Our Team
Jennifer Nitz MS OTR/L
FounderI am the mother of a child with a rare disorder. I have been practicing as an occupational therapist for over 17 years in several settings including private practice, outpatient, and inpatient rehab. I have been in your shoes, searching for therapy to assist my child with being his best self and increasing his strength in order to be more independent. I opened Blossom & Grow in 2022 to bring therapeutic techniques that were only offered in top therapy centers to Florida and the surrounding areas. I have had the best time traveling the world working with many children the last several years. I continue to strive for excellence in care including new and innovative interventions that will drive for achieving family goals. I have many certifications including Dynamic Movement Intervention Intermediate B, Therapeutic Listening, Total Motion Release Tots 1, Therasuit, Trexo Robotics, and Spinal Stimulation (NISE-Stim), Task Specific Electrical Stimulation (TASES-Level 1), and more.
Jenn also serves on the board for the non-profit organization the Children’s Health Organization for Relief and Educational Services (C.H.O.R.E.S.) as the Autism Lead for rehabilitative services in the country of Grenada.
Jenn currently offers gross and fine intensives and weekly sessions in the office Monday through Friday.
Sydney Xhafellari OTD, OTR/L
My name is Sydney Xhafellari, and I am originally from Spokane, Washington. I moved to Jacksonville, Florida three years ago to pursue my Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, where I gained valuable foundational and clinical experience through coursework, fieldwork rotations, and my capstone project, Daffodil Social Club. Throughout my fieldwork experiences, I had the opportunity to work in an ABA clinic that integrated occupational therapy services, where I developed skills in addressing both behavioral and sensory needs for children across the Autism Spectrum Disorder continuum. I provided interventions targeting fine motor skills, gross motor skills, activities of daily living (including feeding and toileting), emotional regulation, cognition, social skills, and sensory processing to support each child’s functional independence and success. I also completed a fieldwork rotation at Brooks Rehabilitation specializing in hand therapy for neurological and orthopedic patients, which expanded my knowledge of fine motor function, upper extremity rehabilitation, and sensory-based treatment approaches. I am passionate about working with children and supporting families throughout their journey. I am excited to be part of what Blossom and Grow is doing and look forward to helping children grow in confidence, independence, and everyday functioning. My goal is to meet families where they are, walk alongside them every step of the way, and provide compassionate, individualized care that helps each child reach their fullest potential.
Sydney currently offers sensory and fine motor intensive and weekly session in the office Monday through Friday mornings.