Mika Newfield
Occupational Therapy

I’ve spent my entire occupational therapy career working with children, and I genuinely love what I do. There’s nothing better than watching a child grow in confidence, connect with others, and start to master skills that once felt tricky.

I work with little ones from newborns up to around 10 years old, supporting a wide range of developmental needs. My sessions are very child-led and play-based, because that’s how children learn best. When a child feels safe, engaged, and having fun, that’s where the magic really happens.

​

In my work, I look at each child as a whole. I use a sensory, developmental, and scholastic lens to understand what might be going on beneath the surface. At the foundation are the sensory systems, which influence how a child experiences and responds to the world around them. These are the building blocks for regulation, attention, coordination, and overall engagement.

​

I focus on building strong developmental skills, including gross motor, fine motor, visual perceptual skills, motor planning, emotional regulation, play, and social connection. These are all important building blocks that support a child’s ability to explore, interact, and feel confident in their world.

​

At the top of the developmental pyramid are the more “school-based” skills, like handwriting, attention, and classroom participation. I take a bottom-up approach, which means we strengthen the foundations first, rather than just working on the end skill in isolation.

With younger children, and especially those with developmental delays or diagnoses, I often bring in a DIRFloortime®-informed approach. DIRFloortime® focuses on building communication and engagement through relationships and play. I follow the child’s lead and meet them exactly where they are, using connection as the starting point for growth. It’s one of my favourite ways to work because it feels natural, meaningful, and really honours each child as an individual.