All Things Sensory by Harkla

Jacquelyn Vorndran is a nature-based pediatric speech language therapist located in Durham, North Carolina. Her practice is entitled "Brave Roots Speech Therapy" and she is so grateful to be able to operate this practice and grow it in a way that feels intentional, respectful and individualized. The opportunity to witness a child's wonder and joy in nature is one of the best ways she’s been able t...

Summer brings a change in routine and often that includes a lack of structure. This can cause anxiety and challenges with emotional regulation. If this is the challenge you’re facing, this episode is for YOU!We dive into some strategies for managing routines during summer - including some resources we’ve created for you! - as well as some ideas for managing screen time during the crazy summer mont...

In today’s episode, we are answering a listener question! We discuss the importance of creating a calming and enjoyable bath time experience as well as practical tips and tricks on how to make bath time more sensory-friendly. We also touch on different games and modifications that can be used outside of bathtime. Whether you're a parent of a child with sensory processing challenges or a caregiver...

Today’s episode is an answer to a listener's question! We dive into what PICA is, its causes, and how it differs from typical oral seeking behaviors. We provide practical strategies for managing PICA and oral seeking, such as providing alternatives, using visual cues, and implementing sensory diets. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or a professional working with children who struggle with senso...

Today’s episode is in response to a listener question - how to build a sensory-friendly home? We offer practical tips and insights on how to create a home environment that minimizes sensory overload, including the use of calming colors, lighting, and textures. We also touch on the importance of incorporating sensory activities into your daily routine, and the benefits of investing in sensory-frien...

In today’s episode, we dive into the topic of bedtime routines for kids. First we explore our own personal bedtime routines with our children and offer practical strategies for creating an enjoyable and effective bedtime routine. We then discuss the importance of incorporating sensory activities during the day and after dinner to help prepare children for a restful night's sleep. We also tackle so...

Sarah Rosensweet is a certified peaceful parenting coach, speaker, and educator. She lives in Toronto with her husband and her 16 and 19 year old kids. Her 22 year old son has launched. Peaceful parenting is a non-punitive, connection-based approach that uses firm limits with lots of empathy. Sarah works one-on-one virtually with parents all over the world to help them go from frustrated and overw...

Make sure to check out all of our links below! We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!Brought To You By HarklaThis podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mission at Harkla is to help those with special needs live happy and healthy lives. We accomplish...

Dr. Conner Bor was born and raised in Voorhees, New Jersey. He completed his undergraduate degree in Health & Exercise Science at The College of New Jersey and went on to earn his Doctorate of Chiropractic at Palmer College of Chiropractic. While at Palmer, Dr. Bor received many academic honors and was awarded the prestigious Clinical Excellence award upon graduation. Growing up, Dr. Bor’s pas...

Today’s episode is diving into a question that we received from a listener. “I have a preemie (32 weeks) and would love to see content on preemies as I know their sensory experience for the first few months of life are quite different and their development is likely going to be off as well.”Get ready for some tips and tricks that you can implement in infancy, such as support for primitive reflexes...

We recently completed a 2-on-1 mentoring session with a mother who described her son as “continually shutting down - won’t talk and won’t participate in anything.”Sounds very similar to the FREEZE response in fight-flight-freeze. The fight-flight-freeze response is a physiological response to stress, or to danger. Our children who have experienced trauma, or experience sensory overstimulation, oft...

We received a question from a listener and today we’re diving into her and her toddler’s situation! This toddler is a sensory seeker (seeks out heavy work), but also a sensory avoider (avoids certain textures). We talk about: primitive reflexes, sensory diets, vibration, messy play, and MORE!If you have an infant or toddler, check out our Infant and Toddler Sensory Development Digital CourseMake s...

Improving Focus and Behavior in the Classroom Digital CourseWe get questions all the time asking how to help kiddos in school - parents who are concerned that their child is having meltdowns at school; teachers who are struggling to help their students; and therapists who are having difficulty connecting with teachers. Today’s episode is all about how to help a child / student who is having meltdo...

April is Autism Acceptance Month. This month, we’re releasing one new episode each week, in addition to our regularly scheduled episodes. These episodes are all about the language surrounding Autism. We had the privilege of interviewing several people for this Mini Series and we’re excited for you to listen in! Kayla Smith is a Disability Rights Advocate. She wants to educate people about autism a...

April is OT Month - Check out our OT Month Digital Course Sale! harkla.co/otmonthSale ends April 30, 2023 Daniele Fallon, OTR/L is the owner and sole practitioner of Boise Outdoor OT in Boise, Idaho. Her practice provides direct, individual, outdoor occupational therapy services for young children along the Boise River and within her outdoor mud kitchen facility. In addition to providing OT servic...

April is Autism Acceptance Month. This month, we’re releasing one new episode each week, in addition to our regularly scheduled episodes. These episodes are all about the language surrounding Autism. We had the privilege of interviewing several people for this Mini Series and we’re excited for you to listen in! Tiffany Joseph, TJ, is the creator of Nigh Functioning Autism, a play on words that mak...

April is OT Month - Check out our OT Month Digital Course Sale! harkla.co/otmonthSale ends April 30, 2023 Today’s episode is a LIVE call with a 2-1 mentoring client! The family provide us with details ahead of time, scheduled the session, and we jumped right into a brainstorming session! If you found this episode helpful, let us know! Make sure to check out all of our links below! We’d love to ans...

April is Autism Acceptance Month. This month, we’re releasing one new episode each week, in addition to our regularly scheduled episodes. These episodes are all about the language surrounding Autism. We had the privilege of interviewing several people for this Mini Series and we’re excited for you to listen in! Jessie is a social media manager, work-from-home mother, Autism advocate, and accidenta...

April is OT Month - Check out our OT Month Digital Course Sale! harkla.co/otmonthSale ends April 30, 2023 Jessica Given is a pediatric Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant with 6 years of intensive experience in the outpatient clinic setting with an emphasis in sensory integration. She is currently serving in the home health setting and has been since 2021. Jessica has completed certificatio...

April is Autism Acceptance Month. This month, we’re releasing one new episode each week, in addition to our regularly scheduled episodes. These episodes are all about the language surrounding Autism. We had the privilege of interviewing several people for this Mini Series and we’re excited for you to listen in! Meg Proctor, MS, OTR/L is the founder of Learn Play Thrive. She started Learn Play Thri...

April is OT Month - Check out our OT Month Digital Course Sale! harkla.co/otmonthSale ends April 30, 2023 Today we are answering a question from inside our Primitive Reflex Digital Course. The question is about the exercises for the Moro Reflex as well as the sensory input that is provided during the exercises. We discuss all of this plus we dive into some research (which you can find in the links...

April is Autism Acceptance Month. This month, we’re releasing one new episode each week, in addition to our regularly scheduled episodes. These episodes are all about the language surrounding Autism. We had the privilege of interviewing several people for this Mini Series and we’re excited for you to listen in! Amber Grant is the mother to 2 special needs individuals, a wife, an advocate, and heal...

Ashley Thurn is a mother to three little ones, a pediatric occupational therapist, and feeding specialist by trade. She has a background in nutrition, sensory integration, holistic wellness and she specializes in picky eating and feeding disorders. She loves helping families navigate the many challenges that come with feeding children and it is her joy to help families find strategies to help nour...

Answering a listener question today - Will my child grow out of sensory processing disorder? SPD is a neurological disorder that affects how your brain interprets sensory information. SPD can affect one or more of the eight senses. You might be over-responsive to one type of input while simultaneously being under-responsive to another. Learn more about SPD HERE.SPD can be lifelong, but there are s...

Jessie is a social media manager, work-from-home mother, Autism advocate, and accidental influencer. She’s the mother to a wonderful 4-year-old boy and she shares their journey on Instagram. You can find all of her links below. Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.co...