My child is always running from one end of the living room to the other.  Why?  Her teacher says she needs help with writing because she doesn’t make the letters legible.  And she just can’t cut with her scissors. He seems to have difficulty with coordination and trips over lines on the floor.  Is it his vision?  The doctor and the teacher says she/he needs OT.  Ok, but what does an OT do? 

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy helps children gain independence and promotes development of fine motor skills, sensory motor skills, and visual motor skills that children need to function and socialize in their home, school, play, and community environments.  Addressing the acquisition of development milestones is critical to building the necessary foundation for everyday activities such as self feeding, dressing, coloring/writing, cutting, typing on the computer and catching/throwing a ball.

              Our Occupational Therapy Team

NANCY LAMBERTSEN, OT

Nancy graduated with her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from San Jose State University over 30 years ago.  Over the years she has worked in a large variety of settings, which includes acute rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and out- patient services.  Instructing therapists in the fabrication of splints has provided opportunities to travel throughout the country.  Teaching in an OT program has also provided Nancy an opportunity to contribute to the education of up and coming therapists, by sharing her wide range of experiences throughout her career.   Although, she worked with adults for the first 15 years, it is the past 15 years working in pediatrics which keeps her excited and gives her much satisfaction.  She works with children of all ages, and has a special interest in addressing visual/perceptual difficulties. What she likes most is the challenge in working with clients/students to find what motivates them and to find creative ways to maximize their abilities.   Nancy has been spending her summers living on a boat in Seattle to avoid the extreme Arizona.

Elizabeth Hammond, OT

"As a child, one of my favorite books was J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Imaginative play is one of my most cherished pastimes, so, naturally, this book appealed to me. My favorite quote- one that I still identify with- is “If growing up means that it is beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I’ll never grow up.” After many years of education, personal growth, and pondering I realized that getting older does not mean giving up beloved occupations. People should not be limited by unavoidable conditions such as aging, injury, developmental disorders, or chronic disease. With enough creativity, ingenuity, and collaboration individuals can accomplish feats they never thought were possible.
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I am able  to put these values and beliefs into everyday practice. My specialty certifications include being Autism Certified, credentialed in the Astronaut Training Protocol, and a Certified Handwriting Specialist through Handwriting Without Tears." 

Alvin Seul, OT

My name is Alvin Seul and I graduated from Clarkson University. I grew up in Yuma and lived in AZ most of my life. I have always loved working with kids and love what I’m doing now as a home health pediatric occupational therapist!