406-830-4500

hello@samaratherapy.com

Pediatric Occupational Therapy in Missoula, MT

Help Your Child Master Daily Activities with Confidence

Does your child struggle with daily tasks like holding a pencil, tying their shoes, or following directions? Are these challenges making everyday routines stressful for your family, or impacting your child’s education at school?

At Samara Therapy Specialists, our pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) understand these hurdles and are here to support your family. We create supportive and fun therapy sessions designed to help your child gain the skills they need for more confidence and independence in all areas of life.

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What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?

Pediatric occupational therapy is a treatment that focuses on helping children develop the skills they need for everyday life. This includes a wide range of important skills, including: 

  • Fine motor skills for handwriting, self-feeding, and getting dressed
  • Sensory processing skills for better focus, comfort, and mealtimes
  • Social skills for making friends, taking turns, and understanding rules
  • Thinking skills like problem solving, planning, focusing, and memory
  • Using adaptive equipment like wheelchairs, speech-generating devices, and more


Our OTs will assess your child’s strengths and limitations to determine what skills they need help to build. Then we’ll design play-based activities that make learning those skills both effective and fun. 

If your child has a developmental delay or an underlying condition that impacts their independence, occupational therapy can help them overcome these challenges and achieve greater independence in daily activities.

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What’s the Difference Between Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy?

While both occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) focus on improving a child’s quality of life, they target different areas of development.

PT primarily focuses on gross motor skills and mobility, while OT addresses fine motor skills, sensory processing, cognitive (thinking) abilities, and activities of daily living. These therapies both help support a child’s overall growth, they simply focus on different parts of development.

Why Would a Child Need Pediatric Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy can help with many different conditions and developmental challenges. Some common reasons your child might need support include:

  • Difficulty with fine motor tasks (cutting, drawing, buttoning)
  • Struggles with sensory processing (overreacts to sounds, textures, or movement)
  • Finds self-care tasks challenging (feeding, dressing, grooming)
  • Trouble focusing, sitting still, or following routines
  • Poor hand-eye coordination or depth perception
  • Delays in play skills, attention, or participation in school activities
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What to Expect During Your Child's Occupational Therapy Session

Our sessions are playful, judgment-free, and centered on your child’s interests. We use games, simple exercises, and hands-on activities to build skills naturally—whether that’s improving grip strength through clay play or enhancing sensory tolerance on a swing.

Parents are encouraged to observe and participate in your child’s therapy sessions. We want you to learn practical strategies to reinforce their progress at home and in school.

What Your Child Can Achieve with Occupational Therapy

By attending routine occupational therapy sessions with our expert team, your child can:

  • Develop stronger fine motor skills for school and play
  • Increase sensory tolerance to feel calmer in different environments
  • Gain independence in feeding, dressing, and self-care tasks
  • Improve focus, attention, and behavior in classroom settings
  • Learn techniques that make daily activities easier to handle
  • Build confidence for social situations, school, and beyond

Why Choose Samara Therapy Specialists for Your Child's Care?

Families choose Samara Therapy Specialists because:

Our practice is warm and accepting of everyone in our community. We’re proud to offer your family a safe environment for care that feels like your second home.

We offer all three pediatric services under one roof, plus specialized treatments like feeding therapy, aquatic therapy, and lactation counseling.

Our team treats each child as an individual and delivers personalized care to meet their needs. You are always welcome to share your concerns and what goals you want your child to achieve so we can work together to make it happen.

We partner with families and healthcare teams, keep everyone informed, and deliver the best care for each child.

We focus on the positives, on what your child can do, to encourage them to achieve even more. And when they gain a new skill, we celebrate along with you!

Reach Out to Get Started Today

Empower your child with the skills they need for daily success. Our experienced team at Samara Therapy Specialists will work with your family to help your child gain greater independence and confidence. Give us a call at (406) 830-4500 to schedule your child’s evaluation today.

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Laura

Occupational Therapist

I am a pediatric occupational therapist with 24 years of experience supporting children and families in reaching their fullest potential. I earned my degree in Occupational Therapy with a minor in Neuroanatomy from Colorado State University in 2001 and have since worked across a wide range of settings, including early intervention, outpatient pediatrics, school-based therapy, and private practice.

Throughout my career, I have pursued advanced practice training in feeding, handwriting, sensory regulation, and vision impairment, and I am also a Certified Infant Massage Instructor. Most recently, I completed my second Master’s in Special Education with a focus on Orientation and Mobility (Vision Impairment). After sitting for the national board exam in August, I became a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) in addition to my work as an occupational therapist.

My professional passion lies in helping children build the foundational motor, sensory, and visual skills needed for participation, independence, and confidence in daily life.

Outside of work, I find joy in watching my son play sports and exploring the beauty of the Montana outdoors with friends and family. I especially love hiking, kayaking, camping, and cross-country skiing.

Mackenzie

Occupational Therapist

Mackenzie attended the University of Oregon and went on to the physical therapy program at the University of Montana. She especially enjoys working with infants and children with developmental coordination disorders. In her free time, she enjoys trail running and spending time outside with her family.

Caitlin

Occupational Therapist

Caitlin has experience working in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, subacute care, outpatient mental health, adn home health health. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, skiing, fly fishing, and gardening. Most of all she enjoys spending time with her daughter, dogs, and family.

Annie

Billing and Finance Manager

Annie was born and raised in western Montana and serves as the Billing and Finance Manager at Samara Therapy. Outside of work, Annie enjoys spending time with her family and appreciating the outdoors.

Laura

Front Desk

Laura has worked in some aspect of medical admin for the last ten years. If you have called or texted the office, you have probably already interacted with her. She genuinely enjoys the occasionally chaotic pace of the front desk – so much so that she commutes to town from Rock Creek every morning.

Ryan

Therapy and Marketing Aide

Ryan is a current student studying Biology at the University of Montana here in Missoula. Ryan started working part time here at Samara as a Therapy and Marketing Aide in July. She helps with assisting the therapists in their therapy activities, setting up, cleaning up, and clinic marketing. She enjoys helping out in any way she can and seeing the progress of all of the awesome patients! In her free time you can find Ryan hanging out with friends and family, going on adventures with her dog, and baking sweet treats.

Sarah

Speech Therapist

Sarah received her Masters of Science (M.S) in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Montana in 2022. She has worked as a Speech Language Pathologist with infant to high school aged children for the last few years in Arizona, and loves being back in Montana. She has a special interest in working with foundational language skills, early intervention, and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC). In her free time she enjoys music, reading, going on walks, and exploring new food.

Deann

Physical Therapist

Deann unknowingly began her journey toward becoming a physical therapist by rehabbing a softball injury in middle school. She received her Bachelor’s in Exercise Science from Mississippi College in 2009 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from The University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2012. Since then, she has enjoyed expanding her clinical experience in school-based pediatrics, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient orthopedics, and ambulatory surgery. Most recently, Deann has been pursing additional training in hippotherapy (the use of horses in physical therapy) and is excited to help bring those services to Samara. She moved to Montana in 2014 and immediately fell in love with the beauty of the mountains and is proud to now call Montana home. In her free time, Deann enjoys camping, going to rodeos, kayaking, exploring new places, and spending as much time outside and at the barn as possible.

Nicholas

Physical Therapist

Nick finished his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011, and has since worked in early intervention and school pediatrics in Wisconsin, Florida, and Maine before moving to Montana. He emphasizes child motivated skill development, functional movement, and family-centered goals – and greatly enjoys helping children find ways to enjoy movement, function, and play with as much independence as possible. Nick enjoys finding new and exciting physical fitness challenges for himself and his two kids (if they choose to participate!).

Chelsey

Physical Therapist

Chelsey is a recent graduate of the University of Montana, where she earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Gerontology, reflecting her broad interest in health and wellness across the lifespan.

During her academic training, Chelsey gained hands-on experience in pediatric settings, including a 15-week clinical internship at Samara Therapy Specialists. She has experience conducting pediatric evaluations and implementing individualized interventions focused on gross motor development including mobility, balance, coordination, endurance, and strength.

Outside of the clinic, Chelsey enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and their three dogs. She also loves baking, reading, and camping—especially when it means unplugging and enjoying the Montana wilderness.

Katie

Speech Language Pathologist

Katie is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota with her masters in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences. She earned her bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Educational Services from the University of Wisconsin. Her background in youth recreation, paired with clinical experience in pediatric outpatient clinics, have fostered skills in fun and engaging play-based and child-led therapy. Katie also seeks to make speech therapy flexible, functional, and family-oriented. She is particularly interested in developmental language disorders, speech-sound disorders, feeding, and total-communication approaches. Outside of the office, Katie enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Amanda

Occupational Therapist

Amanda, a born and raised Montanan, began her educational journey at the University of Montana where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Health and Performance. After receiving her degree, Amanda began to work alongside children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in their homes as an Autism Trainer. This experience is where Amanda’s interest in occupational therapy grew into a lifelong mission. Amanda decided to continue her education in occupational therapy receiving her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Mary in 2017. Amanda has gained experience in pediatrics working in an outpatient setting as well as furthering her education in the SOS approach to feeding, kinesiology taping, and infant handling. When Amanda is not working, you can find her hunting for huckleberries, picking flowers, weeding her garden, and discovering the wild places with her husband, daughter, and adventure pup, Vinny.

Julia 

Physical Therapist

Julia completed her DPT and Post-Doctoral training at The Ohio State University. Julia is now a full-time Assistant Professor in the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Montana. Julia’s clinical and research training at OSU were in pediatrics, with a focus on neuromotor disorders, such as cerebral palsy. Julia is passionate about research and evidence-based practice, with half of her time at the University dedicated to clinical research and development of fun, engaging, and effective PT interventions for children. Julia also has additional training in the use of horses in physical therapy (hippotherapy), including certification through the American Hippotherapy Certification Board. When she is not at the University, Julia enjoys seeing patients at the barn. Julia grew up in Connecticut and has always had a love for animals and the outdoors. She is a life-long equestrian and horsewoman, which sparked her initial interest in physical therapy and hippotherapy. In her free time, Julia enjoys many hobbies, including horseback riding, skiing, running, hiking, and baking. She lives in Clinton with her husband, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and often a clutter of foster kittens.

Laurel

Occupational Therapist

Laurel is a graduate from Ohio State University, having earned a Doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy. She also has a Bachelor’s degree in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics from Concordia College. Laurel has experience in conducting pediatric evaluations and implementing interventions based on feeding, sensory integration, and motor milestones. Laurel is passionate in incorporating her Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition during feeding therapy to promote healthy food choices that the child enjoys.

Laurel is dedicated to implementing family-centered care and trauma-informed practices, while also creating secure, fun, and  supportive environments for children to thrive.

During her free time, Laurel enjoys hiking with her dog,  playing tennis with her husband, quilting, and spending time with her kitties, friends, and family.

Stephanie G.

PT, DPT

Dr. Stephanie Gaertig knows that physical therapy can change lives because she experienced it herself. After graduating from Washington State University in 2002, Stephanie started out as an environmental engineer. But while running a marathon, she sustained an injury and sought the help of a physical therapist to recover. It was then she learned about the incredible benefits of physical therapy and decided to change careers.

She achieved her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree in 2009 and has been working with children ever since. Stephanie loves helping children realize how many abilities they already have and working with them to develop those abilities further.

In her free time, Stephanie loves exploring the natural beauty of Montana with her husband and two children. She loves keeping her family active and healthy with lots of walks in nature.