Seattle Therapy - Skills for Life

"Best therapy clinic I've ever been to! I love it so much!" That's the review from our 10 year-old. We have been with Seattle Therapy for over 5 years and have had the opportunity to grow with their practice as they've expanded from a small office to their comprehensive space. We appreciate all the effort they have put in to provide different opportunities: quiet play areas, activity gym, kitchen space, and private rooms. We have had several therapists over the years but have developed a great relationship with each one.

From the moment you step into the clinic, you’re surrounded in an atmosphere of warmth and welcoming that immediately puts you at ease. The space itself is absolutely beautiful! It’s inviting and thoughtfully designed to cater to every need a child could have (not to mention, the clinic’s panoramic view of the city landscape behind the glistening water of Lake Union!). The employees and therapists at Seattle Therapy are incredible. Filled with warmth and friendliness from the moment you walk in. It is wonderful to see first-hand how the therapists not only immerse themselves in different environments alongside the child, but work closely with parents as well, to ensure that the skills are transferred and reinforced across different settings. Two thumbs up for Seattle Therapy!

I ended up taking my child here for about 6 months and complety agree with the other low reviews for Seattle Therapy. The therapists my child had were warm and kind but felt inexpenericed to make the progress I felt my child needed. We also had our initial therapist leave and there was a change to someone else who I don't think my child ever got used to. I also agree with the other reviews mentioning the payment situation. I understand it's a business with professionals but for 1 hour a week it definitely felt overpriced.

I volunteered at Seattle Therapy for six months, from June to December 2023. Working behind the scenes, I supported therapists and the children by cleaning shared areas, resetting rooms, organizing toys, and preparing therapy materials. After observing multiple sessions and meeting the staff and the owner, Shelley, it was evident how much thought and care go into the treatment the clients receive. The clinic's collection of books, toys, games, sensory activities, and art projects is ever-changing and growing. The walls are always covered in seasonal decorations and personal projects that the children want to show off. Volunteers constantly prepare new therapy materials, like flashcards and writing activities. On a hot summer day, they even had a week where all sessions were held outside, complete with water activities and yard games. The staff at Seattle Therapy are determined to ensure that the children are comfortable and have fun at the clinic, which is important because it alleviates the stress and challenges of occupational therapy. Overall, the environment that Shelley and her team have created is enjoyable and comfortable for children, and their progress speaks for itself.

Seattle Therapy is a mixed bag. The therapists we worked with were all kind, warm, and fun. The facilities are absolutely gorgeous and the gym is to die for. My child actually cried after our first visit because she didn't want to leave. Her experiences there were generally fun and positive. No harm was done. And it has to be noted that even after two years we are still on waiting lists for some of the most frequently-recommended OT clinics in Seattle. There's an awful lot to be said for a clinic you can actually get into. That said, here are three things I wish we had known when we started OT at Seattle Therapy: 1. There is a revolving door of OTs, many of whom are very early in their careers (their OT job postings say candidates should have graduated from an accredited master's program and *preferably* have one to three years experience). If you stay for more than a year you'll almost certainly be switched to a different therapist at least once. This resets the clock on the "building rapport and trust" process. It also means that your child may find themself being pulled out of a good groove with one therapist and thrust into a very different relationship with a new one who may or may not have any experience, and who may or may not focus on the same things or vibe with your child as well. Could be good, could be bad. But there will for sure be change. 2. Your financial relationship with Seattle Therapy will be heavily weighted in their favor. They require you to sign service agreements committing to giving them two months notice if you want to discontinue services, which means if something isn't working for your child you're still on the hook to pay for two more months of it. They can cancel appointments for vacations, sick days, etc, but if you cancel an appointment you have to pay for it, no matter how much notice you give them. They charge you for the time their therapists take to plan treatment, which they call "wraparound care." In practice this means billing you extra for their planning time, which other clinics don't do. Insurance companies will not cover this so it will have to be paid out of pocket. It's understandable that Seattle Therapy wants to keep its revenue steady and get paid for every minute of their time. It just doesn't feel like a particularly balanced, fair, or normal clinical relationship. 3. Most importantly for our family, we just didn't feel that Seattle Therapy listened to what our goals were for our child in OT, despite many attempts, many emails (which we paid for their time to read and respond to), and many meetings requested by us to review and reset goals (which again, we paid for). "Hope begins with feeling understood" and "We believe parents are the experts in their child" are great mottos, but we didn't see them in action. They will decide what the goals should be for your child, and how to prioritize them. When we finally reached the end of the road and politely requested to be released from our service agreement because our needs were not being met, the only response we received was from their business manager, who gave us two options: come for two more months or just pay us. Again, it's really hard to get into an OT clinic in Seattle these days and Seattle Therapy has almost no waiting list, so it's worth a try. You might get what you need. But you might not. If you feel like your feedback is being ignored, just know that you're not crazy. Seattle Therapy is going to do things the way they do things, even if their mottos sound great. So it might be wise to continue checking in on waiting lists at other clinics as you assess your child's progress there.

We have been very happy going here for a few years. My kiddo learns so much and looks forward to going all week. The OT and speech therapists are kind, knowledgeable, and supportive of neurodiversity. The play-based activities are geared specifically to my kid and his interests. They also have helped us with public school - identifying classroom-appropriate, useful supports for our kid and sharing helpful resources/insights for teachers. Would recommend to anyone!

My daughter does speech therapy here, and they are amazing with her. They supported her well when she didn't yet know any English and are still supportive of her bilingualism, which we didn't find in other speech therapy settings. Her therapist makes her feel instantly comfortable, and she wants to talk right away, telling her about everything! My daughter is also extremely independent and a very physical learner (in fact, has trouble being still), and they are so creative and flexible working within that constraint. We have a set of formal goals that we review about every three or four months, and my daughter is usually achieving them and setting new ones within that time frame, which I am very satisfied with. And they work so well with me as the parent, too- empowering me to help her and follow through at home. Great work!

We have been clients for a couple years. Our child really looks forward to attending each week and adores the people we work with. He has made significant improvements, but it’s slow and steady. It has taken time and effort and consistency. We are big fans of Seattle Therapy.