You Were Never Meant to Do Therapy Like This

Burnout isn’t personal. It’s systemic. It’s time to root your caseload in something deeper—something that lets you thrive again.

You didn’t go into this field to feel like a failure. But lately… that’s exactly what it feels like. You’ve read the books. You’ve tried the trainings. You’ve shown up to every session with heart and hope and everything you’ve got. But the truth?

Thirty-minute sessions once, maybe twice a week, aren’t cutting it anymore. Not for these kids. Not with the same outdated methods we've been using.

One session, the child you’re working with is focused, regulated, in it. You’re celebrating progress. The next? They’re melting down before you can even start.
Or worse—when you check in with the teacher or parent, they tell you, “Yeah, we haven’t seen any of that in the class/at home.” You’re left wondering… did I imagine the progress? Is it me? Did I do something wrong?

You feel like you’re constantly pouring from an empty cup—spending 20 of your 30 minutes just trying to regulate the child enough to begin. Goals that looked great on paper suddenly feel impossible. When regulation is off… nothing else lands.

Then the child gets sick or a break hits—and the next session with the child is like starting from scratch. Again. You try so hard to bridge the gap between home, school, the therapy room. But there is a gap. A massive one...
And you’re stuck trying to build the bridge with duct tape and hope.

You see it. The post-pandemic kids. The ones growing up on screens and sensory overload. The ones who are constantly stuck in survival mode. You know their behaviors are telling you something. You know there's more going on beneath the surface. But when you're constantly reacting—constantly regulating—there’s no space to really observe, connect, or build.

Then there's your own nervous system. Exhausted. Frayed. Dysregulated.

Because how can you co-regulate when you are maxed out? The reality is that this field is full of incredible, heart-led therapists doing everything they can in a system that just wasn’t built for the emotional complexity of today’s kids and almost no one’s talking about it.

Before the Breakthrough, There was Burnout

As a school-based occupational therapist, I’ve found myself facing a level of burnout that has impacted both my professional and personal life. I’ve noticed a growing lack of creativity in my treatment sessions, a sense of emotional exhaustion that carries over into my home life, and a tendency to put off documentation or assignments that once felt manageable. Most difficult of all has been recognizing moments where I’ve had less patience with students than they deserve. This burnout has been a wake-up call. It’s not a reflection of my passion for my work, but a signal that I need to care for myself with the same intention I give to others.

Alexis L.

School-based OT, New York

In early intervention, I was tossed into homes with a bag of toys and a license—no roadmap, no mentorship, just “figure it out.” I was supposed to support regulation, behavior, and parent coaching, all while keeping my notes compliant and my sanity intact. I burned out fast. The hardest part wasn’t the families—it was feeling like I should know what to do, but didn’t.

Megan R.

Early Intervention OT, Vermont

I’ve been a COTA for 11 years, doing the preschool thing—jumping school to school, 30-minute sessions, barely enough time to build trust, let alone make real change. You start to notice patterns: kids melting down during transitions, clinging to routines, teachers overwhelmed and under-supported. I’d walk into classrooms already in chaos, expected to ‘fix it’ in half an hour. No one prepares you for that. It wears on you—questioning if your sessions are just boxes to check or if you're actually making a difference. I kept thinking, there has to be something deeper we’re missing.

Daniel Seaburg

Preschool COTA, California

That’s why I created The ROOT Method™.

It’s not just ~~a new checklist~~ or a ~~one-and-done worksheet~~.

It’s a clinical reasoning framework built specifically for today’s pediatric OT. One that finally bridges the gap between in-session progress and real-world carryover. And? It gets back to what occupational therapy was always meant to be.

Get the Full ROOT Method™ Course

🌱 WHAT is The ROOT Method™?

It’s a four-phase framework: Regulate → Orient → Observe → Thrive.

It integrates everything we already know works—sensory processing, co-regulation, Polyvagal Theory, MOHO, and PEO models—and pulls it into a simple, repeatable flow. It's about helping you confidently support a dysregulated child so they’re actually ready to engage... instead of just going through the motions. This is how we get sustainable skill-building, carryover at home, school, beyond!

🧠 WHO is it for?

This is for the OT who’s:

Burning out on surface-level goals.
Questioning if therapy is even working.
Sick of chasing compliance and ready to support regulation.
Wanting to coach parents and teachers, but not sure how.
Craving confidence, direction, and impact.

📍WHERE does it fit?

Anywhere you work—early intervention, schools, clinics, or even virtually.
Whether you’re brand new or a couple decades in, the ROOT Method™ gives you

the tools to create long-term change, no matter the setting.

🕒 WHEN do you use it?

Every single session.
Whether you're coaching a parent during a meltdown, collaborating with a teacher, or trying to decide what to do next with a child stuck in survival mode…
The ROOT Method™ guides your thinking, not just your planning.

You’ll stop guessing and start noticing the cues that tell you exactly where to meet the child.

❓WHY was this created?

Because post-pandemic therapy can’t be business as usual.

We don’t need more worksheets or toys.
We need clinical reasoning tools that meet kids where they are—and empower OTs to do the work they were trained to do.

This method helps you move from:

‘I hope this works’ → to → ‘I know where we are and what’s next.’
Imposter syndrome → to → Clear, confident impact.

⚙️ HOW does it work?

It’s an on-demand course you can complete on your schedule.

You’ll get:

4 training modules (one for each ROOT phase)
Clinical tools: coaching scripts, sensory logs, observation templates, infographics
Printable handouts for parents, teachers, caregivers
Guided journal prompts to apply the ROOT Method™ to your caseload
Built-in assessments to earn NBCOT PDUs

When you’re done with this course, you’ll walk away with:

✅ A step-by-step framework for treating the root need, not just surface symptoms

✅ Tools to build real partnerships with families and schools

✅ Clinical clarity that brings joy and impact back to your work

✅ The confidence to lead sessions, not just react to behavior

✅ NBCOT-approved PDUs… and a deeper connection to your why