Melissa Matthews, OT

Melissa has been working and playing with kids since 2012 and has experience supporting children with many differing diagnoses and abilities. She has had a colorful career as a child development interventionist, occupational therapy assistant, and ultimately made dreams come true completing her MScOT to work as an occupational therapist.

Melissa is an energetic clinician who focuses on establishing a strong foundation of trust and relationship with her clients. She creates a playful, friendly, and collaborative atmosphere in which her clients feel safe working towards goals to enhance their quality of life. Melissa believes that a combination of evidence-informed practice and listening to neurodiverse voices is the future of therapy.  During Melissa’s sessions, you can often hear laughter and excited voices from outside the door.  She connects easily to young children and teens alike.  

In her spare time, Melissa is an above-average home baker, an average video game player, and a below-average painter.

Melissa has completed the following professional development courses:

• Learn, Play, Thrive Approach to Autism – Meg Proctor
• DIR/Floortime 101
• A Comprehensive Introduction to Sensory Processing and Autism: Towards the Development of a Strengths-Based and Neurodiversity-Friendly Occupational Therapy Practice – CAOT
• Making Sense of Aggression – Gordon Neufeld
• Executive Function Skills – Sarah Ward
• Smart but Scattered: Improving Executive Functioning Skills at Home & at School
• Food Selectivity: Causes & Consequences in Children with Autism
• Developmental Foundations for Children with Feeding & Eating Problems
• Collaborative Proactive Solutions (CPS) by Dr. Ross Greene
• The Get Permission Approach to Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes – Marsha Dunn Klein
• Culturally Responsive Practices for Allied Healthcare Providers Working with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Clients and Students – Transplaining Trainings