Brenda Chilstrom, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist, feeding specialist, and 2025 Early Intervention Master Clinician Award recipient. She supports parents who are trying to help their children regulate big feelings, big bodies, and big reactions—without feeling like everything turns into a power struggle.
Brenda is the founder of That Makes Sense OT and the creator of Raising Curious Eaters, a parent community built around her Eating with EASE framework, which helps families understand the sensory, emotional, and nervous system foundations of eating and daily routines. She is also the co-creator of The Ultimate Preschool Playbook, a training program that helps early childhood educators use connection, movement, and practical structure to support regulation in real classrooms.
At the heart of Brenda’s work is a simple but often overlooked truth: regulation is not stillness—it’s movement, rhythm, and felt safety. She helps parents recognize when children aren’t “misbehaving,” but instead communicating through their nervous systems.
Known for her warm, relatable style, Brenda translates sensory science into clear, doable strategies parents can use immediately—helping children feel safe in their bodies, supported in their emotions, and confident enough to explore, learn, and grow.
