All Things Sensory by Harkla

We are your podcast DJs and today’s episode is answering YOUR questions! We talk about challenges between young siblings, a 4-year-old Autistic sensory seeker, a sensory-seeking toddler who struggles at bedtime, strategies for a 2-year-old Autistic sensory seeker who will be traveling, and adopted children who are struggling due to drug exposure in utero! Some of the ideas we talk about for these...

Brittyn Coleman is a Registered Dietitian, Autism Nutrition Expert, and the Founder of the Nourishing Autism Collective. She helps parents of children with autism to nourish their kids confidently in a gradual, sustainable way. Through her practice, she has been able to support thousands of parents to expand their child’s diet in a sensory-friendly way and help them get the nutrients they need to...

Developmental delays can happen for a variety of reasons- there’s no one to blame and you are not doing anything wrong! We’re going to share some of the typical developmental milestones so you can identify if your little one is on track or a little behind, what you can do to support their development, and who to reach out to and get more help from. We dive into gross motor, fine motor, oral and fe...

What are primitive reflexes? Why are they important? What are the signs of retained primitive reflexes? How can you help a child who has retained primitive reflexesListen in and get the answers to these questions, and more! WATCH The Primitive Reflex Webinar and get access to the FREE downloads! Dive into the FULL digital course, Assessment and Integration of Primitive Reflexes for Improved Indepe...

What is a sensory circuit? We use this term to describe an obstacle course that is used for a sensory diet routine. A sensory circuit can be used in the clinic as a way to meet your client's sensory threshold. It can be used at home as your child's daily sensory diet routine as well! We break down how to create an effective sensory circuit using 5 steps: identify the child’s sensory preferences; c...

Check out our Holiday Sensory Survival Guide, on sale NOW! Shop During Harkla’s Christmas SALE! Save 15% on ANY order! Shop and Save Until Dec. 14, 2023! harkla.co/pages/christmas-saleShop and Save During Our Digital Course SALE - Save 20% on ANY Digital Course, Dec. 15 - Dec. 22, 2023. harkla.co/pages/digital-courses-holiday-salePrimitive Reflex Digital CourseToday’s episode is answering a questi...

Check out our Holiday Sensory Survival Guide, on sale NOW! Shop During Harkla’s Christmas SALE! Save 15% on ANY order! Shop and Save Until Dec. 14, 2023! harkla.co/pages/christmas-saleIn this episode, we explore the fascinating topic of organization of behavior in children and how occupational therapy can play a crucial role in addressing these challenges - and how parents can use the same strateg...

Check out our Holiday Sensory Survival Guide, on sale NOW! Shop During Harkla’s 12 Days of Christmas SALE! Save 12% on ANY order! Shop and Save Until Dec. 12, 2023! https://harkla.co/pages/12-daysAnswering a listener’s question in today’s episode:“I’d love it if you guys could dedicate an episode to all things relating to PERIODS.As my daughter is 11, I’m staring down the road and see this major l...

Check out our Holiday Sensory Survival Guide, on sale NOW! Shop During the Harkla Holiday Sale and Save 20% on ANY Order! Nov. 20-27, 2023Shop here - https://harkla.co/pages/holiday-saleThis episode is all about parenting while in survival mode. If you’re a parent who feels like every day is a struggle, or if you’re a professional working with families, this episode is for you! Listen in as we dis...

Tara Phillips is a speech/language pathologist and has run her own communication based classroom for 25 years. She was at the early elementary level for the first part of her career, and at the early childhood level for the last 10 years. Tara earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communicative Disorders at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Her minor was in Early Childhood Education...

Today we answer your questions! First question: help for a 2.5 year old Down Syndrome child who drools constantly. Second question: why did we decide not to get our masters in OT.Third question: help for a 5 year old boy who displays a “humping” behavior. Fourth question: help with potty training in an outpatient pediatric clinic. We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this fo...

Occupational therapists have long recognized the benefits of incorporating sensory swings into therapy sessions. Platform swings, in particular, offer an unstable surface that challenges a child's body positioning, promoting improved motor planning, balance, coordination, and righting reactions. By engaging with a platform swing, children with sensory processing disorders can experience sensory in...

Today’s episode is a LIVE call with a 2-1 mentoring client! The family provided 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 answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 Looki...

Sensory Diet Digital Course SALE Oct. 16 - 20, 2023https://harkla.co/products/sensory-diet-courseRebekah Springs is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#T1450) practicing in Portland, OR. She specializes in working with neurodivergent children and parents. She is trained in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and in DIR/Floortime therapy, a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to working with...

Sensory Diet Digital Course SALE Starts October 16, 2023October is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) Awareness Month. SPD is a condition that affects how the brain processes and responds to sensory information from the environment and the body. Individuals with SPD may have difficulty regulating and interpreting sensory input, such as touch, sound, taste, smell, and movement. This can lead to chal...

Today’s episode answers a listener's question - “Why does my 2-year-old say everything is hot? Is this a sensory thing or a weird phase?”We dive into the different phases toddlers can go through, gestalt language processing, fun activities that identify temperatures, and strategies for interoception. Make sure to check out all of our links below! Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1...

David D. Nowell, Ph. D. is a clinical neuropsychologist in private practice in Northborough, Massachusetts. He offers consultations to patients on an inpatient rehabilitation unit and is an adjunct instructor in neuropsychology to graduate students in the Clark University psychology program. Dr. Nowell speaks internationally to clinicians on such topics as executive functioning and non-medication...

The scooter board is a common therapeutic tool used in just about every clinic and school. It’s a simple, effective tool that targets a ton of underlying skills. Because it’s one of our favorite pieces of equipment to use in a treatment session, we decided to dedicate an entire episode to it! We are giving you 5 fun, therapeutic activities using a scooter board that you should try including into y...

This episode is perfect for any therapist working with children, not just SLPs! Adding sensory into a treatment session does not have to be difficult. In fact, it can be fairly simple and so effective! Sensory activities help a child meet their sensory needs and feel more regulated, which in turn helps with cognitive development! We dive into HOW to identify a child’s sensory preferences, differen...

In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of sensory-based treatment sessions. Join us as we explore the concept of sensory integration and how it can be incorporated into various therapeutic interventions. Whether you're a therapist, educator, or simply curious about the power of sensory experiences, this episode will provide valuable insights and practical tips for developing effective...

Today’s episode is a brainstorming session in response to a listener question. We talk about different forms of therapy, different strategies for the family at home, as well as tips and tricks for therapists who work with teens who might be struggling with depression and self harm. Make sure to check out all of our links below! We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form...

Check out our digital course - Improving Focus and Behavior in the Classroom! Emily Read Daniels is author and creator of The Regulated Classroom©, a former school counselor, and a proud soccer mum. Daniels is an internationally recognized trauma specialist and trainer in the trauma-informed schools movement and has served thousands through in-person and virtual professional development training,...

We are OBSESSED with primitive reflexes! Why? Because they are the foundation to higher level motor and cognitive skills! When primitive reflexes are retained in older children, they can cause a whole host of problems - and we want to help with this! This episode provides you with the basics, but if you want more, check out all of our links below! NEW Primitive Reflex Digital Course - now AOTA app...

Welcome to another All Things Sensory by Harkla podcast episode! In today’s episode, we discuss the challenges faced by children with visual impairments and how sensory integration therapy can be beneficial. Studies have shown that children with visual impairments are at a higher risk of experiencing sensory processing difficulties. Sensory integration therapy has been found to be effective in hel...

After discovering occupational therapy when she was 10 years old, Lauren Grabowski knew that was the path for her, earning a Bachelor of Health Science in 2013 and continuing on to earn a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2014 from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She began her career at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, then transitioned to traveling therapy a few...