All Things Sensory by Harkla
Rachel Harrington, COTA/L, AC & Jessica Hill, COTA/L
Rachel Harrington and Jessica Hill, are two passionate Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants who answer your questions related to all things sensory, occupational therapy, parenting, self-care, nutrition, and health, from a therapist’s perspective. Providing raw, honest, fun ideas, and strategies, for parents and families to implement into daily life. Great for those who work with children with sensory processing disorder, special needs, autism, and ADHD. This podcast is brought to you by Harkla. At Harkla, our goal is to help those with special needs live happy and healthy lives.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 8, 2023 • 32min
#246 - What Are Preparatory Activities and Why Does Everyone Need to be Doing Them?
Preparatory activities are the “warm ups” you incorporate into a treatment session. These activities should stimulate different sensory systems, wake up different muscle groups, and help the child prepare for functional, occupation-based activities.We dive into WHY we love preparatory activities and we give you our top 10 favorites that you need to include daily! This isn’t just for therapists - parents and teachers can use these preparatory activities to help children prepare for daily activ...
Mar 1, 2023 • 31min
#245 - Therapy Case Study: 2 Year Old Sensory Seeker
We LOVE answering your questions! Today’s episode comes from a listener who reached out with a question about a client they work with.“He’s 2 years old. Definitely has a large sensory cup. He is extremely rough and tumble. This kid has face planted on concrete and will get up and keep running. I tried a weighted vest on him but he ripped it off right away. I’ve informed mom about heavy work at home. Our sessions usually look like me chasing him around. Any tips / strategies for kids like him?...
Feb 22, 2023 • 36min
#244 - Treatment Planning Brainstorm Session
A big piece of therapy is treatment planning - as a therapist, you spend a lot of time planning and executing treatment sessions for your clients. The more clients you have, the more treatment plans you have! It’s time consuming and can oftentimes be frustrating. We took 7 common treatment planning challenges and brainstormed ideas! The challenges we discussed ranged from lack of time, keeping it fun and play-based, to writing goals and burnout. If you’re a therapist, this episode is for you!...
Feb 15, 2023 • 34min
#243 - 10 Tips if You're Starting Your Sensory Journey!
Whether you’re a new listener and new to the sensory world, or if you’ve been here for a while and are familiar with sensory processing, this episode is full of little tips and tricks for anyone navigating sensory processing challenges! The tips that we dive into:EmpathyJust right challengeFeeding the sensesWorking as a teamIn-person OTPrimitive reflexesSensory strategiesSensory breaksModificationsElevator pitchLearn How to Create a Personalized Sensory DietAll Things Primitive ReflexesF...
Feb 8, 2023 • 1h 1min
#242 - The Overstimulated Parent's Guide to Parenting with Larissa Geleris, MS, OTR/L from @steadyparents
Larissa Geleris, MS, OTR/L, is a licensed occupational therapist specializing in identifying and treating sensory processing dysfunction. She is passionate about supporting parents who are experiencing overstimulation, overwhelm, and dysregulation. She has written multiple courses, has been a guest on several podcasts, and runs an Instagram platform that provides practical and evidence-based strategies for the sensory challenges of parenthood (@steadyparents). Larissa's dream is to help all p...
Feb 1, 2023 • 25min
#241 - Does Everybody Have Sensory Quirks?
Sensory processing disorder (SPD) occurs when the brain and the body cannot properly process and modulate the sensory input coming in. This causes a negative, adverse reaction to the incoming sensory input. This in turn negatively affects the individual’s life, on a DAILY basis. Sensory quirks are the smaller, less significant sensory things you seek out or avoid throughout the day. For example: chewing gum to stay focused, or fidgeting with your pen while listening to a lecture, or disliking...
Jan 25, 2023 • 1h 16min
#240 - Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy with Hallie Bulkin
Join Hallie Bulkin, a certified myofunctional therapist and pediatric feeding specialist, as she dives into the world of orofacial myofunctional therapy. She shares her journey from recognizing unsafe feeding practices in schools to founding her own therapy practice. Learn about the significance of tongue ties, genetics in jaw development, and how to evaluate dental concerns. Hallie emphasizes the importance of airway health, early intervention, and building a knowledgeable care team to support children’s needs.
Jan 18, 2023 • 54min
#239 - LIVE 2-1 Mentoring Session with Rachel and Jessica!
Today’s episode is a LIVE call with a 2-on-1 Mentoring client. The family provided us with details ahead of time, scheduled the session, and we jumped right into a brainstorming session! If you found this episode helpful and would like to hear more episodes like this, let us know!Make sure to check out all of our links below!Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform....
Jan 11, 2023 • 17min
#238 - Tips for Making Home Exercise Programs Successful!
What is a home exercise program (HEP)? Why are they so important? What are some things you can do to make them easier for families to carry over? Make sure to check out all of our links below!Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla.Co/Podcast.Brought To You By HarklaThis podcast is...
Jan 4, 2023 • 32min
#237 - Sensory Overload- What it Can Look Like and How You Can Help!
Diving into WHAT sensory overload is, HOW and WHY it happens, WHAT it can look like, and our top 5 strategies to help with sensory overload! Make sure to check out all of our links below! Sensory Diet Digital CourseLooking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla.Co/Podcast.Brought To You By Hark...
