Who is Dr. Lisa Marnell?
Hello! I am an occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience. I completed my doctorate at Boston University (BU) where I studied executive function in autism. Now, I am on the faculty at BU. I am also a certified Floortime Therapist, certified in Sensory Integration through USC, and trained in SOS Feeding. I am diagnosed Autistic myself.
My goal is to incorporate meaning, joy, and agency into the lives of Autistic children. I believe that Autism is not a disorder, but rather a different neurology, with its own strengths and challenges. This is also called strengths-based or neurodiversity-affirming practice.
When I am not teaching, creating courses or working with kids, you will likely find me hiking with Luna, my precious husky rescue dog. I look forward to meeting you!
What Services Does Dr. Lisa Offer?
1 - Parent Education
and Coaching
OR
2- Parent Education and Coaching Combined with Direct OT
As a coach, Lisa will enable you to discover the tools, knowledge, and approaches you need to feel confident parenting your autistic child. You will feel empowered to implement OT strategies at home and support your child at home and in the community.
At Kids Master Skills, OT services will help your child develop skills, confidence, and to live happily and autonomously with a sense of agency in the world. Areas addressed include developing self-awareness and self-advocacy, comfort with self-care, emotional regulation, sensory processing, and motor skills.
Dr. Lisa's Autism Support is Neurodiversity-Affirming!
Autism represents a different neurology, so supports for autistic children must honor their unique traits.
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Coaching sessions include discussion, problem solving, and explicit instruction about autistic nervous system processing. Parents may want to consider specific autism topics and OT approaches or prefer to brainstorm collaboratively to explore new approaches.
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In initial OT sessions, Dr. Marnell carefully assesses a child's sensory processing, anxiety, self-understanding, and self-empowerment, and then works with parents to proactively apply this knowledge in the child's daily life. This helps children emotionally regulate. OT considers a child's motor skills, executive function, coping with unexpected change, feeding, or daily living skills, while simultaneously embracing a child's strengths, interests, and passions to build kids' confidence and cultivate joyful quality of life.
What OT Packages Are Available?
STARTER PACK
$450
This simple packet is perfect for families who are new to neuroaffirming OT. The following is included:
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Two 50-minute in-person OT sessions
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One 30-minute virtual parent coaching session
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Two opportunities for texting/phone access to Dr. Marnell (72-hour response time)
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Following each session, Dr. Marnell will e-mail an "OT Session Summary" with a report of areas covered
STANDARD PACK
$ 800
This is for families who feel ready try neuroaffirming OT and see how it works. The following services are included:
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Four 50-minute in-person OT sessions
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One virtual 45-minute parent coaching sessions
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Ongoing texting/phone access with Dr. Marnell (48-hour response time)
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Following each session, Dr. Marnell will e-mail an "OT Session Summary" with a report of areas covered, skills updates, and home carryover suggestions
SAVINGS PACK
$ 1350
Families excited to commit to working with Dr. Lisa Marnell can save with this package:
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Nine 50-minute in-person OT sessions
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One virtual 50-minute parent coaching session or school/home visit
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Ongoing email/ texting/ phone access (36-hour response time)
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Progress note summaries for school/ IEP meetings
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Following each session, Dr. Marnell will e-mail an "OT Session Summary" with a report of areas covered, skills updates, and home carryover suggestions
Comprehensive Neuroaffirming OT Evaluiation
& Parent Consultation
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Sensory Processing Profile
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Nervous System Regulation Patterns
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Motor Skills, Praxis, and Executive Functioning
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Daily Living Skills
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Emotional Regulation and Anxiety
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Self-Understanding, Self-Advocacy, and Self-Empowerment
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Strengths
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A Written Synthesis with Comprehensive Recommendations
All families begin with a comprehensive neuroaffirming OT evaluation. This assessment allows Dr. Marnell to understand your child’s nervous system, strengths, needs, and context so that support services are truly individualized and supportive.
Families leave the neuroaffirming evaluation with a clearer understanding of their child, shared language to use across settings, and individualized recommendations that support regulation, participation, and self-advocacy.
