Pediatric Occupational Therapy in Westlake Village
Help with handwriting, sensory struggles, and everyday skills like getting dressed, from a licensed occupational therapist. For children from birth to 18.
During business hours, we return calls within an hour.
- Free 15-minute call
- No referral needed
- No waiting list
- Ages
- Birth to 18
- Where
- Your home, school, a private clinic on request, or telehealth anywhere in California. Our Westlake Village clinic opens December 1, 2026.
- How soon
- No waiting list as of October 2026. Evaluations are scheduled within 3 business days of your free consultation.
Maybe homework ends in tears because holding a pencil is a battle. Maybe your child covers their ears at birthday parties and can't settle after a busy day. Or maybe a teacher or your pediatrician brought it up first. Pediatric occupational therapy helps a child with everyday skills, like using their hands, handling sounds and textures, and getting dressed. A licensed occupational therapist works on these skills through play. We provide pediatric occupational therapy in Westlake Village and nearby towns. No diagnosis or referral is needed.
What does a pediatric occupational therapist do?
Occupational therapy helps with the everyday skills children need to play, learn, and take care of themselves. That includes using their hands, handling sensory input, moving with control, and managing big feelings.
- Handwriting and fine motorThe hand strength, grip, and control behind writing and buttoning.
- Sensory processingHandling sounds, textures, and movement so a child can focus and join in.
- Feeding and mealtimesNew foods, a shrinking list of accepted foods, and using utensils and cups.
- Self-care and daily livingRoutines like dressing and eating, built toward independence.
- Motor planning and coordinationPlanning and carrying out movements, from climbing to catching.
- Emotional regulationStrategies for big feelings and hard transitions.
When should a child see an occupational therapist?
Most parents who call us are not starting from a diagnosis. They are starting from a daily routine that should be getting easier and isn't. One sign alone is usually just childhood. A cluster of them is worth a call.
- Handwriting is a fightPressing too hard or too light, or avoiding writing.
- Dressing takes foreverButtons, zippers, and laces are still a daily struggle.
- Sounds, textures, or tagsHaircuts, tooth brushing, or loud rooms end in meltdowns.
- Always moving, or always leaningCrashing, hanging on furniture, chewing sleeves, slumping at the table.
- Mealtimes keep narrowingFewer accepted foods, or messy utensil use long after peers.
- Transitions fall apartLeaving the park or turning off the tablet ends in tears.
- Play looks differentAvoiding scissors, puzzles, or the playground.
- School keeps mentioning itTeachers bring up focus, seat work, or fine motor skills.
You do not need a diagnosis to call us.
How does occupational therapy help with sensory issues?
Sensory processing is how the brain takes in and responds to what a child hears, sees, touches, tastes, smells, and feels through movement. Some children find everyday sounds, textures, or movement overwhelming, and others seem to need more of it. Occupational therapy helps a child handle that input through play and gives the family strategies for home.
Some children avoid sensations, some seek them, and many do both, depending on the day.
- Avoiding sensationsCovering ears, refusing certain textures, wanting every tag cut out.
- Seeking sensationsSpinning, crashing into furniture, chewing on sleeves.
Some parents first hear the term sensory processing disorder from a teacher or online. An OT evaluation looks at how your child responds to everyday sensations at home and at school. It may include the Sensory Profile 2. These are questionnaires where parents, and sometimes teachers, describe how a child reacts to sensations during the day.
Sessions look like play with a purpose: swings, crash pads, obstacle courses, and heavy work like pushing and carrying, matched to what a child's body needs. We also give you strategies for home, like a calming routine before school or a movement break before homework.
What happens when you start pediatric occupational therapy?
Pediatric occupational therapy in Westlake Village starts with a free 15-minute consultation. If an evaluation is the right next step, it is scheduled within 3 business days. The written report follows within 14 business days, with a treatment plan if therapy is recommended.
Free 15-minute consultation
You talk with a licensed occupational therapist about what you are seeing at home and at school. If we don't think an evaluation is needed, we will tell you.
Evaluation within 3 business days
If an evaluation is the right next step, it is scheduled within 3 business days of your consultation. It is a play-based look at how your child moves, handles sensory input, and does daily tasks like getting dressed, and it takes about one to one and a half hours. Standard tests may include the BOT-3, PDMS-3, Sensory Profile 2, DAYC-2, and DTVP-3. Children under 3 stay with a parent; older children usually work with the therapist in a separate room.
Written report and recommendation
Within 14 business days, you get the written evaluation, and a clear treatment plan if therapy is recommended. The plan sets graduation goals: the skills that show a child is ready to finish therapy.
Parent coaching
Your plan includes parent coaching, so the strategies carry into your day: the morning rush, the homework table, bedtime.
Sessions
Sessions look like play with a purpose: an obstacle course that builds the core strength handwriting depends on, or a game that hides hand practice inside something fun. They run 45 to 60 minutes.
Who would my child work with?
Rachel Yashouafar, MA, OTR/L, leads pediatric occupational therapy at Therapy Clubhouse in Westlake Village. She is a licensed occupational therapist and co-founder.
- Degree
- Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California
- Certification
- Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR), National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
- California license
- No. 23564Verify on the state license search (opens in a new tab)
- Experience
- School-based occupational therapy with a contracted company: three years in the Conejo Valley Unified School District and one year in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
“We never want to keep a child in therapy if they don't need it anymore. The goal is for every child to graduate.”Meet Rachel →
Can my child get speech and occupational therapy in one place?
Yes. Both happen here, in one practice, and your child's therapists plan together.
Some children need both speech and occupational therapy. When they do, both happen here.
When a child works with both of our therapists, they talk with each other and with you about what they are seeing. Together, they build one shared treatment plan, so all of your child's goals fit together.
Needs can overlap. For example, a child may work on words and on the mouth muscles (myofunctional therapy) with our speech-language pathologist. The same child may work on sensory needs, like handling a loud, busy room, with our occupational therapist.
Speech therapy for late talkers, speech sounds, stuttering, and myofunctional therapy.
How much does pediatric occupational therapy cost, and can I use insurance?
Coverage depends on your plan. You can use your insurance through our partner, Village, which handles the billing. Village accepts PPO plans from several major insurers, and TRICARE.
Village also charges its own fee for each visit, in addition to your copay or deductible. Before therapy starts, Village goes over the expected cost with you.
We are waiting to become in network with major insurance companies. Until then, Village is how insurance works with us.
You can also pay privately, and we give you a superbill to send to your plan for possible out-of-network reimbursement. On the free 15-minute call, we check your coverage before you commit to anything.
Can children under 3 get occupational therapy through Early Start?
Children under 3 may qualify for Early Start services through Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC). Therapy Clubhouse is a TCRC provider.
There is no charge for the evaluation or for service coordination. You may need to use your insurance for ongoing therapy, according to California's Early Start FAQ.
If you live on the Los Angeles County side of Westlake Village, tell us your address. We will help you find which regional center covers you.
Which other towns do you visit for occupational therapy?
Every town below is in our home-visit area, so sessions can happen at home. Telehealth is available anywhere in California. Choose your town to see its page.
We also visit Bell Canyon, which does not have its own page yet.
- Agoura Hills
- Bel Air
- Beverly Hills
- Brentwood
- Burbank
- Calabasas
- Canoga Park
- Century City
- Chatsworth
- Culver City
- Encino
- Granada Hills
- Hidden Hills
- Hollywood Hills
- Lake Balboa
- Malibu
- Mar Vista
- North Hollywood
- Northridge
- Pacific Palisades
- Palms
- Porter Ranch
- Reseda
- Santa Monica
- Sherman Oaks
- Studio City
- Tarzana
- Toluca Lake
- Topanga
- Valley Glen
- Valley Village
- Van Nuys
- West Hills
- West Hollywood
- West Los Angeles
- Westwood
- Winnetka
- Woodland Hills
What else do parents ask about occupational therapy?
My child's handwriting is messy. Can OT help?
Often, yes. Messy or tiring handwriting is not about carelessness. An occupational therapist looks at what makes writing hard, such as grip, posture, or how the eyes and hands work together. Then the plan centers on handwriting itself, with practice chosen for your child's age and what the evaluation finds.
What are signs of sensory issues in children?
Big reactions to sounds, textures, lights, or clothing tags; constant movement and crashing; covering the ears; avoiding messy play; or trouble calming down after a busy day. Some children are over-sensitive, some under-sensitive, and many are both. An OT evaluation shows how a child handles sensory input and gives your family strategies to try.
Can occupational therapy help with attention and self-regulation?
Often, yes. OT can help a child build self-regulation: the ability to manage energy, feelings, and focus. Therapists use movement, sensory tools, and routines. For children who struggle to sit, focus, or shift gears, these tools can make home and school calmer.
What if my child won't cooperate at the evaluation?
We just try again another time. We never want a child to feel they are doing something wrong on a hard day.
Do you offer myofunctional therapy?
Yes. Myofunctional therapy works on how the lips, tongue, and jaw rest and move when a child breathes, swallows, and talks. Our speech therapy team provides it. When a child also works on feeding or other skills with our occupational therapist, we plan both together. Learn about myofunctional therapy for kids.
Do you offer in-person pediatric occupational therapy in Westlake Village?
Yes. We see children at home, at school, in a private clinic on request, and by telehealth anywhere in California. Our Westlake Village clinic opens December 1, 2026, at 2535 Townsgate Road, Suite 110.
Is the free call the same as an evaluation?
No. The free 15-minute call answers your questions and points you to the right next step. It is not an evaluation. If therapy looks like a fit, the evaluation comes next.
How is private occupational therapy different from school OT?
School OT and private OT are not the same. School OT supports learning, and the school district decides who qualifies. Private OT can also work on self-care, sensory needs, mealtimes, sleep routines, and family life, and many children we see have both.
Which school district and regional center serve Westlake Village?
Westlake Village sits on a county line. The Los Angeles County side is served by Las Virgenes Unified School District, and the Ventura County side by Conejo Valley Unified School District. For children under 3, the regional center depends on the county. Families on the Ventura County side fall under Tri-Counties Regional Center, where we are a provider. On the Los Angeles County side, tell us your address and we'll help you confirm which regional center covers you.
What areas do you serve?
We provide pediatric occupational therapy for families in Westlake Village and nearby towns. These include Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Newbury Park, Calabasas, Moorpark, and Simi Valley. Telehealth is available anywhere in California.Thousand OaksAgoura HillsOak ParkNewbury ParkCalabasasMoorparkSimi ValleyAll locations
“If you're concerned about your child's development, don't wait. You know your child best.”
About 1 in 6 children aged 3 through 17 years have one or more developmental disabilities. (CDC)
We build every child's plan and goals around one aim: graduating from speech or occupational therapy. That is our goal with every child.
You know your child. If something has been on your mind for a few weeks, tell us a little more about what you're worried about. Let's talk about it.
Request your free 15-minute consultation
Tell us what you are noticing about your child. A licensed therapist reads every message, not an assistant, and replies within one business day. The consultation is free, lasts about 15 minutes, and carries no obligation. There is no waiting list. If you would rather talk now, call (805) 702-3427.
