location

Nestled in the heart of Anchorage, trailhouse is warm and welcoming, an ideal place to spend part of your day and above all a safe place to grow and learn.

approach

therapy

We offer strengths-based speech, occupational, and play therapy focused on our clients' well-being. We embrace neurodiversity, placing connection at the forefront to create a safe and welcoming environment where collaborative goals can be achieved.

community

Trailhouse is an inclusive community, where families can genuinely thrive. Clients and play members are encouraged to visit and enjoy playtime, fostering a vibrant and comforting space surrounded by good company.

advocacy

We champion accommodation and societal inclusion for all. Our holistic approach considers the richness of your life—family, community, school, and beyond ensuring a comprehensive, affirming approach is practiced by everyone in your circle.

therapy + community + advocacy

The only neurodiversity-affirming speech, occupational, play, and mental health therapy center in Louisville, KY.

Receive therapy services, play freely, join social groups based on interests and natural connection, and explore our beautiful verdant trailside campus. There’s so much more to discover and experience.

Come be part of the community you’ve been searching for!

mission

At trailhouse, our clients will cultivate a deeper understanding of who they are and how they feel. They will develop self-advocacy skills and learn to nurture sources of happiness and fulfillment. They will be able to equip themselves with the necessary tools to pursue their personal goals successfully.

who we serve

Families looking for a new paradigm of care promoting affirmation, community, and curiosity.

Cultivate

We strive to nurture and grow genuine connections with our clients, families, and community. Our approach, rooted in play and relationship-centered therapy, mirrors the care and attention given to tending a garden, ensuring that these relationships flourish and thrive.

values

services

Encouraging self-expression and emotional development through imaginative, interactive, and interest-based activities.
Tailored support to enhance daily living skills, motor coordination, sensory processing, emotional regulation, interoception, and more.
Personalized communication support tailored to the specific communication needs and styles of our clients. We support AAC users, analytic, and Gestalt processors.
Compassionate and affirming counseling services, yoga, and mindfulness.
Dedicated assistance to bolster verbal and non-verbal communication.
Facilitated group settings for children and adolescents to engage authentically.
Customized academic strategies to address learning challenges and support educational success.
Informative sessions empowering parents with tools and strategies to support their child's growth and development.
Educational workshops providing strategies to foster inclusive and supportive environments in school and the workplace.

more about services

"nothing about us without us"

An organization’s leadership should be representative of the people they serve. Our executive team represents the neurodivergent community with ADHD and Autistic members.

Mary Maier

Founder,

Director of Operations

Brenda MacMillan

MS CCC-SLP,

Director of Therapy & Family Engagment

Abbey MacMillan

MS CCC-SLP,

Director of Therapy Operations

Cole Walsh-Davis

Founder,

Chief Advocacy Officer

Lauren DeGeorge

Director of

Community Outreach

Caraline
Baughman

MS, OTR/L, CIMC,

Occupational Therapist

team

get in touch

don't miss a thing!

At Trailhouse, we change up the environment each week to engage children’s natural curiosity and spark their creativity! Novelty encourages exploration, and when we introduce new elements—like this week’s focus on color and light—we help kids see the world from fresh perspectives.

We design spaces that prompt children to look up, which can be as simple as hanging colorful materials or placing objects at higher levels. This encourages eye gaze, an important part of communication and connection. When kids lift their heads to take it all in, they’re not just seeing something new—they’re practicing key developmental skills.

Inspired by Reggio Emilia, we believe the environment is a third teacher. A thoughtfully arranged space invites children to discover, question, and engage, making learning a joyful and natural process.

#ReggioInspired #CuriosityDriven #Trailhouse #ColorAndLight #NeuroaffirmingPlay #ChildLedLearning

We are so excited to be welcoming Caraline to our team! She embodies the Trailhouse values to her core and we can't wait for you to meet her :)

Caraline Baughman is our new Occupational Therapist and Certified Infant Massage Coach. She is passionate about supporting children and their families, working alongside them as partners on their journey. She loves using sensory exploration and pretend play to create meaningful connections and gently build trust. By taking the time to understand each child’s unique interests and helping them see their own strengths, Caraline finds so much joy in watching confidence grow, empowering kids to thrive in activities that matter most to them.

Take a break from the routine and treat yourself to an evening out with like-minded parents at Trailhouse! We'll start at 5:30 PM with a laid-back gathering where you can chat with other parents who share some similar values and experiences. Whether you're new to Trailhouse or a familiar face, this is a perfect opportunity to see our space and connect with others in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Details:

Date & Time: September 27th, 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Trailhouse
Dinner Reservations: The Village Anchor, 7:00 PM

RSVP on the Trailhouse website to secure your spot!

New spots available!

2-3 Year Olds:
Wednesdays: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Thursdays: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
3-5 Year Olds:
Saturdays: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Gather, Explore, Expand, and Remember with us at Trailhouse!

Tomorrow!

Join us for a free two-hour training session, Q&A, and book signing with Kelsie Olds, The OccuPlaytional Therapist.

Kelsie, one of our all-time favorite speakers and advocates for children, will be sharing their insights and expertise.

"Empowering children" is a phrase that sounds ideal: great for writing in the vision statements of schools and daycares. But in the day to day, how are adults supposed to actually attain that -- especially with students for whom power is something to grab, struggle over, or wield like a weapon?

Kelsie offers an empathetic window into children's point of view, then gives practical, everyday ways for adults to truly empower the children in their life. Whether in a family or a professional capacity, adults will walk away with ideas about how to support their children in flexing their own growing autonomy skills, while balancing everyone else's needs, too.

Date and Time: August 24th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM

Location: Trailhouse, 11303 Park Rd, 40223

Audience: This training is suitable for educational professionals, therapists, parents, and family members looking to gain valuable tools for supporting and empowering children in their care.

When you visit Trailhouse, you might notice some of our kids wearing headphones—there’s a special reason for that! They could be participating in the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), a powerful tool we’ve integrated into our practice.

We’re thrilled that two of our therapists are certified to offer the SSP. This approach helps us dive deeper into understanding the nervous system and supporting overall well-being. In a world where children and young adults increasingly need to feel safe and connected, SSP is a valuable way to nurture that sense of security.

Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, the SSP is based on his groundbreaking Polyvagal Theory. It’s designed to stimulate the vagus nerve through sound, helping clients reach a state where they feel calm, connected, and ready to thrive in therapy and life.

By fostering this calm and grounded state, the SSP creates a strong foundation for health, growth, and connection. We’re honored to offer this innovative approach to our Trailhouse community.

Trailhouse is a safe place for kids and families to ground themselves and practice the tools to feel good inside. 🌱

Opening our doors to you has been magical and oh-so-fulfilling. 🌻

Child-led, interest-based, and engaging therapy consistently delivers the best outcomes and feels most rewarding for everyone involved. Check out some of the many skills that we practiced at Trailhouse while making a simple potion or nature "soup":

Fine Motor Skills:
Strengthening hand muscles by scooping, pouring, and mixing ingredients.
Practicing dexterity and coordination while screwing on lids.

Gross Motor Skills:
Enhancing motor planning through activities like collecting creek mud and carrying buckets.

Sensory Integration:
Providing tactile input through handling various textures (mud, water, loose parts).

Executive Functioning:
Encouraging planning and organization by deciding the sequence of the potion-making process.

Hand-Eye Coordination:
Practicing precise movements by pouring water and other ingredients into containers, and collecting and scraping mud.

Expressive Language:
Descriptive language and vocabulary expansion by talking about the ingredients and steps.
Sentence formation and sequential narration.

Imagination:
Fostering creativity in the design and creation process.
Encouraging narrative skills by creating stories, different potion uses, and characters.

By letting kids lead, we get the chance to see the world through their eyes and experience the power of their creativity. Whether they communicate through words, gestures, art, music, or play, every form of expression is precious and deserves our nurturing.

We strive to listen with open hearts and minds, encouraging explorations, dreams, and discoveries without limits.

Let’s show our children that their hundred languages are always there, ready to be celebrated.

This is a fantastic opportunity for your child to explore their strengths and interests while interacting with peers. Led by therapist Abbey MacMillan.

Please email us if you're interested, as we anticipate these groups will fill up quickly.

More age-based play groups will be announced soon!

Feeling grateful for the amazing community we have at Trailhouse. This beautiful painting was given to us by one of our families and we love it so much!

Abbey MacMillan, our Speech-Language Pathologist and Director of Therapy Operations, specializes in sensory-based speech therapy and Gestalt Language Processing. Abbey embodies our Trailhouse values and has been working hard behind the scenes. Now, she's ready to take on new clients.

Building genuine connections with clients and families is at the heart of Abbey's approach. She meets everyone where they are in their journey, engaging with children holistically and recognizing their unique strengths. Abbey will be leading playgroups and offering individual speech therapy services. Feel free to email us for more information.

Interoception is our ability to sense what's happening inside our bodies. It's the foundation for understanding and managing our emotions, recognizing hunger, thirst, and even understanding when we need rest. For kids, building this awareness is crucial for their overall development and well-being.

When we learn to listen and describe body sensations, we learn to respect our own nervous system, describe what we are feeling, and advocate for tools to regulate.

This week Brenda MacMillan guided the kids through a variety of activities using ice water, warm water, and lotion to tune into their internal sensations. By encouraging them to describe these feelings using colors, shapes, drawings, and words, they were given the opportunity to articulate their sensory and emotional experiences.

Here's why this matters:
🍄 Emotional Regulation: When you can name and talk about your internal sensations, you can better feel and understand your emotions.

🍄 Self-Awareness: Understanding what our bodies are telling us helps us learn to advocate for our wants and needs.

🍄 Communication Skills: Learning to express how we feel inside improves our ability to communicate effectively.

#Interoception #Mindfulness #WellBeing

By keeping our values at the heart of our work, we ensure that every step we take is purposeful and aligned with our mission to support and uplift our community.

By focusing on connection we create meaningful interactions that foster trust, understanding, and growth.

We founded Trailhouse because our experience showed us that things can and should be better for our kids and yours. Building on the foundation of Brenda MacMillan’s 30+ years serving Louisville families, we are able to provide care and community that truly understands and advocates for the thoughts, feelings, and needs of neurodivergent kids and adults. Our understanding of neuroscience allows us to discard harmful, outdated, and ineffective methods in favor of support, advocacy, acceptance, agency, and validation. We feel incredibly lucky to have gathered these resources and we can’t wait to share our philosophy and incredible team with you.

We have been lucky enough to have found the perfect location for Trailhouse.

✔️ Flooded with natural light
✔️ Nestled by scenic trails
✔️ No cramped, windowless rooms
✔️ No waiting room
✔️ Outdoor play space
✔️ Therapy options indoors or out
✔️ A campus that sparks imagination

Trailhouse is everything but clinical - we are carefully crafting a warm, welcoming experience far from medical plazas and strip malls. It is a place that therapists, kids, and families actually want to be.

As a neurodiversity-affirming therapy and community center, we utilize a strengths-based approach to therapy, presume competence, and advocate for the well-being of our community.

Welcome to Trailhouse in Louisville, KY—your home for neurodiversity-affirming therapy, social connection, and natural exploration. Join us this summer and find the community you've been searching for!

Stay tuned for updates.

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Who can come to Trailhouse?

Trailhouse welcomes children, adolescents, and their families who are seeking strengths-based speech, occupational, play therapy, or social interaction in a supportive and inclusive environment. Our environment is designed to cater to a diverse range of needs, focusing on connection and collaboration.
What is a Play Member?

Coming soon! A Play Member is someone who has access to our adaptable play space, designed to inspire creativity and foster natural connections. Play Members can visit Trailhouse to enjoy playtime in a safe, vibrant, and comforting environment that encourages exploration and socialization. You do not have to be enrolled in therapy to become a Play Member.
What types of therapy does Trailhouse offer?

Trailhouse offers strengths-based speech, occupational, and play therapy as well as social groups based on common interests that emphasize authentic connection.
What does neurodiversity-affirming mean?

Neurodiversity-affirming care recognizes that neurodivergence is a natural variation, not a flaw to be "fixed." It embraces the unique strengths of different neurotypes and values diverse brains. At Trailhouse, we tailor our therapeutic approaches to support and celebrate various neurotypes, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Why don’t you provide ABA therapy?

ABA therapy emphasizes behavioral goals and compliance, which contrasts with our values. We prioritize a holistic approach that starts with learning about our brains, bodies, and emotional needs.
Do caregivers stay for the duration of the session?

We encourage caregiver involvement as it aligns with our holistic approach to therapy.
Do you take insurance?

At this time we are out of network with insurance providers. We've chosen to operate as private pay to maintain the integrity of our services. This approach allows us to prioritize the judgment of the caregivers, client, and therapist when determining needs, rather than deferring to insurance companies. By remaining independent, we can optimize the type, frequency, duration, and quality of therapy, offering flexible and tailored care.
Where are you located?

Trailhouse is located at 11303 Park Rd in Anchorage, KY.