Jamie Barron
Developmental Therapist
Jamie has a background in early childhood development and specializes in developmental therapy for children ages one and up. She has led therapeutic group programs as well as individual play therapy in clinical, classroom and at-home settings.
Professional History
Jamie’s first professional foray into the therapeutic world was when she was a lead teacher and therapist at a therapeutic preschool. It was there that she was introduced to the DIR/Floortime® therapeutic model, which became a pivotal moment in her career path. This relationship-based approach is facilitated through play and informs the way that Jamie works with all children.
Jamie then worked as a developmental therapist in a pediatric therapy clinic, where she worked alongside occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists and social workers. Throughout her time at the clinic, she gained an invaluable wealth of knowledge around child development and supporting children and families with differing needs, deepening her understanding of the DIR/Floortime® therapeutic model.
In her next professional role, Jamie held the title of Child Development Coordinator at a nursery school, where she supported the teachers, children and families in the community. In this role, Jamie was solely responsible for aiding children who required additional support in order to be successful in preschool. She connected families with outside therapeutic resources as necessary and collaborated with therapists to positively enhance the children’s experiences in school.
Philosophy
Jamie is a strong believer in the importance of play in children’s learning and development. It is because of this that she was drawn to the DIR/Floortime® child-centered, play-based therapeutic approach to working with children and families.
Through this method Jamie utilizes key principles that guide the way she supports children’s growth. She approaches each child as a unique individual with specialized needs. In addition, she recognizes that children are part of a family, classroom and community and believes that teamwork and collaboration across all of these intersections (parents, other family members, teachers, therapists, etc.) is essential to support developmental growth. Children’s behaviors are greatly impacted by their environment and interactions with those around them. Therefore, Jamie believes it is essential to offer families a deeper understanding of their child’s developmental challenges and behaviors, as well as provide tools and strategies to support these needs.
Education
Jamie earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s degree in early childhood education with an approval in special education from DePaul University.
About
When she is not working, Jamie can be found on her yoga mat or creating delicious desserts in the kitchen. She enjoys incorporating both of these hobbies into her work with children as well. She is also a devoted dog mom to her rescue dog, Chance.
