There are kids who are really smart, with so much potential, and they get no assistance. Without support, how do they ever make and keep friends, find community, get a job, become a happy person?”

Sarah McNeill

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McNeill Children's Institute

The word therapist often brings to mind a couch and a sitting practice, but there’s an entire field of therapy centered on movement — occupational therapy. Yet even within occupational therapy, not all movement is physical. Much of it begins in the mind. Recognizing this need in Rhode Island, one occupational therapist brought that movement here — with the opening of the McNeill Institute for Children.

Sarah McNeill, occupational therapist and founder of the McNeill Institute for Children, has spent decades working with children, first in California and now in Rhode Island. “I worked 22 years in California. The San Diego unified school district had great services — California is actually 10 to 15 years ahead of us in occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physical therapy” she said. When she arrived in Rhode Island, she noticed not only a gap in services but also a limited understanding of what these services could truly offer — and who could benefit from them.

Sarah McNeill stands by the door, allowing her five-year-old client to engage in movement independently at her Portsmouth center.

“We are re-writing the playbook for exceptional pediatric occupational therapy and speech language pathology, right here in Rhode Island,” said McNeill.

Many parents assume services like occupational therapy are only for children with clear diagnoses or profound needs. But McNeill believes that’s only part of the picture. “There are kids who are really smart, with so much potential, and they get no assistance. Without support, how do they ever make and keep friends, find community, get a job, become a happy person?” Our services (at the McNeill Institute for Children), she explained, can support anyone — from preschoolers struggling with early milestones to college students and young adults managing daily life.

She urges everyone to get an evaluation to see how these services might benefit their children.

From preschool to college

“We’re talking about organization, time management, executive functioning — the skills that make or break your independence,” McNeill said. “Why would we wait until a child is failing before stepping in?” 

She’s seen firsthand how older teens and young adults — even those between 18 and 23 — benefit from strategies that help them manage classes, navigate social situations, or prepare for jobs. “What are we missing? Why not get an evaluation to find out if anything is missing?” McNeill asked. 

Parents often don’t know to seek help, and these skills go untapped. One parent shared concerns about a 20-year-old still living at home. McNeill said, “He told me all about his daughter, and I understood that the way she was struggling — the little things getting in her way — were exactly the skills occupational therapy could help her develop.” According to her, those small exercises, strategies, and routines can unlock independence in ways families might never expect. 

“Occupational therapy regulates me too,” McNeill said, acknowledging that her own practice is a reminder of the lack of help she had in her younger years, as she wasn’t diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder until late in life. This is why her work extends beyond therapy sessions. She spends much of her time reaching out to early intervention centers. “We start at birth. All these kids in preschool — if they struggle and we don’t intervene, it’s like tiny pinholes in a foundation. Eventually, the whole structure shows the cracks. But it’s never too late to build stronger supports,” she said, using herself as an example.

Sarah McNeill helps a 2-year-old client down a slide at the McNeill Children’s Institute in Portsmouth.

Her vision is clear — to shift how Rhode Islanders think about occupational therapy and speech therapy services — not as a last resort or a service for only a few, but as a resource for anyone who wants to rise. “I’m trying to make a movement here,” McNeill said. “People don’t always get on board, but I know what’s possible. And I won’t stop.” 

And she isn’t stopping with offering occupational and speech services. She plans to unveil physical therapy services, hopefully before the new year begins. With a center located in Portsmouth and another in North Kingston, McNeill is building a hub in Rhode Island where movement — mental, physical, and organizational — is accessible to anyone from birth to 23 who is ready to grow. 

The McNeill Children’s Institute offers services at two locations: 207 High Point Avenue, Portsmouth; 6454 Post Road, North Kingston