Hi there!
We are two therapists-turned-friends who have proven that the most effective way to improve kids' behavior is by supporting their caregivers.
Rebecca Connick
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
I am a pediatric occupational therapist (OT) with over 10 years of experience. I have a masters degree in Occupational therapy from LSU Health Sciences Center.
Throughout my career, I have practiced as a pediatric OT in clinics, schools, daycares, and homes with children ranging from birth to 21. I have treated children with a variety of diagnoses, such as genetic and neurological conditions, autism spectrum disorder, feeding disorders, behavioral disorders, and general developmental delay. I also developed a passion for education, and have presented on a variety of topics in the area of child development for parent groups, professionals, schools, universities, and national organizations.
I have experience in the DIR/Floortime(™) model and completed mentorship at the Star Institute for the treatment of sensory processing disorders. These two treatment approaches have guided my practice significantly, as I prioritize treating the whole child in order to facilitate improvements in their play, relationships, and interactions with the world. I also have specific training in The SOS Approach to Feeding for the assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders. Additional courses that have impacted my treatment approach include the treatment of executive function deficits, trauma disorders, cortical visual impairment, and fine/visual motor delays.
Nicole Bryson
Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist
I’m a pediatric speech-language pathologist with over 10 years experience and a mom to 2 sweet and rambunctious little boys. I have a master’s degree in Communication Disorders from Louisiana State University.
During my time as a pediatric SLP, I have worked in several outpatient pediatric clinics, specifically focusing on developing programs for and treating children and infants with tethered oral tissues, feeding disorders, oral motor deficits and Apraxia. Additionally, I had the privilege of working as a lead teacher in a preschool classroom for children with language delays and learning differences. Throughout my career, I have worked with a variety of populations including Autism Spectrum Disorder, many genetic and neurological conditions. I believe in treating the whole child, which includes the family!
I have specific training in the DIR/Floortime(™) model which has taught me how important the role of the family is in making connections and changes in the home environment. Throughout my work using the DIR/Floortime(™) model I began to understand the impact of the sensory system on regulation and how vital regulation is to learning and development.I have also taken many many many feeding courses over the years, including several Talk Tools courses targeting feeding, oral placement for speech sound production, Apraxia, tethered oral tissues, jaw stability, the SOS Approach to Feeding, the SOFFI Method, Beckman Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention and more. In more recent years, I have taken several courses on executive functioning skills in the pediatric population.
Learn more about how we can help
Our business has evolved over time to meet the unique needs of families all over the country and to serve our local New Orleans community. Take a look at our offerings and don't hesitate to reach out if you're not sure what's right for you.
Our Story
We met working at the same pediatric outpatient clinic in New Orleans and quickly bonded over our shared backgrounds in the DIR/Floortime(™) Model and treating the whole child. Our friendship quickly grew over the years, sharing patients, clinical strategies, a passion for family education and an appreciation for a smooth margarita.
After years of lamenting over how to provide more education to parents, we jumped into the world of podcasting - and Cocktails and Kids was born! As our following grew, we saw a desire for more individualized support for parents and began offering parent coaching services. We fell in love with this new way of supporting children through educating their parents AND parents fell in love with their results!
Through our work with families, we began to connect with local Early Childhood Programs who wanted to uplevel their classroom management strategies and meet the needs of their staff and families in more creative, strategic ways. So began our work in the classroom and beyond. We've presented to early childhood professionals who work in various settings, done side-by-side trainings, and worked with school administration to create more effective behavior management policies and collaborative support systems.
Kanako, mom of 1
It was really validating and encouraging because Nicole made sure that the goals she set for me were aligned with my own values in what I think is important when raising my kids.
Ross, dad of 2
Rebecca was always there when we needed help. She helped us evaluate and trouble shoot the situations as they arose and provided in-depth analysis afterwards.
Lauren, mom of 3
Your expertise was what we needed at the right time too, so we were able to make decisions feeling confident that we are doing what’s best and most impactful.
