Meet Susan T. Gregg- Doctor of Occupational Therapy-Pediatrics/Founder & Owner of SMART Pediatric Therapy.
Susan’s life leading up to her venture was busy with raising 3 children but she enjoyed every bit of it! When her son entered full-day kindergarten, she started working at his school as an occupational therapist. She was always interested in a special area/frame of reference called “sensory integration” and the pediatric population. She was able to have freedom at her son’s charter school as they had just opened up and she was able to have a “sensory room” where she applied the frame of reference and saw results, however, there were still limitations in the school setting with the “educational model.” She realized that the kids would benefit from a clinical setting and she searched for her whole area, but no clinics appeared to specialize in this area. Later, she worked at a clinic to use her specialized knowledge but they did not have the proper space or equipment needed so she thought, “I think I can do it better than the other outpatient clinics in the valley.”
The one idea that worked for her was to have a niche market and perform exceptional services that got results better than others. It started with her business name, SMART Pediatric Therapy, LLC. (Sensory Motor and Regulatory Treatment). Through their specialized sensory integration (SI) frame of reference, they were able to get results in challenging behaviours (as well as fine and gross motor coordination, body awareness, strength, etc.) by treating the underlying sensory-motor issues. They have families and children who have been receiving therapy elsewhere, sometimes for years, come to SMART Pediatric Therapy and they see results right away due to our identification and treatment of the underlying, foundational issues. They pride in the fact that they have grown by word of mouth.
Susan’s organization, SMART Pediatric Therapy, is about helping children by addressing their underlying, foundational sensory processing challenges and decreasing family stress. Their unique and effective approach improves young children’s challenging behaviours such as decreasing intensity and durations of meltdowns, helping with transitions, improving the ability to sit still and focus/concentrate, improving emotional and self-regulation, improving socialization and getting along with peers, increasing self-esteem, and following directions. Plus, their therapy is fun and taps into the child’s inner drive while working on strength and coordination skills! Parents are grateful that they are able to understand their child when so many others do not. Sensory processing disorder is a “hidden disability” that is often unfamiliar, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed. Parents tend to be amazed at how their child can function better with the proper type and intensity of controlled sensory input. Her organisation’s goal is to decrease family stress and maximize every child’s potential.
The response from their families has been very favourable as many of them have been to other outpatient clinics in the past but did not get the results they were hoping for. She has many video testimonials from parents who have noticed a difference between SMART Pediatric Therapy and the other clinics that they have been to in the past. She mentions how parents tend to be amazed at how their child can function better with the proper type and intensity of controlled sensory input. Their goal is to identify and treat the underlying challenges leading to delays and/or behavioural challenges and help children to reach their fullest potential. She tells us how she has had many parents cry during an initial evaluation because they are so relieved that somebody finally understands their child and can help.
Susan states that her life has changed, and she has grown as a leader. She has accomplished things she never thought she would. She says “I was never a “natural born leader” and I have made many mistakes along the way, but I try not to dwell too much on my mistakes, but rather, I try to learn and grow from them.” She went into this venture with the goal of being “a light in the West Valley” since the West valley of Phoenix metropolitan area is traditionally underserved. She wanted to provide specialized services that others were not providing. She has proved to herself that anything is possible if passion, desire, and hard work accompany a vision. She has always been passionate about helping children and their families and she believes exceptional companies start from the top-down.
She imparts the belief to not to second-guess oneself. Susan says “Know your worth. Never listen to doubters. Have faith. It does not matter where you come from, but what matters is where you go from this moment forward, so try to be a little better every day, starting today!”