Step Outside OT 

Jamie Cruz, OTR/L
Jamie is a highly respected pediatric Occupational Therapist and the founder of Step Outside OT, a concierge Occupational Therapy practice serving children and families throughout the Santa Clarita Valley, California. Jamie has cultivated a unique therapeutic approach that integrates evidence-based practice with the healing power of play, nature, and meaningful connection.

​​Over the years, Jamie has worked in a variety of traditional settings in southern California—including schools, clinics, and early intervention programs—and began to notice a disconnect between therapy goals and how children functioned in their natural environments. While progress was often seen in structured sessions, it didn’t always translate to home and family life. Caregivers often felt disconnected from their child's therapy sessions and often weren't given the education, support and guidance they needed to carry over skills learned in therapy sessions. This realization inspired her to create Step Outside OT, a practice designed to bridge that gap by meeting children and their caregivers where they naturally thrive—in familiar, real-world settings.

​Jamie is trained in Ayres Sensory Integration and has extensive experience supporting neurodivergent children with various diagnoses such as Autism, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and sensory processing differences. Her compassionate approach centers on the understanding that behavior is communication and that connection is the foundation for growth and regulation.

Beyond her private practice, Jamie is the mother of 3 children whom she homeschooled for 9 years. She has professional and personal experience navigating the IEP process in both homeschool charters and public schools. Jamie and her family are active members of their local church and community in Santa Clarita Valley.  Jamie serves on the College of the Canyons Early Childhood Education Advisory Committee, is a co-founder of the SCV Parents of Children with OCD Support Group. Jamie is a collaborative consultant for several play-based preschools in the Santa Clarita Valley, where she advocates for developmentally appropriate and inclusive practices. Jamie has co-created and presented two nationally recognized continuing education courses designed for therapists and early childhood educators—Sensory Processing in Early Education and The Benefits of Fine Motor Development in Early Education. These courses bring together clinical knowledge with practical classroom strategies, helping educators better understand and support children’s sensory and motor development.

A passionate voice for children and families, Jamie continues to build bridges between therapeutic, educational, and community systems.

In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, boating, and competing in obstacle course races—always finding inspiration in movement, nature, and play.