How I went from the confused and defeated clinician to helping thousands of SLPs create assessment and treatment plans that actually work.
Before there were Inside Out Sensory Trainings...there was a confused and defeated therapist.
Frustrated about lack of progress.
Questioning my therapy approaches.
Wondering if these kids would ever "make it" in the real world despite knowing that I had their absolute best interest at heart.
Ice Cream, Imagination, and a Bad Case of Imposter Syndrome
It was not a walk in the park to get here.
While I was thoroughly trained in my first job by not one, but three incredible mentors, and my transition from trainee to clinician was fast-paced and smooth...
The road to finding myself as a therapist was not fast or smooth.
I was hit with a major case of imposter syndrome. When I would see the silhouette of a supervisor peeking through the observation window on my door...being a therapist felt harder and scarier than it should. There were a lot of evening ice cream sessions. I dreamed of better days ahead.
My imagination brought me from there to here. I would say from A to Z, but it wasn't that linear or simple. It was more like "over the river and through the woods..."
When I started to integrate other disciplines' therapy approaches with mine...
my therapy transformed..and I transformed too.
It wasn't as easy as 1...2...3
I was ready to make a difference but it wasn't going to be easy.
One of my clients was a 3-year-old boy who was nonspeaking. Did I mention our sessions were 3 hours long?!
I tried anything and everything (and I mean everything) to connect with this boy.
It was time for me to submit a video for all of the clinical supervisors to review. I was terrified.
Integrating what I'd learned about sensory processing, I took a video of him dancing on the table and jumping off into my arms. He was the most connected and engaged I'd ever seen him. I was sure these supervisors had never seen him like this. I was so excited for them to see it.
By the way, if you didn't see this coming, a little word to the wise: Do not submit a video to your supervisors in which you are encouraging a toddler to stand and jump off of furniture. Lesson learned.
But I also learned that sometimes it takes integrating strategies from other disciplines (plus sometimes wildly unconventional ideas) to truly have a successful speech session.
I was on a mission.
I discovered that in order to make a difference, not only in a child's communication skills, but in his life, I needed to think in a new way.
So I did a "brain dump" of everything I knew about working with autistic children. And I realized...
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The old school 'sit at a table and do these flashcards' approach was OUT. Finding fun movement activities to engage our kids was IN.
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A child's learning starts with human connection
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Kids NEED...I repeat, NEED, to be regulated in order to communicate in the most effective way possible
And after I had too many "ah ha" moments to count...
I enrolled in every sensory processing course I could get my hands on.
There was just one problem.
They weren't meant for me....
They were meant for OTs.
The coursework was dense and exhausting.
It took a lot of time to figure out how I could take these strategies and integrate them into my speech sessions.
But guess what? I did it.
I did the hard work.
I spent loads of time figuring out how SLPs could use sensory strategies to meet their communication goals.
So now you don't have to.
Now you can save yourself time, energy, and a whole lot of money - and you can feel confident about how to integrate sensory strategies to get more out of your sessions too....with my acclaimed Inside Out Sensory Certificate for SLPs.
The best part?
This course is designed just for SLPs. This course is not just about sensory processing. This course gives you a step-by-step plan plus concrete strategies for improving regulation in your autistic clients, so that you can do the real work you were meant to do: help them communicate.
Are you ready to transform your sessions with sensory strategies?
A Little About Me
Mom to FOUR always adorable and mostly sweet little boys, Connor (7), Tucker (5), Jack (2) and Teddy (3 months)
Our family has 2 SLParents...as I like to call us :)
Founder of Pediatric Therapy Playhouse, a top-rated clinic in Los Angeles
Contributor to the American Speech Language Hearing Association magazine
Board member of the California Speech Language Hearing Association
Hometown is Carmel, California
Could eat sushi 3x day every day...anyone else with me?!
Publications
Kick It Into Overdrive
The American Speech Language Hearing Association Leader
Four Simple Steps to Social Skills Success
The American Speech Language Hearing Association Leader
Replacing the Countdown for Young Kids with Autism
The American Speech Language Hearing Association Leader Live
Focus on Fun: Words will Follow
The American Speech Language Hearing Association Leader
Helping Kids with Autism Plan, Not Just Execute
The American Speech Language Hearing Association Leader
Treatment of Pragmatic Language Disorders in Preschool and School-Aged Children
The Speech-Language Pathology Casebook
Meeting Arousal - Yours and Your Client’s - To Optimize Treatment
The American Speech Language Hearing Association Leader
Presentations
Motivate Every Child to Communicate:
Floortime-Based Speech and Language Therapy
American Speech Language Hearing Association Convention
Thinking-Based Approach to Social Interaction: Organizing and Implementing Social Skills Groups
American Speech Language Hearing Association Convention
Simple Steps to Social Skills Success
FACTx Conference
Treating Challenging Neurological Disorders
California Speech Language Hearing Association Convention
1 in 100 Babies Born with Cytomegalovirus
California Speech Language Hearing Association Convention
Early Language Development & Autism
University of California, Los Angeles Guest Lecturer
The Autism Breakthrough
San Joaquin County Office of Education
Treating Children with Complex Communication Needs
California State University, Fullerton Guest Lecturer
Increasing Engagement in Children with Autism:
A Parent Coaching Model for Teletherapy
BrIQht Idea
What Lies Beneath: Why We Should Tune In to Challenging Behaviors Instead of Time Out
Reading with TLC
Boosting Engagement & Communication in Your Autistic Students
AAC Special Communities Series, SPG Therapy
Essential Sensory Strategies to Boost Engagement in Your Autistic Students
Speech Retreat
Engaging Sensory Strategies for Autistic Students
Speech Retreat
Floortime Strategies to Improve Attention & Engagement in Your Autistic Clients
American Speech Language Hearing Association Convention
