53: Nature Is the Second Therapist with Stacie Goodwin

Nature-based occupational therapy brings movement, sensory input, and real-world variability into every session. Pediatric OT Stacie Goodwin shares how outdoor and equine therapy, bottom-up clinical reasoning, and knowing when to pause help her support the whole child without forcing treatment.

What We Talk About

• How nature functions as a “second therapist” in pediatric occupational therapy
• Why inflammation, brain energy, and fascial restrictions may interfere with progress on higher-level skills
• How Stacie combines equine therapy, bodywork, movement, and nervous system support
• The role of compassionate attention, safety, and co-regulation in treatment
• Why experienced providers still need to develop and trust their clinical intuition

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to The MyoHacker Podcast
01:08 Meet pediatric OT Stacie Goodwin
02:16 Nature as the second therapist
03:30 A whole-child, bottom-up approach
06:45 Moving beyond cookie-cutter protocols
08:16 Clinical intuition and compassionate attention
13:13 Why Stacie joined The Intuitive MyoHacker
17:21 Knowing when to pause during treatment
19:10 What experienced providers need beyond training
21:57 Specialization without provider burnout
23:25 How to connect with Stacie

Connect with Stacie

Website: Upstate Therapy Co.
Instagram: @upstatepediatrictherapy.co

The Intuitive MyoHacker

The Intuitive MyoHacker is an advanced eight-week experience for clinicians who want to move beyond rigid protocols, strengthen their clinical observation, deepen their understanding of the body and nervous system, and become more confident using their intuition in practice.

Want to learn more? Send Karindy a DM on Instagram at @myohackerslp.

Credits

The MyoHacker Podcast is hosted by Karindy Ong, MA, CCC-SLP, and edited by Allison Massengale. “Better Sweater” is performed by Desert Dive and licensed through Soundstripe. Content ID: EZJ9SYJM1ELVD21U.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your individual care.