At Dandelion Spirit, we provide a neurodiversity-affirming space where children and families receive individualized, strengths-based support. Our interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists collaborates to honor each child’s unique neurotype, neurodevelopmental status, communication style, and sensory needs.

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We reject deficit-based models and instead focus on empowering children by celebrating their strengths, supporting their challenges, and fostering self-advocacy. Our approach prioritizes regulation, relationships, and respect, ensuring that all interventions align with the child’s natural development rather than forcing compliance or masking behaviors, which have been shown to have negative consequences long-term even if they appear to have positive impacts in the short-term.

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The foundation of our work is the relationship between the clinician and the child, built on trust, attunement, and acceptance. We believe that meaningful progress happens within a safe, connected relationship where children feel seen, understood, and valued for who they are. Child-led therapy is central to our approach—we follow and join in the child’s interests and joy, respect their autonomy, and create interventions that feel engaging, affirming, and empowering rather than forced or compliance-driven. We also work closely with families to provide education and strategies to help children thrive in their own way, at their own pace, and in environments that truly support their needs.

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Our goal is to create meaningful, functional growth for each child by:

• Enhancing somatic, sensory, and emotional regulation and emotional well-being

• Supporting communication in all forms (spoken language, ASL, AAC, gestures, echolalia, etc.)

• Developing sensory processing and motor skills to improve daily life participation

• Strengthening relationships between children, caregivers, and peers

• Promoting autonomy, self-advocacy, and authentic self-expression

• Identifying supports, modifications, and accommodations that will be most helpful at home, at school, and in the community

 

We offer individual therapy, family therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.

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Individual therapy focuses on emotional and somatic regulation, self-advocacy, identity development, social-emotional development, and mental and emotional well-being. Therapists support children in understanding and processing emotions, navigating relationships, developing their identity, exploring how to express big emotions in safe and healthy ways, and developing coping strategies in a way that respects their neurotype. Rather than focusing on compliance, we help children build skills that promote autonomy, confidence, and self-understanding.

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Family therapy is essential in helping caregivers better understand their child’s unique needs, communication, and sensory processing. Sessions focus on strengthening parent-child relationships, providing co-regulation strategies, and offering practical tools for supporting children at home. Family therapy also creates space for processing the emotional experiences of parenting and navigating systems that may not always be neurodiversity-affirming.

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Speech therapy is not just about spoken language—it is about communication in all its forms. Our speech-language pathologists (SLPs) support children in expressing themselves authentically, whether through spoken words, AAC, sign language, gestures, echolalia, or other means. Therapy focuses on expanding communication access, reducing frustration, and helping others understand the child’s natural communication style. We also work on receptive language to support comprehension and understanding in a way that aligns with how each child processes information.

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Occupational therapy (OT) helps children develop the sensory regulation, motor coordination, and daily living skills they need to engage in meaningful activities. Our OTs focus on sensory processing, body awareness, fine and gross motor skills, and self-care tasks in ways that feel natural and supportive. They also work with families and schools to create sensory-friendly environments that accommodate each child’s needs, rather than forcing them to “fit in.” For children with feeding challenges, our OTs use the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding, which is a sensory-based, child-led method that helps children build comfort and confidence with food in a way that is respectful of their sensory and oral-motor needs.