Our Mission
Our mission is to provide a safe environment for our patients to grow and develop skills to accompany them in their everyday life. We engage with a sense of community and acceptance to meet the specific needs of each patient. Our desire is for each patient to learn how to function and to be successful in daily life skills at home, school and in their community.
Grace Portoghese OTR/L
Grace has been an occupational therapist for 37 years, with the last 12 years joyfully spent in pediatrics. She started in hospitals working with adults in acute care, rehab, and outpatient settings. She became the go-to expert for hand and upper-extremity injuries. She loved teaming up with surgeons to help people get back to functioning with everyday activities without pain and discomfort. From here, Grace stepped into a leadership role, managing the OT department at a large California hospital.
After becoming a mother, Grace took a break to be a stay-at-home mom but returned to the field after a while and found herself working in pediatrics. She dove in, relearning old skills and mastering new skills. Through this transition, Grace discovered a passion she didn’t know she had for children with certian challenges. Working with children on the spectrum and those with sensory processing challenges quickly became her calling. She has been dedicated to helping her young clients thrive ever since.
Maddie, MOT, OTR/L
Maddie is a licensed and registered Occupational Therapist dedicated to helping children build the skills they need to thrive in their daily lives. She received her degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2023. With a compassionate and play-based approach, Maddie focuses on promoting independence, confidence, and joy in every child she works with. Her expertise includes sensory integration, fine and gross motor development, emotional regulation, nervous system regulation, and primitive reflex integration.
Maddie believes that therapy should be fun, meaningful, and family-centered. She works closely with parents and caregivers to create individualized treatment plans that support children both in the clinic and at home. Whether it's helping a child master handwriting, improve attention, regulate their emotions, or develop daily routines, Maddie’s goal is to empower every child to reach their fullest potential.
Ken, COTA/L
Ken, COTA/L, is a passionate and dedicated Occupational Therapist specializing in pediatric care. With a strong focus on sensory integration, emotional regulation, and functional skill development, Ken helps children build confidence and independence in their daily activities. His therapeutic approach combines creativity, compassion, and evidence-based strategies to support each child’s unique strengths and needs. Ken earned his Occupational Therapy Assistant education from South University, where he built a strong foundation in evidence-based practice and client-centered care. As a bilingual therapist with a strong connection to the Spanish-speaking community, Kenneth provides culturally responsive support and expands access to quality OT services for families who may otherwise face communication or cultural barriers.
Outside of his professional work, Ken devotes his time to his family and church community. He is actively involved in praise and worship, youth ministry, and supporting others in strengthening their spiritual relationship with God. His faith-centered service reflects the same compassion and dedication he brings to the children and families he serves.
Steph, COTA/L
Steph, COTA/L, comes from a background in child development from LSU and OTA degree from South University in Tampa. With a caring nature, Steph brings both heart and skill to every session. Steph has been working with children since 2010, most recently as an OTA.
Stephanie’s superpower is connecting with kids, making them feel safe, seen, and excited to learn through play. She views behavior as communication and uses that insight to guide fun, thoughtful, and effective therapy focused on fine-motor skills, sensory processing, self-regulation, and daily routines.
She loves partnering with families to share practical tips and encouragement to support the patients during the sessions and also in their everyday lives. Her mission is to support each patient and encourage each patient to show up and exhibit confidence, joy, and independence.
Emily, MOT, OTR/L
Emily, OTR/L, CPRCS, is an occupational therapist and Certified Primitive Reflex Clinical Specialist who has used her education helping children grow, heal, and achieve milestones that seemed out of reach. Known for her gentle approach, she creates a calm and supportive space where the kids feel safe, understood, and ready to take on new challenges.
As both a clinician and a mom, Emily brings warmth, patience, and real-life insight to her work. She loves working with our patients at Forever Family Farm, integrating movement and regulation strategies into daily sessions to help children build confidence and thrive in their daily routines.
Brendale, Owner
Forever Family Farm
Brendale has dedicated her life to creating spaces where families can learn, heal, and grow. She and her husband of 35 years, David, spent 16 years as foster parents and are now proud parents of 16 children, three biological and thirteen adopted. These experiences fueled her passion for family-centered support and restorative care.
Brendale began her professional journey as a doula and then transitioned into the foster care system, supporting children and families. She has also spent the past 25 years homeschooling, nurturing the whole child through individualized learning.
Her work culminates at Forever Family Farm, a small therapeutic farm offering hands-on living and farm-skills education, horse-powered reading, and a growing range of therapeutic services, including music therapy, occupational therapy through Sensory Works, and mental health services with Dr. Ed Shoemaker. Brendale’s vision is to make the farm a refuge where families feel safe, supported, and connected, while hoping to provide enriching opportunities for homeschooling families in the future.
Heather Huffines,
Patient Care Coordinator
Our newest addition to our team is Heather. Being an entrepreneur and having a business background, she is the professional for patient relations, managing our office, schedules, and clerical work. This helps our office run smoothly and efficiently throughout our day.
Heather has two children and loves to encourage and support our youth. When she is not working in our office, she is busy managing a party decorating and supply business, always trying to put a smile on a child's face.
Aleiris Ayala Lopez, Volunteer
Aleiris brings energy and passion to our clinic by assisting our therapist and patients with daily needs in the office. She is always ready to extend a helping hand to ensure a smooth transition from patient to patient and keeps the clinic neat and clean after each session. In the future, she hopes to further her education and become a therapist herself.
Rebekah Turner, Art Therapist
Rebekah discovered her love for art through culinary school and spent eight years working as a baker and cake decorator, where creativity was an essential part of her everyday work. She now works alongside her mother at Inspire Total Wellness, continuing her passion for helping others through creative and expressive experiences.
Rebekah enjoys using art as a gentle, engaging way to support emotional expression and creativity in children. Her goal is to provide a safe, positive, and encouraging environment where children feel comfortable exploring, creating, and being themselves.
Outside of work, Rebekah enjoys spending time outdoors and making memories with her sweet three-year-old daughter. She looks forward to working with children and supporting them through creativity and meaningful connection.
