Two Sides of the Spectrum

Zosia Zaks is a certified rehabilitation counselor, author, and autistic self-advocate. He manages the Towson University's Hussman Center for Adults with Autism, where he teaches service-learning courses that examine autism through a social justice lens. Listen to episode 21 where we explore:How diversity education can truly shift the paradigm to make disability inclusion more effective and empowering for everyoneWhy attitudinal accommodations are the key to positive inclusion for autistic peopleThe concrete ways OTs can support autistic people at workWhat true self-advocacy looks like and why and how to start it youngHow everyone benefits from accommodations and advocacy strategies used by disabled people  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Jacklyn Googins is the cofounder of the OTs for Neurodiversity social media movement and the founder of B3 Coffee, an inclusive pop-up coffee stand in Chapel Hill, NC. Greg Boheler, who is autistic, is the cofounder of OTs for Neurodiversity and a board member for B3 Coffee. Join us in Episode 21 where we:Explore the practical changes that OTs for Neurodiversity strives to make in the field of occupational therapy, and how these can completely transform the work we doDive into concrete examples of the content that Jacklyn and Greg create, including how we can shift our thinking on both echolalia and sensory processing differences towards a more strengths-based, person-centered approachLook deeply at the B3 Coffee model and learn how inclusivity and neurodiversity can truly benefit everyone  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Damian Milton is an autistic researcher whose idea spawned a huge shift in how we think about autism.  In this episode, listen in as we explore: - How Damian developed his hypothesis that the trouble with empathy and social skills is a two-way street between autistic and non-autistic people, not a deficit of autistic people - What early research Damian did to confirm this hypothesis - One thing Damian would love to see OTs stop doing with social stories and comic strip interventions with autistic clients - A tip for how to better approach sensory processing challenges with autistic kids, with a cautionary tale from his own life  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Jacquelyn Fede is a developmental psychologist and autistic self-advocate and Amy Laurent is a developmental psychologist and pediatric occupational therapist. They are the co-founders of Autism Level Up, where they push people who support and care for autistic people to take our work to the next level. This talk is an edited replay of their interview for the Neurodiversity in the New Year summit. Listen in to the episode to transform your idea of what it means to do play interventions with kids on the spectrum. We’ll dive deep into:How play interventions may be robbing autistic kids of the chance for true, restorative, freely chosen playHow we can reframe developmental interventions that use toys or playful activities, but are not truly play for our clientsWhat it means to truly watch, learn from, and listen to our clients as they joyfully engage in true play  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Sarah McCulloch is an autistic occupational therapist based in London, the senior OT in a school for autistic kids, and the founder of The Autistic Empire.  Listen in to episode 17 as we explore:The question we should all be asking ourselves before we start any interventionWhy the best approaches to therapy require the perspective of both autistic and non-autistic therapistsThe important shift Sarah recommends we all make in our work around sensory aversionsHow The Autistic Empire is promoting self-actualization for autistic people (and how we all can too!)  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Dr. Winnie Dunn is a distinguished professor of occupational therapy at the University of Missouri, the author of the Sensory Profile, and a trailblazer in occupational therapy research and practice. Dr. Dunn’s latest research focuses on parent coaching and occupations in everyday life.  Listen in to episode 16 as we explore:How to understand sensory processing differences using a strengths-based lensHow and why to support our clients in their everyday lives - even if we work in contrived settingsDr. Winnie Dunn’s surprising advice on how to use the Sensory Profile that may make your work so much easierDr. Dunn’s advice to OTs that brought us both to tears  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Sarah Selvaggi Hernandez is an occupational therapist and educator working to promote an intentional identity-first approach to autism and OT. Listen in to the episode as we dive deep into:- Why we should be focused on the development of positive identity for our autistic clients, and what might be getting in our way- Concrete strategies we can use to help our clients flourish, inspired by the occupational science philosophy of doing, being, belonging, and becoming- Sarah’s powerful message to parents of newly diagnosed autistic children  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Dr. Matt Braun is a speech language pathologist who owns a private practice in the Kansas City area. His doctoral thesis examined whether OTs and SLPs write our goals and evaluations from a strengths or deficits-based perspective. This episode is the third in a three-part series. First check out episodes 4 and 12, then join Dr. Braun in this episode we:- Explore what real, strengths-based, in-context intervention looks likes- Answer all of your listener questions about IEPs, reducing paperwork time, working with parents, and more!  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Elizabeth is an autistic adult and licensed occupational therapist who specializes in trauma-sensitive practices. Elizabeth is a lifelong learner with an innovative OT practice informed by so many areas of study.  Listen in to this episode as we explore:- Why trauma-sensitive practices are essential for our work with autistic people- What Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive yoga is, and how Elizabeth uses it her work- Concrete, easy-to-apply trauma sensitive practices we can all start implementing right away- How mutual aid and autistic community can (and should!) play into our work with families- Elizabeth’s simple but profound takeaway for OTs (hint: it’s not that we should be doing more in our sessions)   View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Dr. Evan Dean, PhD, OTR/L, is Assistant Research Professor at the University of Kansas and Associate Director at the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities.  His research focuses on promoting community participation for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through enhancing self-determination, supported decision making and career design.  Dr. Scott Tomchek, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is Professor of Pediatrics and Assistant Director of the Weisskopf Child Evaluation Center at the University of Louisville.  He co-authored the AOTA practice guidelines on autism. Strengths-based, family-centered care is central to all programs he touches. Listen into this episode as we dive deep into:- The question you’ve all been emailing me to ask: How do we write strengths based evaluations and goals!?- And then the other question on the mind of U.S.-based providers: How do we get insurance to pay when writing strengths-based evaluations?- And most importantly: Why is a strengths-based evaluation process so important, and how does impact everything that follows?This episode is detailed and specific; we talk about everything from early intervention to early adulthood. Including those handwriting goals you may have been writing for your middle-schoolers. Warning: this episode is likely to inspire you to do something totally different in your very next evaluation. Are you ready??  View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast