MEET Owner DR. BRITA DESTEFANO
Pediatric Pt and Craniosacral Fascial Therapist
MY BACKGROUND
Hi, I’m Dr. Brita DeStefano, board certified pediatric physical therapist and owner of Progress Through Play. After finishing my education and training, I spent several years working in traditional pediatric treatment settings including acute care, sub-acute rehabilitation centers, school-based, outpatient clinics, and most recently, early intervention. I also have a background as a pre-professional ballet dancer and have taught dance classes for children with special needs. Throughout my career as a pediatric PT I have become increasingly passionate about serving infants and toddlers and helping to establish the early building blocks of motor development. I am passionate about giving parents peace of mind about their children’s motor development and helping them to form deeper connections with their little ones through play.
After the birth of my first child in 2014, I first started to notice a gap in the care provided to babies and toddlers and the stress and anxiety it was causing parents. With my first child we struggled with a severe tongue tie, reflux, breastfeeding issues and more. I found myself crying in the pediatrician’s office more times than I’d like to admit. After returning to work I started hearing similar stories of struggles from my patients. I knew there had to be a better way. Combining my experiences as a parent and armed with my many years of work in pediatric PT, Progress Through Play was born. I specifically now specialize in torticollis, tummy time, tongue tie, head shape and milestones for babies from birth through walking.
You don’t have to “wait and see” or spend all of your time and energy seeking answers to your nagging questions. Don’t let milestone anxiety, discomfort in their little body or movement struggles steal your ability to truly enjoy your baby.
Let’s work together so you can let go of the worries and savor the journey. We collaborate with you to find ways to integrate your child’s therapy goals into your normal routines so you can witness the amazing progress that can be made through PLAY!
THE PTP Approach
We provide evidence-based care and physical therapy, but working with Progress Through Play is different from a traditional physical therapy clinic. Our approach is holistic and very personalized. Each appointment is an hour. There are no long wait times. There is no “qualifying for services” as we believe anyone with questions about their child’s development should be able to get support.
We believe babies deserve to feel good in their bodies. We enjoy playing detective to help determine the reason for a baby's struggles. And we believe that families are an integral part of helping their babies reach their developmental goals. Sessions with us are always focused on a baby’s strengths and we will use activities that they are motivated by to achieve goals. We always spend time explaining the "why" behind what we do. We think families deserve to know the exact reasoning for all of our recommendations. We love teaching and don't want parents to ever need to google anything when we're working together. Appointments with us help decrease a parent’s worries, concerns, and stress level.
Children learn through movement and they deserve to feel good doing it! And parents deserve to feel supported and validated when they have concerns about their child's development.
Dr. brita’s QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Neuroscience from Tulane University (2007)
Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Emory (2011)
Pediatric Residency at University of Central Arkansas (2012)
Board Certified Pediatric Specialist (2014)
ADDITIONAL TRAININGS
Baby Jaws & Breathing - Dr. Brita has trained with Dr. Cynthia Peterson to learn techniques and treatment approaches that prioritize healthy breathing and orofacial development from birth.
Baby Begin Ally - Dr. Brita is a proud plagio warrior, joining forces with her colleagues across the country to help treat plagiocephaly without helmets! She has received extra training to specialize in the treatment of torticollis and plagiocephaly from Baby Begin.
TOTS Specialty Training - Dr. Brita has received extra training to better understand how tethered oral tissues (tongue ties) affect function across the lifespan. She enjoys being a collaborative team member to address optimal functioning of the WHOLE body in little ones with oral ties.
Total Motion Release - Dr. Brita has received training in TMR - a tear-free approach to treating postural asymmetries (like torticollis!). This postural release technique feels much better than traditional stretching and has even better results because it addresses the entire body.
Lactation OT courses - Dr. Brita has completed coursework in Supporting Oral Motor Skills in the Infant, Bottle Feeding Skills, Bodywork for Better Breastfeeding, Tongue Ties, Breastfeeding and the Lactation Savvy Therapist.
Gillespie Approach Craniosacral Fascial Therapy - Dr. Brita is trained in CFT - a gentle modality used to address fascial strain on the nervous system. This technique can help reduce tension and turn fussy babies into happy babies!
A BIT MORE ABOUT Dr. brita
I’m a Texas native and met my husband while we were in college in New Orleans. We moved to Denver in 2013 and have two children. When I’m not working with families I enjoy drinking coffee, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, visiting local breweries, traveling with my family and spending time in the mountains.
