Sonia Zayas, OTR/L, Owner and Director of Sensory Kids & Social Minds, facilitating one of the many social skills groups that are offered.

►Welcome

At Sensory Kids & Social Minds, we value the cultivation of the brain. Originally founded as a pediatric Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology clinic, we are fueled by research supporting neuroplasticity and social cognition. We believe that our children thrive with routines and that the supportiveness of their environments can either support of hinder their development. Our work is built upon the IISEA (Integrating and Interpreting Sensations, Emotions, and Actions) for Social Success framework, created by Owner/Director Sonia Zayas, OTR/L.

Many children with special needs are challenged by neurobiological factors, which make it difficult to participate and enjoy early emotional interactions with their parents. Relationship-based therapies focus on increasing these early capacities and shared interactions between parent and child that are meaningful, positive and pleasurable create the foundation for future learning. The “Floortime Model” essentially means joining the child where they are, revisiting previously missed growth opportunities and moving forward. This is an apt description of the style in which our therapies are provided– we train our therapists to be sophisticated play partners, who engage in continuous circles of communication with their kids. In this way, the children’s growth better resembles trajectories in neurotypical development: children are motivated to learn by their relationships, rather than by access to rewards.

In our parent coaching, we marry behavioral techniques such as Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Floortime methods to help parents learn to “dance” with their children and provide the adaptive environments that will help them feel nurtured and successful. We help you understand your children as neurological beings—ones impacted by the environment within and without their bodies—and underscore a developmental and attachment-based understanding of their behaviors.

We offer a unique, team-based approach. In addition to our collaborative approach between disciplines, our OTs and SLPs work in a number of area charter schools and are familiar with the Child Study Team and Individualized Education Plan process. We work hard not just to provide a service, but to be a community resource.

►Mission Statement & Philosophy

Sensory Kids & Social Minds’ mission is to assist children in being able to participate and enjoy the different types of roles they have; such as…being loving members of their families; active learners at home, daycares, and in their schools; comfortable, social playmates with their peers; self confident in their adaptive self care, gross and fine motor needs; and productive in their use of independent playtime. We understand that any child’s treatment must be individualized and prioritized according to the financial and individual needs of the families. We do this by being Consultants to parents that like to take control of their children’s on-going treatment at home, by providing in-clinic “intense” therapy sessions, collaborating closely with the teachers and other service providers to set your children up for success and the on-going collaboration amongst our staff. Our therapists are approachable, progressive, and certified in some of the most innovative techniques available. Our Director, Sonia Zayas, has over 30 years of experience in Occupational Therapy and clinical therapy management of all pediatric therapy services.