Functional Link Pittsburgh

10/22/2026

One of the things I love about occupational therapy is finding ways to apply it in unexpected places. Lately, that's meant exploring accessibility in Pittsburgh's electronic dance music (EDM) scene. 🔊💜

In the EDM community, “full send” is often used to describe going all in, giving an experience everything you've got, and holding nothing back... but there's also an underlying expectation that fully enjoying a show means pushing your limits, going hard until the very end, and being willing to deal with the consequences afterward.

And then there's me, usually camped out on the floor enjoying a relaxing evening of crocheting by laserside. 🧶💜 I love live music. I also have ADHD, get overstimulated pretty easily at big events, and tend to have a lot of anxious energy that needs somewhere to go 🤸‍♀️ Having something to do with my hands is exactly what helps me settle in and enjoy the experience..Sometimes I'm dancing in the crowd, and sometimes I'm sitting on the floor crocheting through an entire set. Either way, I'm there for the music, and none of those things make me any less engaged in the experience. Because full send doesn't look the same for everyone. 💜

As an OT, I couldn't help but think about all the different things that can affect someone's ability to participate. Why do people avoid shows they actually want to attend? Why do they leave earlier than they planned? And how many people are missing out simply because the environment doesn't support the way they want or need to participate? What if we stopped assuming there's one right way to enjoy a show and started making more room for different ways to participate? And since my husband and all of his friends are involved in music and event production (s/o LOW GLOW (Kyle) 🫶 & skoolshooz), they've had the privilege of hearing me yap about accessibility every function.

But none more than ASCENT, who has received more than his fair share of unsolicited consulting about his events 🤣 Luckily, Conner and his friends also genuinely cares about the local scene and the people who make it what it is, and all that yapping turned into some really interesting conversations about what we could actually do differently.

Through Functional Link, we put together a community needs assessment and gathered feedback from Pittsburgh's EDM scene, which gave us plenty to work with! We put our neurodivergent brains together, combined our backgrounds in occupational therapy, accessibility, music, and event production, and started figuring out how we could actually address some of the needs people identified.

And that's how FULL SEND FUNCTION came about! A collaboration between Functional Link and ASCENT exploring three different ways to make live music events more accessible and create more opportunities for people to participate.

A Full Send Function is what happens when you mix an OT, local DJs & promoters who know how to throw a good show, and a community full of people who love the music but don't all experience it the same way. Throw in some good music, a little creative problem solving, and a bunch of people who aren't afraid to switch things up...and you've got three different ways to rethink the live music experience

🔀 REMIX | Making the shows we already love more accessible through practical changes and accommodations.

💜BASSPACE | Smaller, laid-back, DJ-centered events with more flexibility to enjoy the music, socialize, create, or recharge.

🎨 BEATLAB | Bringing DJs together with hands-on creativity, movement, and play for a different kind of music experience.

Now we're getting to see what happens when we actually put some of these ideas into practice! We've got two pilot events in the works, starting with our first BASSPACE in November! We're intentionally keeping things small while we try out different ideas, gather feedback, and figure out what works. There will be a limited number of tickets available, with first access going to people who have already expressed interest through the survey, posts, or messages. We'll share more details soon!

There's still a lot to figure out, but that's part of the fun. We're excited to see what we can create with the community and where this whole thing goes. 🫶

09/30/2026

🧶 Only 4 spots left!! 🧶

Love knitting, crochet, or fiber arts - but pain, fatigue, grip changes, tremor, strength, vision, or sensory needs sometimes get in the way?

Join us on Saturday, November 14 from 2:30–4:30 PM for a small-group, hands-on workshop focused on making crafting more accessible, comfortable, and enjoyable.

This workshop is all about finding ways to make crafting work better for you. During the class, we’ll explore practical ways to:

✨ Make crafting more comfortable and sustainable
🧶 Adapt tools, techniques, and positioning
💡 Problem-solve around individual barriers
🙌 Reduce unnecessary strain and frustration
💛 Support continued participation in a meaningful hobby
🤝 Help caregivers support participation without taking over

No need to fit yourself into one “right” way of crafting. The goal is to find strategies that work for your body, your needs, and the way you want to participate.

📍 Oakmont Yarn Collaborative
📅 Saturday, November 14
⏰ 2:30–4:30 PM
💲 $25 per participant
🤝 Caregivers attend FREE

Register here! ⬇️
https://oakmontyarncollaborative.com/products/keep-creating-comfort-strength-ergonomics-for-crafters

09/26/2026

When I started reshaping Functional Link, I kept coming back to one idea:

People are not the problem.

A person shouldn’t have to become less disabled, less overwhelmed, more independent, better at advocating for themselves, or better at “fitting in” before they can participate.

Sometimes the thing that needs to change is everything around them.

The environment.
The expectations.
The way information is communicated.
The tools available.
The way a program is designed.
The way support is offered.
The assumptions we make about what participation is supposed to look like.

That’s where Functional Link comes in.

I’m building Functional Link to work in the spaces between people and the things they want or need to do, whether that means working with an individual or family, consulting with a school or community organization, or helping a business, event, or public space become more genuinely accessible and inclusive.

And because identifying a barrier is only the beginning, the goal isn’t to hand someone a list of recommendations and disappear.

It’s to figure out what’s getting in the way, what might work instead, how to actually put it into practice, and whether it works in real life.

That’s the link. 🔗

Access → support → participation.

And there are a whole lot of places where that link can be strengthened. If you’re looking for support navigating accessibility, participation, routines, environments, or changing abilities, reach out.

And if you know a business, organization, program, event, school, or community space that is ready to take a closer look at accessibility and inclusion and move from good intentions to practical change, send them my way!

Functional Link is growing, and I’d love to connect with the people and places ready to make participation more possible.

09/10/2026

https://oakmontyarncollaborative.com/products/keep-creating-comfort-strength-ergonomics-for-crafters

09/10/2026

🧶 While we’re on the subject of new and exciting Functional Link updates...

We'll be joining Oakmont Yarn Collaborative on 11/14 for a community workshop all about staying engaged in your favorite hobbies & creative activities throughout your lifetime.

Because bodies change, abilities change, and the way we do the things we love can change too.
Whether that’s because of aging, arthritis, pain, surgery, changes in vision, strength, dexterity, endurance, or just realizing your current setup is no longer doing you any favors, it doesn’t automatically mean giving up the activity.

Sometimes its figuring out how to adapt the task, tools, environment, or routine so you can keep doing something you love in a way that works better for your body! We’ll be looking at the little things that can make a big difference: positioning, ergonomics, joint protection, strength, fatigue management, adaptive tools, workspace setup, and individualized problem-solving to help people keep knitting, crocheting, sewing, and crafting as their bodies and abilities change over time.

This is one of my favorite examples of what Functional Link is growing into: taking occupational therapy out into the places where people are already living, learning, creating, connecting, and doing the things that matter to them.. 🧶✨

09/08/2026

👋🏼 It’s time for a reintroduction!

It’s been a while, and somewhere along the way, a bunch of half baked ideas, scribbled notes, “what if we tried this?” conversations, and slightly chaotic brainstorming sessions turned into real programs, partnerships, services, and a much clearer vision for Functional Link & I'm really excited to share more of what I've been building over the last year.

Functional Link started as a pediatric occupational therapy practice, focused on helping children and families navigate barriers in everyday life. And I still love that work. But as Functional Link grew, so did the scope of the work.

The same kinds of questions I was asking in pediatrics kept showing up across the lifespan: What is making this harder than it needs to be? What in the environment is helping or getting in the way? What needs to change so someone can participate more fully in the things that matter to them?

And the longer I did this work, the harder it became to ignore one very important thing: Most of the time, the problem to solve is not the person’s abilities. Sometimes it’s the environment, the way information is communicated, the expectations built into a program, the sensory or cognitive demands of a space, or the way a service is designed. Sometimes it’s a system that technically checks the “accessible” box while still being incredibly difficult to actually use.

And once I started noticing those gaps, I apparently decided I needed to do something about them. 😅 That’s where Functional Link has been growing.

Today, Functional Link has expanded from pediatrics to across lifespan with children, teens, adults, older adults, families, groups, organizations, programs, and systems to make accessibility, inclusion, independence, and meaningful participation more practical and achievable in everyday life.

Occupational therapy is still the foundation underneath all of it. My view of accessibility is shaped by the way OT looks at the relationship between the person, the environment, what they need or want to do, and what is helping or getting in the way.

Accessibility isn’t just whether someone can get through the door, qualify for a service, or receive an accommodation. It’s whether they can understand what’s happening, make choices, engage, contribute, participate, and actually use what is being offered in a way that works for them.

Functional Link exists to connect the dots between good intentions, good ideas, evidence, and what actually happens in practice. Because a recommendation sitting in a report is not especially useful if nobody knows how to implement it when it matters.

The goal is practical change that can be tried, adjusted, integrated, and sustained. That means the work goes beyond identifying barriers and saying, “Here are some recommendations. Good luck!” Functional Link can help with the assessment, development, implementation, integration, evaluation, and sustainment of accessibility solutions that actually have to work in the real world.

That might look like:

• Occupational therapy and individualized consultation
• Accessibility assessments of spaces, programs, services, and events
• Inclusive program and event development
• Staff education and training
• Sensory, cognitive, communication, and environmental accessibility strategies
• Transition support and family consultation
• Collaborative problem-solving and implementation support
• Figuring out what is working, what absolutely is not, and what needs to change

There’s still plenty happening behind the scenes, including a major website update, new partnerships, new services, and probably a few more half baked ideas waiting to become something real. 🧠✨

If you’re curious about where Functional Link is headed, check out the updated website functionallinkpgh.com - more updates added daily! 💚💙⛓️‍💥

01/20/2025

✨ Collaborative Strategies for Inclusive/Trauma-Informed Educational Environments ✨

Create supportive educational settings with this evidence-based guide for school-based occupational therapists, administrators, and educators. This resource contains insights drawn from systematic research and best practices in school-based occupational therapy.

Provides a practical, evidence-based framework for fostering inclusive and trauma-informed educational environments through collaboration and tiered strategies. Perfect for K-12 schools, preschools, alternative settings, and special education programs.

What You'll Get:

✅ Guidance on implementing universal, targeted, and intensive supports to meet varying student needs.

✅ Tools for working alongside educators, administrators, and school personnel to build trauma-informed, inclusive practices.

✅ Recommendations for adapting school environments to promote participation and engagement for students with diverse sensory, emotional, and learning needs.

$10.00

https://functionallinkoccupationaltherapy.com/shop-functional-link/ols/products/collaborative-strategies-for-inclusivetrauma-informed-educational-environments

01/17/2025

Using Visual Timers for Effective Transitions ⏲️⏳⏱️

This handout is a practical and teacher-friendly resource designed to help educators effectively use visual timers in the classroom. Visual timers are invaluable tools for fostering independence, supporting transitions, and managing classroom behaviors, especially for students who benefit from structure and visual supports.

The resource provides:
✔️A clear explanation of what visual timers are and how they support executive function and self-regulation.

✔️Practical strategies for using visual timers during transitions, group activities, and individualized tasks.

✔️Tips for troubleshooting common challenges when using timers, such as how to adjust for sensory sensitivities or resistance.

✔️Specific applications for fostering inclusion by meeting diverse sensory, emotional, and cognitive needs.

Grounded in evidence-based strategies and designed with trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming principles, this resource equips teachers with the tools to create a supportive, inclusive classroom environment for all learners.

Perfect for teachers, related service providers, and caregivers.

$5.00

https://functionallinkoccupationaltherapy.com/shop-functional-link/ols/products/using-visual-timers-for-effective-transitions

07/07/2024

Functional Link Occupational Therapy will be joining The Sia Center at Gathering On Grant this Thursday! Stop by for free OT screenings and a fun sensory activity for the kids 🪁💙💚

Santa and Mrs. Claus are coming to town this Thursday July 11th! We’re making them feel at home with our version of Summer Snow. Join us from 5p-8p on Grant Avenue in Vandergrift for a FREE Foam Party!
❄️💙❄️💙

07/05/2024

More than play ❤️