I knew I wanted to be an Occupational Therapist when I was 16 years old.  My education began at Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota with my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and I continued on to receive my Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from University of Florida.

My clinical experience started 15 years ago when I had the opportunity to work with the Mentor Network, as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) for children with Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, developmental delays and a variety of diagnoses. I also volunteered with a daycare for children of refugees, where I made fine motor toys for the children who didn’t have any toys and taught their parents how to utilize the resources they had to promote developmental skills.

I have over 12 years of experience working with children (nation-wide and internationally) with diagnoses including Autism, Anxiety, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, Selective Mutism, Down Syndrome, Hypotonia, Developmental Delays, Cerebral Palsy, rare genetic syndromes, infants discharged from the NICU, fine & gross motor delays, and many other diagnoses.

I had the honor of starting my Pediatric Occupational Therapist career at All Children’s Hospital John’s Hopkins Medicine for 4 years, but I had the desire to make a bigger impact on relationships with the children and families in the community.

I wanted to empower parents and start a concierge-based therapy service with a focus on function and emotional well-being throughout childhood, parent-child relationships and conscious parenting strategies. So in 2015, I created my private practice, Movement with Meaning.

I specialize in reflex integration, sensory integration, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches, trauma informed approaches, childhood development from birth through teenage years, neuroplasticity, fine motor skills, and visual-motor training.

Because each child is unique, my treatment methods are adjusted to what is best suited for your child.

My name is Vanessa Fox and I created my private practice to provide you and your child with compassion, quality care, a love for learning, sustainable change, fun, improved emotional well-being, convenience and trust.

Compassion. Pediatric Occupational Therapy is truly my calling. It brings me so much joy to help children & their families learn & grow together!

Quality. Sessions are personally tailored to your needs. I carefully choose treatment methods based on the information you’ve provided along with information gathered from the evaluation. I take your time seriously while providing an expert eye with a sprinkle of fun.

A Love for Learning. I have a love for learning and feeling triumph after a challenge. I hope you do too! If not, I am happy to show you and your child how to make the switch from “I can’t” to “I can”.

Sustainable change. I help you make this type of change, because therapy happens with your life, not when you fit therapy INTO your life. So many times I see parents bring their child to a location and they make amazing progress in the session, or in the clinic, but changes achieved in the therapy session do not last, because the changes were not made into daily habits and routines.

Fun. Your child is working hard (and sometimes working out!) and having fun because I know how to foster and grow your child’s “just right balance” between frustration and fun. It’s the secret to my success and my therapy trademark to balance your child’s motivations and frustrations so your child achieves their full potential.

Emotional well-being. Occupational therapy (OT) is a therapy unlike any other, because OT considers the physical and functional needs of your child along with addressing their emotions and overall well-being.

>> Click here to see how.

Convenience. Choose the therapy location fits your lifestyle and your child’s needs best. In-person sessions provided at Sensory-based gyms with private rooms in Brandon, FL and Largo, FL.

Brandon Gym location: 1076 E Brandon Blvd #102, Brandon, FL

Largo Gym location: 12505 Starkey Road, Suite H, Largo, FL

Limited in-home therapy is available at different times through the year in areas of Tampa that are within 10-15 minutes of my home.

Telehealth sessions are also available.

I have been utilizing telehealth for 5 years and have found sessions to be very successful, if not more successful than in-person sessions for some children and their families.

When you reach out, let me know where you’re interested in receiving therapy services.

Trust. Your child works hard through challenges because they trust me. The children I work with may have several health conditions and, at times, several different health professionals involved in their medical care.

When your consent is provided, I will communicate with your child’s other therapists, teachers, and medical providers to make sure they get what they need to succeed.

Insurance and Payment Information: I do not work directly with insurance companies.  This allows me to offer you and your child the high quality service you deserve. I will happily provide you with a Superbill to provide to your insurance for reimbursement. Each insurance plan is different, but over the years, many of my clients who choose to submit Superbills report receiving anywhere from 50-80% of the bill back from their insurance.  Please let me know if you’d like this as an option.

Acceptable forms of payment include: CC, FSA/HSA cards, check, cash, and various forms of electronic payment.

I am a direct biller for the Florida Empowerment Scholarship, (FES) formerly known as the Gardiner Scholarship, which means there is no out-of-pocket cost for your child’s therapy services.  If you are interested in learning if your child is eligible for this Scholarship, please ask and I will send you resources.

SEE WHAT PARENTS SAY ABOUT VANESSA

I had a tumor when I was 16 years-old that caused years of trauma to my physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Through the help of therapists, doctors, self-discovery, family and friends, I found confidence, independence, and persistence to move meaningfully through life. Shortly after recovering from the toll illness had taken on my body, I knew I wanted to be an Occupational Therapist, because I would be able to help others improve the quality of their life, just as others’ had helped me.

My dream is to help your child live their fullest life, regardless of the challenges life presented them.

My mission is to empower parents to guide their children to reach their highest potential at any age, to live a meaningful life through learning, persistence, and fun!