Nurturing Water Therapies’ mission is to nurture the human body and spirit of those who are health challenged. Our services complement your existing therapies and treatment.
We help people of all ages with sensory, developmental, neurological, physical or other health challenges.
We know what it’s like to have loved ones who require life-long care and we are impassioned to help you.
Sandy Karlek, owner of Nurturing Water Therapies, has a BA in Communication/Recreation and is certified in both Aquatic Therapy and Exercise Therapy. She has over 25 years of experience in aquatics working with a diverse group of clients, across all ages, with various congenital or acquired health challenges. With a child of her own with special needs, she also has firsthand experience in behavioral, sensory and developmental challenges. Sandy’s innovative water-based therapy, water safety techniques, and exercise programs are individually created to best fit the needs of each individual. For more about how Sandy got started and more, please read her blog.
Daniela (Dani) Garmendia is passionate, self-motivated, disciplined, enthusiastic, resilient, and goal oriented. Originally from Venezuela, Daniela swam for many years with the Venezuelan synchronized swimming National team, and currently is the assistant coach to the US National team. She graduated from Lindenwood University in 2017 with a Bachelors in Athletic Training. She has been a swim instructor and lifeguard for over 8 years and has worked with people of all ages and abilities. Her patience, experience and creative nature is demonstrated as she works with the wide range of clients in the pool.
Jenny Petty has been teaching swim lessons for over 25 years. She grew up a swimmer and love the water and have a passion for teaching kids how to swim. She is enthusiastic, patient, motivated to give children of all ages and abilities a quality water experience. Her specialty is working with children with special needs. She loves seeing them accomplish a skill and it warms her heart when the light bulb comes on and they feel safe and confident in the water.
Bekah June began swimming competitively in her childhood and continued throughout high school. She has several years of experience both as a lifeguard and a coach. Though she enjoys the sport, her true passion is education. She has experience instructing swimmers of all ages and abilities. Most recently, Bekah worked as an early childhood educator. She is passionate about aquatics and rehabilitation and is looking forward to sharing these passions with adults and children in a therapeutic setting.
Katie Weitering is from Tennessee where she graduated with a degree in Behavioral Psychology from the University of Tennessee. The past two years she worked as an ABA Technician and currently is a Life Coach for young adults with ASD. She has over two decades of personal experience with males on the Autism Spectrum and Intellectual Disabilities. Her professional experience has centered around adolescent with challenging behaviors. She wholeheartedly believes that aquatic experiences can do something for our loved ones with disabilities that almost no other recreation activity can provide.
Ryan Rebosa is compassionate, committed and competent. Originally from the Philippines, which is surrounded by water and beaches, Ryan learned to swim at an early age and has been swimming laps during his day offs. He is a Physical Therapist and has been practicing in the Philippines since 2011 handling cases such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, autism and many more. He is currently working on getting his license for the State of Washington as well as his certification in Aquatic Therapy. He is looking forward to sharing his experiences and skills with the NWT Team.
Carlie grew up loving water and swam competitively until high school. Now she swims for fun and coaches high school swimming. Within that, she has produced a few state titles and has had swimmers break state records. She is also a kinesiology student at Lake Washington Technical College and enjoys practicing her kines skills in and out of the water. She is excited to combine her two passions and work with clients both with adaptive swim lessons and aquatic therapy at Nurturing Water Therapies.
Leslie Lewis’ education and initial career path was in public relations and marketing, but life and her beautiful autistic daughter took her in 2005 into special education. Since then, she has worked as a para-educator with children and young people with special needs. Leslie enjoys spending her free time with her family, in her garden, and out on the golf course.