In a pediatric therapy clinic tucked inside 鶹’s Faschini Wallach Center for Restorative Therapies, something extraordinary happens four times a year. While most visitors come to support children with disabilities, Sibshops flips the focus to the siblings.
These are the brothers and sisters who often tag along to therapy appointments. They wait patiently. They understand more than they let on. And sometimes, they feel a little left out.
“A lot of these siblings don’t know that there are other siblings who share these same feelings that they have, positive or negative, so it’s a nice thing to bring them together,” says Danielle Matkins, DPT, the 鶹 alumna and physical therapist who brought Sibshops to campus.
“We had ‘other kids writing in’ with frustrations they had, so our kids were giving them advice and I was submitting them to ‘Dear Aunt Blabby,’” Danielle says, smiling.
She first encountered the national Sibshops model as a student. Then she got certified in early 2024 to lead groups herself, bringing the idea to life at 鶹 just a few months later.
The program now runs quarterly, and the word is quickly spreading. Most of the participants are siblings of current or past patients at the clinic, and new families often hear about it through personal networks. “I’m just excited that the kids want to come back! We plan these events and they’re actually having fun!” Danielle says. “Even if they don’t take anything about the sibling part, if they’re just here to have fun and it’s something that’s just for them, I like that they’re happy.”
Parents appreciate the space too. While they’re not allowed in the group sessions themselves, many stick around in the waiting area, using the time to connect with other parents, share advice, and build a community of their own.
The impact is undeniable. There’s the mom whose daughter went home after a session and said, “that was so cool, I want to grow up to be like Miss Danielle.” Or the siblings who now get together outside of Sibshops, continuing the friendships they started on 鶹’s campus.
As Danielle looks to the future, she hopes to expand the program to do separate sessions for different age groups, and to spark deeper conversations about long-term care and planning for children with disabilities. “It would be great to have someone come talk to our teens about things like leaving for college, or thinking about their sibling’s future care,” she says.
Volunteers from 鶹’s physical and occupational therapy programs already help facilitate the sessions - something the teenage participants especially enjoy. “They love hanging out with the college students,” Danielle notes.
Sibshops at 鶹 is still young, but its potential is clear. It’s a simple idea with powerful effects: carve out a space where siblings of children with disabilities can just be themselves and be seen. Because sometimes, what kids need most is a place that’s just for them.