We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tiffany Kimball. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tiffany below.

Tiffany, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

I had been working as a school based occupational therapist, which I really loved. The issue I had was I never felt as though I was making a big of enough impact with the students and their families. School based practice is quite limited in that if the weakness is not impacting their school performance, then it is not considered something we are allowed to address. I did not like this and really wanted to get into the homes of these children to make an significant impact in their lives. Bit by bit I did! It started with getting one private student who I worked with on Sundays. This led to the next client and the next. I would get referrals from other families and I finally felt as though I had found my place within a home based setting. I loved the intimacy of working with the family as a unit while working with the child. Eventually, my schedule became so full that it allowed me to work in homes exclusively. From there I wanted to impact even more kids since there were only so many hours in a day that I could provide treatment. This is when my Skill Set Reset Membership/subscription was born. I want to have the ability to reach more kids, not just in Los Angeles, but across the country. I want to be that supplemental piece that so many kids need to thrive. I want to inform and educate parents and practitioners alike and provide fun and engaging activities online that can be provide the extra support needed while building crucial skills.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a licensed Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Certified Autism Specialist (CAS), and have completed 30 hours of training in Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy Program. Based in LA, I work with children of all ages and all skill levels. From the beginning, I knew that the only job I ever wanted was one where I was able to work with and positively impact the lives of children. I discovered the field of pediatric Occupational Therapy and immediately knew that I had found my calling. I graduated with my Master’s degree from the University of Southern California in 1999 and I began working with children immediately thereafter.

Throughout the course of my career, I have worked in clinic, school, and home-based settings, and have extensive experience working with children with a wide variety of needs including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD/ADD, Cerebral Palsy, Down’s Syndrome, Learning Disabilities, Developmental Delay, and Sensory Processing Disorders.

I specialize in improving children’s fine motor and visual motor development, handwriting, gross motor development, motor planning skills, visual perceptual skills, self-help, social skills, and sensory modulation and processing skills. I work hard to address all of my client’s individual needs. My goal is always for the child to become as independent and successful as possible, and to educate family members along the way in order to create the most comprehensive and effective plan possible.

My latest endeavor is I have taken my 20+ years of experience as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist to create the Skill Set Reset membership/subscription. This is an online skills building platform that offers over 50 activity videos for kids that they can basically complete on demand from the comfort of their own homes. No more trying to rush off to yet another appointment! The activities are fun, engaging, and skill building. I also offer consultation services to parents, providers, and educators alike.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I believe the ability to connect to and build rapport with my little super hero clients and their families is almost more important than the technical clinical skills required. You have to have very strong interpersonal skills to communicate well and in a straight forward, yet sensitive manner with a wide variety of personalities. You also have to get the “buy in” with kids so they will participate and engage. This means having a very strong ability to adapt, pivot, and bring creative interesting and fun ideas to your sessions.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I suppose word of mouth. It isn’t the most original of answers, but it is the truth. Nearly 100% of my business comes from people recommending me. It is the greatest complement I could ever receive!

Contact Info:

• Website: skillsetreset.com
• Instagram: @skillsetreset and @tiffany.a.kimball
• Facebook: Tiffany Kimball
• Linkedin: Skill Set Reset

Image Credits
these are my personal photos