About NeuroFoundations
Looking Beneath the Struggle to Build Stronger Foundations
NeuroFoundations is a neurodevelopmental occupational therapy practice serving children, teens and adults in the Chicago area. We look beyond individual symptoms and behaviors to understand how nervous-system regulation, sensory processing, reflex maturation, movement and other developmental foundations may be influencing everyday function.
Our goal is to help individuals build stronger neurologic foundations so they have greater capacity for regulation, learning, movement, independence and meaningful participation in everyday life.
When You Know There Has to Be More to the Story
You know your child is capable, yet everyday experiences can require more effort than they should. Maybe they know the coping strategies but can't access them when plans change, frustration builds, or the day becomes overwhelming. You are left wondering, “If they know what to do, why can't they do it when they need it?”
Or maybe you see it in movement. Riding a bike, catching a ball, navigating playground equipment, or mastering handwriting takes far more practice than expected—and even with practice, their body still struggles to put the pieces together.
Different challenges can leave parents with the same feeling: something is still missing. At NeuroFoundations, we start by asking what may be making regulation, movement, learning, or everyday participation require so much effort.
Understanding What’s Driving the Struggle
Behavior, movement, attention, and learning do not happen in isolation. They depend on the nervous system’s ability to take in information, organize it, and create an effective response. When foundational systems are not working together efficiently, higher-level skills can require much more effort.
At NeuroFoundations, we consider how nervous system regulation, sensory processing, reflex maturation, postural control, and movement work together to support everyday function. Rather than focusing only on the behavior or skill that is difficult, we work to understand what may be making it difficult.
This allows us to build treatment around the individual—not a diagnosis, a single reflex, or a predetermined program.
How Neurofoundations Began
NeuroFoundations grew from a question I kept asking throughout my career as a special education teacher, occupational therapist, and parent: Why can a child understand what they need to do, practice the skill, and still struggle to consistently do it?
My early occupational therapy training in sensory integration helped me understand how the nervous system influences movement, attention, and participation. But both professionally and as a parent, I continued to encounter children who were working incredibly hard without making the progress we expected. I wanted to better understand what else might be influencing their development.
That search led me deeper into neurodevelopment and reflex maturation, eventually becoming a Certified MNRI Core Specialist. Over time, I began bringing these concepts together with sensory integration, movement, regulation, and occupational therapy clinical reasoning. NeuroFoundations grew from that broader perspective: strengthen the neurologic foundations supporting a skill, rather than focusing only on the skill that is difficult.
Misti Peppler, M.S., OTR/L
Founder | Occupational Therapist | Certified MNRI Core Specialist
Meet the Founder
Experience and Specialized Training
25+ years of experience
Occupational therapist
Former special education teacher
Certified MNRI Core Specialist
530+ hours of MNRI coursework
288 hours of supervised clinical observation/practice
Advanced experience in sensory integration, neurodevelopment, reflex maturation and to:
We Don’t Look At One System in Isolation
Development depends on multiple systems working together. Regulation influences attention. Sensory processing affects reflex maturation, movement, and behavior. Reflex maturation supports postural control and coordination. Movement, in turn, creates opportunities for learning, exploration, and greater independence.
That is why we don’t assume that one diagnosis, retained reflex, or sensory difference explains everything we see. We look for patterns across nervous system regulation, sensory processing, reflex functioning, movement, and everyday performance to understand where greater support may be needed.
Most importantly, we keep the focus on function. We treat the person—not the reflex, diagnosis, or test result. The goal is to strengthen the foundations that help each individual participate more successfully in the activities, relationships, and routines that matter in everyday life.
A Little More About Me
Outside the clinic, I recharge by spending time outdoors—gardening, hiking, or simply enjoying a little sunshine. I love dark chocolate, a good book, traveling somewhere new, and time spent with the people who matter most to me.
I'm naturally curious and usually learning something new, whether it relates to neuroscience and development or has absolutely nothing to do with work. That curiosity, along with creativity, connection, and a healthy sense of humor, is also part of what I bring into the therapy room.
Ready to Move from Surviving to Thriving?
You don’t need to know whether sensory processing, reflex development, nervous system regulation, movement, or another neurodevelopmental factor is contributing to what you’re seeing. That’s what we’re here to help you understand.
Start with a conversation about what you’re noticing, what you’ve already tried, and what you hope will become easier.