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
Jul 7, 2021 • 42min
#160 - Living in Rhythm with Jorge Ochoa, OTR/L, from TamboRhythms
Jorge Ochoa, an Occupational Therapist and musician, talks about the benefits of drumming for children with special needs, including improved mood and social-emotional skills. He also discusses how drumming can support the emotional health of adults, including easing symptoms of depression and anxiety. The episode includes heartwarming stories of children responding positively to drumming and a mini jam session.
Jun 30, 2021 • 29min
#159 - Tips for Oral Seekers! If You Don't Know If Your Child Seeks Oral Input, Listen Up!
“Why does my child chew on everything to the point of soaking their shirt and ruining objects?” - “How do I help a child who grinds their teeth constantly?” - “Will my child grow out of oral seeking tendencies?”If you have asked yourself any of these questions, then today’s episode is for you! Today we tackle the subject of oral seeking. We get a lot of questions from parents whose kiddos seek oral input. Today we break this down!From chewing/sucking non-food items to grinding teeth, overstuf...
Jun 23, 2021 • 49min
#158 - A Holistic Approach to Psychology with Dr. Lori Baudino, BC-DMT
Our episode today is all about a holistic approach to psychology! To help us broach this extensive subject, we got together with Dr. Lori Baudino to unpack the intricacies of the mind-body connection. Dr. Baudino is a licensed clinical psychologist, a board-certified dance movement therapist, and a mother of two. She shares what she has learned from her work as a psychologist from working with children in private practice, as well as in a hospital setting for over a decade. Lori exp...
Jun 16, 2021 • 24min
#157 - What is Constructional Praxis and Why is it Such an Important Skill?
Did you know Amazon's big sale, Prime Day is next week, June 21st and 22nd?While small, family-owned businesses like ours can sell products on Amazon, Amazon takes a big chunk of each sale from us.So, while Amazon has its sale next week, we're going to have our own sale at Harkla called (Anti) Prime Day where we'll have a big discount equal to the amount Amazon takes from us on sales.Click here to be notified of our biggest sale this summer:https://harkla.co/primeIn today’s episode, Rachel an...
Jun 9, 2021 • 43min
#156 - Hand Eye Body Coordination with the Expert Dr. Jacob Weiss
Dr. Jacob Weiss, Director of the HandEyeBody Academy, shares his expertise on hand-eye-body coordination. He discusses the importance of this skill in various contexts and age groups. Dr. Weiss highlights therapeutic activities he has developed and compares his methods to similar approaches. He emphasizes the value of fun and novelty in learning and focuses on educating trainers. The podcast explores stories of success and ends with information on how to get involved with the HandEyeBody Academy.
Jun 2, 2021 • 31min
#155 - Sensory Tips for Traveling With Kids
Traveling can be quite challenging, so it's time to revisit this topic as the world is opening back up again and there are more opportunities to travel. Here we give you some helpful advice on how to put together sensory diets to help your kiddos feel successful during times of travel, and tips, tricks, and strategies to make your life and your child's lives just a little bit easier. You’ll hear about what a sensory diet is and how it can be used to help both kids and adults cope with traveli...
May 26, 2021 • 58min
#154 Normal is Boring with Kristi Brewer: Autism Mom, Weightlifter, & Advocate
There is still so much to learn and share in the world of autism, parenting, and just pushing forward the conversation around difference. We are happy to welcome Kristi Brewer today, who is very difficult to put into a box! She is a mother to two daughters, weightlifter, CPA, business-owner, and all-around powerhouse for positive progress. Kristi admits when her second daughter was diagnosed with Autism she felt very overwhelmed and scared due to her ignorance on the subject. K...
May 19, 2021 • 20min
#153 - What Do I Do After My Child Gets a Diagnosis?
Receiving a diagnosis for your child can elicit a wide range of emotions, and that is completely normal. In today’s episode, your hosts Rachel and Jessica, dive into ways to deal with your own feelings around the diagnosis, as well as the best things that you can do for your child once they have been diagnosed. The discussion dives into the importance of doing your research and finding a community; this can be found in online or offline groups. It just depends on what resonates with...
May 14, 2021 • 54min
Bonus Episode - Connection Between Tongue Ties and ADHD with Melanie Henstrom, IBCLC
In this bonus episode, Melanie Henstrom, a lactation consultant, discusses the connection between tongue ties and various health issues like ADHD, sleep deprivation, and breastfeeding difficulties. She shares her personal journey and the need for greater awareness of the tongue in infant development. Tongue tie symptoms in babies, the impact on breathing, and treatments through palatal expansion are also explored.
May 12, 2021 • 49min
#152 - Finding Optimal Health with Dr. Zink, Airway Dental Medicine
Today’s guest, Dr. Sam Zink, is a dentist who focuses on airway dental medicine. Dr. Zink’s practice is rooted in the belief that all dentistry should support and enhance an optimal airway. In today’s episode, Dr. Zink shares how having his three sons struggle with upper airway resistance syndrome drew him into this specialization. We hear about why tongue and lip ties often go undiagnosed and the importance of finding a team that understands what it takes to diagnose and treat thes...
