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Hi everyone. I’m Kelly Mahler, Occupational Therapist. I want to take the time to talk about what makes interoception based supports so different then any other currently used approach out there when we’re talking about emotion regulation approaches or behavioral approaches. Interoception is so very different. I wanted to focus in on six principles that…

Let’s talk about a frequently asked question that we hear: How do you assess Interoception? That is a great question, and one that is widely debated right now in the interoception field. Researchers are really working hard to figure this out. There’s not a general agreement or consensus right now. What we do know is…

My good friend and colleague, Peter Vermeulen, and I have been discussing a certain topic lately, and that is something called Theory of Own Mind. In the field of neuro-differences, we have an over-focus on Theory of Mind which refers to our ability to think about how other people are feeling, thinking, etc. However, what…

Most toileting programs have a strong behavioral influence emphasizing external means of reinforcement such as praise and rewards. This exclusive focus on external motivators fails to acknowledge the importance of internal factors that contribute to a person’s inner motivation needed for successful toileting.     One of the most common questions that comes up  in our…

  Many times, traditional trauma viewpoints do not fully capture the experience of neurodiverse learners resulting in many children and adults being misunderstood and many underlying needs overlooked.  The following blog is based upon my collaboration with my good friend and colleague, Kim Clairy MS, OTR/L who is autistic. We often do live online courses and…

As an occupational therapist for 18 years, I wanted to talk about a topic that’s really near and dear to my heart and that is helping to support the “behavior” or the regulation needs of my clients. I am very familiar with the traditional behavior management approaches–I’ve seen a lot of people use them over…

For many of us around the world, we are in the midst of the holiday season. And although the holiday season can be exciting and joyful, for many it can be a time of disrupted routines, new sensory stimuli in the environment and a time of uncertainty— especially this holiday season combined with a pandemic….

In the final part of my 3-Part Series to Help Kids Succeed at School, I focus on how to cultivate regulation and resilience as we head into the holiday season… in the midst of pandemic living.

As we all know, a regular school year is a big transition in itself, but in the midst of this pandemic, where everything feels uncertain there is definitely more anxiety all around—for everyone involved—teachers, school staff, students, parents and caregivers. And so, whether school is happening virtually or in person, I wanted to share three…

3-Part Series to Help Kids Succeed at School With a new school year upon us, I thought it’d be helpful to layout a three part series filled with tips  and strategies to help ease everyone back into the school year. In my area, kids have just started back to school or they will be starting…