Our 321Go Kids Team

Lindsay Millikan

Executive Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist

I love being able to see kids reach independence in their lives and master their various goals during therapy, all while having fun.

When did you first know you wanted to pursue a career in therapy? I knew from a young age that I wanted to become a therapist. My older sister has severe cognitive delays and I was able to grow up seeing the progress she made towards independence. My mom, alongside hardworking therapists, helped her to establish the independence she has now, which defies the expectations that were placed against her from birth. As I grew up I knew that I wanted to help other families and children reach these same levels of independence; I wanted kids to be able to feel independent in their lives, to feel like they could participate and be just like their peers, and I wanted families to feel like they had someone on their side while will go to bat for them and their child.

Who inspires you in your profession? My mom has been my inspiration throughout my profession. She gives me great ideas as a therapist to use with kiddos, inspiring my creative side when I get “stuck.” She also helps me to see the parent’s side to therapy and helps me to remember that there may be more going on in a child’s life than what I know. She has always encouraged me to be the best therapist I can be and that it is a good asset to have a servant’s heart.

What is your favorite way to engage with kids? I enjoy getting down to a kid’s level and engaging with them in the way they see the world. This can be through kneeling down while a child is playing basketball or sitting on the floor with them while they complete a puzzle. It is very eye-opening to see the world through this lens and it helps the child to feel more comfortable with me in the activity we are doing. I also value being silly… It is very humbling to be completely silly, acting as if no one else is watching, and having a child belly laugh at the silly faces you are making or the silly things you are saying.

Tell us about a challenge that you watched a child overcome. I was able to experience, first-hand, a child achieve a new level of independence in his life. When I first started working with this child he was unable to dress independently and relied on parents or grandparents to get him dressed in the morning. Through practicing dressing both in therapy and at home this child was able to become independent and can now dress himself!

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I love being outside. My husband and I go camping often, and I love going snow skiing and spending time at my parent’s lake house. I have grown fond of gardening and taking walks with my dog, as well (any excuse to get me outside!).

Anything else that you’d like to share? My husband and I were excited to welcome our first child to our family in October of 2018.