REConnections DIR Center

We are excited to announce that Neurologic Music Therapy Fitness Groups by REConnections DIR Center and Tribe Fitness will be offered 4 times per month starting in October! The deadline to register for all October options is Tuesday, 10/06.

Participants will engage in exercises that improve sensory coordination and cognitive-motor skills in an encouraging environment! 💪

Use the QR code to begin registration!

Contact [email protected] with any questions!

Sometimes what looks like “noncompliance” is really communication.

When we slow down, listen, and meet a child where they are, we create space for connection, safety, and regulation—not just another opportunity to perform.

At REConnections DIR Center, we believe children don’t need to be fixed. They need to be understood. And from that understanding, meaningful growth can begin.

Connection before compliance.
Understanding before expectations.
Regulation before performance.

Reach out to [email protected] today!

What if your child’s day became a song?

Try turning everyday moments—getting dressed, eating breakfast, riding in the car, or playing—into a silly song!
You can use a familiar tune, make up your own melody, or just sing whatever comes to mind.
The sillier, the better!

This simple activity can support sequencing, language development, memory, imagination, and creative expression while creating opportunities for shared connection and joyful interaction.

Try it together: Pick one moment from your day, make up a few silly lyrics, and sing it together. Let your child add their own words, sounds, movements, or ideas!

Music therapy can use these same powerful tools—music, rhythm, movement, and creativity—to support individualized developmental goals.

Interested in music therapy services at REC?�
Email [email protected] to learn more!

We’re excited to introduce our new Handwriting Focused Sessions at REConnections DIR Center! ✏️

These structured weekly sessions are designed for children who already have an established foundation for handwriting but would benefit from additional instruction and practice to improve areas such as:

• Letter formation, sizing, spacing, and alignment
• Legibility and writing fluency
• Pencil control and hand endurance
• Fine-motor and bilateral coordination
• Visual-motor integration and copying skills
• Postural stability for classroom writing tasks

Sessions are individualized, skill-based, and led by an occupational therapy practitioner, with strategies selected based on each child’s specific handwriting needs.

📅 Current Availability: Tuesdays and Thursdays
⏰ 60-minute sessions
💲 $150 per session

Because this program is specifically focused on improving handwriting performance, each child will complete a brief screening form to help us determine whether the program is the appropriate fit. Children who need more significant support with the foundational skills required for handwriting may be better served through individualized occupational therapy services.

Appointments are first come, first served, and recurring time slots will be removed as they are filled.

Scan the QR code on the flyer to complete our interest and screening form and get started! 💚✏️

This weekend, head outside for a nature scavenger hunt!

Pick a few things to search for—colors, shapes, sounds, or textures—and explore together. A simple walk around the backyard, neighborhood, or local park can become a fun opportunity to build skills through play.

A nature scavenger hunt can support:�
Observation & attention�
Sensory exploration�
Problem-solving & flexible thinking�
Communication & language�
Curiosity & confidence

And from an occupational therapy perspective, everyday experiences like these provide natural opportunities to practice skills in meaningful environments—not just at a therapy table.

Tip: Let your child take the lead! Follow their interests, notice what catches their attention, and turn their discoveries into conversation.

Looking for support with your child’s sensory, fine motor, self-care, or developmental skills? REC offers pediatric occupational therapy services designed around each child’s individual needs and strengths.

Interested in OT services at REC?�Email [email protected] to learn more!

Who says building skills has to feel like work? Try passing a rhythm around the room!

One person creates a simple clapping pattern, everyone copies it, and then take turns creating your own. It’s a fun way to work on listening, memory, coordination, motor planning, turn-taking, and connection—all while playing together.

Start simple with 2–3 claps and build from there as your child gets comfortable. The goal isn’t to get it perfect—it’s to listen, participate, and have fun together!

Want to learn more about how music can support your child’s development? Our music therapy services use rhythm, movement, and meaningful musical experiences to help children work toward individualized goals while having fun and connecting.

Interested in music therapy at REC? Email [email protected] to learn more!

Getting dressed. Sitting at the table. Transitions. Holding a pencil. When your child struggles with everyday tasks, it's easy to see it as a behavior problem.

But what if it's something else entirely?

Occupational therapy looks deeper.
It asks:
What's actually happening in your child's body and brain?
Is it sensory overwhelm?
Motor planning challenges?
Coordination struggles?
Regulation needs?
When you understand what's really going on beneath the surface, everything shifts.

You stop blaming.
You start supporting.
And your child gets the confidence boost that comes from being truly seen-not fixed.

What's the hardest part of your child's day?
Drop it in the comments.
Let's build community around what we all know: our kids aren't broken. They just need us to understand them differently.

REConnections DIR Center offers individualized occupational, speech, and music therapy-relationship-based support that honors who your child is, not who you think they should be. Begin the journey. Schedule your free consult today.

We’re hiring at the DIR Center!
We are excited to be launching a new Homeschool Co-op Program and are currently looking for a passionate and engaging teacher to join our team. We’ve created a unique program that we believe educators will love being a part of and that will provide an enriching, supportive learning experience for our future students.
If you’re interested in learning more about the position, please reach out to us!

We’re Hiring: Part-Time Homeschool Teacher 🌿

REConnections DIR Center is growing, and we are looking for a creative, relationship-focused teacher to help us launch our new Specialized Homeschool Program beginning January 2027.

This is not a traditional classroom position. We are building a small, individualized homeschool experience for children who benefit from a different approach to learning—one that supports academics while also recognizing regulation, communication, movement, relationships, independence, and each child’s individual learning profile.

Our first session will run January–May 2027, with the goal of this becoming an ongoing position. We are beginning with one homeschool group, with the goal of expanding to two groups on separate program days as enrollment grows.

What will the program look like?

The teacher will lead a small group of approximately 4–6 students, ages 8–10, through engaging, hands-on learning experiences that include:

• Core academics
• STEAM-based learning
• Project-based and experiential activities
• Dynamic movement incorporated throughout the day
• Social-emotional learning and problem solving
• Executive functioning and independence
• Communication, collaboration, and relationship building
• DIR/Floortime® principles woven throughout the learning environment

One of the things that makes this program especially unique is that students will also participate in Occupational Therapy and Music Therapy group sessions during the program day. The teacher will work alongside our therapy team while maintaining the educational portion of the program.

We would love to find someone who:

✨ Loves teaching creatively and thinking outside of the traditional classroom model
✨ Understands that connection and regulation are foundational to learning
✨ Enjoys working with small groups and adapting instruction to individual learners
✨ Is comfortable collaborating with therapists and other professionals
✨ Brings energy, flexibility, creativity, and strong communication skills
✨ Wants the opportunity to help build something from the beginning

Position Details

Initial Program: January–May 2027
Pay: $24/hour
Paid Planning: An additional 45 minutes of paid planning time for each program day

There may also be opportunities for additional hours through private tutoring clients at the DIR Center, depending on interest, availability, and family needs.

Our goal is to find someone who is excited about helping us build an ongoing homeschool program with room to grow.

If you are an educator who has ever thought, “There has to be another way to do school,” we would love to meet you. 💛

Interested in learning more or applying? Please reach out to Lilibel Bernhardt at [[email protected]] with your resume.

Why do we challenge children through play instead of drills?

Because play is a child’s natural way of learning.

When children are having fun and doing something meaningful to them, they’re more likely to stay engaged, take risks, problem-solve, and keep trying—even when something feels challenging.

Through playful challenges, we can work on so much more than a single skill:
Motor skills — strength, coordination, balance & motor planning
Emotional regulation — flexibility, frustration tolerance & managing big feelings
Communication — expressing ideas, taking turns & connecting with others
Confidence — trying new things, problem-solving & celebrating success

And that’s the beauty of a DIR/Floortime-informed approach: we don’t have to choose between having fun and making progress.

We can use what a child loves as the starting point—and build meaningful challenges into that play.

Because therapy doesn’t have to feel like a drill to be challenging. It can feel like play.

Looking for a therapy approach that meets your child where they are and builds skills through meaningful play?
Reach out to REConnections DIR Center to learn more about our services.

Tip Off Your Weekend Friday!

Cooking together is more than just making a snack, it’s an opportunity to play, connect, and build skills!

From following steps and measuring ingredients to stirring, pouring, and taking turns, simple cooking activities can support sequencing, attention, fine motor skills, flexible thinking, and shared engagement.

Remember: it doesn’t have to be perfect! Focus on the process, have fun, and enjoy the connection.

Looking for support with your child’s everyday skills? REConnections DIR Center offers Occupational Therapy services designed to support children’s development through meaningful, engaging activities.

Interested in OT services at REC?
Email [email protected] to learn more or inquire about services.