About Roots Rehab
November 25, 2019 2025-02-22 6:47About Roots Rehab
Roots, a comprehensive approach to treatment.
Roots is a family-oriented atmosphere where the caregiver and child are provided with the strategies that will empower the child to thrive in his or her environment.
Our Mission
The mission of Roots Rehab is to broaden the base for children’s success.
It is the mission of Roots Rehab to broaden the base for children’s success by providing private pediatric occupational therapy services in Helena and the surrounding areas to children, birth through 18 years of age, with a variety of disabilities including autism, learning disabilities, sensory integration disorders, Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities and challenges.
Charla Banks, MOTR/L
Charla founded Roots Rehab in her hometown of Helena in 2017 to provide a place where kids and their caregivers receive a comprehensive approach to treatment, and where children are met with compassion, understanding, and a safe place to be themselves.
With over a decade of dedicated service in pediatric occupational therapy, Charla is passionate about fostering neurodevelopmental growth and enhancing sensory integration to support each child's unique journey. She is a certified DIR Floortime provider, specializing in crafting engaging, developmentally appropriate interventions that promote cognitive and social skills. While Charla’s expertise primarily revolves around neurodevelopment and sensory processing, she is also trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding, which complements her holistic care model by addressing specific feeding challenges as part of a broader therapeutic context. Her background includes coursework that equips her with advanced techniques in auditory and vestibular movement therapies, crucial for supporting emotional regulation and executive function.
After growing up in Helena, Charla completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Montana and master’s degree in occupational therapy at Loma Linda University. Through several outreach and clinical trips to Africa and Haiti, Charla developed a deep respect for all individuals and a desire to make a meaningful impact on the lives of others. Her passion for pediatrics contributed to the founding of Roots Rehab and guides her treatment philosophy today. Charla’s therapeutic approach is centered on creating personalized, evidence-based strategies that support holistic development and meaningful engagement for every child. When not in the clinic, you can find Charla hiking in the mountains, running the trails, or boating on the lake. She also enjoys spending time with her family and her two dogs.
With over a decade of dedicated service in pediatric occupational therapy, Charla is passionate about fostering neurodevelopmental growth and enhancing sensory integration to support each child's unique journey. She is a certified DIR Floortime provider, specializing in crafting engaging, developmentally appropriate interventions that promote cognitive and social skills. While Charla’s expertise primarily revolves around neurodevelopment and sensory processing, she is also trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding, which complements her holistic care model by addressing specific feeding challenges as part of a broader therapeutic context. Her background includes coursework that equips her with advanced techniques in auditory and vestibular movement therapies, crucial for supporting emotional regulation and executive function.
After growing up in Helena, Charla completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Montana and master’s degree in occupational therapy at Loma Linda University. Through several outreach and clinical trips to Africa and Haiti, Charla developed a deep respect for all individuals and a desire to make a meaningful impact on the lives of others. Her passion for pediatrics contributed to the founding of Roots Rehab and guides her treatment philosophy today. Charla’s therapeutic approach is centered on creating personalized, evidence-based strategies that support holistic development and meaningful engagement for every child. When not in the clinic, you can find Charla hiking in the mountains, running the trails, or boating on the lake. She also enjoys spending time with her family and her two dogs.
Jaclyn Allexan, MOTR/L
Jackie joined the Roots Rehab team in 2022. She specializes in the development of multiple skill areas, including fine motor skills, self-regulation skills, social participation skills, self-care skills, visual motor skills, and executive functioning skills. Jackie has also furthered her learning through coursework in the area of pediatric bowel and bladder dysfunction.
Jackie grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended Saint Louis University for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After graduation she moved to Houston, TX where she worked in an inpatient rehab hospital and in an outpatient clinic, specializing in treating those with brain injuries and other neurological conditions.
Jackie believes one of her most important skills as an occupational therapist is actively listening to her clients and their families. In order to provide the most beneficial treatment to them, she utilizes this information to advise and adapt her approach. Jackie sees it as a privilege to be a part of her clients’ stories, and she loves to see their skills grow over their course of occupational therapy.
When she is not working, Jackie can be found hiking with her husband and dog, snuggling with her cat, knitting, cooking, and gardening.
Jackie grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended Saint Louis University for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After graduation she moved to Houston, TX where she worked in an inpatient rehab hospital and in an outpatient clinic, specializing in treating those with brain injuries and other neurological conditions.
Jackie believes one of her most important skills as an occupational therapist is actively listening to her clients and their families. In order to provide the most beneficial treatment to them, she utilizes this information to advise and adapt her approach. Jackie sees it as a privilege to be a part of her clients’ stories, and she loves to see their skills grow over their course of occupational therapy.
When she is not working, Jackie can be found hiking with her husband and dog, snuggling with her cat, knitting, cooking, and gardening.
Morgan Bond OTD,OTR/L
Morgan joined Roots Rehab in 2023 where she specializes in feeding and oral motor skills, and working with a wide range of pediatric occupational therapy areas, including emotional regulation, fine motor skills, gross motor coordination, sensory processing, self-care routines, executive functioning, and social skill development.
Morgan, originally from Butte, Montana, earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Mary and has been practicing since 2021. During school, she conducted research examining the impacts of BMI on coordination skills, deepening her expertise in pediatric motor development. For her doctoral capstone, Morgan held a faculty role focused on enhancing the school’s pediatric curriculum, where she developed engaging lectures, designed exams, and facilitated interactive lab sessions. Passionate about building strong connections with families, Morgan believes therapy is most effective when caregivers feel empowered, understood, and actively involved. She strives to make every session engaging, functional, and tailored to each child’s unique strengths and needs.
Outside of work, Morgan enjoys spending time with her husband and their black lab. Together, they love exploring the outdoors through hiking, fly fishing, skiing, and traveling.
Morgan, originally from Butte, Montana, earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Mary and has been practicing since 2021. During school, she conducted research examining the impacts of BMI on coordination skills, deepening her expertise in pediatric motor development. For her doctoral capstone, Morgan held a faculty role focused on enhancing the school’s pediatric curriculum, where she developed engaging lectures, designed exams, and facilitated interactive lab sessions. Passionate about building strong connections with families, Morgan believes therapy is most effective when caregivers feel empowered, understood, and actively involved. She strives to make every session engaging, functional, and tailored to each child’s unique strengths and needs.
Outside of work, Morgan enjoys spending time with her husband and their black lab. Together, they love exploring the outdoors through hiking, fly fishing, skiing, and traveling.
Kyle Osborne, Client Care Coordinator
Paula Banks, Insurance and Billing Coordinator
