Words by Cooper Kirkpatrick | Images by Al Blanton

Growing up, Taylor Abbott was surrounded by occupational therapy. Both her mother and grandmother worked in the field, and she often tagged along to work with them, gaining an early window into the care, patience, and problem-solving involved in helping children and individuals with disabilities build greater independence. From a young age, she knew she wanted to do something similar.

“Getting to watch my mom help those kids gain independence and hearing the way she talked about them shaped my understanding of her work, which is when I decided it was something I was interested in doing too,” Taylor says. 

She attended Bevill State Community College, where she balanced school with babysitting jobs and continued learning by spending time with her mother, Wendy Henderson, and observing her work whenever she could. During that same season of life, she also met her husband, Elijah, whom she married in 2023.

After graduating from The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Occupational Therapy program in 2024, Taylor began working at No Limits Therapy in Jasper, where she remains today. There, she works closely with children to assess their needs and support their growth in fine motor skills, play, academics, and everyday tasks. The work is highly individualized, and Taylor values that deeply. To her, every child is different, and every session requires a thoughtful, personal approach.

“In occupational therapy, the word ‘occupational’ refers to any meaningful activities that people need or want to do each day,” Taylor explains. “Our goal is to promote occupational balance, which means supporting our clients in participating in a balance of daily occupations such as self care, play, academics, sleep for overall wellness, and independence. It’s very broad, but we take special care to address every child as they come.”

Outside the clinic, Taylor sings in church choirs alongside her husband, and that love of music has found its way into her work as well. She enjoys incorporating music into therapy to help children find rhythm, movement, and engagement in ways that feel natural and encouraging.

In many ways, Taylor has found work that fits her perfectly, combining compassion, creativity, and a longstanding desire to help children grow more independent and confident in their everyday lives. 78