About Kayla

My name is Kayla Bryant and I am an occupational therapist and mom to a beautiful 4 year old, living in Asheville, NC. I have a passion for helping my clients connect and take control of their bodies through a holistic, client centered approach.

You may be wondering how I ended up on this journey as an occupational therapist working with pediatrics and adults experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction and sensory processing differences? And what does an occupational therapist actually do?

Occupational therapists are educated in the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of a person, which means we can address the vast majority of the factors that impact an individual’s pelvic health and daily life. We use a truly holistic approach.

Now that you know what this amazing profession can do, why did I choose to become an OT?

As a child I experienced sensory sensitivities that manifested into physical and emotional problems. I did not like the way my clothes felt, the bright lights in preschool, the loud noises on TV, and I ate the same breakfast food everyday for almost 2 years. As I got older I experienced urinary urgency, UTIs, and IBS. My parents were constantly searching for answers and I was made to believe it could be all in my head.

When I was 15, my grandfather had a stroke and received occupational therapy services. The treatment interventions were creative and unique incorporating what was most meaningful to him—gardening, cooking, and playing with his dog. They considered how his disability impacted his quality of life and used a functional treatment approach to reach the main goal—living life to his fullest potential.

I was introduced to pediatric occupational therapy while completing the Masters degree program at West Virginia University. My last fieldwork (internship) was completed in a sensory clinic focusing on sensory integration and feeding difficulties. The children I worked with reminded me of myself as a child and it clicked. Since then, my passion for children exploded and my determination to provide a multimodality approach to treatment began to unfold.

After having my daughter in December 2018, I experienced my own pelvic floor dysfunction, which led me to study and treat the condition on my own. Through extensive continuing education I am able to treat pediatrics and adults with pelvic floor conditions. With the combined knowledge, professional, and personal experience, I strive to help my clients find the balance and confidence they need to take control of their lives and loving themselves from the inside out!

If you’re seeking quality whole-person care regarding your child, yourself, or your family, I am glad we have found each other and I look forward to meeting you!

Education & Experience

About Julianne

My name is Julianne Vesely and I am a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant here at The Family OT.

Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, I moved to the beautiful mountains of Western NC one year after graduating with my bachelor’s in Exercise Science from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. I was first introduced to the therapy field when I broke my ankle the summer before my freshman year of high school. Since then, I knew a career as a therapist was the fit for me, being able to combine my love for physical activity, science, and passion for helping others reach their goals!

After moving to western NC, I attended AB-Tech and earned an associate’s degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant. I love occupational therapy because I can work with children and adults with varying abilities and diagnoses, in a variety of settings. I enjoy working with children on feeding using a family-centered and child-led approach to create a feeding experience that is non-threatening and encourages the child to learn and increase their food repertoire through exploration and play. I also enjoy working with children with sensory integration difficulties to increase independence with self-regulation and tolerance to new sensory experiences.

As a holistic practitioner, it is important to me to provide support and education on incorporating self-care routines for parents and caregivers into our therapy sessions to promote a state of well-being for the whole family. When I’m not playing and building forts at the pediatric clinic, I also work at a local inpatient rehabilitation hospital working with people recovering from stroke, brain injury, cardiac debility, and orthopedic injuries. In my free time I enjoy hanging out with my husband, Michael, and our Catahoula leopard dog, Jake. I also enjoy working out and running, reading, and rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers!

About Uma

My name is Uma, and I am a mother, an occupational therapist, ayurvedic practitioner, massage therapist, yoga instructor, herbalist, educator, and postpartum doula. I am deeply committed to integrative health with two decades of experience as a holistic health practitioner specializing in women’s and pediatric health.

From a young age, I loved plants, nature, healing, and the mysteries of birth. I majored in women’s health and ecology at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. My thesis entitled, Color the Moon Red, is a study of the connection between the menstrual cycle and the lunar cycle. During my third year of college, I did a transfer year at the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts, in Santa Fe, NC and I became a massage therapist and yoga instructor. Following college, I studied at the Rocky Mountain Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda, in Boulder, CO where I became an Ayurvedic postpartum doula. I spent a year abroad in India, studying Ayurveda at the source. Upon return, I graduated from The Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM, with one of the grandfathers of Ayurvedic Medicine in the West, Dr. Vasant Lad.

My husband, Marek Sawicki, and I have a private practice in Ayurvedic medicine, massage therapy, and yoga therapy called Living Alchemy Ayurveda. In my Ayurvedic practice, I help women to balance their hormones and honor their body rhythms for a smother menstrual cycle. I also support women to have a healthy childbearing year as well as restore health during the postpartum window. I work with babies to promote healthy bonding and healthy digestion, as well as balance their systems through craniosacral therapy. I also work with children to support digestive health and nervous system regulation.

I wanted to broaden my understanding of integrative medicine and was drawn to the holistic approach of occupational therapy, as well as the focus on pediatrics and mental health. During my pediatric fieldwork at Brenau University in Norcross, GA, I gained a deep respect for the transformative power of occupational therapy to help children in the areas of sensory integration, emotional regulation, and somatic connection.

In my work with children, I focus on a whole brain approach that promotes bonding, connection, and emotional intelligence. I was a part of a cooperative parent-run playgroup with my son, which ran for four years, and was based on conscious discipline and the work of Becky Bailey. I am also influenced by Dan Sigel and Peter Levine’s work with trauma resiliency and somatic connection.

I plan to do additional training in the areas of perinatal mental health, sensory integration, somatic experiencing, and nature therapy for trauma resolution. I look forward to supporting children and families to connect more deeply with themselves and create healthy relationships for a vital life. I am a mother of a magical girl and a wild-spirited boy and enjoy hiking in nature, tending my garden, and time for deep relaxation and integration.

About Hannah

Hello! My name is Hannah and I’m an occupational therapist. Originally from the Philadelphia area, I earned my Masters of Occupational Therapy from Ithaca College in 2019. I moved to Asheville in September 2021, feeling drawn to the beautiful mountains and culture of this place.

Since high school, it has been my dream to be an occupational therapist. I was drawn to the profession due to the opportunities it presents to collaborate with people in order to help them live their most fulfilling and meaningful lives. Since my fieldwork in a variety of pediatric settings, I’ve felt specifically called to working alongside children and their caregivers.

I love to be silly, play games, and meet children where they’re at to help them achieve their goals. One of my clients forgot my name once and called me “The Fun Doctor” and that’s really all I could ever hope for! In my free time, enjoy exploring Asheville, playing with my dog, and completing jigsaw puzzles!

About Andrea

Hi! I’m Andrea Jacobson. I hold a Master’s of Occupational Therapy from Cleveland State University and a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from Ohio University. I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and have worked as an OT in Providence, Cleveland, Denver, and then the Bay Area before making my way here to Asheville. I love to travel and have explored almost all the United States… I wonder if you can guess which one is left on my bucket list? One travel highlight was volunteering at a hippotherapy center in Bolivia and being invited to present the OT lens to teachers at The Catholic University in La Paz. This experience combined with working with children, families, and teachers across the spectrum of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and in a multitude of settings has provided me the gift of truly seeing people and meeting them exactly where they are. I have witnessed amazing things happen on children’s emotional and physical developmental trajectory when they feel safe and secure to be and express exactly who they are, connected to their body and environment, and competent and confident to use their tools to help get them there. My greatest joy is helping children and the people who love them find their center, uncover their gifts, and utilize their intensity as their super-powers.

I love learning and expanding my OT lens and have certifications in The Nurtured Heart Approach®, Intuition Medicine™, Therapeutic Listening®, Interactive Metronome®, and Occupational Therapy in Schools. I have advanced training in a myriad of topics including applied heart rhythm meditation, brain and sensory foundations – primitive reflex integration, sensory processing, ADHD, autism and mental health, Eyesight to Insight®, problem solving, The Multiple Intelligences, Respectful Confrontation®, deep listening and crisis prevention/intervention, Mindful Motherhood®, primitive earth skills, and strategies for reluctant learners. I dive deep into studying and observing relationships, communication, and parenting methods; promoting mental health; early childhood social, emotional, physical, sensory, and brain development; neuroplasticity – play and the brain; behaviors as communications; alternative approaches to self-regulation, co-regulation, sensory processing, integration, and perception; integration of body-mind-spirit, Polyvagal Theory; body as messenger; heart rate variability; dynamic systems; and, autism, ADHD, anxiety, conduct disorder, ODD, and The Highly Sensitive Child.

In addition to providing OT services through The Family OT, I help families and teachers learn and implement The Nurtured Heart Approach®(NHA) in their homes and classrooms. NHA is a proven positive parenting method that builds inner-wealth and transforms how we relate to children and how intense children move through the world. I offer NHA classes, parent gatherings, parent coaching, child coaching, Family playshops, playdates, and Nurturing Greatness small groups. You can check it out at www.childcoachapproach.com.