Hi, I’m Kara Johnson, OTR/L. I am honored and so excited to bring Shine Therapies for Kids to the Fergus Falls community! This clinic has been a long-time dream of mine, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to finally see it come to life. God is so good.  

I earned my master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND in 2007. Shortly after graduation, my husband and I moved to Soldotna, Alaska, where we spent 7 wonderful years growing our family and building our careers. During that time, I worked in a beautiful private pediatric therapy practice, which deepened my passion for helping children learn new skills and thrive.

In 2014, our family returned to Fergus Falls, my husband’s hometown, and we have loved reconnecting with the community. Since then, I have worked in the pediatric therapy department at the hospital, as well as with the Special Education Cooperative and currently the Fergus Falls Public Schools. These experiences have brought so much joy and have given me the experience of working with children in many different settings and throughout all stages of development.

Over the years, I have continued to grow as a therapist through advanced training in Reflex Integration, SOS Approach to Feeding, The Alert Program for Self-Regulation, Kinesio Taping, Zones of Regulation, Mindfulness, developmental interventions, and more!

At Shine Therapies for Kids, my heart and my goal is to create a supportive, individualized, and family-centered environment where children can build the skills they need to succeed in daily life. I believe every child was created with a unique purpose, and I am honored to walk alongside families as we help each child shine from the inside out.