ERIKA VALDES - PEDIATRIC THERAPIST MIAMI

This is the space where therapy meets creativity and where both children and adults can grow with intention, in the body, in the home, and in the soil.

Here, growth isn’t just physical , it’s emotional, creative, and deeply personal. It happens when a child strengthens their confidence through play, when a family creates small moments of calm together, or when someone slows down long enough to plant a meaningful intention and finally breathe again.

Play2Learn Plant2Grow by @lasucculenta was created from a simple truth: we all grow better when we’re connected to ourselves, to each other, and to the world around us.

I’m Erika Valdes, a pediatric occupational therapist, educator, and lifelong believer in the power of curiosity, creativity, and care. 

For more than 15 years, I’ve worked with children and families to find joy in progress rather than perfection.

Over time, I began to see that the same principles that help children regulate and thrive movement, mindfulness, and gentle consistency are just as powerful for adults. They help us slow down, heal, and return to our own rhythm.

What began as therapy has evolved into a practice of intentional living, a space where play, plants, and purpose meet.

What We Believe

• Growth begins with awareness and gentle action.
  
  
• Connection, not pressure, creates real change.
  
  
• Every environment, the body, the home, the soil, can become a place to thrive.
  

If you’re ready to bring more connection into your body, your home, and your daily life, you’re in the right place.

Each step you take, every mindful pause, every seed planted with intention, becomes part of your story of growth.

Welcome to Play2Learn Plant2Grow by @lasucculenta where we plant intentions, nurture their growth, and bring to life the visions we’ve been carrying all along.

I grew up navigating the world through the lens of ADHD, anxiety, and depression,  always feeling like I had to work twice as hard to keep up, to stay focused, to feel “normal.” 

My mind was busy, my emotions were big, and for a long time I didn’t understand why simple things felt so heavy.

Like many of the kids and adults I work with now, I thought something was wrong with me, that I just needed to try harder or be more disciplined. But the truth is, I didn’t need to fix myself. I needed to learn how to work with my mind and my body, not against them.



Everything changed when I discovered how movement, creativity, and nature helped me regulate, focus, and reconnect. That’s why I do what I do today, because I know firsthand how powerful it is to have the right tools, the right space, and the right kind of support.

Here’s what I believe: Growth happens when we engage the body, the mind, and the heart, when we allow play, purpose, and presence to guide the way.

It’s possible to feel grounded, inspired, and connected when you have the right tools, environment, and support, whether that means helping your child thrive through movement or helping yourself reconnect through mindful rituals.

I’m a “hands in the dirt, heart on my sleeve” kind of therapist and educator — equal parts structure and soul. 

I’ve spent over 15 years helping children strengthen their focus, confidence, and regulation, while guiding families and adults to rediscover calm, creativity, and purpose in their everyday routines.

And I’ve helped myself, too. Living with ADHD, anxiety, and depression taught me firsthand how important it is to have strategies that actually work in real life not just on paper. The same tools and practices I teach today are the ones that helped me find my rhythm, restore balance, and reconnect to joy.

Why should you trust me? 

Because I’ve seen what happens when people are given the right tools and a nurturing environment, children who once avoided handwriting now beam with pride at their work, families who once felt overwhelmed now move through their days with more ease, and adults who once felt disconnected now find healing in simple rituals that bring them back to themselves.

Everything I teach, I’ve lived. My mission is to help you grow, in the body, in the home, and in the soil through practices that feel authentic, achievable, and alive.

I wasn’t always where I am today. In fact, I used to live completely disconnected from my rhythm, constantly trying to manage my racing mind, my overflowing to-do list, and the pressure to show up perfectly for everyone around me. 

When I began blending movement, sensory awareness, and mindful rituals, both in my sessions and in my own life, everything shifted. Children started thriving through play, families began finding calm in small daily moments, and I found healing in the act of planting and caring for something living.

That’s the heart of Play2Learn Plant2Grow by @lasucculenta, the understanding that therapy and creativity aren’t separate paths. They’re two ways of returning to yourself, grounding your energy, and remembering that growth can be both structured and soulful.

Since starting my practice…

I’ve helped children and adults grow in ways that feel natural and lasting, children building confidence and focus through play, and adults rediscovering calm, creativity, and purpose through hands-on rituals and connection with nature. Together, we’ve strengthened bodies, nurtured minds, and planted intentions that continue to thrive long after our sessions end.

When I’m not guiding others to grow, you’ll find me saying yes to an adventure, wandering through a local nursery, thrifting for vintage planters, or turning an ordinary day into something a little more magical.

Let’s work together to bring more connection, balance, and intention into your life, helping your child thrive through play and helping you rediscover your own rhythm through mindful, creative practices.

Ready to begin your growth journey? Book a free discovery call today and let’s plant the first seed together.