Nurturing Water Therapies, LLC

What Nurturing Water Therapies, LLC does

Nurturing Water Therapies, LLC is a privately-held, founder-operated aquatic therapy practice founded in 2015 by Sandy Karlek and headquartered in Mercer Island, Washington. The company delivers one-on-one adaptive swim lessons, aquatic therapy, and therapeutic exercise programs at four partner pool facilities across the Seattle metropolitan area (Bellevue, Mercer Island, Tukwila, and Seattle). Its primary client base is families of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other sensory, developmental, neurological, or physical challenges, where drowning prevention is a critical and time-sensitive need. Sessions are priced at $70 per 25-minute block (effective May 1, 2025), offered at least 50% below comparable physical and occupational therapy fees, with no insurance billing accepted but FSA payments and discounted rates for additional family members available.

The business operates through a multi-revenue-stream model: in-person adaptive swim and therapy sessions at partner pools, an online certification course storefront (individual courses at $63, comprehensive certification at $175), 4-hour in-person group water safety training at $1,000 per session for swim schools and recreation centers, and the annual Tides of Inclusion Conference ($365–$700 per participant, capped at 20 attendees). The conference is co-founded with All Can Swim Idaho and hosted at Lake Union Swim Academy in Seattle. Distribution relies heavily on founder-led content marketing (an extensive blog covering aquatic therapy for autism, chronic pain, Parkinson's, TBI, pregnancy, and water safety), referral networks with medical providers and special needs organizations, and national speaking engagements with the US Swim School Association. The company's underlying "technology" is the application of warm-water properties (buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, resistance) combined with proprietary adaptive swim lesson methodology and customized therapeutic exercise protocols; it does not maintain a software platform or mobile application, but uses a third-party scheduling system (Mytime) and a WooCommerce-powered course storefront.

Name

Nurturing Water Therapies, LLC

Legal name

Nurturing Water Therapies, LLC

Website

https://nurturingwatertherapies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nurturing Water Therapies is a Bellevue, WA-based aquatic therapy practice founded in 2015, providing one-on-one adaptive swim lessons and therapeutic exercise to neurodivergent individuals and families across four Seattle-area partner pools, plus online certification courses and an annual conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquatic Therapy Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatic Physical Therapy & Hydrotherapy (HSADAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)

Keywords

• Aquatic therapy services
• Adaptive swim lessons
• Therapeutic exercise programs
• Water safety training
• Aquatic instructor certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Mercer Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Therapeutic Service Sessions: One-on-one adaptive swim lessons and therapeutic exercise sessions billed per session. Services provided at partner pool facilities. Does not accept insurance; clients pay out of pocket but fees are at least 50% less than physical and occupational therapists.
2. Online Training Courses: Sale of online certification courses for swim instructors, therapists, and caregivers. Includes free introductory courses and paid certification programs ranging from $63 to $175.
3. In-Person Staff Training: 4-hour group water safety training for swim schools, recreation centers, or organizations at $1,000 per session.
4. Conference Registration: Tides of Inclusion Conference registration fees at $365 per participant or $700 for two participants from the same organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nurturing Water Therapies provides one-on-one adaptive swim lessons and low-impact therapeutic aquatic exercise for individuals with sensory, developmental, neurological, physical, or behavioral challenges, delivered at partner pool facilities across the Seattle metropolitan area. The company also offers online certification courses and in-person staff training for aquatic professionals teaching adaptive swim instruction to neurodiverse populations.

Product overview

Nurturing Water Therapies offers a suite of aquatic therapy, therapeutic exercise, and adaptive swim lesson services for individuals with sensory, developmental, neurological, physical, or other health challenges. The company operates across four pool locations in the Seattle, Washington metropolitan area (Bellevue, Mercer Island, Tukwila, and Seattle). In addition to direct client services, the company offers an online course platform through its Training Courses section, which includes free introductory videos (Water Safety Promo, Using Verbal Cues, Adaptive Swim Lessons) and paid certificate courses (Adaptive Swimming – Stroke Techniques, Adaptive Swimming for Hyper/Hypo Sensitivities, Water Safety Certification) priced at $63 each, a comprehensive Full Online Adaptive Swim Instructor Certification Course at $175, and a 4-Hour Group Water Safety In-Person Staff Training at $1,000. The company also hosts the Tides of Inclusion Conference, an annual training event for swim instructors, therapists, educators, and caregivers focused on neurodivergent water safety.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tides of Inclusion: An immersive, hands-on conference experience designed for swim instructors, therapists, educators, and caregivers to deepen their impact through a neurodivergent lens, focusing on water safety for autistic individuals.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• All Can Swim IdahocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-founded Tides of Inclusion conference with Amie Liscinski, founder of All Can Swim Idaho. Both certified aquatic therapy and adaptive swim professionals with shared commitment to water safety for autistic individuals. Conference designed to empower families, caregivers, and professionals with tools for inclusive, accessible programming.
• Lake Union Swim AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Host venue for Tides of Inclusion Conference. Location on Lake Union in Seattle, WA with free parking available evenings and weekends. Pool facility used for in-water training sessions and conference activities.

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Goldfish Swim School: National franchise swim school with hundreds of locations and significant marketing resources. Offers a broader curriculum than Nurturing Water Therapies but increasingly markets to families seeking inclusive swim instruction, creating category-overlap competitive pressure.
• Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: International swim school franchise offering structured lessons with adaptive accommodations. Comparable business model to Nurturing Water Therapies at much larger scale, with potential to absorb the adaptive niche via franchise expansion.
• British Swim School: Large multi-location swim school franchise offering lessons across age groups, including adaptive programs. While much broader than Nurturing Water Therapies' autism-focused offering, it competes for the same family customer base and has the scale to add adaptive specialization.
• SafeSplash Swim School: Multi-location swim school brand with adaptive and special-needs programming. Operates at greater scale and broader geographic footprint than Nurturing Water Therapies but with overlap on family-facing swim instruction for diverse needs.

Others

• Easter Seals: National nonprofit providing disability and autism services including therapy. While not a direct competitor in aquatics, it is a referral source and adjacent ecosystem player for families seeking adaptive and therapeutic services.
• HydroWorx: Manufacturer of aquatic therapy pools and underwater treadmills used in clinical and rehabilitation settings. An ecosystem participant — equipment provider to the broader aquatic therapy market in which Nurturing Water Therapies operates.

Direct peers

• Swim Angelfish: National adaptive swim school specializing in aquatic therapy and swim instruction for children with special needs including autism. Operates with similar mission, methodology, and target customer base as Nurturing Water Therapies, making it the most directly comparable competitor in the adaptive aquatics niche.
• Aquatic Therapy University (ATU): Provides aquatic therapy certification and continuing education for therapists and instructors. Directly comparable to Nurturing Water Therapies' online certification and in-person training products, and overlaps on the same professional audience of aquatic therapists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nurturingwatertherapies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nurturing-water-therapies-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nurturing Water Therapies, LLC