MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) – For more than 26 years, Therapy Services has offered occupational, physical and speech therapy. And it added an Autism Center and reading therapy in August 2023.

During an open house on Nov. 19, the business opened its doors to the community to experience its brand-new sensory gym.

“It’s helpful for young kids, teens, adults, anyone that really needs it,” said Lindsey Elliot, who is an occupational therapist and certified autism specialist. “There’s differing sensory needs. So some people really need that deep pressure input as well as the vestibular input through the swing and the slide. So we’re able to offer that here as well as reflex integration. Working on reciprocal movements, and integrating some of those primitive reflexes with the rock wall, the ninja ramp, and stairs and different things like that.”

Although many of the sensory gym is able to accommodate everyone’s needs, including teenagers, adults and those who are not on the autism spectrum.

“Some of our kiddos who can’t tolerate kind of all of the input, we have an underneath deck that’s dark, with motion-activated LED lights so they can kind of go in there. There’s a bean bag chair, there’s a ball pit and they can kind of get some of that quiet, away from the distractions and we also have a bubble tube. We can turn the lights off in here and be kind of quiet without any lights or loud noises,” said Elliott.

Some of the other therapy services provided extend outside of the building and promote independence in the community.

“We offer community integration, getting out into the community. Going to the grocery stores, going shopping, going out to eat at restaurants, trying to navigate life outside of, you know, four walls of the clinic.”

Across their three locations, therapy officials see hundreds of clients each week, including adults, like those who have had strokes and other brain injuries.