The Sensory Project

We love getting questions from our listeners - we are officially podcast DJs! In today’s episode, we talk about finding the right daycare or school for your child, the Fear Paralysis Reflex, talking with teachers about sensory diets, deep pressure hugs, core strength, addressing low muscle tone through PT or OT, mask wearing, documentation, and more! If you’d like us to answer your question on the podcast, send us a message on Instagram @thesensoryprojectshow or email us at &...

We are always looking for new types of therapy, new treatment ideas and modalities, and today we are talking with Carol, the co-founder of Brain Harmony. Brain Harmony is a private medical care company that uses the neuroplasticity of the brain to provide the most powerful and proven therapy to help children and adults with learning and performance difficulties. Listen in as Carol explains the benefits and we chat about a different approach to standard therapy. LIN...

Do you know the difference between muscle STRENGTH and muscle TONE? If not, you are about to learn all about it! As Occupational Therapy Assistants, we often work with children who have low muscle TONE. While this is different from muscle STRENGTH, it can go hand in hand (but not always!). As always, we give you our fav. tips, tricks, and strategies to help your child (or client, or family member, or neighbor …) if they have low muscle TONE. SHOW NOTES&n...

Have you heard of Interactive Metronome? It is an evidence-based training and assessment tool that has been proven to improve cognition, attention, focus, memory, speech/language, executive functioning, comprehension, and motor and sensory skills. WHOA! Ready to learn more? Get ready for a fun and informative interview this week! April Christopherson is an Occupational Therapist who has over 25 years of experience working with a variety of populations - home health, priv...

If you are a therapist, you have probably heard the term “therapeutic use of self.” Do you know what it means? Do you understand how to implement it into your daily treatments? Today, we talk about what that term actually means and how you can focus on improving your ability to use it, in order to provide better treatments for your clients. Parents and family members - this is a great episode to learn more about what therapists SHOULD be doing during treatment sessions. Do you...

Jo-Anne Weltman is not only a Physiotherapist but she is a wealth of knowledge! She has 29 years of experience working in pediatrics in all different places around the world - South Africa, California, New Zealand, and Canada. She has been practicing Cuevas MEDEK Exercise (CME) for 21 years and was one of the first 3 therapists in the WORLD to obtain her Level III certification in 2003. Jo-Anne is the owner of S.M.I.L.E. (Sensory Motor. Integrated. Learning. Experience.) Therapy for Kids...

In celebration of reaching 100 podcast episodes, Rach & Jess are diving into primitive reflexes with a 5 day series. Within these 5 episodes, you will hear information on the top 5 primitive reflexes that they, as Occupational Therapy Assistants, work with when treating within the pediatric population. The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, the STNR, is believed to help integrate the TLR reflex as well as develops the upper and lower body coordination. Listen in for all the details...

In celebration of reaching 100 podcast episodes, Rach & Jess are diving into primitive reflexes with a 5 day series. Within these 5 episodes, you will hear information on the top 5 primitive reflexes that they, as Occupational Therapy Assistants, work with when treating within the pediatric population. The Spinal Galant Reflex is believed to assist in the birthing process and may even contribute to bed wetting after the age of 5. Listen in for all the details and stay tuned for the ...

In celebration of reaching 100 podcast episodes, Rach & Jess are diving into primitive reflexes with a 5 day series. Within these 5 episodes, you will hear information on the top 5 primitive reflexes that they, as Occupational Therapy Assistants, work with when treating within the pediatric population. The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, the ATNR, is essential for hand-eye coordination and helps develop various aspects of bilateral integration. Listen in for all details and stay tun...

In celebration of reaching 100 podcast episodes, Rach & Jess are diving into primitive reflexes with a 5 day series. Within these 5 episodes, you will hear information on the top 5 primitive reflexes that they, as Occupational Therapy Assistants, work with when treating within the pediatric population. The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex, the TLR, is the primitive reflex that facilitates head control. It also has an impact on muscle tone. Listen in for all the details and stay tuned for the nex...

In celebration of reaching 100 podcast episodes, Rach & Jess are diving into primitive reflexes with a 5 day series. Within these 5 episodes, you will hear information on the top 5 primitive reflexes that they, as Occupational Therapy Assistants, work with when treating within the pediatric population. The Moro Reflex, also known as the Startle Reflex, should be integrated by ~ 4 months after birth. If it is not, it can affect many areas of functioning. Listen in to learn more and stay tu...

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 consultations to parents, schools, and professions by offering workshops on self-regulation and the Zo...

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 & Jess and let them know exactly what you learned and where you learned it!). &nbsp...

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, and just plain relatable! Enjoy! Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at &nbs...

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 podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mission at Harkla is to help those with s...

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/Podcast.Brought To You By HarklaThis podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mis...

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 You By HarklaThis podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mission at Harkla is to ...

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 to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla.Co/Podcast.Brought To Yo...

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 getting some much needed alone time. Additionally, the parent / caregiver of a child who suffers ...

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 Harkla.Co/Podcast.Brought To You By HarklaThis podcast is brought to y...