Meet Rachel Lawrence

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachel Lawrence. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Hi there! I’m an occupational therapist and owner of Parallel Play, which is a sensory-movement based therapy practice in Aurora, Colorado. Our therapists use movement as the catalyst for development for children of all abilities. We currently offer individual occupational therapy sessions to children aged 2-21, with a focus on movement, executive functioning skills, social emotional development, parent coaching and sensory processing. If all of that seems like a bunch of therapist mumbo jumbo, that’s ok- the concepts will reach the right person 🙂

Here’s what I’ll say: As I speak to each family during our onboarding process, I describe to them how Parallel Play therapy feels a bit different- we are focused on the whole child and use movement (gymnastics, ninja, climbing, and more) as the gateway for development in children who have sensory processing disorders, ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome and more. We believe that a moving child is a learning child. We think it’s awesome when kids enjoy the challenges of our therapy sessions, but even more so, we seek to teach children the skills needed to succeed in life: resilience, frustration tolerance, strength, balance, coordination, motor planning, sequencing, following directions, understanding their own sensory needs and empowering them to advocate for what they need… all skills we work on at Parallel Play.

A moment to brag: we’ve been voted top special needs class and top 3 therapy practices in the state. We don’t take it likely, that families put their trust in us during some of their most vulnerable and formative years. The biggest thing we’re proud of is the fact that we currently serve 64 families on a weekly basis.

Another thing we’re excited about: we’re growing this fall! We are doubling the size of our practice, located in the Stanley Marketplace. We are actively seeking collaborations to provide more therapeutic and adaptive services, in talks with others who provide therapeutic yoga, adapted dance, and developing heavy-work and core strengthening classes, rock climbing groups and more… the sky is the limit and we cannot wait to continue to expand our impact in our community!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I wouldn’t say it’s “looking back” as much as it is “staring up from the thick of it”. For me, Entrepreneurship is an all-encompassing journey, my to-do list is never done, my brain is rarely quiet, there is always a new problem to be solved and a lesson to be learned- and that is what I LOVE about it. Sure, there are impossibly hard days and days when I want to throw in the towel. But I also believe I was put on this earth to empower others, and I get to live that on a daily basis.

What comes to mind are 2 qualities and 1 book that have guided my success thus far: Resilience, Optimism, and the book Profit First. Resilience, because entrepreneurship will knock you down repeatedly, and the ability to continue to rise each day ready to fight the next battle is crucial. Some may disagree, but I believe resilience IS a skill that can be honed. Optimism, because in those dark moments, having the ability to stay positive, to remember that you have survived every rough day in your life, to remember why you started and to continue to seek out the good- that will serve you. It’s a bonus if you have people in your life who help lift you up when things get hard.

Additionally, the book Profit First has been very influential to growing my practice. I certainly have not done everything “right” on this journey- hah, far from it- but the concept laid out in Profit First, the idea that, to run a fiscally successful business, you have to account for your profit first and then work backward from there… it’s a concept that I wish I had discovered sooner and recommend to anyone who is just starting their journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.parallelplay.today
• Instagram: https://parallelplay.today
• Linkedin: rachel-lawrence-78178823a

Image Credits

Headshot from From the Hip Photographers.