New to Apraxia? Start Here.

Understanding Apraxia and Our Full-Body, Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach

Many families come to us because something finally clicks: A video, a blog post, a Rise Up episode… something we said described your lived experience in a way nothing else has.

“This sounds like my loved one. This explains what we’ve been seeing.” But then the question becomes: Now what?

Let’s start by getting clear on what apraxia means and how we actually support it.

What is Apraxia?

Apraxia is a motor planning difference. It affects how the brain plans, sequences, and executes movements—including speech, gestures, play, transitions, daily tasks, and more.

Unlike developmental delays or muscle weakness, apraxia isn’t about not knowing what to do; it’s about the disconnect between intention and execution.

It can show up as:

  • A child who understands everything but struggles to show what they know

  • A body that freezes, bolts, or resists—even during familiar routines

  • Repetitive or looping behaviors that are hard to interrupt or shift

  • Motor responses that seem inconsistent, unreliable, or unpredictable

  • Moments of clear connection or communication that feel hard to replicate

For many non-speaking or unreliably speaking autistic individuals, apraxia isn’t just about speech; it’s about the whole body. And when the body doesn’t cooperate, everything gets harder: regulating emotions, showing understanding, initiating communication, even participating in play, leisure, or daily routines.

Why We Take a Whole-Body Approach

Traditional models often miss the mark. They focus heavily on verbal output, compliance, or surface-level behaviors without addressing the underlying motor planning, regulation, and nervous system needs. At Sunrise, we take a different approach. One that’s rooted in real-life experience, neurodiversity-affirming practices, and a belief that every human is capable, even when their body says otherwise.

How We Support Apraxia Differently

Our support is based on four core pillars:

1. Motor Coaching

We help you break down complex movements into small, specific steps with cues and strategies that make movement easier for an individual whose body often doesn’t respond intentionally.

2. Nervous System Regulation

Before an individual can act, engage, or learn, they need to feel safe in their body. We show you how to co-regulate with your loved one, reduce overwhelm, and build connections that support nervous system safety and readiness.

3. Presuming Competence

We work from the belief that your loved one is intelligent, aware, and capable, even if they can’t always show it yet. Our approach is about opening access, not forcing outcomes.

A young child engaged in occupational therapy using colorful balance pods in motor-coaching therapy.

Intentional Motor

A well-functioning body starts with intentional movement. Our therapy approach helps your loved one bridge the gap between what their mind knows and what their body can do—helping individuals with apraxia, neurological differences, and sensory processing challenges move with purpose and control. Intentional motor support is offered through our mobile OT services and as separate virtual IM (Intentional Motor) workouts for those outside our service area or looking for remote care.

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Build Stronger Motor Pathways

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Improve Coordination & Control

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Support Nervous System Regulation

Does this sound familiar?

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Movement Feels Unpredictable

Your loved one can run, jump, and climb, yet purposeful movement—like coordinating speech, fine motor tasks, or controlled actions—feels inconsistent or out of reach.

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Traditional Therapy Isn’t Enough

You’ve tried traditional approaches, but something still feels “off.” Their mind knows what to say or do, but their body isn’t following through.

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Frustration & Fatigue Take Over

The effort to complete intentional movements leaves them exhausted, leading to shutdowns, avoidance, or reliance on automatic, unintentional actions.

Did you know…

LETS TAKE A MINUTE TO connect the dots

Apraxia affects the body, not just speech

Apraxia is often discussed in relation to speech, but actually can affect the body’s ability to perform planned, intentional movements—even when gross motor skills appear intact.

Their muscles need coaching (not their brain)

Your loved one’s mind knows what it wants to do. The challenge lies in getting the muscles and motor pathways to respond in a reliable, intentional way.

Repetitive movement ≠ intentional movement

Automatic movements (like pacing or fidgeting) may happen effortlessly, but new movement patterns require a different kind of motor coaching.

The nervous system plays a huge role

Motor control isn’t just about muscles. Neurological “noise,” sensory processing differences, and past trauma can disrupt motor control, making movement difficult and unpredictable.

NEURO-MOTOR CONNECTION THERAPY

Intentional Motor Can Help

Occupational therapist playing sensory motor ball game outdoors with autistic teen, supporting intentional motor skills and sensory regulation.

  • Strengthen the body-brain connection for more controlled, purposeful movement

  • Improve coordination and reduce reliance on automatic, compensatory actions

  • Enhance communication by aligning movement with intention

  • Reduce frustration and increase confidence in daily activities

  • Support nervous system regulation to ease sensory and motor overwhelm

  • Help the body respond to commands with greater ease and predictability

We know that progress isn’t about forcing movement—it’s about guiding the body to connect with what the mind already knows.

Let’s build that connection together.

Work with us in person through mobile OT or join us virtually for IM workouts. Schedule an intro call to chat about the best option for your family!

SCHEDULE AN INTRO CALL
Group photo of smiling neuro-motor occupational therapists outdoors, dedicated to supporting autistic individuals with apraxia through connection-first therapy.

Meet your Neuro-Motor Coaches

We don’t just work on movement—we help individuals experience connection in a whole new way. Our approach is rooted in neuroscience, sensory integration, and motor learning, ensuring that every step is purposeful and effective.

We look at more than what the body is showing us externally. We know that apraxia isn’t just about speech—it affects movement, coordination, and how the brain and body communicate. That’s why we approach therapy from a connection-first standpoint, coaching the body to respond intentionally rather than forcing change.

We understand cognitive control—meaning we recognize the challenge of initiating, sustaining, and inhibiting movement. We also know that repetitive, automatic movements aren’t the same as intentional motor control. Over-myelinated neural pathways can get “stuck,” making movement feel unpredictable or unreliable.

With years of experience supporting individuals with apraxia, motor planning challenges, and neurological differences, we’ve seen incredible transformations. And we’re just getting started.

MEET THE SUNRISE TEAM

Testimonials

Building confidence and changing lives


We are so grateful for how much of an impact you have had on [name] building confidence, being such an amazing coach for him and me too, and most of all thank you for your heart and hard work for the community! You are changing lives for so many people and the way society sees our autistic loved ones. You are truly a gem with the most beautiful heart (and kick ass skills).

- Parent of an 18 year old

★★★★★

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about Apraxia-Informed Occupational Therapy?

We have answers!

  • At its core, occupational therapy (OT) is all about helping people do the things that make life meaningful—whether that’s getting dressed, going grocery shopping, writing, or communicating.

    For neurodivergent individuals, OT isn’t about “fixing” anything—it’s about finding ways to navigate the world with confidence, whether that means adapting tasks, improving motor skills, or supporting sensory needs.

    The best part? OT meets people where they are and focuses on their goals—whether that’s gaining independence, learning new skills, or simply making daily life feel easier.

  • Neurodivergent brains work differently—not incorrectly. But let’s be real: the world isn’t always set up to accommodate those differences. That’s where OT comes in.

    We look at sensory needs, motor skills, communication, executive functioning, and self-advocacy to create personalized strategies that actually make life easier. That could mean helping someone regulate in busy environments, supporting handwriting or typing, or breaking down everyday tasks in a way that feels doable.

    Bottom line: OT isn’t about forcing people to fit into the world—it’s about helping the world work better for them.

  • Think of apraxia and autism like two separate puzzle pieces that sometimes fit together but aren’t the same. Apraxia is all about movement—specifically, trouble planning and coordinating the body to do what the brain is asking (like speaking, writing, or even purposeful gestures). Autism, on the other hand, is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects social communication, sensory processing, and repetitive behaviors.

    People can have apraxia without autism, autism without apraxia, or both. But here’s the key: Apraxia is about the body struggling to carry out what the brain already knows how to do. That’s why support for apraxia needs to focus on intentional movement—not just speech therapy. And through our work and time in this community, we’ve seen that every single non-speaking, unreliably speaking, or minimally speaking autistic individual is experiencing whole body apraxia.

  • Intentional motor is the difference between automatic movement and movement with purpose. You can probably walk across a room without thinking about it, but writing your name or pointing to a specific letter on a keyboard or letterboard? That takes precision, control, and intentional movement.

    For people with apraxia, the brain knows what it wants to do, but the body doesn’t always follow. That’s why we focus on coaching the body—not the brain—to build more reliable, purposeful movement.

  • Most therapy focuses on what someone is doing—speech drills, hand strengthening, or movement exercises. But apraxia-informed OT looks at the how. If someone struggles to wave, write, or speak, it’s not because they don’t understand or don’t want to do the thing —it’s because their body isn’t following the brain’s plan.

    We use intentional motor coaching, sensory regulation, and real-life movement strategies to help the body connect to what it already knows. Instead of just repeating an action and hoping it “sticks,” we focus on movement patterns, co-regulation, and teaching the body to move with purpose.

  • Speech isn’t the only way to communicate—it’s just the one most people expect. But communication is movement. Pointing, typing, gesturing—it all requires the body to follow through on an idea.

    When apraxia makes that hard, it can leave people stuck—knowing exactly what they want to say but unable to get it out. That’s why movement-based therapy is key. It helps train the body to support the brain, so communication can actually happen. Whether that’s through actions, gestures, signs, spelling to communicate, typing, RPM, high tech AAC, or mouth words. It all require motor.