In a world where screens dominate and structured schedules rule, occupational therapist Mya Zavaleta offers a refreshing, deeply human alternative: healing in nature. With over 20 years of experience, she brings a nature-first, sensory-centered approach that is helping neurodivergent children and their families reconnect with themselves and with each other.
Reclaiming Calm Through Nature
Mya sees nature as the ultimate co-therapist. She doesn’t just work with kids inside four walls. She takes them outdoors, where wind, animals, sunshine, and dirt create a real-world classroom. Nature doesn’t bend to our will. That’s the point. Through exposure to unpredictable weather, textures, and sounds, children begin to tune into their bodies and emotions.
A turtle pulling into its shell becomes a lesson in self-regulation. A sunburned cheek teaches interoception. These aren’t metaphors. They are real, sensory-driven insights that help kids with ADHD, autism, or anxiety feel safe in their own skin.
From Therapy to Transformation
One powerful story Mya shared was about a second grader who struggled with transitions. By creating rituals, like a special goodbye with “magic words,” he found emotional safety. What started as a small goodbye ritual turned into something much bigger. It became a way to approach bedtime, tooth brushing, and other emotionally charged moments with predictability and care. His mother noticed he was calmer, more grounded, and more connected after sessions.
And this is where Mya’s work shines. It is not just about the child. It is about changing the energy of the whole family system.
Coaching Parents to Reconnect with Nature and Themselves
Parents often come with fears. What if it’s too hot? What if it rains? What if my child melts down? Mya doesn’t dismiss those concerns. Instead, she meets families where they are. For some, it’s a nature walk around the block. For others, it’s starting a calm corner in the home, modeled first by the parent and not enforced on the child.
The core idea is simple. Emotional regulation starts with the adults. Modeling a healthy response to stress by saying “I need a moment,” taking deep breaths, or simply acknowledging a tough day invites children to do the same. It is not about perfection. It is about presence.
Holding Space, Not Just Solving Problems
Mya ended with the reminder that parents do not always need to fix things. Sometimes, the most powerful gift is to listen. “Tell me more,” she offers, instead of rushing to solve. She models what it means to hold space for a child’s experience without judgment or a 10-step plan. And that, too, is healing.
This episode is a must-listen for any parent feeling stretched thin and searching for a more grounded way to support their child. It is not about adding more to your to-do list. It is about changing how you relate to yourself, your child, and the world around you.
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Mya feels incredibly fortunate to be able to combine her love for nature with her 20-years clinical experience as a bilingual (Spanish) occupational therapist to create her own Nature OT practice that boosts kids’ physical and mental health. That means she skill-builds with toddlers to teens while exploring in nature with them on the Central Coast of CA. She supports neurodivergent kids (with ADHD, Autism, Sensory difficulties, anxiety, PTSD) and kids that have experienced trauma and adoption. She believes in helping every child discover their own superpowers and feel more confident and grounded to live with greater joy and ease. Partnering with families to offer strategies and creative problem-solving solutions for their children is also essential to the deep impact she has with her young clients and families. When she’s not working, she loves to move – working out at bootcamp classes or getting outdoors walking with her sweet shih-tzu pup, her teen sons, husband, and friends along any body of water and among trees.