Meet Dr. Marisa
Dr. Marisa Linkroum, PT, DPT, CPRCS
FounderHi, I’m Dr. Marisa Linkroum, founder of First Steps Pediatric Therapy and a pediatric physical therapist specializing in infant development across Mercer County, Monmouth County, Princeton, and surrounding areas in New Jersey.
I created First Steps Pediatric Therapy to give families a more personalized, proactive approach to supporting their baby’s development—right from the very beginning. My goal is to help parents feel confident, supported, and educated every step of the way.
I hold my Doctorate in Physical Therapy and have advanced training in infant development, torticollis, plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), and gross motor skills. In addition, I am a Certified Primitive Reflex Clinical Specialist (CPRCS), which allows me to assess and address retained primitive reflexes that may be impacting your child’s movement, coordination, posture, and overall development.
Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns present at birth that should naturally integrate as your baby grows. When these reflexes remain active longer than expected, they can contribute to challenges with milestones like rolling, sitting, crawling, and walking. And even when your child is older, these can impact attention, body awareness, posture, and coordination. With my CPRCS training, I take a deeper, root-cause approach—using play-based, neurodevelopmental techniques to support more efficient movement patterns and overall progress.
My approach is always hands-on, individualized, and family-centered. Whether we’re working on tummy time tolerance, head shape, delayed milestones, or movement asymmetries, I focus on creating realistic, easy-to-implement strategies that fit seamlessly into your daily routine.
As both a clinician and a mom, I understand how overwhelming it can feel when you’re unsure if your baby is developing as expected. That’s why I’m passionate about providing early support, guidance, and reassurance—so you can feel confident in your child’s growth and development.
If you’re wondering whether your baby could benefit from support, I’m here to help.
Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Marisa continues to call NJ home, where she lives with her husband, their daughter, and their dog. Becoming a parent herself has further deepened her passion for helping families feel supported and confident as their children grow and reach important developmental milestones.
Dr. Marisa earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Ithaca College and has focused her career on pediatric physical therapy, specializing in infant development and early motor milestones.