Affect Autism Blog Posts including Podcasts
Everything you need to know to implement and practice DIR/Floortime on your own
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Guests: If you hold a DIR/Floortime certificate or are a caregiver using DIR/Floortime with your child(ren) and would like to be interviewed for a podcast or write a guest blog, please Contact Us.
Autism and Medication: Part 2
Photo: Rhendi RukmanaThis Week's TopicWe're back this week with Dr. Joshua Feder, a child and family psychiatrist in Solana Beach, California. We did a podcast on autism and medication a few years back and this is part 2 because there is a new Child Medication Fact...
Emotional Playgrounds Foster Emotional Well-Being
This Week's TopicThis week I am over the moon excited to have Developmental Psychologist Gordon Neufeld as my guest to discuss emotional well-being (versus 'mental health') and rethinking 'play' in terms of emotional playgrounds--the heart of a culture of well-being.I...
Curiosity as a Driver of Connection and Interaction in Adolescence
This Week's TopicIn our last podcast together, back in 2019, Dave Nelson and I discussed puberty and how we can best support our kids in a respectful way using a developmental approach. Today we want to continue on that topic by touching on the developmental way to...
Empowering Ability
This Week's TopicThis week I welcome Eric Goll, the creator of Empowering Ability. I regularly watch Eric's weekly 5-minute video tips, attended his free life plan workshop and took his online course, realizing it was what I needed for where I was at with my son...
The Dynamic Process of ‘Transitions’
Photo Credit: Markus Spiske on UnsplashThis Week's TopicThis week I'm pleased to welcome new DIR Expert Training Leader, Helen Groth, as my guest to discuss the dynamic process of 'transitions' in autism. Helen gave a fabulous presentation on Transitions at the...
Giant Steps School in Montréal, Québec
This Week's TopicToday I'm speaking with Marla Cable, the Resource and Training Centre Coordinator at Giant Steps School. Giant Steps is a developmental approach, individualized private school in the public interest in Montréal, Québec with 93 students aged 4 to 21...
Part 2: Adult Diagnosis and What it Means
This Week's Topic This week, in Part 2, Kieran Rose and I will discuss late diagnosis and what it means. In Part 1 last week, we discussed a number of topics around neurodiversity including who to listen to as parents when our child is diagnosed with so many opinions...
Part 1: To Whom Should Parents Listen?
This Week's TopicThis week, in Part 1, Kieran Rose and I will discuss a number of topics around neurodiversity including who to listen to as parents when our child is diagnosed with so many opinions out there, and the balance between what we want as parents for our...
The Process of Parenting our Neurodivergent Children
This Week's TopicThis week we're discussing the parenting process, the intersection of the parenting experience and Nicole Mank's professional world, and how one shaped the other. Nicole discovered Engaging Autism when her son was seven which shaped how she parented...
Part 2: Bridging the Gap in Understanding
This Week's TopicThis week is Part 2 of our podcast with autistic self-advocate Khylil Robinson and his mother, Michele Abraham-Montgomery, also known as Chele, who specializes in Family Services, Autism Resources & Advocacy, Peer Family Coaching, Peer Best...
Part 1: Taking that Step on the Red Carpet
Image: shutterstock.comThis Week's TopicJoining us this week are guests Khylil Robinson who is an autistic self-advocate, and his mother, Michele Abraham-Montgomery, also known as Chele, who specializes in Family Services, Autism Resources & Advocacy, Peer Family...
The Complexity of Vision and Visual Processing
This Week's TopicOccupational Therapist Maude Le Roux is back this week to discuss the visual system, vision, and visual processing, following up from our podcast on the vestibular system from a few months ago. The 'I' in the Developmental, Individual differences,...
Kinder Growth DIR/Floortime Medicaid Services
This Week's GuestSari Levin is a Special Educator who has worked with families for a long time and is the Clinical Supervisor of Kinder Growth where they provide home-based DIR/Floortime services throughout New Jersey and are the first accredited DIR/Floortime...
Unpacking ‘Aggression’
This Week's GuestReturning guest, DIR Expert Training Leader and Licensed Professional Counsellor, Mike Fields, joins us this week to discuss aggression. We'll cover praxis, regulation and co-regulation, neuroception (i.e., the body scanning the environment for...
The Conversation
This Week's GuestReturning guests, Jackie Bartell, retired special educator, and Colette Ryan, Infant Mental Health Specialist discuss a video conversation presented at a past ICDL Conference where a mother and son have a discussion about the son's differences pre-...
The Impact of Vestibular Processing on Development
This Week's GuestA returning, frequent guest, Occupational Therapist Maude Le Roux joins us this week to discuss the impact of vestibular processing on the functional emotional developmental capacities (FEDCs), the 'developmental ladder' in the Developmental,...
Good Intentions Creating Unseen Stigma
This Week's GuestKieran Rose, an autistic self-advocate, published author, speaker, consultant, trainer, researcher, and neurodivergent educator joins us this week to discuss a number of topics around neurodiversity. He offers a regular online learning about...
Parents can Connect with their Children Through Musical Interactions
This Week's GuestCoaching parents how to do Floortime through musical interactions is today’s topic with returning guest, Music Therapist, Dr. John Carpente who is a DIR Expert and Training Leader, a Professor of Music Therapy at Molloy University, and founder and...
My Autism, My Story
This Week's GuestAutistic Self-Advocate, Turrell Burgess, joins the podcast this week to discuss his experience, his book, What's with the New Kid: My Autism My Story, what led him to the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL)--the home of...
Your Growth is your Child’s Growth: Strength in Relationships
This Week's GuestJulia Swaigen is a registered social worker in Toronto, Ontario, Canada who founded and directs Attuned Families, a clinic to help families harness the power of relationships so that parents find peace and children thrive. They offer Family Therapy,...
The World’s First International Concert to Celebrate Neurodiversity
This Week's GuestAutistic Self-Advocate, Emile Gouws, returns this week to announce the world's first international concert to celebrate neurodiversity, Diversity is Phenomenal!, being held on May 14, 2022 online, and is sponsored by the International Council on...
Gauging our Developmental Capacities: Part 2
This Week's GuestDevelopmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Expert Training Leader, Colette Ryan, is an infant mental health specialist, a doctoral student in Fielding University’s Infant and Early Childhood Development program, and a parent coach...
Gauging our Developmental Capacities: Part 1
This Week's GuestDevelopmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Expert Training Leader, Colette Ryan, is an infant mental health specialist, a doctoral student in Fielding University’s Infant and Early Childhood Development program, and a parent coach...
DIR/Floortime and Physical Therapy
This Week's GuestMary Beth Crawford is a licensed Physical therapist and Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Expert Training Leader who founded Baby Steps Therapy in 2008. Mary Beth regularly provides lectures and in-service training to...
Creating Opportunities for Co-Regulatory Support
Sometimes the biggest challenge parents have with their autistic children who have meltdowns is meeting the child emotionally and connecting. Here, we need to find the affect they’re having in that moment in order to help them feel they’re being heard and understood....
Access and Choice in NY State for Autism Supports and Services
My guests today are Toni Tortora, an Occupational Therapist and the Clinical Director at the Rebecca School in Manhattan, Lori Ciesielski who is an Occupational Therapist for Liberty POST (Physical, Occupational, Speech Therapy) services in Buffalo, NY, and Galina...
A Developmental Approach to Toileting: Part 2
Alysha Paiaro, Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Occupational Therapist and the Assistant Director of Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy, Inc. DIR Occupational Therapy practice just outside Vancouver, British Columbia returns for Part 2 of...
A Developmental Approach to Toileting: Part 1
What parent doesn't ask about toileting issues when their child is on the spectrum? I don't think I've met a parent of an autistic child who hasn't struggled with toileting. But is it the child's issue or is it the parent's issue? Developmental, Individual...
Gross Motor versus Fine Motor Functions
Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Expert Training Leader and Occupational Therapist, Keith Landherr, is the founder and director of Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy, Inc. just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia. He is also a PhD...
The Impact of Cognitive Load on Relating, Communicating, and Thinking
Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Expert Training Leader, Colette Ryan, is an infant mental health specialist, a doctoral student in Fielding University’s Infant...
The Rubber Band Metaphor in Floortime
FREE Insights this week!FREE Key Takeaways this week as a New Year bonus! Enter your email above for access!Happy New Year! To start off 2022, retired special educator, DIR Expert Training...
Sensorimotor Profiles in Floortime
Gretchen Kamke is an Occupational Therapist and DIR Expert Training Leader with the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL) and is a Floortime coach in the DIR Home Program....
Identity Exploration and Finding Your Voice
Photo by Photo: Ameen Fahmy on UnsplashThis week's guest is Maribel Serrano Holder. She is a Floortime Speech and Language Pathologist in San Francisco who founded Logopedia Speech and Language...
The New Co-Reg Community
A few years back, I spoke with Dr. Stuart Shanker about DIR/Floortime and Self-Reg. Self-reg is a process for enhancing self-regulation by understanding and dealing with stress. Self-regulation...
Going Slower to Move Faster
Occupational Therapist and DIR Expert Training Leader, Maude Le Roux, of A Total Approach in Glen Mills, PA returns this week to discuss moving slower to move faster. Maude says there's the...
Critical Core: A Tabletop Role-Playing Game
Photo credit: Game to GrowCritical Core is a tabletop role-playing game scaffolded around the DIR/Floortime model. Critical Core's Director Virginia Spielmann, Occupational Therapist,...
KultureCity: Sensory Accessibility and Inclusion
Photo credit: KultureCityDOWNLOAD KEY TAKE-AWAYSI'm thrilled this week to welcome Dr. Michele Kong, the co-creator of the largest nonprofit on sensory accessibility and acceptance, KultureCity, and board member, Daniel Platzman, who is the drummer of the band, Imagine...
‘DIR’ Child & Family Counselling
This is Part 3 of our three podcasts featuring the Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Floortime multi-disciplinary clinic, Professional Child Development Associates...
Feeding and Floortime
Julie Miller is a Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Occupational Therapist and the Clinical Director of Professional Child Development Associates (PCDA) in...
Creative Arts Through Music and Drama
Photo credit PCDAJuliana Ross is a Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) Music Therapist and the Head of the Creative Arts Department at PCDA, Professional Child...
Constrictions in Developmental Capacities
unsplash-logoPhoto: Annie SprattReturning guests, Clinical Psychologist Kathy Platzman of Floortime Atlanta and Infant Mental Health Specialist Colette Ryan, both DIR/Floortime Expert trainers,...
Redefining the Autism Narrative: Part 2
This post is part 2 of redefining the autism narrative with two autistic self-advocates, Occupational Therapist Virginia Spielmann, the Executive Director of the STAR Institute in Colorado who...
Redefining the Autism Narrative: Part 1
This week we are redefining the autism narrative with returning guest, Occupational Therapist Virginia Spielmann, the Executive Director of the STAR Institute in Colorado who is also an Expert...
Positive Development
This week we're talking about a new company called Positive Development, which offers developmental therapies paid for by insurance, currently in Florida, New Jersey, California, and coming...
Virtual Floortime Coaching for Parents
This week we're talking about virtual Floortime coaching for caregivers, using the International Council on Development and Learning's 12-week virtual home program as an example. We will...
A Parent’s Experience of DIR/Floortime
Following up from last week, we’re talking Floortime Summer Camps with Occupational Therapist, Rosemary White, of The Offices of Rosemary White OTR/L & Associates, just outside of Seattle,...
DIR/Floortime Summer Camps
This and next week we're talking Floortime Summer Camp with Occupational Therapist, Rosemary White, of The Offices of Rosemary White OTR/L & Associates, just outside of Seattle, who is a...
Am I Neurodivergent Like My Child?
Developmental and clinical psychologist, Kathy Platzman from Floortime Atlanta, an expert on the Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) model and the Director of...
Creating Opportunities in Floortime
Photo: Myles TanReturning guest, Licensed Professional Counsellor and DIR Expert Training Leader, Mike Fields from Floortime Atlanta and Inneractions Therapy Services, joins us this week to...
Words-Action-Affect (W-A-A) in Floortime
This week we revisit Dr. Stanley Greenspan's Words-Action-Affect (W-A-A) with Marilee Burgeson who recently wrote an ICDL Newsflash on the topic. In Building Healthy Minds, Greenspan suggested...
Examining the Experience of Autistic Students in Higher Education
Photo is the property of Emile Gouws. EDU 360 is the school where Emile teaches.Senior Advisor to the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL) where he also sits on the Board of...
Floortime Lifestyle
I'm so excited this week to have a superstar mother and daughter Occupational Therapy team, Mili Cordero and Joann Fleckenstein of Individual and Team Therapy Services in Atlanta, which is the...
Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) Devices
The Power of Purposeful Communication
This week Speech and Language Pathologist and DIR Expert Trainer Joleen Fernald, who also has her PhD, joins us from just outside of Tampa, Florida. She specializes in Selective Mutism and...