Hi, I’m Brenda.
As an award-winning pediatric occupational therapist and feeding specialist, I’ve dedicated my career to helping children and families navigate the tricky world of feeding. I’m passionate about making mealtimes less stressful and more enjoyable for both you and your child.
Through years of experience and specialized training, I’ve developed a deep understanding of how anxiety and sensory challenges can affect a child’s relationship with food. My goal is to provide you with the tools and strategies you need to support your child in feeling safe, curious, and confident at the table.
I believe in a holistic approach that considers not just what your child eats, but how they engage and explore food. By nurturing your relationship while building trust around food, we can work toward making mealtimes a positive experience for your family.
Features and Awards
Say Goodbye to Frustration and Anxiety
When you invest in our coaching packages, you’ll finally uncover the *real* reasons behind your child’s eating challenges—and gain the tools to address them effectively. No more sifting through well-meaning but unhelpful advice from friends, family, or even medical professionals. Instead, you’ll have expert guidance and a clear path to handle feeding struggles with confidence and calm.
By embracing proven, tailored strategies designed specifically for your child’s needs, you’ll see real progress and lasting change. With every meal, you’ll witness your child’s growth—not only physically but also socially.
You’ll create a safe space where your child’s natural curiosity can flourish. Together, we’ll turn rigid mealtime power struggles into joyful, adventurous food exploration.
This is more than just tackling today’s feeding challenges—it’s an investment in your child’s long-term well-being, growth, and success.
TASTEBUD TRANSFORMATION COACHING:
Guided Support Toward Peaceful Mealtimes
This comprehensive program is designed to help your child progress from feeding struggles to food exploration and enjoyment—all while offering you peace of mind with expert guidance every step of the way.
With this package you’ll receive:
Bi-Weekly Zoom Coaching (Six 1:1 sessions) $1200 value
Gain a clear roadmap for overcoming feeding challenges, including a step-by-step strategy to reset your feeding dynamic and help your child develop sensory and motor skills for more adventurous eating.Meal Reviews (Three video assessments) $300 value
Receive professional insights through tailored meal reviews at key milestones. These feedback sessions give you actionable steps to support your child’s progress.Exclusive Resources $300 value
Access a comprehensive library of feeding tips, recipes, and guides to keep your child’s journey on track.Prompt Expert Support $300 value
With 48-hour email responses, your questions and concerns will always be addressed quickly, keeping you supported throughout the process.
Total Value: $2,100
Do you need more support?
I’ve got you covered.
ADD VOXER SUPPORT TO YOUR FEEDING PACKAGE:
On-Demand Voxer Access $1500 value
Access on-the-go support with secure, voice-based messaging during business hours. This walkie-talkie feature lets you ask questions and receive immediate, practical advice for any feeding challenges.
Total Value: $3,600
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If you are in the Southwest Florida area and looking for in-person therapeutic support, please contact us directly through this form.
We will respond to you through email within 2 business days of receiving your inquiry.
Feel free to leave your phone number in the message section if you’d like us to call rather than email.
Please give us a brief overview of what you’d like to discuss with us so we can be better prepared to answer your questions.
Thank you!
We look forward to connecting with you soon!
PS: Yes, we are an approved provider through the Step Up For Students FES-UA scholarship fund. Look us up under That Makes Sense OT.
Feeding and Sensory Intervention: Occupational Therapy Services
Naples, Florida
and the greater SWFL region
We strongly believe in curiosity over compliance and use a responsive feeding approach.
Feeding Interventions
Sensory Interventions
Strengths-based approach:
evaluations
interventions
consultations
Curious about our services?
Best Occupational
Therapy Clinic 2 years in a row
Brenda Chilstrom, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist and Feeding Specialist
Feeding and Sensory Therapy, Centered on Connection
Serving Naples, Florida and the greater SWFL region
We’re here to support your child’s journey to explore foods and embrace new sensory experiences with confidence. Using a responsive, strengths-based approach, we focus on curiosity over compliance to create a safe, supportive environment for every family we serve.
Occupational Therapy Services for Kids in SWFL:
Evaluations tailored to understand each child’s unique needs
Interventions that are practical, enjoyable, and family-centered
Consultations to equip you with insights, strategies, and hope
Intensives customized for families traveling to our beautiful beach community, providing immersive feeding support and transformation for the whole family
All packages include session notes, recordings, curated individualized activity suggestions, and educational handouts from our exclusive Recipe Box of resources.
TASTEBUD TRANSFORMATION
PACKAGE
Our most comprehensive package!
What you get:
Six Face-to-Face Zoom Sessions: ($1200 value)
Every other week sessions for sustained progress and support to:
Identify the main reasons for the feeding difficulties
Develop a strategy to reset the feeding relationship
Learn new sensory and oral motor skills to become a more adventurous eater
Three Video Reviews of Meals/Snacks ($300 value)
Initial, mid-progress, and end of package reviews.
We use our honed observation skills to read your child’s cues, look at the environment, and assess the oral motor, sensory, and developmental skill level your child is able to successfully use for eating during the meal.
We then provide written/video individualized, step-by step actions for you to take to advance your child’s functional skills for feeding.
Three Months Access to Recipe Box Resources ($300 value)
Access to variety of educational and instructional materials to support your child’s feeding journey
24-Hour Response Time ($600 value)
Get program guidance promptly via email.
Unlimited Voxer Access-during normal business hours ($1500 value)
Voxer is a secure voice app where you can upload your questions and get answers directly from Brenda (think walkie-talkie access to your favorite occupational therapist!) This in-the-moment support is what will get you through the tough times and help get you unstuck immediately.
NOURISH AND FLOURISH
PACKAGE
Our most popular package!
What you get:
Six Face-to-Face Zoom Sessions ($1200 Value)
Every other week sessions for sustained progress and support to:
Identify the main reasons for the feeding difficulties
Develop a strategy to reset the feeding relationship
Learn new sensory and oral motor skills to become a more adventurous eater
Three Video Reviews of Meals/Snacks ($300 Value)
Initial, mid-progress, and end-of-package reviews.
We use our honed observation skills to read your child’s cues, look at the environment, and assess the oral motor, sensory, and developmental skill level your child is able to successfully use for eating during the meal.
We then provide written/video individualized, step-by step actions for you to take to advance your child’s functional skills for feeding.
Three Months Access to Recipe Box Resources ($300 Value)
Access to a variety of educational and instructional materials to support your child’s feeding journey
48-Hour Response Time to Emails ($300 Value)
Get your questions answered and program guidance promptly via email.
Payment plans coming soon!
Have questions about which package is right for you?
Exclusive Introductory Pricing!
I’m offering this exclusive enrollment investment to you, my first EASE group, because you’re special to me—you’ll be the founding members of this program.
Secure your spot today and take advantage of this limited-time pricing—because once the doors close, you’ll need to wait for the next opportunity, and the price will never be this low again.
Join now to lock in this unbeatable rate and start transforming mealtime struggles into joyful experiences!
Doors open again soon! Enroll now!
Do you feel like your child survives on GOLDFISH® crackers, chicken nuggets, and air?
There is ALWAYS a reason your child isn’t eating.
You are not to blame for your child’s feeding difficulties. Together, we can use their interests, strengths and cognitive skills to develop a comprehensive plan to advance their skills while remaining connected, confident, and curious.
Are you hungry for successful mealtimes?
Are mealtimes a struggle?
How many times do you leave the table feeling like a failure?
Your friends, family, medical professionals — no one seems to "get" how exhausting and stressful feeding (or trying to feed) a picky eater/selective feeder is.
Feeding your family is hard enough without the added fear and anxiety when you don’t know WHY it’s so hard to get your child to eat.
Do these sound familiar?
They’ll eat when they’re hungry.
I could get them to eat. You’re not trying hard enough.
Just wait and see, they’ll eventually eat.
Feed them what they want, they’ll grow out of it on their own.
If those statements give you a strong gut reaction, you’re not alone. You know they aren’t true.
Kids who are stuck in a pattern of not eating miss out on critical social opportunities that will affect their development for the rest of their lives if they don’t get the help they need now.
TRUST YOUR GUT.
There is a better way, and we can guide you.
All packages include session notes, recordings, curated individualized activity suggestions, and educational handouts from our exclusive Recipe Box of resources.
TASTEBUD TRANSFORMATION
PACKAGE
Our most comprehensive package!
What you get:
Six Face-to-Face Zoom Sessions: ($1200 value)
Every other week sessions for sustained progress and support to:
Identify the main reasons for the feeding difficulties
Develop a strategy to reset the feeding relationship
Learn new sensory and oral motor skills to become a more adventurous eater
Three Video Reviews of Meals/Snacks ($300 value)
Initial, mid-progress, and end of package reviews.
We use our honed observation skills to read your child’s cues, look at the environment, and assess the oral motor, sensory, and developmental skill level your child is able to successfully use for eating during the meal.
We then provide written/video individualized, step-by step actions for you to take to advance your child’s functional skills for feeding.
Three Months Access to Recipe Box Resources ($300 value)
Access to variety of educational and instructional materials to support your child’s feeding journey
24-Hour Response Time ($600 value)
Get program guidance promptly via email.
Unlimited Voxer Access-during normal business hours ($1500 value)
Voxer is a secure voice app where you can upload your questions and get answers directly from Brenda (think walkie-talkie access to your favorite occupational therapist!) This in-the-moment support is what will get you through the tough times and help get you unstuck immediately.
NOURISH AND FLOURISH
PACKAGE
Our most popular package!
What you get:
Six Face-to-Face Zoom Sessions ($1200 Value)
Every other week sessions for sustained progress and support to:
Identify the main reasons for the feeding difficulties
Develop a strategy to reset the feeding relationship
Learn new sensory and oral motor skills to become a more adventurous eater
Three Video Reviews of Meals/Snacks ($300 Value)
Initial, mid-progress, and end-of-package reviews.
We use our honed observation skills to read your child’s cues, look at the environment, and assess the oral motor, sensory, and developmental skill level your child is able to successfully use for eating during the meal.
We then provide written/video individualized, step-by step actions for you to take to advance your child’s functional skills for feeding.
Three Months Access to Recipe Box Resources ($300 Value)
Access to a variety of educational and instructional materials to support your child’s feeding journey
48-Hour Response Time to Emails ($300 Value)
Get your questions answered and program guidance promptly via email.
Payment plans coming soon!
Have questions about which package is right for you?
You want to know that you are doing everything you can for your child.
You have permission to feed your child in the way that works best for your family.
You can rebuild trust and transform your mealtimes into harmonious family moments of connection and acceptance.
You can achieve the confidence to create joyful mealtimes that last a lifetime.
Shift the mindset:
There is nothing wrong with your child.
You are not a failure.
Feeding difficulties happen for many reasons. Once we discover the underlying causes, we can develop a clear path toward successful eating.
Let’s become successful partners in the feeding journey.
We guide you and your child to feel safe, seen and heard so you can transform your mealtime power struggles and become harmonious, resilient families held together with love, acceptance and hope.
Get started today. See results immediately.
Say goodbye to frustration and anxiety
By investing in our coaching packages, you’ll learn the underlying reasons behind your child's eating habits and have the tools to address them effectively. This means no more enduring well-meaning but misguided advice from friends, family or even medical professionals. Instead, you’ll have the knowledge and support to navigate feeding challenges with grace and resilience.
As you embrace proven tailored strategies for your child's needs, it leads to tangible progress and long-lasting change. With each meal, you witness your child's growth and development, both physically and socially.
You can create a safe space that allows your child’s natural curiosity to emerge. You’ll transform the rigidity and power struggles around your current eating situation into joy-filled, adventurous exploration of foods.
You're not just addressing the immediate challenges of feeding a picky eater — you're investing in your child's long-term well-being and success.
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“Our son was very restrictive with food choices. He is now eating a bigger variety of foods & more willing to try new foods. He is expanding his diet which makes dinner time easier & more enjoyable for our family.”
Amy V.
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"I like that it’s like family or talking to a friend. I also like how convenient it is - I can just snap a picture or videos and say, 'Does this look right?' and get a quick response."
Emmi C.
Success Stories
“She’s come so far with being open to exploration and not feeling pressured to eat. I feel such relief that she isn’t shutting us out anymore. Thank you for your time and advice.“ - Shana, Amy’s mom
You may be asking yourself, “How did Shana and Amy achieve so much in such a short amount of time?”
Through their participation in That Makes Sense OT’s coaching program, they were able to achieve their goals faster because our feeding packages are consistent and comprehensive. Through these two main pillars, we make sure you receive all essential elements within this experience to create real and lasting change.
About Brenda
Our founder, Brenda Chilstrom, began her professional journey over 30 years ago wanting connection, joy, and practical solutions for the families she served.
We've seen parents light up with realization, exclaiming, "That makes sense!"
Our name celebrates this moment of clarity, as sometimes something that seems like an inconsequential tweak can be a game changer for a family.
Feeding FAQs
Have more questions?
We’re here to help.
Fill out our contact form and we’ll get back to you ASAP!
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We intentionally offer bundled coaching services to ensure you receive all essential elements to create real and lasting change.
This combination is backed by research:
• suggestions for real-life natural environment (your home, daycare, preschool, etc.)
• carryover for all meals (not only therapy meals in a clinic setting)
• effective communication and collaboration
• flexibility to customize your program for your needs
• we make sure to fill in the gaps so things don’t get missed
• achieve goals faster with a higher level of commitment
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Our specialty is in early intervention (babies from 6 months +) up to early elementary years. However, we have had success with younger babies as well as teens. Book a call with your specific questions related to age of your child.
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While we will be able to support you through the diagnosis process and guide you to other professionals who can give a diagnosis, we do not formally diagnose. We have worked with hundreds of families pre-diagnosis and early diagnosis and can successfully implement proven, research-based strategies regardless of diagnosis status.
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No. Coaching services are not a covered service under insurance, leaving flexibility in service provision and earlier assistance not reliant on diagnosis.
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Yes! I frequently work with families in Canada and the UK, as well as the US. I have consulted in Germany and Japan as well.
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As soon we receive payment, you’ll receive a welcome email with all of the details! You’ll be sent an intake and a contract to fill out and a link to schedule your first 1:1 session!
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Yes. To best serve you and keep you on track to make steady progess, your feeding package is active for 90 days following purchase. The Voxer access in the Tastebud Transformation package is accessible for the entire 90 days!
Join The Eating with EASE Academy at this one-time-only introductory price!
Secure your spot today and take advantage of this limited-time pricing—because once the doors close, you’ll need to wait for the next opportunity, and the price will never be this low again.
Doors close on Friday, September 27th!
Join Now!
Before working with Brenda, I always had so much guilt that I wasn’t doing enough for my toddler. Her reflux symptoms made it so hard to figure out how to feed her. As we worked to figure out her hunger cues, we were able to address all aspects of her growth, nutrition and functional skills. Brenda showed me how my daughter’s play skills could be used to encourage participation in feeding activities. We were able to help her become a lot less anxious during mealtimes. Brenda was the voice of reason we needed in a time of intense stress and discouragement. She helped me and encouraged me just as much as she helped my daughter gain skills. I will always be grateful for her compassion and expertise.
Lindsay, mom to R, age 19 months
Unlock your child’s full food potential:
A step-by step guide to expand your child’s diet
Are you exhausted from mealtime battles and picky eating struggles?
You can end the constant food frustration with our expert strategies.
Our comprehensive FREE guide offers practical steps to expand your child's palate, reduce anxiety, and transform mealtime chaos into harmony.
Unlock your child's full food potential today and rediscover the joy of stress-free mealtimes.
At That Makes Sense OT, we help you and your children feel safe, seen and heard so you can transform your mealtime power struggles and sensory challenges to become harmonious, resilient families held together with love, acceptance and hope.
A place where hope meets transformation
Your journey to nurturing a confident, adventurous eater begins here. At That Makes Sense OT, our promise to you is that we're your partner, your advocate, and your beacon of hope on the path to nourishing your child's relationship with food.
A single caring individual can shape a child's destiny
Our mission is to empower you, the parent, to be that influential force in your child's life.
You are acutely aware of the challenges and struggles that come from raising a picky eater/problem feeder.
We understand and know how to guide you to helping them feel safe and supported so they flourish through curiosity.
By disrupting conventional feeding therapy practices and the outdated insurance-based medical model, we are able to provide our families with timely and effective support: the support that equips them to handle the curveballs that come their way with knowledge, problem-solving skills, and confidence.
Nurturing through connection and curiosity
Feeding isn't just about what's on the plate — it's about the connections we build and the adventures we embark upon. Our responsive feeding methods are rooted in creating strong connections between parents and children.
Your family, understood and supported with expertise and compassion
In a world of busy schedules and endless stress, we recognize that every family craves understanding, acceptance, and the best possible future for their children.
Our holistic approach focuses just as much on mindset and emotional support as it does on the practical aspects of sensory and feeding skills. This is where the true transformation happens.
Drawing from advanced studies in feeding, motor skills, and sensory integration, we integrate psychosocial techniques rooted in trauma-informed care. This combination helps ease anxieties around eating, nurturing a sense of calm and security in your child's feeding journey.
