Andrew has been a pediatric occupational therapist for over 15 years. He graduated with his Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University, and spent the first 4 years of his career immersed in Floortime at the Rebecca School in New York. He moved to North Carolina in 2015, but his passion for Floortime continued over the years. Andrew is now an Expert Training Leader in DIRFloortime®, and has a passion for coaching parents and professionals. He strongly believes that each child’s individual differences can serve as their greatest strengths. In his free time, Andrew enjoys playing guitar, fencing, exploring North Carolina with his wife, Emma, and playing with his two children, Nora and Eliana. Andrew grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, and he is excited to have the opportunity to support families back in his home state!
Ann-Bailey, M. Ed is a special education consultant and author specializing in early relational health and inclusion. Ann-Bailey is the co-author of the book Building Blocks for Social-Emotional Learning: Creating Safe, Secure, and Successful Schools, in which she hopes to bring Floortime principles and strategies to schools. After Ann-Bailey learned about DIRFloortime 10 years ago, she realized she wanted to learn as much as she could about it and never stopped. It changed her understanding of how humans learn, and she is always amazed at the growth Floortime brings her clients. Her favorite aspect of working at Kinder Growth is helping families build shared joy and find connection, even in the most stressful situations.
Emily is a board-certified music therapist based in the greater Philadelphia area. She holds a Bachelor of Music in voice performance from Boston University and a Master of Arts in Music Therapy from Montclair State University. Emily’s DIRFloortime experience began through her work as a teaching assistant/head teacher at Rebecca School during her time in New York City. She credits her musicality as an entry-point into the DIRFloortime world as she uses rhythmicity, intentionality in her voice/affect, and playfulness to connect with her clients. Emily is increasingly thankful for her introduction to DIRFloortime and the opportunity to continue in advanced study; this therapeutic methodology aligns with her view on neurodivergence acceptance and advocacy of the benefits of navigating the world in unique ways.
Erica is a Clinical Supervisor at Kinder Growth, as well as a dedicated Speech-Language Pathologist and holds an Expert Level Training certification through ICDL. She has found her professional home in the DIR approach, which aligns deeply with her belief in child-led, interest-based learning. She is passionate about meeting children where they are, following their interests, and building upon their natural motivations to foster meaningful communication and development. Central to her practice is empowering parents, as she firmly believes that when caregivers are supported and attuned to their child’s unique way of relating, the child’s developmental forces are unlocked. By strengthening the parent-child relationship, she helps create a foundation for lifelong learning, emotional growth, and authentic connection.
I’m Johanna, a systemic neurodiversity coach, psychologist, and family therapist, and I’m absolutely in love with the DIR/Floortime model. I discovered this approach during a time of frustration early in my career while working with ABA therapies. It was then that I found a model that, in addition to delivering results, resonated deeply with my heart—an approach I understood and truly believed could make a difference. Since that moment, I’ve been passionate about learning, teaching, and deepening my knowledge of this model. With over 25 years of experience, I now dedicate myself to guiding, supporting, and empowering neurodivergent individuals and their families on their journey toward well-being and holistic development.
Kathy OTR/L is a clinical supervisor at Kinder Growth and has practiced DIR/Floortime for more than half of her career. Along with treatment experience, she teaches and supports various professionals through clinical supervision, helping others understand how ones’ body, sensory processing abilities, regulation, and behavior interact. As Kathy has “played with a purpose” for years, she delights in helping parents and therapists understand the children in their lives, and feel more connected in their relationships. As a mom of two girls, she brings parent perspective and practicality to her work, and recognizes the transforming power a parent has in supporting growth and depth of development through riding the waves of emotions hand in hand.
Maggie is a Developmental Therapist specializing in early intervention, neurodivergence, and coaching caregivers and students. She has been fortunate to be trained in relationship-based, child-directed approaches throughout her two decades long career. She later added DIR/Floortime to her practice, and it has become a perfect complement and expansion of her work with caregivers. Maggie deeply connects with the DIR/Floortime philosophy because it emphasizes that children learn and grow in joyful, connected relationships, and that every child and caregiver deserves to be truly seen and heard for who they are. Maggie’s favorite part of her job is empowering parents to gain confidence and joy in their interactions with their child, using neuro-affirming practices and prioritizing connection over compliance.
Paula is a Speech-Language Pathologist with a Master’s degree in Psychology who began studying the DIR Floortime model because she struggled to understand autism and connect with her clients. She realized that simply sitting on the floor to play was not enough—she needed to understand what was truly motivating for each child, as each one had their own uniqueness. Additionally, Paula wanted to better support parents by helping to reduce the anxiety they experienced. Through DIR Floortime, Paula learned about individual differences and affect, which was crucial in helping her understand development and build emotionally meaningful relationships. Paula often says that DIR Floortime is a philosophy of life.
Shannon specializes in collaborating with families to develop a better understanding of their child’s behaviors and abilities. Shannon has extensive training in sensory processing, emotional regulation and relationships. She holds a certificate in DIR/Floortime, Kinetic Bridging, Rhythmic Movement Training, CranioSacral Therapy, Therapeutic Listening, and Astronaut Training. Shannon also serves as a supervisor and mentor to Occupational Therapists. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Shannon cultivates a space where authentic connection can thrive. Shannon incorporates creativity in her sessions, and is a true believer in the power of play. Her hope is that within the therapeutic process the child and caregiver come away more calm and organized in their mind, body, and connection to one another.
