TESTIMONIALS ABOUT OUR WORK

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"My son has low functioning autism and has been with Stacy for four years. Liam came out of his world and connected with Stacy. She taught him how to enjoy the water and be safe in it. She has shown him that he is special, important and valued. We love Stacy and the impact Stacy has had on our family."

"My son has autism and loves the water, so getting him to learn basic water safety skills has always been a concern for us. Stacy is patient, kind, and provides the structure that my son needed to learn those safety skills and we are thrilled! We cannot thank her enough for all he has learned! She explains her approach, what skills she is working on and why. We love working with her and look forward to continuing services with Sea Star Aquatics! We can't recommend her enough. Thank you, Stacy and Clara!"

"Harry has been working with Sea Star Aquatics and Clara for almost a year now. When he first started, he wouldn't even put his face in the water. Now not only he is able to swim independently, he really enjoys swimming as an recreational activity. He is getting physically stronger, better balanced, and even talking more. This really means a lot to the family!

"I was in a terrible car accident in 2002 and my doctors thought I'd never walk again after I had my Traumatic Brain Surgery & I was so bummed out & sad, it took me awhile & then I decided, Yes I will attend some Aquatic recreation therapy, & Amazingly enough! I actually did re-learn to walk!,& I proved those doctors WRONG!! Thank God, I survived! & got the best therapist ever in my opinion- Stacy Smith, in the warm springs pool @ the Bellevue Aquatic Center!, yes you can too! Believe me! talk about a water therapist being an Angel!!(A+) from me!"

"Clara is absolutely the best adaptive swimming instructor we could ask for our son, Jonny, who has autism. She has the perfect balance of being patient, joyful and warm and at the same time pushing and encouraging him to make progress. Clara is very creative in finding ways to keep Jonny engaged and motivated, for example brining in a peer to model going underwater. We couldn’t be happier with the striking progress Jonny has been making with Clara. When Jonny started at Sea Star Aquatics he couldn’t stand having his ears wet. Now he’s the happiest kid floating on his back, and already thinking about his next goal – swimming to the bottom of the pool. The feeling of achievement and joy Jonny is leaving his lessons with Clara is priceless. It's because of her that Jonny is getting braver, improving his skills and of course having fun and feeling proud. We love Clara and couldn't recommend her enough."

"When I came to Stacy in the fall of 2016 for help passing a float test, I hadn’t swam in 12 years. I have been paralyzed from the chest down since I was 16 and, based on 2 swim lessons shortly after my accident, combined with my horror of being seen in a bathing suit, I adamantly refused to give swimming a try. I did want to try kayaking, though, and was required to pass a float test first. With Stacy, we started out slow, sitting on a bench, doing basic exercises until I became more comfortable in the water. By the time I was able to pass my float test, I had fallen in love with swimming. Even when I first started with Stacy, I never imagined that I would go to the pool for lap swim all by myself once a week. Through swimming, I have gained an incredible amount of confidence in my body. I grew up swimming in Puget Sound and it is simply so exciting to get in the water with my friends again."

"Our son started Aquatic Recreation Therapy with Stacy 11 years ago! She is amazing and our son's continued enthusiasm for his weekly sessions is a testimony to the engaging and enriching work Stacy provides. My son has a developmental disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Stacy set high expectations for him and provides a holistic approach that focuses on all aspects of continued healthy development. She shows him respect and really takes the time to connect with him. She provides a delicate balance of encouraging independence while   teaching safe and appropriate boundaries. The gains he has achieved over the years are immeasurable and we are incredibly grateful for her continued dedication and commitment to providing such a enriching experience for our son."

"Stacy's work with my son in Aquatic recreation therapy has benefited him in so many ways. He has gained loads of confidence in the water and he is now safe in the pool. Swimming has become something he takes pride in. The water helps to regulate him and give him clues to where is body is in space. The regulation helps him to process and focus on what he is learning in the swim lesson, and what is being said asked of him. Our family became members at a local community pool near our home this summer and it was so pleasant for us as parents to have ALL our kids swimming safely in the pool, socializing with other kids, and interacting as part of the community there. Stacy has a way with kids, to get the best effort from them and at the same time be their biggest cheerleader. We are THRILLED with our son's progress!"