Growing Gains Therapy Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1

What ages do you work with?

Accepted Answer

We primarily work with preschool, kindergarten, and elementary-age children, and we also see teens and young adults. Our evaluation and program approach adapts to each developmental stage, so the work always fits where your child actually is.

Question 2

How do I know if my child needs therapy?

Accepted Answer

Trust the instinct that brought you here. Common signs include trouble keeping up with peers, frequent clumsiness or falls, difficulty with emotional regulation, challenges with focus, planning, or organizing schoolwork, unclear speech, delayed language, hesitance around playgrounds or sports, or a teacher or doctor raising a concern. You don't need a diagnosis — or even certainty — to book a consult. Often, families just know something feels off, and a professional evaluation is the clearest way to find out whether therapy would help.

Question 3

What types of therapy do you offer?

Accepted Answer

Occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy — all under one roof, on one coordinated team. Many children work with us in more than one discipline, and we build a single unified plan rather than three separate ones.

Question 4

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

Every family starts with a consult. You can book through our website or call (646) 655-7434. We'll talk through what's going on with your child and help you figure out the right next step — whether that's an evaluation with us or a referral somewhere better suited.

Question 5

What if Growing Gains isn't the right fit?

Accepted Answer

We'll tell you. If your child needs something we don't offer, or if another practice is better positioned to help, we'll say so and point you in the right direction. An honest 'not us' is more useful to your family than a program that isn't the right match.

Question 6

Where do therapy sessions take place?

Accepted Answer

We offer two formats: home visits and community-based sessions. Home visits let us work in your child's most natural environment. Community-based sessions take place wherever a goal lives best — a neighborhood playground, a sensory gym, a gymnastics space. Because skills are learned where they're used, we'll recommend the right setting for your child's specific goals during your consultation.

Question 7

What does a typical session look like?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are built around your child's specific goals and learning style, blending hands-on activities, play-based learning, and purposeful skill work. Strong therapy rarely looks like 'work' to a child — it looks like play with a purpose behind it. After every session, you'll receive a written summary of what we worked on and what to practice at home.

Question 8

Will my child actually enjoy therapy?

Accepted Answer

Most children look forward to it. Our therapists build real clinical goals into activities children find genuinely fun — PT that feels like adventure play, OT built around engaging sensory work, speech practice woven into games. Engagement isn't a nice extra; it's what makes the skills stick.

Question 9

Can parents participate in sessions?

Accepted Answer

Yes — parent involvement is central to how we work, not an afterthought. Real progress happens between sessions, in everyday routines. We coach you with specific strategies so the time you already spend with your child becomes part of the work.

Question 10

Do you coordinate with my child's school and other providers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We talk directly with teachers, IEP teams, pediatricians, and other specialists so everyone is working from one plan. Coordinating care is our job, not yours — that's a core part of every program.

Question 11

How is your approach different from traditional weekly therapy?

Accepted Answer

We don't believe in open-ended, indefinite therapy. Children build skills fastest through focused, concentrated practice over a defined period — so we work in time-limited programs with specific goals, measurable progress, and a real endpoint. You'll know from the start what we're working toward and roughly how long we expect it to take.

Question 12

How quickly will we see progress?

Accepted Answer

Every child is different, but because our programs are concentrated and goal-directed, many families notice meaningful change within the first several weeks. Progress is reviewed formally at the end of each program, and we'll always be straight with you about what we're seeing.

Question 13

What happens when a program ends?

Accepted Answer

Every program ends with a formal progress review. From there, we recommend a clear next step — graduating with a home plan, moving to lighter-touch monitoring, or starting a new targeted program if there's more to work on. You'll always know where your child stands and what comes next.

Question 14

Do you work with children with diagnoses, or only developmental concerns?

Accepted Answer

Both. We work with children who have diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, and developmental or motor delays, and with children who don't have a diagnosis at all — the ones where something just feels slightly off. You don't need a label to benefit from a focused, well-designed program.

Question 15

Do you accept insurance?

Accepted Answer

No. Growing Gains Therapy is a private-pay practice and does not accept commercial insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Being private-pay by design is a deliberate choice — it means clinical judgment, not insurance constraints, drives every decision about your child's care.

Question 16

Why private-pay?

Accepted Answer

Insurance-based therapy often comes with caseload pressure, session caps, and administrative limits on what care can look like. Operating outside that system lets us design programs around what your child actually needs — the right intensity, the right setting, the right timeline.

Question 17

What payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

We accept payment by credit or debit card. We also provide DOE-funded compensatory services awarded through an impartial hearing or settlement, as well as pendency services during the hearing process.

Question 18

Can I get reimbursed through out-of-network benefits?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. Many families recoup a meaningful portion of out-of-network costs. We provide detailed superbills ready to submit to your insurer. Reimbursement varies by plan, so we recommend confirming your out-of-network benefits directly with your provider.

Question 19

How do I learn about your rates?

Accepted Answer

We discuss rates during your complimentary consultation. Because therapy needs are individualized and we offer different service types and program structures, we prefer to give you accurate, specific pricing once we understand your child's needs and goals.

Question 20

Do you work with special education attorneys?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We have extensive experience partnering with special education attorneys and law firms across NYC to help families access DOE-funded compensatory and pendency services. If you're working with an attorney, we're glad to coordinate directly with them.