Our Angelfish Aquatic Therapy sessions are life-changing for people with special needs or disabilities.
We use the therapeutic properties of water to optimize therapy goals. Through aquatic therapy we can treat many areas at once including:
Our aquatic therapists are highly trained Occupational and Physical Therapists, including specialized credentials in pediatric and adult rehabilitation. They are also certified in the Swim Whisperers® Method, and are specifically trained to work with individuals with a wide range of disabilities, including physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities and will adapt sessions to meet the unique needs of each client, while prioritizing safety.
Is Aquatic Therapy Right For My Child?
Aquatic therapy can be a valuable tool for children with various conditions. If you are currently doing land-based therapy, Aquatic therapy can add a new dimension to what you are currently working on. Working in the water can not only support your land-based therapies but can help you take progress to the next level using the therapeutic properties of the water.
Here are some common signs that your child may benefit from this specialized therapy:
How Does Aquatic Therapy Work?
Aquatic Therapy leverages the therapeutic properties of water. By performing exercises and treatment progressions in a water environment, therapists can target specific muscle groups and address a range of physical and sensory motor challenges.
Therapists use the water to regulate the sensory system, while incorporating functional skills. Our aquatic therapists with OT/PT knowledge and training, work on increasing muscle flexibility, strength, coordination, balance reactions and gross motor skills that might be too hard for your child to perform on land.
Aquatic therapy enhances traditional land-based therapy by offering a unique environment that helps reinforce and strengthen the progress made on land. After aquatic therapy sessions, we often see children achieve more intense core strengthening with greater comfort compared to when they are on land working with their therapy team.
What is the difference between Aquatic Therapy and Adaptive Swim?
Aquatic Therapy uses the therapeutic properties of water to improve physical and cognitive function. Here, the focus is on therapeutic goals, like improving motor skills or balance.
Adaptive swim lessons, on the other hand, are about teaching people with disabilities or special needs how to swim safely and more independently. These lessons are led by specially trained instructors, not therapists, and typically aren’t covered by insurance.
Aquatic therapy differs from adaptive swim, as it provides targeted exercises and sensory input for optimal self-regulation, empowering individuals of all ages and abilities to reach their full potential.
Find a Pool Near You
Swim Angelfish offers Angelfish aquatic therapy and Swim Whisperers swim lessons in multiple locations including:
- Fairfield County, CT
- Westchester County & Rockland County, NY
- Middlesex County & Norfolk County, MA
- Rockingham County, NH
Aquatic Therapy
Pricing varies depending on the type of service and session length. You can review detailed rate information, including private, semi-private, and group options, on our Pricing page.
Scholarships are available for both Swim Whisperers® Swim Lessons and Angelfish Aquatic Therapy sessions through our partner foundations. You can learn more about available programs and find application links in the Scholarships section of our Pricing page.
Wait List (New – Jane Feature)
The Wait List is for families who want to be notified when an opening becomes available.
- Alerts are based on your selected location(s) and general availability
- This is best for families who can accept openings on shorter notice
- Joining the Wait List may help you get started sooner while you wait for a recurring spot
Permanent Openings List (Previously referred to as the “Waitlist”)
The Permanent Openings List is for families looking for a consistent, weekly lesson time.
- This is for permanent, recurring openings
- Once placed, the weekly spot is yours as long as lessons continue
What happened to the Standby List?
We are no longer using the term Standby List. The Standby List has been renamed to the Wait List (to match the updated scheduling system terminology).
We’ve designed our intake process to make getting started with Aquatic Therapy as simple and transparent as possible. Here’s a quick guide to how it all works.
1. Start by Completing the Interest Form
The Interest Form is the first step for every new household. It tells our office team:
- The service type you’re interested in (Aquatic Therapy, Swim Lessons, or both)
- Your preferred service region and pool locations
- Your availability
- Your communication preferences (email, phone, text)
Once you submit the form, our scheduling team reviews it and begins matching you with the best options.
2. Create Your Jane Account (Client Portal)
After you submit the Interest Form, you or someone from our office creates a Jane account for your swimmer. Either way, you’ll receive an email invitation to verify your email and set your password. Your Jane account is your personal Client Portal where you can:
- View your swimmer’s profile
- Fill out intake forms
- Book drop-in sessions (if applicable)
- Receive appointment reminders
- Update your contact information
- Securely add a credit card
3. Choose How You Want to Receive Openings
All households are automatically placed on our Permanent Openings List based on the date their Interest Form is submitted. This places your swimmer in a queue for private Aquatic Therapy sessions.
Our office will reach out when an Evaluation can be scheduled. If you take no further action, you will be contacted only when a permanent weekly spot becomes available that matches your availability. Once placed, the spot is yours for as long as therapy continues.
If you would like additional opportunities to get started sooner, you can choose to receive drop-in Aquatic Therapy openings through our Wait List.
You must have an evaluation completed before you can sign up for drop-in Aquatic Therapy openings.
4. Drop-In Wait List Notifications
If your schedule is flexible and you’re eager to begin, we can add you to our Drop-In Wait List.
This option is available only to clients who have completed an evaluation within the last 12 months.
Households on this list receive alerts for one-time Aquatic Therapy openings that become available due to cancellations, while still remaining on the Permanent Openings List.
Tip: Keep your preferred pool location and availability up to date so we can match you quickly. Flexibility is key in scheduling.
5. Booking Your Appointment
Once your Jane account (Client Portal) is active, you can:
- Book a drop-in session (if you opted in)
- Cancel or reschedule appointments
- Accept a permanent spot offered by our team
- Manage your appointments directly through your portal
Our goal is to give you as much control and clarity as possible.
If you have questions about the Interest Form, your Jane account, or the Wait List options, our team is always happy to walk you through the process.
Aquatic therapy is performed by specially trained Physical therapists and Occupational therapists. We use the therapeutic properties of the water to enhance our treatment and provide core strengthening, increased flexibility and range of motion, integrate primitive reflexes, improve coordination, improve dynamic balance and promote sensory integration.
The main difference between Aquatic Therapy and OT or PT is that we can treat multiple areas at once using the therapeutic properties of the water to enhance treatment.
While Aquatic Therapy can work on similar goals to traditional OT and PT, the therapeutic properties of the water add a motivating sensory element that cannot be replicated on land. With your skin being your largest organ and the water surrounding your entire body, we have an element of deep pressure that cannot be replicated. When these properties are incorporated into the therapeutic handling that we do, the client is able to multitask on multiple systems, all at the same time. The best part about it is that it is fun, motivating and prepares your child for a lifelong skill of more comfort and independence in the water.
We are considered an out-of-network provider.
We bill the services as outpatient as either Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy, depending on which therapist provides the treatment. Please check with your insurance provider to determine what if anything is covered. The billing code for individual therapy is 97113.
For all other health insurance-related questions please visit the Insurance tab in our FAQ section.
No, you do not need a script for services in the states of MA, NH, CT and NY. But it can help to get one from your child’s doctor if you are planning on submitting for reimbursement to help justify services.
Your therapist will email it to you within 2-3 weeks of the initial evaluation.
Email your therapist directly to get a letter of justification, please allow 1-2 weeks for this to be completed. You can also ask your child’s MD to write one as well.
The Payment is due at the time of service. Once you register, we ask that you enter a credit card into your account. We use a secure system that stores your credit card information before your first session. We will charge your card on file within 24 hours of your service.
For any other payment or billing related questions, refer to the ‘Billing’ tab in our FAQ section.
For both aquatic therapy and Swim Whisperers, we offer Private, Semi-Private (2 children), or Group (3-4) sessions. Generally, children start with private sessions to establish basic skills, then work their way up to semi-private and group sessions, which offer increased social interaction benefits.
To enroll in our Swim Whisperers® Swim Lessons or Angelfish Aquatic Therapy sessions, please start by visiting our Get Started page and submitting the Interest Form.
We will contact you to find a time and instructor that works best for your child.
