FAQS

Occupational therapy helps children develop the skills needed for daily activities and independence. We work with children who have physical, cognitive, sensory or motor differences that impact their ability to be successful in their day-to-day lives. Through engaging in a child’s primary “occupation” - PLAY! - we work to improve fine/gross motor skills, sensory processing, self-care, and self-regulation. Click here for a more in-depth discussion of occupational therapy at Play/Ground.

When we are assessing clinical need for occupational therapy, here are some things we look for:

• Challenges with social skills, play skills, or emotional regulation.

• Avoiding or struggling with specific tasks or activities for their age.

• Clumsiness, poor coordination, or delays in gross motor milestones like crawling or walking.

• Sensory processing issues like over-sensitivity to sounds, textures, or avoiding certain movements. Or conversely, seeking excessive sensory input.

• Difficulty with age-appropriate self-care tasks like toileting, bathing, dressing, eating, or brushing teeth.

• Delays in fine motor skills like grasping a pencil, using utensils, or manipulating small objects.

• Trouble with handwriting, drawing shapes, or cutting with scissors.

The key is looking for challenges across multiple areas of development that limit a child’s participation in daily childhood occupations like play, self-care, and learning, and then creating an individualized and fun plan to address those needs. Check out or blog for more details on how occupational therapy could benefit your kiddo!

1.) Contact us for a complimentary 15 minute phone screening to determine if a comprehensive occupational therapy evaluation would be beneficial.

2.) If we move forward with an evaluation, you will be sent intake paperwork and questions about your goals for your kiddo.

3.) We will schedule a 60 minute in-person evaluation with your child where we examine their performance across multiple domains. (If we’re doing our jobs right, this should be FUN!)

4.) From there, your therapist will create a detailed write-up of their observations and will craft a plan of treatment that supports you and your child’s goals. Recommendations could include 1:1 occupational therapy, groups, parent support coaching, or referrals to other services.

In response to the devastating fires for our neighbors in Altadena, ongoing raids in our immigrant communities, and because insurance has become increasingly hostile to meeting the holistic needs of children and families, my services are entirely pay-what-you-can. The following are fees based on market rates, but are suggested reciprocity only.

Occupational Therapy Evaluation: $300-400 (suggested). Includes in-person evaluation, comprehensive write-up, and 30 minute consultation to discuss results.

Individual Occupational Therapy: $75-150 per session (suggested). At Play/Ground, we typically schedule our sessions in 6-10 week blocks depending on the time of year.

Group Offerings & Classes: Varies based on type and duration. Please contact us for current offerings.

Individual Parent Coaching/Consultation: $75-150/hr (suggested)

THE ABOVE PRICE RANGES REFLECT MARKET RATES, BUT ALL FAMILIES WILL DETERMINE PAYMENT LEVELS THAT MEET THEIR NEEDS.

Our goal is to meet the needs of our clients and families, not insurance executives in our broken healthcare system. For this reason, Play/Ground does not bill insurance. Our model is entirely pay-what-you-can.

While we attempt to accommodate as many schedules as possible, most of our appointments take place during weekday school hours. Attending weekly outpatient occupational therapy sessions can offer significant benefits that outweigh the brief time away from the classroom. Many parents and teachers report improved classroom success with the inclusion of outpatient therapy.

We are located less than 10 minutes from all GUSD elementary schools in La Crescenta, and are happy to provide letters to any school to ensure that your child's absence is excused.