up, Jonny thought he would be a professional MLB pitcher, which evidentially became impossible after a shoulder injury. 
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Jonny enjoyed signing autographs at one point in his life as he also starred in a ski movie when he was 17 years old (Warren Miller) and served as a snowboarding coach for the Special Olympics, where his athlete and he had the opportunity to compete in the 2019 XGames!

Tami Barnes, MA, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Bio

Tami earned her Occupational Therapy Assistant degree in 2018 from Pueblo Community College. She holds a B.A. in English from Oklahoma Christian University and a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado. She also earned her M.A. from University of Colorado - Colorado Springs, in Curriculum and Instruction with an area of emphasis in remedial reading. In addition, Tami studied at the Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy, becoming a Certified Massage Therapist in 2003. 

​Tami’s entire professional career has involved teaching and helping people in some capacity, and most often, working with children. Although Tami started out teaching middle and high school English, her love of theatre guided her to add teaching and directing theatre to her repertoire.

Her love for teaching and helping others also lead Tami to the field of massage therapy where she has worked, helping others rehabilitate from injuries as well as heal from the stresses of daily life.

ccupational Therapy was a natural progression for Tami. She started her career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant in Texas where she worked for several years with children with a variety of diagnoses. 

​While working as a COTA in Texas, Tami had the privilege of working with a very special co-therapist, Puzzle, The Therapy Dog. Animal Assisted Therapy is of special interest to Tami, and she has three rescue pups of her own: Angus, Finnegan, and Fae. Although none of her three have made it through the rigorous training to become an official therapy dog, Tami is a strong proponent for the healing properties of animals. She is thrilled to be back home in Colorado with her husband and furbabies and is happy to join the team at WellCare.

Jody Reitz, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Bio

Come back to learn more about her experience.

MacKenzie Sauer, MS, OTR/L
Senior Occupational Therapist

Bio

Come back to learn more about her experience.

Sierra Maxwell, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Bio

Sierra is originally from Denver, but ultimately grew up in the northwest. In 2018, she earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Health Promotion from Walla Walla University and then completed her Master’s of Occupational Therapy degree in 2021 from Loma Linda University.

Part of her schooling included working with children and families to provide quality evaluation and treatment in an outpatient pediatric setting, with a heavy emphasis on therapy for ASD.

Sierra loves working with kids and unlocking their full potential through fun and engaging occupational therapy.

Outside of the profession, Sierra enjoys baking, gardening, adventuring outdoors and trail ultra-running.

Adrian Toribio, COTA
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant

Bio

Come back to learn more about his experience.

Jason Bulger, MS, OTR/L
Senior Occupational Therapist

Bio

​Jason is from Buffalo, New York, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and History from Canisius College in 2008 and his Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from D’Youville College in 2019. 

He began his career working with individuals with special needs in a residential setting in 2008. This experience helped him better understand the role that traumatic experiences have on children and the challenges related to effectively managing difficult behaviors. In 2009, he used these experiences as a caseworker in the city of Buffalo, providing in-home services to families in crisis. Those he worked with were confronted with an array of difficult challenges such as those related to the impact of developmental disability, mental illness, or chemical dependency.

Jason became a certified instructor of tai chi in 2015 and has experience teaching in the community. He is interested in the rehabilitative potential of tai chi as well as the possible benefits granted to those with neurodevelopmental disorders. Occupational therapy has allowed Jason the opportunity to combine his unique background and experiences to support and enrich the lives of those he serves. 

Hannah Pate, MOT OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Bio

Hannah graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s of Health Science in 2015 and with a Master’s of Occupational Therapy in 2016. She has been providing Occupational Therapy services to Children ages 0-21 with a variety of diagnoses for the last 3 years in Savannah, GA.

She also has experience in providing feeding therapy to children to expand their diets and make eating an enjoyable occupation for kids.

​Hannah loves working with kids and she makes it her mission to provide them with the tools and opportunities they need to grow and develop to their fullest potential. 

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