About Us

Everyone should have a zone of opportunity.

 

Julie W Lees, MD

Founder, Sense Ability

The pandemic forced a reckoning of values, vision, and priorities for my family of five, as it did for so many others. As some parts of our life were upended, we searched for support, acceptance, and a special place where all of us could engage in activities, learn new skills, and celebrate our unique strengths in our individual ways. Along the journey, we met a lot of amazing people, heard many heart-wrenching stories (and some heart-warming ones too). We met with professionals, learned from the lived experiences of people of different neurotypes, and collected all the feelings, challenges, and aspirations in a big turquoise notebook.

We couldn’t find exactly what we were looking for, so we decided to build it.

Combining our years of professional expertise, parenting experience, and a priority on safety, my family and I began thoughtfully and diligently building Sense Ability Wellness and we are dedicated to becoming Oklahoma’s premier sensory gym and wellness center, where neurodivergent youth experience movement, regulation, autonomy, and community.

I am a board-certified pediatrician and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. I am an alum of the University of Tulsa where I was a collegiate athlete on the rowing team and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. I am a 2000 graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. I received my pediatrics training at the OU Health Sciences Center. My clinical practice has focused on injury prevention, trauma-informed care, and providing a medical home to children in foster care.

My husband is also a physician. We have three children and experience as foster parents.