Laurie Sugarman Derrico is my son Mateo’s Occupational Therapist. She works at HTA of New York in New City, which is where we take Mateo twice a week after school.

Laurie began working with Mateo in early 2020, which was when I first began to really understand what Occupational Therapy was. At that time, the sensory gym was closed and we were forced to do his OT sessions over Zoom. As unfortunate as it was, it did provide a really great opportunity for us to get hands-on learning into this world my wife Marissa and I knew very little about. Occupational Therapy over Zoom certainly came with its own unique set of challenges, but we are all better because of it, especially Mateo.

In the years since, our relationship has grown stronger, and Mateo has developed a truly deep connection with her. Because of the profound impact Laurie has had on our lives, I knew I would need to press record on a conversation with her.

This is that conversation, and I hope you enjoy it.