All Things Sensory by Harkla

Leah Kuypers is the creator of The Zones of Regulation. Have you heard of it? If not, you NEED to check it out ASAP! Not only does this curriculum help children learn about their emotions, it also helps to teach them the tools to improve self-regulation. Not only did Leah create and write the book, she also owns a small business - Kuypers Consulting, Inc. She also provides training and consultatio...

Welcome to episode 98! If you’re an Occupational Therapist (or Assistant like Rach & Jess), you probably remember that you learned many useful things in school - but you did not learn how to specifically interact with children. If you’re a parent, you probably remember that no one taught you how to raise a child before you actually had a child (unless you did, in which case please email Rach &...

Did you listen to last week’s episode? If not, go back and do so! Because today’s episode is also about playing with your child / infant - from a Pediatric Physical Therapist’s view! KC is knowledgeable, funny, and passionate. After listening to this episode, make sure you check out KC’s Instagram - @milestones.and.motherhood - where she shares SO MUCH information that is helpful, funny, sweet, an...

Welcome to Episode 96! Play is how children LEARN. As Occupational Therapy Assistants, we are passionate about play and promoting development through our play activities. Today’s episode is all about different ways to play with your infant. Using less containers, more floor time, and more movement! Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla. Co/Podcast. Brought To You By HarklaThis...

Episode 95! Last week we talked about burnout as it relates to families and clients. This week, we focus on therapists, educators, and any professional working with children and families (or even adults!). Listen in as we talk with an amazing burnout “guru” - Erika - and gain tips and tricks to help when you’re feeling not-so-fired-up. Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla. Co/...

Are you a parent feeling burnout - too many therapies or attending therapy for several years? Is your child showing signs of being burnt out and needing a different approach? This is the episode for you! Tips, tricks, and strategies for any caregiver of a special needs child who is feeling like they need a change! Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla. Co/Podcast. Brought To Yo...

Danielle Delorenzo has a dream - to empower all individuals with the tools necessary to facilitate independence, maximize educational potential, foster positive overall development, and support optimal emotional regulation necessary to navigate through life and be as successful as possible! Listen in to hear her talk about her personal journey as well as how you can help those around you. Be sure...

Does your child (or client, or a family member) suffer from anxiety? What about separation anxiety? Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants often work with children suffering from separation anxiety - it can significantly affect a child’s ability to participate in daily life tasks such as birthday parties, school events, and can even prevent their parent / caregiver from gettin...

Have you ever heard of HeartMath? If not, you need to check them out ASAP! But first, listen in while we chat with Jeff Goelitz, the Director of Education at the HeartMath Institute. He is full of valuable information and has a real passion for helping people. Be sure to check out the show notes and all of the links at The Sensory Project Blog. Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Ha...

WELCOME to our first bonus episode! We are so excited to send this one out into the world and hopefully provide you with valuable information regarding teletherapy! Take notes and make sure to check out our FREE Teletherapy Guide over at thesensoryprojectclub.com/freebiesBe sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla. Co/Podcast. Brought To You By HarklaThis podcast is brought to you by...

This week on The Sensory Project Show, Rachel and Jessica chat with Gwen - the mastermind behind BrainWorks, the Sensory Diet Tool for therapists, parents, educators, and caregivers! Not only is Gwen the creator of Sensational Brain (a website with a variety of resources including handouts and webinars), but she’s also a speaker, Occupational Therapist, and someone who is passionate about helping...

If you struggle to identify your child’s negative actions as “sensory related” or “behavior related,” this episode is for you! A sensory related behavior will frequently manifest differently than a behavior related action - meaning the child’s sensory system is overloaded which causes them to have a meltdown. A behavior related action is typically related more to a want that the child has and that...

As therapists, we oftentimes focus our treatment sessions on building strength and endurance in order to improve a child’s ability to attain and sustain a postural position. For instance, we want to improve a child’s ability to sit upright at their desk in order to focus well in school. This means we must identify any compensatory strategies in order to identify the muscles that require extra stre...

It’s so amazing when we can connect with other professionals through social media! We first met Laura (aka @theotbutterfly) through Instagram and are so excited to share her knowledge with you on this episode! We decided to dive into an oftentimes not-discussed topic - crossing midline - because we know how important this skill is in a child’s development! Take notes, message us and Laura with you...

We believe in creating experiences for the children we work with. We even have an episode on how to create experiences (make sure you check that one out!)! We also believe that movement = learning. So, when we can put those two things together, we create an incredible opportunity for growth! A sensory motor experience is, quite simply, a movement sequence that helps to improve attention, praxis, c...

This week’s episode is brought to you by a listener question - Why do children struggle with smells? What can be done to help a child tolerate the variety of smells in a school lunchroom? Our sense of smell - our olfactory sense - plays a huge role in our daily routines, including eating and social situations but also when we clean, walk through the store, and even sleep! So when our sense of smel...

Welcome to Episode 83 of The Sensory Project Show! In today’s episode, Rachel and Jessica chat with Dr. Emily Heisey, a pediatric physical therapist. She is the face behind Kinesio Kids and has been practicing PT for 10 years! She specializes in a wide spectrum of diagnoses including torticollis, gross motor delays, neurological conditions, and orthopedic injuries. Emily is also a mother and a wif...

Welcome to Episode 82 of The Sensory Project Show! In today’s episode, Rachel and Jessica are LIVE on Instagram! Answering YOUR questions and talking about all things weighted, messy play, The Listening Program, and more! Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla. Co/Podcast. Brought To You By HarklaThis podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mission at Harkla is to help those wi...

Welcome to Episode 81 of The Sensory Project Show! In today’s episode, Rachel and Jessica talk about everyone’s favorite topic - screen time. It’s somewhat controversial but they are ready to take on the heat! Listen in as they discuss the pros and cons of screen time as well as some strategies to help alleviate the power struggles that can oftentimes ensue. The goal in today’s episode is to infor...

Welcome to Episode 80 of The Sensory Project Show! In this episode, Rachel and Jessica talk with Michael Klinkner, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has received special training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, as well as is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). He is dedicated to helping people find the inner strengths inside th...

Welcome to Episode 79 of The Sensory Project Show! In this episode, Rachel and Jessica discuss their favorite products for babies - more specifically, what you can add to your baby registry if you’re expecting OR what you can purchase for someone who is expecting. With all of the different baby-product companies out there, it can be hard to know what to buy so today, Rachel and Jessica break it do...

Welcome to Episode 78 of The Sensory Project Show! In this episode, Rachel and Jessica talk with Rachel Madel, a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and “tech master!” She is based in Los Angeles and is dedicated to helping parents and clinicians learn how to support children with complex communication needs. She also co-hosts a weekly podcast - Talking with Tech - that helps guide parents and profe...

Welcome to Episode 77 of The Sensory Project Show! In this episode, Rachel and Jessica talk with Dr. Christie Hafer, a pediatric chiropractor who is passionate about helping families and children lead healthier, happier lives. She focuses on a holistic approach and is passionate about spreading the word about The Perfect Storm. Get ready to be blown away! Enjoy! SHOW NOTES / LINKS / RECOMMENDED PR...

In this episode, Rachel and Jessica talk about their membership website, The Harkla Sensory Club. They like to call it “the podcast on steroids” because members of The Club get access to even more resources, activity ideas, and strategies. This episode even has a special offer if you’re listening to it between January 1 - 4. And don’t forget to check out The Harkla Sensory Club today! Enjoy! Get o...

In this episode, Rachel and Jessica talk with Dr. Ryan Johnson, an Idaho native who not only graduated from optometry school but also completed a residency in binocular vision and neuro-optometry. He is passionate about helping people and spreading the word that vision is a large piece of the puzzle. He provides so much value in this episode so get ready to be blown away! Enjoy! SHOW NOTES / LINKS...