Sensational Sensory Strategies with Dr. Varleisha

Calm and Connected Podcast

Have you ever considered the neuroscience behind how we self-regulate our emotions? How do these two work together? Some children may respond in fight or flight mode in some situations. But how does your child’s body and emotions respond and why in these specific moments? What pathways are connecting in your child’s brain to cause certain reactions? Knowing your child and techniques to keep them calm can help moments like this - it’s more than just a behavior, but thinking about the child as a whole.

The topics we cover in this episode are:

An introduction to Dr. Varleisha and the work she does

The beauty of having a multidisciplinary team and how to support the kids in your lives

How does our brains work and what hormones are released

Techniques for self regulation

The power of sound and movement and self regulation

Using temperature for self regulation

Finding evidence based practice rather than what social media tells us

How Dr. Varleisha rests and relaxes

And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!

About The Guest -

Varleisha D. (Gibbs) Lyons PhD, OTD, OTR/L, ASDCS has been an occupational therapist for over 20 years. Dr. Lyons founded and operated a private therapy firm for over 10 years. She developed and founded Delaware’s first occupational therapy program and became the first Black Indigenous American woman to serve as the Scientific Programs Officer at the American Occupational Therapy Foundation. Currently, she is the Vice President of Diversity Equity Inclusion Justice Access and Belonging and formerly the Vice President of Practice Engagement and Capacity Building at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Varleisha continues to lecture internationally and has authored four books, one of which is a bestseller. She has dedicated her time to mentoring underrepresented individuals and desires to help shift others toward growth and healing despite traumatic experiences or diagnoses. Her research spans various disciplines and professions with grant funding in the areas of community-based services and interprofessional education and care. Through such efforts she has guided several into the profession of occupational therapy and supported families across the nation through her volunteer efforts. Her areas of expertise include neuroanatomy, self-regulation strategies across the lifespan, health inequities, and trauma responsive approaches.

Website: http://wasutsanctuary.com/

Instagram Page: https://instagram.com/drvarleisha

X: https://x.com/drvarleisha

Other resources:

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Varleisha-Gibbs/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AVarleisha+Gibbs ;

https://www.pesi.com/speaker/details/00259440 ;

https://www.medbridge.com/instructors/varleisha-gibbs-otd-otrl-pediatric-occupational-therapy-sensory-integration/

Other Calm and Connected Podcast episodes mentioned:

Sophie Garner

https://www.janinehalloran.com/podcast/calm-and-connected-episode-99

Ryan Judd:

https://www.janinehalloran.com/podcast/calm-and-connected-episode-116

Lynne Kenney

https://www.janinehalloran.com/podcast/calm-and-connected-episode-106

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay