Blog
First watch & discuss, then practice…
A freeze frame says a thousand words….hmmm, might Roni (on the right) be feeling a bit frustrated? What do you think is in his thought bubble? (Maca and Roni: Dominos, by Kyungmin Woo)
Building bridges from characters to self
Yes, the end of May approaching can only mean one thing – it’s almost summer! And whether you will still be working, or have the good fortune to be taking some time off, these last few weeks of school can seem, well, a bit stressful.
Feelings are always changing…
I am driving to work. It's a beautiful day, traffic is in my favor, my hair looks on the better side of okay, I have some great groups to look forward to - it's all good and I am feeling happy, optimistic, determined, grateful and enthusiastic…
New Series Starting! It’s all about feelings…
The student illustration above came from such a series of exercises. We were able to talk about the event portrayed in his sketch, rather than going right to the "What do you think you could have done to help yourself feel better..."
Finding our best us…
This blog is finishing up my series of flexibility. What helps us find and maintain our ability to be flex? Well, I think it’s often encouragement – whether from within ourselves or from others.
Moving along the continuums…
After 2 blogs talking about flex and stuck, this time, let’s consider how we can support our students in building their flexibility. Remember, both flexibility and inflexibility reflect continuums – not static points…
The Holidays = opportunities for flexibility…
With the coming end of the calendar year come HOLIDAYS. Once we are past that first signpost, Halloween, Thanksgiving (sometimes now with a week break!) seems to come overnight. Quickly followed by Winter break…
The Holidays = opportunities for stuck…
Ah, yes. Holidays - a time of differences. Different schedules, food, expectations, beds… Sometimes even disappointments and challenges…
So many great animations…
There’s nothing like plowing through therapy notes trying to determine whether a student or group has already watched a particular animated video. And what work was done with that specific video…
The joys of in-person therapy!
In some ways, these two photos encapsulate my practice during COVID/SIP. And I know which one I prefer! So wonderful to be able to explore Critical Core (CC) in-person with my students. I got lots of comments and questions after my recent blog on the game, so this time I want to tell you a story that reflects the power of therapeutic role-playing games.
Broaden your teaching with a therapeutic role-playing game!
Some of you may have heard me talk about Critical Core the therapeutically applied role-playing game created by Game to Grow. Constructed on a DIRFloortimeR framework, Critical Core (CC) builds 5 “core capacities;” regulation, collaboration, planning, perspective, and pretend play…
A lifetime of changing
I’ve worked with Tim, an autistic young man, since he was 3. Now he’s 22. A long relationship with him and his incredibly supportive family. When I became fascinated with mental state verbs (MSV) and talked with his mother, we agreed that they weren't words Tim used. Two years ago, we started a concerted effort to build his exposure to, understanding of, and use of MSV.
Making more room at the table…
In last month’s blog, I wrote about my plan to spend some of the summers revising CPPEV through the lens of neurodiversity and self-advocacy. Thanks to those of you who wrote supportive emails because it turned out to be a BIG job! But I am ever so happy to say that I am…finished.
It's All About the Content. . .
A summer of writing and revising CPPEV has kept me busy, but with some spare time for travel – I grew up in Monterey and so enjoyed spending some time in Pebble Beach and at the Carmel Bach Festival with my husband! Hope you're having a wonderful summer also!
Living Means Evolving...
In the 3 years since I developed the Conversation Paths and CPPEV, our field has seen lots of changes. We’ve been moving forward at a rapid pace, with new ideas becoming integrated into our clinical framework and becoming…well, not so new anymore. An indication of progress. Of where we are in this moment and where we hope to go in the future.
The Ways of Conversation...
Perhaps as you are reading this, you are resting and recuperating from a long stretch of hard work. Maybe you are in a new locale (or a favorite familiar one) shopping for and eating food that’s different from your usual, walking around in places that amaze you, having new experiences and adventures with those you love. Or maybe that’s next week or a dream for the future. In any case, for a minute, take a pause and consider….conversation.
Practicing Social via Building Activities
As the school year draws to a close, some of the students I see get a bit antsy. Yours too? A good time to bring out some new materials to battle that “what……X again?” refrain you may hear from your students. I also find that students seem more tired (ok, maybe me too,) whether from finals, little league gearing up, the heat, or being in cars trying to avoid construction traffic!
Integrate Great Games Into Your Sessions
May is a crazy month- there’s so much going on. Perhaps time to take a break with some relaxing retail therapy! It’s never too early to do some shopping in preparation for the new-but-for-now-seemingly-far-off school year. Just imagine how relaxed and pleased with yourself you’ll be when you start the year with new materials.
Pre-summer Activities with Mental State Verbs
Summer is approaching. Camps are being selected. Vacation plans are moving toward completion. New backyard fun is being purchased (and put together!) Sunscreen is being bought in large quantities. With all of this change on the way, it’s a wonderful time to think about and work with our students on some super important mental state verbs (MSV) – I haven’t talked about those for a few months! Verbs such as “hope,” “plan,” and “miss.”