Pediatric Occupational Therapy in Murfreesboro, TN
Child-led, strengths-based occupational therapy for kids across Rutherford County, in your home or community, at our Murfreesboro office, or by telehealth anywhere in Tennessee.
Neurodiversity-affirming OT for kids and teens ages 0 to 18
The basics
What is pediatric occupational therapy?
A child's "occupations" are the everyday things they need and want to do: playing, getting dressed, eating, sleeping, learning, and spending time with family and friends. Pediatric occupational therapy helps kids take part in those things in ways that work for their body and brain.
Our goal is to help each child feel comfortable, confident, and able to join in on their own terms, without masking who they are.
How we help
Areas we support
Every child is different, so therapy is built around your child's strengths and your family's goals. These are some of the areas families come to us for.
Sensory processing
Helping your child take in and respond to sights, sounds, textures, and movement so everyday places feel more comfortable.
Fine motor & handwriting
Building hand strength and control for writing, drawing, cutting, buttons, zippers, and utensils.
Self-care & daily routines
Growing independence with dressing, toileting, brushing teeth, bathing, and getting out the door.
Feeding & mealtimes
Gentle, pressure-free support for picky eating and making meals feel calmer for the whole family.
Emotional regulation
Noticing big feelings and body signals, and building tools that help your child feel safe and in control.
Motor planning & coordination
Coordinating the body for play, playground equipment, sports, balance, and everyday movement.
Attention & executive function
Support with focus, transitions, planning, and multi-step routines at home and school.
Play & social connection
Joining in, taking turns, and building friendships in ways that feel authentic to your child.
Who we work with
Getting started
From first call to real progress
Here's how strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming care turns into a plan your family can actually live with.
Free phone consult
A no-pressure call to talk about your child and see whether we're the right fit.
Play-based evaluation
A relaxed, child-led session to understand your child's strengths and where support helps. It may include standardized assessments and parent questionnaires.
A plan built on strengths
Goals we set together, around your family's routines, priorities, and your child's interests.
Grow together
Ongoing sessions at home, in the community, in office, or by telehealth, with progress you can see.
Our approach
Play-based, child-led, and affirming
Child-led and strengths-based
We follow your child's lead and start with what they can do, never from a list of deficits. When play feels like theirs, real growth follows.
DIR Floortime in every session
We weave DIR Floortime, a relationship-based approach, into therapy with every child and coach parents to use it at home. Learn about DIR Floortime
Your therapy team
Meet your occupational therapy team
Alyssa Engel
OTD, OTR/L, DIR-Proficient
Alyssa founded Cultivate Play in 2024 in response to a lack of neurodiversity-affirming providers in Middle Tennessee. She earned her Occupational Therapy Doctorate from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and specializes in strengths-based care for autistic, ADHD, and PDA kids. She is a certified DIR Floortime provider and an ADHDer herself.
Valerie Navis
COTA/L
Valerie is a certified occupational therapy assistant who believes the best therapy happens when children feel seen, heard, and excited to play. She uses a child-led approach to turn each child's interests into opportunities for growth.
Where we see families
Occupational therapy across Rutherford County
In your home or community
Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, and across Rutherford County, wherever your child is most comfortable.
Our Murfreesboro office
1810 Ward Drive, Ste 101, Murfreesboro, TN 37129.
Telehealth
Occupational therapy and parent coaching by video, anywhere in Tennessee.
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