At Paper Plane Therapies, we believe that relationships have a tremendous impact on development and play an influential role in nurturing creative, kind, confident and empathetic kids. We believe that every child has unique gifts that can be fully expressed when barriers are identified and addressed in relationship based, child-centered therapies. Paper Plane Therapies provides comprehensive occupational and speech therapy services in the Grand Rapids area. We work with a wide range of children including, but not limited to, those experiencing the following challenges:
¥ Autism Spectrum Disorder
¥ ADHD/ADD
¥ Down Syndrome
¥ Mood Disorders
¥ Anxiety
¥ Sensory Processing Disorder
¥ Learning Disabilities
¥ Fine and Visual Motor Challenges
¥ Gross Motor Control
¥ Social Engagement
¥ Self-Regulation
In addition to one-on-one private sessions, we also offer consultations and parent coaching sessions. Contact us today to find out more about our services and if they could benefit your family. For me, a paper plane symbolizes hope. You are given a pile of paper and told to create a paper plane. You eagerly grab the paper you’ve been given and begin the process. It doesn’t take more than a few moments for the excitement of task to vanish and frustration to take its place. “My paper is not strong enough!”, “I don’t know what to do”, “This is hard”, "I don’t know if I will ever be able to do this”. But then, someone sits next to you. “What if we try this?”, “Look! You are doing it!”, “I believe in you!” and slowly the process begins to shift again. You never changed what you were given but somehow, you were able to use what you already had to create something entirely new. Your efforts were meaningful, intentional, and worth pursuing. Finally, after all of your work, you let go of the plane and it flies! You quickly realize that the sky is filled with other planes, each uniquely different, and yours gets to be a part of it. A paper plane’s flight is not just the goal, but also the celebration of everything it took to get there. It didn’t just happen. Rather, there were moments of taking steps forward and moments of feeling like crumpling and tossing the entire process to the side. But we all know the sweetest flights we will ever experience are the ones that began with moments of doubt, fear, or difficulty. These are the moments that take our breath away. The moments when we see that what we have worked so hard and intentionally on has taken flight in the form of something so simple…the first time she acknowledges her baby brother, the first time he caught a ball, the first time they played together. It may not come in the form of something extravagant or loud, but these little moments of wonder and hope make the process worth it and encourage us to continue on to the next plane. I believe life is filled with millions of paper plane moments waiting for us to pursue. Perhaps it takes just moments or maybe it will take years, but can you imagine a life filled with the hope of more paper planes? “What if I fall? Oh, but darling, what if you fly?”
