Let me start by saying that all trauma is perceived because trauma is defined by the mind and body’s response to intense experiences that threaten or cause harm. Trauma defines our individual emotional and physical response to these events and doesn’t define the event itself. This should not downplay the significance or impact of trauma. ...
While speech and language are very important tools that can help us effectively communicate, language is not the only type of human communication. Research has determined that 70%-93% of our communication is non-verbal (Mehrabian A. Silent messages: a wealth of information about nonverbal communication (body language) 2016 http://www.kaaj.com/psych/smorder.html). While there is still a debate about...
In the 1960’s, Jean Ayres, an occupational therapist, psychologist, and neuroscientist challenged traditional occupational therapy ideals by looking at the whole child and their perception and response to their environment, not simply focusing on specific components of a motor pattern. In 1972, Ayres stated that sensory systems develop in an integrated manner and depend on...
Research shows, and professionals agree, that having social interest and developing social skills are necessary for long term social-emotional health. However, there seems to be a common misconception that schools and ‘peer modeling’ are responsible for a child’s social skill development. While that would make everyone’s lives easier, it is simply not true. Social skills...
As our knowledge of the brain continues to grow so does our understanding of human development and learning. The research study, “Single-neuronal elements of speech production in humans” deepens our understanding of the development and use of language for communication purposes as part of a complex multi-faceted process that involves both ideation and planning. It...
Dr. Stanley Greenspan defined Floortime as an intervention that focused on strengthening a child’s ability to relate, communicate, and think. He developed the milestones in his Greenspan/DIR Model and his milestone as a guide to understand a child’s social-emotional abilities and challenges, and to help parents and professionals encourage development within these 3 areas. While...
If you were lucky enough to have experienced a consultation with Dr. Greenspan, whether in person or reviewing a video of one of your sessions together, inevitably you would’ve heard the question, “who’s doing the thinking?” It was one of his favorite questions to ask because it refers to one of the most important and...
Developmentally appropriate play is different from age-appropriate play. Age-appropriate play is determined by looking at a child’s chronological age and determines what types of toys and activities a child should be using and participating in to match their peers interests and abilities. Developmentally appropriate play first looks at the child’s abilities to communicate, move their...
When learning Dr. Greenspan’s Greenspan/DIR™ Model, or as it is referred to in its final version, The Learning Tree, it is important to understand why Dr. Greenspan used various terms such as stages, levels, milestones, and capacities in his 40 books referring to the Social-Emotional Developmental Levels/Stages/Milestones/ Capacities he became so famous for identifying and...
For most children, especially those with developmental challenges like autism, one of their primary goals is independence. While it is important for every child to live in the world without being fully reliant or dependent on others, independence may not necessarily be the correct goal. Why? When we are independent, we do everything for ourselves....
