Meet Bethany McWillias,MOT, OTRL

Bethany McWilliams completed her undergraduate degree in Recreation Management and Environmental Education in 2011 from Western Washington University.  Bethany spent ten years working as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist before returning to school in Vancouver, BC to complete her Master of Occupational Therapy degree at the University of British Columbia.  Her varied past experience as a recreational therapist includes providing inclusive, experiential, trauma-informed and adaptive recreational opportunities to children with disabilities and adolescent girls with mental health disorders.  During this time Bethany also had the pleasure of working with a company called Tumbl Trak to develop a therapeutic line of sensory motor equipment that promotes skill development through play.  Bethany’s expertise extends across a diverse range of therapeutic settings, emphasizing pediatric and neurological care, assistive technology, and community mental health. Since graduating from UBC, Bethany has worked in outpatient therapy where she strove to provide neurodiversity affirming care to children with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and sensory processing differences. She has a special interest in visual processing and developmental coordination disorders, concussion, and printing. Bethany is a calm and grounded clinician with a warm demeanor who focuses on cultivating connection with her clients and providing them with an island of safety in a chaotic world.  Bethany has a strong understanding of the importance of integrating joyful leisure and play-based experiences into children’s lives and has a passion for utilizing the connective and regulating natural environment to support children’s development. Outside of work Bethany enjoys spending time with her husband mountain biking, tromping around forests/beaches looking for mushrooms, wildflowers, and ducks, swimming in the Hood Canal, camping, and attempting to garden.