Best The OT Butterfly Podcasts (2024)

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Keeping sensory seekers entertained AND regulated (easy solutions you can do at home!) 17:49

2d ago17:49

17:49

Send us a Text Message. If you have a sensory seeker and you're in need of easy, indoor ideas to keep them both entertained AND regulated... this is the episode for you. Listen to this episode (sponsored in part, by Figgy) to hear 7 sensory based movement activities to do inside with your sensory seeker. Here's a link to grab your own Figgy couch w…

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Why Is My Child's Behavior Worse When They're Sick? 21:26

16d ago21:26

21:26

Send us a Text Message. If you have a child who’s been sick recently, you’ve probably found yourself wondering “Why are they so moody?” “why do they seem more sensitive than before?” You’re not imagining it. The nervous system is in a state of stress when it’s fighting viruses, ailments and bugs. Sensory systems are more impacted and so is behavior…

1
Breaking generational & cultural cycles as a neurodivergent parent with Marcela Collier 37:44

23d ago37:44

37:44

Send us a Text Message. Are you a late diagnosed adult with childhood trauma relating to their missed/ignored neurodivergent needs who is NOW trying to provide better support for their own neurodivergent child? *Sigh* us too. Join Marcela Collier, certified parenting coach and neurodivergent mom to discuss our journey to accepting our neurodivergen…

1
Your Body, Your Rules: Masturbation, Orgasms & intimacy with Dr. Tracy Dalgleish 32:07

1M ago32:07

32:07

Send us a Text Message. It’s 2024, self-pleasure, masturbation, orgasms…. It’s one of the most natural, fun, immediate ways to regulate our bodies, why should we be ashamed of it? Listen in to this unfiltered discussion about changes to intimacy after becoming parents and how burnt out, touched out moms can start getting bringing sexy back! Dr. Tra…

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THC, CBD and Neurodiversity, with Dr. Miyabe Shields Ph.D. 57:14

1M ago57:14

57:14

Send us a Text Message. Dr. Miyabe Shields, is a Ph.D. pharmaceutical scientist who specialized in the structural biochemistry of the endocannabinoid system for drug discovery. They have received national and international recognition for their pre-doctoral research in the endocannabinoid system and industrial accomplishments in the cannabis and em…

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Why are restaurants so hard for my neurodivergent child and how can I help them? 23:39

2M ago23:39

23:39

Send us a Text Message. Restaurants are a multi-sensory experience, and if you've got a neurodivergent child, you know that multi-sensory doesn't always necessarily mean a good thing. Between the sensory overload, confined space and social expectations of "behaving" in a restaurant, it makes sense why eating out as a family feels stressful for some…

1
Neurodivergent kids & birthday parties: the struggle is real 30:36

2M ago30:36

30:36

Send us a Text Message. Whether attending other celebrations or hosting your own, birthday parties can often be overwhelming due to sensory and emotional regulation challenges. However, with proper preparation and accommodations, we can minimize distress and help our neurodivergent kids fully participate and enjoy the experience. In this episode, I…

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Helping Kids Thrive Outdoors with Nature-Based OT featuring Dr. Laura Park Figueroa 55:43

2M ago55:43

55:43

Send us a Text Message. Tune in to hear us discuss the benefits of nature-based occupational therapy with Dr. Laura Park Figueroa. We explore how incorporating natural elements into therapy can help children build skills while regulating their nervous systems. I share some of my own experiences as an "indoor cat" to highlight how nature-based appro…

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How an Autism Diagnosis Saved Paige Layle's Life: Interview 1:01:24

2M ago1:01:24

1:01:24

Send us a Text Message. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live as an undiagnosed Autistic person living in a neurotypical world? Maybe you’re a parent to a nonspeaking child or a child who’s too young to be able to properly express their experience. Learning from actually Autistic adults is one of the most valuable things you can do for your…

1
Why wiggle cushions AREN’T helping your child sit still 16:40

2M ago16:40

16:40

Send us a Text Message. This week I'm diving into some sneaky reasons why some sensory kids might be wigglers that have nothing to do with needing more movement. Prepare to get your mind blown as I break down the connection between core strength, posture, and focus. I'll also give you tons of do's and don'ts for supporting these kiddos in the class…

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Helping Kids Understand Occupational Therapy: A Guide for Parents 19:51

3M ago19:51

19:51

Send us a Text Message. As an OT, I often get asked how parents should explain why their child has to go to Occupational Therapy visits. In this episode, parents will have some guidance on preparing children for evaluations, answering their questions about therapy, and explaining OT to siblings. You'll learn simple scripts tailored to different chi…

1
Celebrating Occupational Therapy Month 2024 30:27

3M ago30:27

30:27

Send us a Text Message. Get ready for an info-packed episode on Occupational Therapy to celebrate this wonderful field in OT month (for U.S.). I shared how OT can help with all different kinds of challenges like motor skills, focusing, anxiety and sensory issues. Whether assessing needs, modifying environments or teaching regulating strategies, OTs…

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Why does my child hate changes in routine? 19:51

3M ago19:51

19:51

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, I dive into why some kids – especially neurodivergent ones – thrive on routine and struggle when things change. As a neurodivergent adult and occupational therapist, I'll share insights into the sensory and cognitive challenges that can make even small changes feel like big disruptions. I'll also dish out pr…

1
How to provide regulation in a home with conflicting sensory needs 20:34

3M ago20:34

20:34

Send us a Text Message. Do you feel pulled in multiple directions trying to meet the unique sensory needs of each child in your home? In this episode, I’ll dish my top strategies for balancing the often conflicting sensory profiles within families. You'll learn practical ways to create separate sensory spaces, set clear boundaries with alternatives…

1
Help! My child wakes up dysregulated. What do I do? 18:30

4M ago18:30

18:30

Send us a Text Message. Parents, are you dealing with a kid who just constantly wakes up on the wrong side of the bed? NO matter what you do or offer them, they're just dysregulated no matter what. This episode is for you. I'll help you make sense of those non-sensical moods and give you an action plan to hopefully curb some of that dysregulation. …

1
Brainstorming solutions WITH our kids, instead of for them. 16:07

4M ago16:07

16:07

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, I'm exploring an approach I've found really effective called collaborative problem-solving. I'll break down the steps so you can understand the process. And I'll share a real example from my own parenting journey - what happened when I tried validating my daughter's perspective and attacking the problem obje…

1
The Nervous System Budget: a new way to think about accommodations for neurodivergent individuals 15:08

4M ago15:08

15:08

Send us a Text Message. I wanted to share a new concept I've been thinking about called the "nervous system budget." Basically, it's a way to visualize how different tasks and environments affect our nervous systems. I'll explain how we all have a limited amount of "nervous system cash" each day, and how certain things can cost more than others. I'…

1
Journey from Referral to Recommendations: what to expect (Tips from a Clinical Psychologist) 44:18

4M ago44:18

44:18

Send us a Text Message. Dr. Alex Reed is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the assessment and support of neurodevelopmental diagnoses across the lifespan Alex and I are both contributors in Dr. Becky’s goodinside community- a movement and platform that we really enjoy supporting. Alex and I have so many sideline conversations about neurodi…

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Advice from a 6 year old (Lliana Q&A) 26:06

5M ago26:06

26:06

Send us a Text Message. Liliana surprises me every single day. She’s intelligent, well spoken, mature, empathetic and so so caring. You can see all of those qualities through her in this episode, which was in part created by you who submitted questions for her to answer! In this episode, you’ll hear Liliana give advice about What to do when you’re …

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How to use exercise to regulate your nervous system with Dr. Shannon Ritchey 44:08

5M ago44:08

44:08

Send us a Text Message. We cannot co-regulate our kids if we aren’t regulated ourselves. And most of us (I’m raising both of my hands here) need to make extra effort to activate our parasympathetic nervous system because our sympathetic nervous systems can go into overdrive so quickly as parents to neurodivergent kids. Chronic dysregulation and chr…

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Making screen time work for your family with Ash Brandin, EdS 54:53

5M ago54:53

54:53

Send us a Text Message. Let's normalize screen time use in whatever way works for your family. I know as parents we are CONSTANTLY bombarded by a list of shoulds and shouldn’ts and really big, click-baity headlines that really create a lot of fear and guilt among parents. You see this for almost every childhood concern, but I see it a lot around sc…

1
Understanding nervous system regulation with Dr. Joy Malik-Hasbrook 42:28

5M ago42:28

42:28

Send us a Text Message. Dr. Joy and I chat about why nervous system regulation is so important for parents and kids to understand, and how you can start to explain it to them. We then touch on how you expand the knowledge of nervous system regulation into understanding that some brains and bodies are different, and their nervous system regulation (…

1
100 episodes “wiser” [with Liliana] 25:38

5M ago25:38

25:38

Send us a Text Message. Welcome to the 100th episode of the sensory W.I.S.E. solutions podcast! I'm so excited to celebrate this milestone with all of you. In this special episode, I'll be reflecting on our journey so far and sharing some of my favorite episodes and key stats from the past 100 shows. You’ll also get to hear from my 6 year old, Lill…

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Kristi Palmer {KIVA founder} on de-stigmatizing cannabis use for millennial parents 47:55

6M ago47:55

47:55

Send us a Text Message. In this episode I chat with Kristi Palmer, founder of Kiva Confection edibles, about how cannabis products can be integrated into our busy lives as parents. Kristi shares how she uses edibles to manage the chaos of dinner time and her kids' bedtime routine. I also discuss how edibles help me relax in the evenings and get a g…

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So your child was just diagnosed, now what? 20:51

6M ago20:51

20:51

Send us a Text Message. Listen to this episode if you’re looking for practical next steps after your child receives an autism, ADHD, anxiety or other DSM diagnosis. Listeners will learn how to navigate the many emotions that come with a diagnosis, as I validate the relief, validation but also overwhelmed, confused or worried feelings parents may ex…

1
How does sensory processing actually work? 20:55

6M ago20:55

20:55

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, I break down the basics of sensory processing in a step by step, easy to understand way. Learn how each of the 8 sensory inputs travel through our bodies, how the brain triggers a response and how that manifests in our behaviors. With this information, you’re ready to start tackling those behaviors from a mo…

1
Unscripted: My husband was the default parent for 17 days 42:30

6M ago42:30

42:30

Send us a Text Message. Follow along as my husband and I do a quick recap of the 17 days I spent away from home while I was in the Philippines and Mark took on the role of default parent for our daughter Liliana. We discussed how he handled the daily routines like school drop offs and meals without any reminders from me. Mark shared some funny stor…

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How to introduce neurodiversity and sensory tools to a general ed classroom 24:10

7M ago24:10

24:10

Send us a Text Message. It’s one thing to be able to identify the best supports, tools and accommodations for your neurodivergent child, but I find that implementing it successfully in the classroom isn’t always easy. One of the things I recommend parents or teachers to do is to spend some time introducing the entire classroom to sensory tools, wha…

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Navigating Food Allergies with Compassion: A Conversation with the Asian Allergy Mom 51:19

7M ago51:19

51:19

Send us a Text Message. In this episode,I talk with Ina Chung, known as @theasianallergymom on Instagram. Ina shares her personal story of parenting her daughter who has food allergies to peanut, dairy and egg. She discusses how she educated herself on food allergies as a new mom and advocates tirelessly for inclusion of food allergy families. Ina …

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Identifying Neurodiverse Affirming Therapists: Green Flags to look for 40:12

7M ago40:12

40:12

Send us a Text Message. Listen in as I discuss important signs parents can look for to determine if a therapist or clinic is neurodiverse affirming so they can make the most informed decision when looking into therapy providers for their neurodivergent child. Links: episode on making the most out of OT services Purchase the Just Right Challenge Too…

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The Truth About Labels: Understanding the Pros and Cons 34:33

8M ago34:33

34:33

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, I explore one of the most nuanced topics in parenting - the use of labels for children. As an OT and mom to a sensory sensitive child, I've seen firsthand both the pros and cons that labels can bring. I discuss my own journey in understanding different perspectives on labels and how my views have evolved. Li…

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Short, Sweet or Sassy Comeback Responses for Every Judgy Relative 27:26

8M ago27:26

27:26

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, I share my top comebacks for dealing with judgmental comments about parenting a neurodivergent child. As parents, we've all experienced unwanted advice or passive aggressive remarks from friends and family about our parenting style or our child's behavior. But it can be hard to know how to respond without ca…

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Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance: Accommodating PDA Needs with Expert Casey Ehrlich 1:07:50

8M ago1:07:50

1:07:50

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, Laura Petix interviews Casey Ehrlich, a social scientist and expert in Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). Casey shares her personal story of discovering her son's PDA diagnosis and journey to understanding. She discusses PDA as a dysregulated nervous system perceiving threats to autonomy. Casey provides 5 …

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Neurodiversity in Society: Embracing Differences for a Better Future (roundtable discussion) 1:14:52

8M ago1:14:52

1:14:52

Send us a Text Message. I recently had an open discussion with my instagram audience on whether or not someone with a clinical diagnosis of anxiety would be considered neurodivergent. This stemmed from an inner conflict I was experiencing and trying to decide– am I neurodivergent? I actually shared a more in depth view of where I stand on this topi…

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Unscripted: Am I neurodivergent? 35:11

9M ago35:11

35:11

Send us a Text Message. It all started when a 4th grader at my daughter’s school asked me if I’m neurodivergent after I finished doing a read aloud of my book to their school. And I don’t know why but I stumbled over my words. I kept thinking about it over and over again that day and then shared it to my stories with a question, am I neurodivergent…

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Ask These 4 Questions to Identify Your Child's Dysregulation Patterns 33:12

9M ago33:12

33:12

Send us a Text Message. We talk a lot about noticing when your child becomes dysregulated and paying attention to their behaviors so you can identify a pattern, but what if the pattern isn't obvious? There are 4 main questions that you could be thinking about to help narrow down patterns around your child's behavior and I'm sharing them with you to…

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Why Is Your Child Acting Out? Uncovering 'The Gap' in Behavior 20:26

9M ago20:26

20:26

Send us a Text Message. Are you searching for the answers to help stop a certain behavior that keeps coming up for your child? Maybe they’re always hitting or yelling; maybe they are getting notes sent home from school that they’re not paying attention or keeps disrupting class. Before you can look for solutions to stop the behavior, you need to un…

1
Social stories for kids: What, why, how? 18:28

9M ago18:28

18:28

Send us a Text Message. Have you ever wondered how to help your child understand or process a certain life event, like when a pet dies, or when a friend moves away? Or maybe you’ve wondered what’s the best way to prepare your child for something that’s going to happen like moving houses, welcoming a new sibling to the family or even going to the de…

1
Using “sensory layering” to enhance nervous system regulation 10:21

9M ago10:21

10:21

Send us a Text Message. Have you ever used a combination of sensory inputs and sensory tools to build this ultimate, customized sensory strategy for your child? Mixing and matching, adding on or taking away sensory input? If so- you’re already a pro at sensory layering. If not, give this episode a listen to understand how you can use what I call “s…

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After school regulation ideas for neurodivergent kids 24:56

10M ago24:56

24:56

Send us a Text Message. Many of us are back into the swing of things at school, and with that comes so much more dysregulation! In this season premiere episode, we’re talking about where that dysregulation comes from and how you can try to get ahead of it (key word: try!). You’ll learn: What dysregulated behaviors are common to see after school How…

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How to support regulation around the summer break transition 24:53

1y ago24:53

24:53

Send us a Text Message. The transition to summer comes with so many emotions and behaviors, it can be really exhausting. There are ways to support your neurodivergent child through this transition. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the transition from end of school to summer vacation is difficult How to handle big feelings around the end of school…

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Kids are ready- a conversation with Jelani Memory, founder and CEO of A Kids Co 52:21

1y ago52:21

52:21

Send us a Text Message. I wanted to create a kids book about neurodiversity not only to help our neurodivergent kids feel seen and represented in a positive light, BUT also to help educate the greater population, the neurotypical population about what neurodiversity means- to foster more inclusion, to take control of the narrative about neurodivers…

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Giftedness and Neurodiversity with Caitlin Greer Meister 51:40

1y ago51:40

51:40

Send us a Text Message. One of the big topics I talk about and something i joke will be written on my tomb stone one day is “Sensory is behavior” i’m always trying to reframe the debate “is it sensory or is it behavior?” because everything that we’re noticing our kids do is a behavior, but what parents/teachers want to get to the root of is “is thi…

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Using music as a vehicle to support the neurodivergent brain, with Diana Cameron of Kindermusik 47:24

1y ago47:24

47:24

Send us a Text Message. Kindermusik is a purposefully created multisensory music and movement program for ages 0-7 that provides neurodivergent children the opportunity to improve in all learning areas by consciously stimulating the whole brain. Kindermusik creates shared research-based curricula that: Empower educators Strengthen family and teache…

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Repair & Restitution: why it’s important and how to do it, with Myla Leinweber B.Ed, M.Ed, PCI Certified Parent Coach 43:32

1y ago43:32

43:32

Send us a Text Message. Tune in to this episode to learn about: What is repair and restitution and why are they important? When should a parent repair with their child? What we should do when we’re in a constant cycle of rupture and repair. The power of re-writing the story What does it sound like for a parent to repair? How to facilitate repair fr…

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Unscripted: Interviewing my 5 year old about emotional regulation & sensory sensitivity 19:22

1y ago19:22

19:22

Send us a Text Message. Tune in for this short but sweet episode where I interviewed my 5 year old about some of the things we talk about often at home, including how she expresses her emotions what she thinks about everyone having feelings how meltdowns are handled and how she prefers to handle them what it's like being sensory sensitive Links: Po…

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4 steps to supporting your child’s sensory sensitivities 13:38

1y ago13:38

13:38

Send us a Text Message. Do you have a child who avoids, is fearful of, or has meltdowns around sensory triggers related to: wearing certain clothes/fabrics/shoes/socks eating a variety of foods being around loud sounds/busy environments getting their hands or skin messy/sticky hygiene tasks like taking a bath, washing their hair or brushing their h…

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Unscripted: Trust the process 27:39

1y ago27:39

27:39

Send us a Text Message. In this unscripted episode, I catch you up to speed with where we are with emotional and sensory regulation. Spoiler alert- Liliana is THRIVING. I talk about some of the big, foundational, anchoring concepts we focused on that I feel have made a huge impact in getting to where we are today. You'll hear me talk about Whether …

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How to talk to kids about their nervous system 32:12

1y ago32:12

32:12

Send us a Text Message. Educating your kids about how their brain and bodies work can be a game changer when it comes to supporting their regulation. When we give them the cheat sheet to how their brain works, they can start to understand why certain things are hard for them, and why they may have certain quirks or behaviors. More importantly, when…

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When your parenting styles differ from your partner’s: Tips from a Clinical Psychologist 39:14

1y ago39:14

39:14

Send us a Text Message. Dr. Tracy Dalgleish helps empower women and couples to improve their communication and build strong and healthy connections with themselves and their partner through therapy, wellness seminars, and her work outside of the therapy room. She contributes to popular media sites, including Motherly, Huffington Post, and Bustle. I…

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The OT Butterfly Podcasts

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