Meet Dr. Jaclyn Pastena | Pediatric Occupational Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Jaclyn Pastena and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Jaclyn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had spent the first few years of my career as a pediatric occupational therapist working at larger therapy clinics and was able to gain an abundance of both experience and confidence as a practitioner. As I was gaining a strong sense of who I was and who I wanted to be as a practitioner, I was also beginning to notice all of the nuances that went along with working for a larger facility. I had a strong desire to be able to provide the best quality of therapy to my clients without letting the restrictions of a larger system hinder my client’s therapeutic success or their autonomy.

When I first started my career, I never would have thought of myself as a potential business owner or as someone who would branch out on their own. My previous clients and the families that I have had the pleasure of working with have truly been the strongest drive behind my desire to start a business. There is something so special about being able to connect with a child and to be able to provide a family with the hope, reassurance, and confidence they need to be able to care for their child’s unique needs. To the families that have trusted me with their children’s care and have helped make this new business adventure a reality, I am truly grateful!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Connected Kids Pediatric Therapy is a mobile occupational therapy private practice that provides in home therapy to children with developmental differences. I travel to my client’s homes in the Southeast Valley of Arizona and work one on one with my clients and their families in their most familiar and natural environment. My approach to therapy is play based, strengths-focused, neurodiversity affirming, and family centered.

By using a play based approach, I am able to integrate my client’s preferred activities and hobbies into their treatment sessions while using skilled observation and intervention to work toward their therapy goals. There are many therapy models that make a child’s deficits and challenge areas the primary focus of their treatment sessions; I instead choose to use a holistic approach and emphasize my clients strengths as we work towards progressing their areas of concern. Many of the clients that I work with are Neurodiverse and have a diagnosis such as Autism, ADHD, or sensory processing differences. Being Neurodiverse means that a person has a unique way of thinking, problem solving, and processing the world around them. By utilizing a Neurodiversity affirming approach within my practice, I am wholeheartedly accepting my clients for who they are and am meeting them where they are at. My goal is never to change them, but instead to support them and to help meet their needs so they can thrive and be the happiest and most authentic versions of themselves. I strive to include the families that I work with in their child’s therapy journey from the very beginning. I believe that the parents I work with know their child better than anyone and should have a voice in their child’s therapy goals and treatment sessions. The parents that I work with are the true key to their child’s success and development!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am newer to the state, but I am already in love with all that Arizona has to offer! I love getting outdoors and I am such a big foodie! If my best friend was visiting Arizona I would make sure we went to Bongiorno Bagels in Gilbert – their Good Fella Breakfast sandwich on an everything bagel and their garlic bagel with bacon and chive cream cheese are a must! There is no way you can only pick one! I would make sure we were able to get in some outdoor activities, especially after those bagels. I love visiting Saguaro lake – there is a fairly easy hike around the lake that gives you breath taking views and if you’re lucky you may come across the salt river herd of wild horses on your drive in. If we wanted a little more of a road trip, I would absolutely be sure to take them up to see Sedona; there is no where that can match the beauty or sense of peace you get when you are visiting here! Walking around the town and visiting the quaint shops and lunch spots is a fun and low key way to see the town, but I always opt for a little more adventure and love their pink jeep tours or getting in a hike at Cathedral Rock. I always opt to go into Scottsdale for the best dinner options, there are so many restaurants to choose from and it is a fun place to enjoy some upscale shopping and fine dining. Sizzle Korean BBQ in old town Scottsdale is one of my favorite places for a fun dinner!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My clients and their families deserve all of the credit and recognition for motivating me to start this journey and allowing this business adventure to be my reality. The families that I work with are an absolute blessing – I love being able to witness the relationships they have with their children during our therapy sessions as well as their drive to help their little ones thrive!

My husband has also played a major role in allowing me to make this jump and follow my passion. There many are days that our living room is full of toys and therapy equipment and we are working together to get everything sanitized and ready for my client’s sessions the next day. I am thankful for all of his support and encouragement he has provided along the way!

Website: www.connectedkidsaz.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/connectedkidsarizona

Facebook: www.facebook.com/connectedkidspediatrictherapy