Building a Thriving Autism Practice While Raising Two Young Kids with Emily Vernon

From Private Practice Success Stories by Jena Castro-Casbon

March 30, 2026 · 30 min · Episode 366

About this episode

Emily Vernon shares her journey of building a thriving occupational therapy practice while balancing family life.

What if you could build a private practice that actually fits your life and not the other way around? Today's guest is an occupational therapist who intentionally built a solo practice around her family, and her community. And she's proving that you don't need a giant sensory gym or a million-dollar buildout to create a thriving practice. I'm thrilled to introduce you to Emily Vernon, an occupational therapist and a student of the Grow Your Private Practice Program community. Emily is the owner and founder of Spectrum Connections, based in Fort Smith, Arkansas. What makes Emily's story so unique? She's a self-described "ADHD, Type B, big picture thinker" who has built her practice on her own terms. Emily Vernon has 15 years of pediatric OT experience, specializing in apraxia, sensory-motor skills, group therapy, and spelling to communicate. She accepts a mix of insurance, private pay, and Arkansas's Education Freedom Act funds. Beyond one-on-one sessions, Emily runs groups year-round and has recently expanded into public speaking and professional development. In this episode, Emily shares how she went from working in outpatient clinics to starting an OT department for someone…

People in this episode

Guest: Emily Vernon

Topics covered

autism practice
occupational therapy
work-life balance
private practice

Keywords

pediatric OT
sensory-motor skills
public speaking
professional development

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Grow Your Private Practice Program

Places: Fort Smith, Arkansas