Free To Move and Play

Free To Move and Play ▫️24+ years experience in Pediatrics
▫️Evals/weekly visits/Intensives
▫️DMI Intermediate Level A
▫️NISE-Stim Spinal Stim, Tases, Theratogs, Hypervibe

07/02/2026

Did you know most cases of torticollis develop within the first few weeks of life — often from positioning in the womb or a preference for turning one way?

Left untreated, it can affect head shape, motor development, and even feeding.

The good news: early intervention makes a huge difference.

I put together a torticollis handout with signs to watch for & exercises to consider— link in bio.

Day 21!


07/01/2026

Every child I treat moves at their own pace — and that’s not something to fix, it’s something to honor. When we stop measuring our kids against someone else’s timeline, we make room to actually see them.

Can’t believe we are at day 20 of this series! I’m having fun. Are you?

06/30/2026

Mini-milestones are just as important as the “major” milestones we typically talk about with our children and their motor development!

You may hear a lot about reaching milestones of rolling, sitting, crawling, cruising, and walking BUT there are so many in between components that need to be worked on in order to achieve these.

I’m using the example of “crawling” here which in PT terminology should be called “creeping” which is what we mean by crawling on hands and knees (just a little fyi 😊)

Crawling on hands and knees or “Creeping”:

-facilitates left and right sides of the brain working together

-assists with sensory processing and cognitive skills

-increases strength and coordination especially in the shoulders, wrists, hands, and fingers-needed for later fine motor skills such as hand writing

-develops the hip joint and strengthens muscles around it for cruising and walking.

But there are plenty of mini-components that need to be worked on to progress to this milestone.

Watch my instructional video I made last summer with my cutie grandson that highlighted important skills to work on before creeping🙌🏻

06/27/2026

Staying power is important but never forget the magic of changing it up. 🩷

We are at the 19th milestone of 30 Days of Summer (from a real PT). Halperin Park

06/26/2026

Over 18 months ago, my whole world got a little bigger when my grandson Pax came into it. And here’s the thing nobody warns you about—you can spend decades as a Pediatric PT, but the second that baby is placed in your arms, you’re just a grandmother.

JuJu, in our family’s case.

I’ve gotten to watch him grow up close—not as a clinician evaluating milestones, but as a JuJu soaking in every single one.

And every now and then, when my daughter and son-in-law want a hand with something that might help him along, I get to step in and partner with them. It’s one of the sweetest parts of this season of my life.

But make no mistake—I’m JuJu first. I’m not here to track his percentiles. I’m here for the hitch-crawling and I’m here for the Olympian phase.

Whatever order those come in, and whatever this kid decides to become, I’m just here for all of it.

Day 18 of 30 Days of Summer (from a Real PT)—the one where I get to brag a little. 🩷

06/25/2026

Plot twist: therapy doesn’t have to come with tears.

Meet TMR — (or Total Motion Release) that finds tight, restricted areas of the body and gently releases them instead of pushing through them.

No painful stretching, no fighting through resistance, just smoother, more efficient movement. It’s best known as a tear-free way to treat torticollis, but it works just as well for kids with cerebral palsy, hypotonia, and gait asymmetries.

I love using TMR as “prep work”—loosening things up so the rest of therapy works even better.

Day 17 of 30 Days of Summer (from a Real PT)!—more to come!

06/24/2026

What if garments could double as therapy?

That’s the idea behind TheraTogs—a wearable system of snug undergarments and straps that provide gentle, prolonged stability and constant sensory feedback to the body. This supports postural alignment, stability, and movement control, all while a child just goes about their day.

Think of it as sending hands-on therapy home with them. I use TheraTogs in weekly sessions and intensives, customizing the fit and setup to each child’s goals.

Yes, It’s Day 16 of 30 Days of Summer (from a Real PT)!

And we are still standing, my friends. But also, send help. Talking to a camera every day is no cake walk on top of everything else lol.

06/23/2026

Ever wonder why whole body vibration can be so beneficial during a therapy session?

I have a Hyervibe and I LOVE it!

There are many benefits if used with the right frequency, positioning, and guided by a therapist who knows how to use it even alongside other strategies such as NISE-stim, Tases, Theratogs, or DMI.

The benefits can be: increased circulation, reduced spasticity, increased muscle strength, improved balance and postural control, increased bone density, and sensory integration.

I use it for both my weekly sessions and Intensives either as a warm up starting activity or later when targeting a specific goal.

* cannot believe we are at Day 15 of 30 Days of Summer (from a Real PT)! This is fun, but hard?

06/21/2026

Sunday R&R time at a Texas Rangers game for Father’s Day in the same complex where Dallas Stadium is and the FIFA World Cup…..Argentina plays here tomorrow!

Hope you are having a soulful, restful Sunday!

06/19/2026

Quick fact: a little electricity can help “wake up” tired nerves and muscles—no needles, no pain, just smart science.
That’s NISE-Stim (Non-Invasive Spinal Electrical Stimulation), developed in 2017 by Gerti Motavalli, PT, alongside Dr. Gad Alon. It uses surface electrodes over the spine to spark muscle movement and boost neuromuscular coordination, while also supporting motor, sensory, and autonomic function. It’s been a game changer for kids with Spina Bifida, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, and other motor impairments.
I trained directly under Gerti Motavalli and use NISE-Stim in weekly sessions and intensives, tailored to each child.

*Day 13 of 30 Days of Summer (from a Real PT)! Is this information helping anyone out there? I’m having fun but let me know if there’s something that you’d like to hear me share more about?

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Fort Worth, TX
76008, 76028, 76036, 76101-76124, 76126-76127, 76130-76137, 76140, 76147-76148,

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Tuesday 8am - 5pm
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