Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL
Fort Lauderdale Occupational Therapy
In-home and virtual neuroaffirmative OT for kids, teens, and adults — across Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors-adjacent neighborhoods, and the wider Broward community.
Neuroaffirmative · Identity-first · LGBTQ+ welcoming · Never compliance-based
Fort Lauderdale is one of the most LGBTQ+ welcoming cities in the country — with one of the deepest concentrations of two-mom, two-dad, and queer-led families anywhere in the South. For neurodivergent kids growing up here, and for the many adults in this community who are figuring out late-diagnosis ADHD, autism, or AuDHD in midlife, the question isn't whether you'll be welcomed. It's whether the provider you choose actually understands both layers — neurodivergence and identity — and how they interact. We do.
Ocean Tide Therapy is led by Stefanie Irmen, OTR/L, a licensed occupational therapist with a decade of experience across school-based, outpatient, and developmental settings. Fort Lauderdale is one of our home markets, and the practice was built specifically to serve the affirming-care-seeking families that this community is full of.
How sessions work: in-home OT covers Fort Lauderdale proper, plus the Wilton Manors corridor and the surrounding Broward neighborhoods. We come to your house, condo, or apartment — kitchen tables, bedrooms, balconies. Sessions are sensory-aware and built around the actual space your family lives in. For clients who prefer it (or whose schedule needs it), HIPAA-compliant telehealth is also available throughout Florida.
A lot of pediatric OT in Broward still operates on compliance-based models — sticker charts as control, planned ignoring, "first/then" used coercively, exposure-based feeding work, suppression of stimming. We don't do any of that. Our approach is explicitly affirming, identity-first, and grounded in the actual research on what supports — rather than harms — neurodivergent nervous systems.
Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods we serve in-home
Plus Wilton Manors and the surrounding Broward area. If you're nearby and not listed — just ask.
Pediatric OT in Fort Lauderdale
For Autistic, ADHD, PDA, AuDHD, and otherwise neurodivergent kids and teens — sensory processing, fine motor, handwriting, executive function, school readiness, emotional regulation. Familiar with the Broward County Schools system, plus local independent and parochial schools (Pine Crest, Cardinal Gibbons, Westminster Academy, NSU University School).
Pediatric OT details →Adult OT for the Fort Lauderdale community
For Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors-area adults navigating ADHD, autism, AuDHD, late diagnosis, burnout, sensory differences, or executive function. Sensory-aware, identity-first, and explicitly affirming of every part of who you are.
Adult OT details →LGBTQ+ Welcoming, By Design
This isn't a checkbox or a clinic policy — it's the foundation of the practice. We have specific experience with the layered identity work that comes up for queer neurodivergent kids and adults, including the real climate questions South Florida families are navigating right now.
Our approach →What Fort Lauderdale families typically come in for
The two-mom and two-dad family piece. We work with a lot of LGBTQ+ families in this metro, and we understand the specific stack of questions that come up: how to advocate for your kid in schools that may or may not be fully equipped, how to handle providers who are tolerant-but-not-affirming, how to navigate the broader Florida policy climate, and how to find joy and ease in your family life through all of it. None of that gets bracketed out of the OT work.
The late-diagnosis adult piece. Wilton Manors and the surrounding LGBTQ+ adult community is one of the densest concentrations of late-diagnosed Autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults in South Florida. Many of our adult clients here are in some stage of figuring it out — and we work with the whole arc, including the grief and relief that usually come together. More on late-diagnosed adults →
The school-life piece. Broward County Schools is one of the largest districts in the country, and the experience varies wildly by school. We support families with IEP and 504 navigation, work with school OTs and teachers (with your consent), and help you figure out which battles are worth fighting and which environments simply aren't going to fit your kid.
The burnout piece. South Florida is intense — climate, traffic, work pressure, weather extremes, hurricane prep, the pace itself. We see a lot of autistic and AuDHD burnout in this community, and the work isn't productivity. It's recovery, demand reduction, and rebuilding capacity slowly.
Common questions from Fort Lauderdale families
Do you come to homes in Wilton Manors and the surrounding LGBTQ+ neighborhoods?
Yes — Wilton Manors is one of our most-served areas. In-home sessions across Wilton Manors, Victoria Park, Coral Ridge, Las Olas, Rio Vista, and the surrounding Broward neighborhoods. We're explicitly LGBTQ+ welcoming and the practice was built for this community.
How is this different from other pediatric OT practices in Fort Lauderdale?
Two real differences. First, the model: we come to you, in your space, on your child's timeline — not a 45-minute clinic slot. Second, the philosophy: many local pediatric clinics still use compliance-based approaches (sticker charts, planned ignoring, "first/then" as control, exposure-based feeding). We don't. Our approach page details what we do and don't do.
Do you take Aetna or BCBS?
We are in-network with Aetna in Florida now. BlueCross BlueShield of Florida is coming soon. We also accept private pay, HSA/FSA, and provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. We verify benefits during your free consultation.
I'm a late-diagnosed (or self-identified) Autistic / ADHD / AuDHD adult. Can I see you for myself, not just my kid?
Absolutely — and many of our adult clients in Fort Lauderdale come to us for exactly this. Adult OT is a real, distinct specialty, and our work with late-diagnosed adults is one of the things we do most often. We don't require formal diagnosis to start.
Will you coordinate with my child's school, even if it's a Broward County public school?
With your written consent, yes. We work with public, charter, magnet, and independent schools across Broward — and we're familiar with the specific dynamics of Broward County Public Schools' OT and IEP processes. We can advocate inside the system or help you navigate around it where needed.
My child has been through ABA. Can we transition?
Many families come to us after ABA — sometimes adding OT alongside, sometimes transitioning fully. We're not here to tell you what to do with other services. We're here to provide affirming OT, the way we do it. Happy to talk through the philosophical differences on the consultation call if that's useful.
How do I book a free consultation?
Three options: visit the Get Started page, email stefanie@oceantidetherapy.com, or call (954) 418-2244. We respond within 24–48 hours.