About Us

Founders and family at The Playroom East Cobb

Built by Families, for Families

Founded by local parents who dreamed of a welcoming, sensory-friendly haven, The Playroom East Cobb was created to be a safe space where children of all abilities can explore, play, and grow. As parents navigating the unique joys and challenges of raising young kids in East Cobb, we wanted a clean, engaging environment that prioritizes sensory regulation and imaginative play without the overwhelming chaos of traditional commercial play centers. Alongside our wonderful community of pediatric therapists and families, we are proud to provide a nurturing second home where every child feels included, understood, and celebrated.

Our Professional Partners

Meet the pediatric occupational therapists, speech therapists, art therapists, and specialists who partner with The Playroom East Cobb and utilize our specialized sensory and occupational therapy gym space.

Amari Banks, OTR/L

Amari Banks, OTR/L

Focus Ninja Creator/Teacher, Occupational Therapist

Amari is a pediatric occupational therapist and the creator of the popular Focus Ninjas programs. A Georgia native, she earned her Bachelor of Health Science and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Brenau University. Her passion for sensory and motor development blossomed through years of directing YMCA programs, summer camps, and adaptive science classes. Amari provides occupational therapy evaluations and treatment in outpatient and educational settings for children ages 2–12 diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, and developmental delays. She specializes in: Executive Functioning & Attention: Building organizational habits, working memory, and mental flexibility. Sensory Processing & Regulation: Empowering children to understand and navigate sensory inputs comfortably. Visual-Motor & Fine Motor Coordination: Targeted handwriting development and fine motor strength. Social-Emotional Learning: Developing peer cooperation, self-advocacy, and emotional regulation. Executive Functioning Clinical Training Sensory Processing & Integration Therapy Learning Without Tears Handwriting Curriculum Physical Agent Modalities Certified (PAMC) Pre-K & Kindergarten Developmental Readiness Telehealth & Remote Therapeutic Monitoring *When she's not at the gym, Amari enjoys mystery novels, tennis with friends, beach vacations, ceramic painting, and Lego building!*

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Rachel Lau MS,OTR/L

Rachel Lau MS,OTR/L

OT Links LLC

OT Links LLC was created by Rachel Lau MS, OTR/L in 2021. Rachel has been a practicing pediatric occupational therapist for over 17 years. OT Links delivers individualized 1:1 and small group therapy sessions across home, clinic, and school environments. We specialize in working with pediatric clients navigating challenges with sensory processing disorders alongside a variety of behavioral health concerns. Empowering children with practical tools and regulation strategies to build confidence and independence is our top priority. Our mission is to meet every child where they are and help them achieve their highest potential—supporting not only the child, but also providing clear education to families on fostering developmental milestones. Therapeutic Music & Listening Programs Interactive Metronome (IM) Handwriting Without Tears Sensory Integration & Self-Regulation Strategies

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Livvy Manzo

Livvy Manzo

Occuptational Therapist & Regulation Ninjas Teacher

Livvy earned her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. During her clinical training, she completed fieldwork rotations in both outpatient and acute pediatric settings, where her passion for working with children continued to grow. Before becoming an occupational therapist, she spent several years working with children through nannying and teaching swim lessons, experiences that strengthened her love for helping kids learn, grow, and gain confidence. Livvy believes every child has unique strengths and deserves the opportunity to thrive. She values collaborating with families to provide personalized, high-quality care that supports each child's goals through fun, individualized therapy sessions. She strives to build confidence, encourage independence, and equip children with the skills they need to thrive in their everyday lives Livvy has experience utilizing specialty trainings in a variety of clinical techniques and therapeutic approaches including: The Wilbarger Touch Pressure Protocol for the treatment of sensory defensiveness and self-regulation challenges. Astronaut Training Protocol for integration of vision, sound, and movement. “Zones of Regulation Curriculum” to identify and apply strategies to assist in regulating one’s self for better attention and/or arousal as well as emotional regulation. Livvy works with Amy Dohner, OTR/L and Rachel Lau OTR/L.

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Amy Dohner MS, OTR/L

Amy Dohner MS, OTR/L

A.Dohner Therapy Services LLC

Amy received her Masters in Health Science from the Occupational Therapy program at The Medical College of Georgia in 2014. She brings extensive pediatric experience across outpatient clinics, home health, early intervention, school-based therapy, aquatics, and private practice. Over the past 7 years, Amy has specialized in supporting children with sensory integration difficulties and those navigating challenges with emotional and self-regulation related to sensory processing. Her passion creates a vibrant, engaging clinical setting where children build foundational life skills with joy. Therapeutic Listening, Quick Shifts, & Integrated Listening Systems (iLs): Specialized treatment for sound sensitivity, self-regulation, attention, and motor coordination. The Wilbarger Touch Pressure Protocol: Targeted support for sensory defensiveness and calming. Astronaut Training Protocol: Integrated vision, sound, and vestibular movement therapy. Primitive Reflex Integration: Supporting foundational movement patterns and developmental milestones. Handwriting Without Tears: Multisensory fine motor and handwriting remediation. Interactive Metronome (IM): Enhancing timing, attention, processing speed, and motor coordination. The Alert Program for Self-Regulation: Practical strategies to identify and regulate arousal states for optimal focus. Interoception for Self-Regulation: Helping children recognize and interpret internal bodily cues. Physical Agent Modalities Certified (PAMC): Clinical application of thermal and electrical modalities.

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Rachael Cantrell, MS, OTR/L

Rachael Cantrell, MS, OTR/L

Time to Thrive, LLC

*Accepting new clients!* Rachael earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Brenau University and has spent over 11 years helping pediatric clients flourish. Her graduate research focused on Sensory Integration and the EASe auditory program, deepening her lifelong passion for sensory-based therapy. Her heart for pediatric care originally sparked while teaching adaptive swim lessons to children with special needs. Rachael consistently pursues the latest evidence-based techniques in pediatric rehabilitation: Interactive Metronome (IM) Quickshift & Therapeutic Listening Programs Integrated Listening Systems (iLs) Handwriting Without Tears Astronaut Training Protocol (Vision-Sound-Vestibular Integration) Primitive Reflex Integration & Rehabilitation Hippotherapy & Neurological Rehabilitation With specialized expertise in Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Rachael identifies subtle motor and sensory obstacles that hold children back academically and socially. She creates fun, purposeful play experiences that inspire children to build autonomy in everyday life—collaborating hand-in-hand with parents so success carries over into home and school routines.

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Amanda Herndon M.S., CCC-SLP

Amanda Herndon M.S., CCC-SLP

The Power of Play - Speech Therapy

Amanda Herndon M.S., CCC-SLP is an experienced speech-language pathologist who has been serving the pediatric community for over 10 years. She founded The Power of Play-Speech Therapy, LLC in 2023 to provide high-quality, personalized care for children and families. Amanda places special emphasis on the importance of play in learning, expanding communication skills through purposeful activities, and empowering parents and educators to carry proven strategies into the home and classroom. Initial Speech & Language Screenings Comprehensive Formal Evaluations Individualized Pediatric Therapy (Ages 0–15) Parent Coaching & Teacher Consultations

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Natalie Brock M.S. CCC-SLP

Natalie Brock M.S. CCC-SLP

Speech House Speech Therapy, LLC

Natalie is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist with a heartfelt passion for unlocking children's communication potential through connection and play. She earned her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Texas at Austin and has served children across both school and private practice settings. Receptive & Expressive Language Disorders Pragmatic & Social Communication Skills Articulation & Phonological Disorders Fluency (Stuttering) & Voice Support Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) & Natural Language Acquisition Autism Spectrum Support & Executive Functioning Natalie's therapy emphasizes child-led play, building authentic trust where language blooms naturally. Trained in the acclaimed Hanen: It Takes Two to Talk program, she coaches caregivers to transform daily routines into rich, stress-free communication opportunities.

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Ramsee McGlamory, M.A., BCBA, LBA

Ramsee McGlamory, M.A., BCBA, LBA

Bloom Behavior Consulting: Neurodivergent Parenting Coach

Bloom Behavior Consulting: We’re a team of Board Certified Behavior Analysts, moms, and neurodiversity - affirming advocates who believe in growing confident kids through confident adults. Ramsee McGlamory, Owner, Co-Founder, Parent Coach Ramsee has worked in behavior analysis since 2016 and holds a master’s degree in Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in Autism Spectrum Disorders. From the beginning of her career, her favorite moments have been the “aha” moments when helping a caregiver understand their child brings a little more relief, confidence, or joy. Those moments ultimately inspired the heart behind Bloom. Ramsee is also an ADHD mom who proudly describes herself as Type B with an ADHD brain to her core. Outside of Bloom, you’ll find her gardening in the yard, outside with her family, planning the next Disney trip, and almost always with a Diet Coke nearby.

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Bekah Black , M.Ed., BCBA, LBA

Bekah Black , M.Ed., BCBA, LBA

Bloom Behavior Consulting: Neurodivergent Parent Coach

Bloom Behavior Consulting: We’re a team of Board Certified Behavior Analysts, moms, and neurodiversity - affirming advocates who believe in growing confident kids through confident adults. Bekah Black, Co-Founder, Parent Coach Bekah has worked in behavior analysis since 2016 and holds a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Neuroscience. Her experience spans both clinical care and leadership, including roles as a Behavior Analyst, Clinical Director, and Regional Director. A Type A to Ramsee’s Type B, Bekah brings organization, thoughtfulness, and a practical perspective to everything Bloom creates. Outside of Bloom, she loves spending weekends outdoors with her family, Georgia Bulldogs, curling up with a good book, and, like Ramsee, is a proud Disney adult.

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Anna Connell

Anna Connell

Tutor

Anna brings over 12 years of classroom and small-group teaching experience across elementary and preschool settings. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Georgia and is Orton-Gillingham certified through the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE). This specialized multi-sensory certification equips Anna to break down phonetic and literacy concepts for learners who thrive with an explicit, hands-on approach to reading and language acquisition. As a mother of three, Anna understands that confidence is the cornerstone of academic growth. She loves working one-on-one with students, tailoring every lesson to their individual learning styles and building an encouraging environment where children feel proud of their progress. Subject Areas: Early literacy, phonics, decoding, reading fluency, and elementary academic support. Schedule: Available Thursday afternoons during the school year and flexible sessions during the summer.

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Stephanie Plessy

Stephanie Plessy

Bridge2Bloom Education Advocacy

Stephanie Plessy is a dedicated special education advocate, educator, and student support leader with over 14 years of experience within public and charter school systems. She holds a Master of Education in Behavioral & Learning Disabilities and is a Board-Certified Advocate in Special Education (BCASE). Stephanie founded Bridge2Bloom Education Advocacy to walk alongside families navigating the often overwhelming world of special education. Bringing deep insider knowledge of how school teams and districts operate, she equips parents with the insights, legal protections, and strategic communication tools needed to secure appropriate IEPs, 504 Plans, and classroom accommodations. IEP & 504 Plan Navigation: Expert review of school evaluations, IEP drafting, and annual goal tracking. Meeting Representation: Collaborative, child-centered advocacy at school evaluation and placement meetings. Empowering Caregivers: Transforming confusion into confidence so families feel in control of their child's educational rights. *(And Stephanie is also a proud Playroom member mom of 3!)*

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Are you a pediatric specialist looking for a gym space?

We collaborate with pediatric occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and child development specialists who need a clean, sensory-friendly environment to work with their clients.

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Contact Information & Location

The Playroom is located just off Johnson Ferry Road, right across from the Merchant's Walk shopping center.

Get in Touch

Address:
1344 East Cobb Drive
Suite 200
Marietta, GA 30068

Phone:
404-480-3506

E-mail:
hello@theplayroomeastcobb.com

Press & Media:
View Press Kit & Releases →

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