Charla Lee, BSCOT (C)

Charla is a pediatric Occupational Therapist with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Alberta, graduating in 2000. With over two decades of experience, she has passionately dedicated her career to helping children thrive, working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams across British Columbia and Alberta.

Charla has a wealth of experience across diverse age groups, diagnoses, and settings, including clinics, homes, schools, and community environments. She is deeply passionate about the significance of attachment in child development and its profound impact on creating a nurturing, secure environment that supports healthy parent-child relationships and lays the groundwork for lifelong emotional resilience and interpersonal skills in children.

In addition to her hands-on practice, Charla has engaged in extensive continuing education, enhancing her expertise in various areas, including Sensory Integration, Neurodevelopmental Treatment, the Handle Paradigm, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Circle of Security Parenting (COSP) Training, Complex Feeding and Swallowing difficulties and Sleep Health. Her studies also encompass complex behavior, neurobiology, sensory processing, trauma-informed practice, attachment theory, and mental health, allowing her to provide comprehensive and informed support to the children and families she works with. Charla is deeply committed to being an inclusive therapist, actively engaging with diverse cultures and honoring the unique experiences and needs of marginalized communities. Her dedication to understanding and respecting these backgrounds enables her to provide compassionate, culturally responsive support to the families she serves, fostering meaningful connections and promoting positive outcomes for all.

Charla has also made significant contributions to the field as a member of the Special Education Technology-British Columbia (SET-BC) screening committee and has been a guest speaker at various professional development conferences in Western Canada.

In 2005, she established her own pediatric private practice, Over the Rainbow Family Centred Pediatric Services (OTR). Since then, OTR has seen remarkable growth, evolving into an approved service provider through Family Supports for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) and working with other federal and provincial funded programs. This designation reflects her commitment to delivering high-quality, specialized support to families navigating the complexities of child development. In 2013, Charla, alongside her sister, expanded her vision by opening Over the Rainbow Academy, a not-for-profit extension of her practice. This initiative enabled her to become an Alberta Education-approved Early Child Services (ECS) operator, qualified to administer Program Unit Funding (PUF) in educational settings.

As a proud mother of four children, Charla brings personal insights and a deep understanding of the joys and challenges of parenting, enriching her work with empathy and practical knowledge. Her passion for building connections and enhancing attachment drives her mission to support families in navigating their own unique journeys together.