Our Team
My journey began over 40 years ago when my sister was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. During these early family years, seeds were planted that would later grow into my passion for working with children facing disabilities.
Some of my first roles were within special education including Teacher’s Assistant, ABA Specialist, and Special Education Teacher before becoming an Occupational Therapist.
Zoe DeSaulnier, WCOT Founder, CEO, & Occupational Therapist.
As the founder of Whole Child Occupational Therapy, I have a passion for learning and practicing whole person integration, whether for myself or with the children I work with. For me, this means being present, noticing emotions, and tuning into body consciousness. It has been both my pleasure and honor to work with children for over 25 years.
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Most of all, I enjoy helping children succeed and thrive in achieving their goals.
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I have found mindfulness, yoga, and emotional awareness to be instrumental in supporting the children I work with. Alongside my in-depth knowledge of child development, sensory integration, and reflex integration, I strive to work with the whole child (mind, body, and spirit) to better support connection, happiness, and growth.
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I look forward to working with you, the child's parent or caregiver, in a collaborative effort towards the success of your child.
I'm eager to bring my diverse experiences and genuine enthusiasm into my role as your child's therapist. I strive to create collaborative and meaningful relationships with my clients, empowering your child and family through our sessions together. I look forward to meeting you!
Marissa Heirich, Occupational Therapist
Hello! I'm Marissa, and I'm honored to be part of your family's OT journey. My passion for working with children began in high school when I worked as an outdoor summer camp counselor. This experience led me to co-found the UC Santa Cruz chapter of Camp Kesem, a national nonprofit offering free summer camps for children impacted by a parent's cancer. Witnessing the transformative power of community and resilience at Camp Kesem solidified my desire to pursue a career in child development.
Inspired by my personal experience with chronic pain, I joined a pain neuroscience lab at Stanford School of Medicine following my undergraduate studies. There, I had the privilege of working with individuals and families experiencing chronic pain within the context of our integrative clinical research program. During that time, I also became a certified yoga teacher and shadowed at a pediatric occupational therapy clinic. Immediately, I saw how my interests aligned with OT's holistic perspective on healing and growth, and knew it was the perfect fit for me!