Bring this work to your practice, your team, or your organization.
Mary Beth's approach is grounded in the O.P.T.I.C. methodology and philosophy: observe, understand, and transform how adults and children connect. Whether you're an individual practitioner, a program director, educational institution, or part of an interdisciplinary team, there's a way to work together.
Bring this work to your practice, your team, or your organization.
Mary Beth's approach is grounded in the O.P.T.I.C. methodology and philosophy: observe, understand, and transform how adults and children connect. Whether you're an individual practitioner, a program director, educational institution, or part of an interdisciplinary team, there's a way to work together.
TRAININGS
Mary Beth offers workshops and presentations for occupational therapy practitioners, interdisciplinary teams, educators, behavioral health and mental health providers, and clinical program staff. Her trainings are grounded in her research, neuroscience, and a developmental lens on how adult communication and interaction shape children's regulation, engagement, and participation in activities.
Training topics include:
Improving pediatric outcomes through video analysis of treatment sessions
Including parents and caregivers in therapy sessions
Sensory processing and emotional regulation in children with and without autism
Development of movement in children
Understanding children's behavior through a neuroscience and developmental lens
Overview of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, developmental delays (differences), and associated behavioral and mental health considerations
Trainings are available in-person, virtually, or as a multi-session series. Format and length are tailored to your needs.
Currently developing training modules for behavioral health and mental health providers through UMass Chan Medical School.
SPEAKING
Conference presentations, keynote addresses, and guest lectures for professional organizations, university programs, and interdisciplinary audiences. Mary Beth draws on her original research and her clinical and teaching experience to give attendees practical strategies for strengthening their communication, clinical reasoning, and approach to working with children.
Past and upcoming engagements include the AOTA Conference (American Occupational Therapy Association), the Massachusetts/Rhode Island Occupational Therapy Associations (MAOT/RIOTA) Conference, the Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium Conference, and invited lectures for UMass Chan Medical School's Psychiatry Residency Program.
MENTORING
Reflective, practice-based mentoring for practitioners and faculty who want support strengthening their clinical reasoning, their teaching, or their approach to research so that they can be more effective and continue to feel good about their work.
Mentoring can look like monthly group sessions for practitioners within a school system or agency, or individual sessions for clinicians and faculty who want a thinking partner as they develop their practice.
Mary Beth's mentoring style is collaborative, direct, and grounded in real cases and real challenges. She meets you where you are and helps you build from there.
CASE CONSULTATION
For teams and individuals working with children, youth, and families with complex neurodevelopmental profiles, including autism, sensory processing differences, emotional regulation challenges, and other developmental concerns, Mary Beth offers consultation grounded in observation, clinical reasoning, and practical recommendations.
A typical consultation may include a review of records and clinical questions, observation, recommendations, and follow-up support as you implement changes. Each consultation is tailored to the complexity of the case and your goals.
What’s Ahead
Mary Beth is expanding her offerings to include direct consultation with parents and caregivers, reflective video analysis for practitioners, and community learning opportunities for families. If any of these interest you, reach out.
SIGNATURE METHOD
The O.P.T.I.C. Approach
At the center of everything Mary Beth offers is O.P.T.I.C.: Observational Program for Transforming Interactions and Connections.
This approach grew out of her original research, a systematic way of studying how practitioners and caregivers communicate with children during treatment sessions. Using video recording and guided reflection, Mary Beth developed a method for making visible what even the most skilled practitioners carry as blind spots: the words we choose, the way we respond, the moments that shape whether a child can regulate, engage, and participate.
The process is built on safety and trust. Whether you're a seasoned clinician or a new practitioner, Mary Beth creates a supportive space where you can look honestly at your practice and grow from what you see. Caring adults learn concrete ways to modify their interactions and see immediate shifts in how children respond.
FAQs
What does a pediatric OT training look like?
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Every training is tailored to your needs. It might be a single workshop on sensory processing, a multi-session series on understanding children's behavior through a developmental lens, or a full-day intensive on video analysis of therapy sessions. Mary Beth works with you to identify the focus area and designs the session around real cases and challenges. Trainings are available in-person or virtually.
Do you offer virtual sessions for occupational therapy consultation?
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Yes. Trainings, mentoring, speaking engagements, and consultations are all available virtually. Many of Mary Beth's ongoing mentoring relationships with pediatric OT practitioners are conducted over video.
How do I know if mentoring or case consultation is the right fit?
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Mentoring is ongoing support, typically for individual practitioners or small groups who want to strengthen their clinical reasoning around pediatric occupational therapy, sensory processing, autism, and neurodevelopmental differences, and improve treatment outcomes over time. Consultation is more focused, usually for a team or individual working through a specific case or challenge.
Who are your trainings designed for?
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Occupational therapy practitioners, interdisciplinary teams, educators, early intervention programs, school collaboratives, state agencies, and mental health and behavioral health providers. Mary Beth also works with individual clinicians, educational institutions, and faculty. If your work involves children with autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, developmental delays, neurodevelopmental challenges, or complex behavioral profiles, there's likely a fit.
How much do services cost?
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The O.P.T.I.C. program can be customized for individual use, small group settings, clinical teams, and organizational programs, and includes video analysis, guided observation, and reflective debrief. Please share details about your setting and goals through the contact form, and Mary Beth will follow up with specific options.
Mary Beth works with children, youth, and families navigating autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, sensory processing differences, developmental delays, communication challenges, emotional regulation difficulties, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Her approach is grounded in understanding each child's unique profile rather than focusing on a single diagnosis. Whether or not a child has a formal diagnosis, if something isn't working in the interaction, Mary Beth can help.
What diagnoses or conditions do you work with?
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Ready to Connect?
Share a little about your practice, your team, your program, or the challenge you're trying to figure out.