Just months ago, The American Occupational Therapy Association published the 4th edition of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF-4; AOTA, 2020). There is one modification I am particularly excited about… the addition of interoception to the OTPF-4 under sensory functions…
Sensory Processing Checklist
“Sensory processing is the way the nervous system receives sensory messages and turns them into responses” Miller & roetenberg, 2014, p. 6) At every moment, our bodies are engaged in processing sensory information. We each process sensory information in a…
Making Sense, Episode Five
Vestibular sensory processing contributes to sense of self/embodiment Season One of Making Sense has flown by so fast (crazy, right!?). Today’s episode is the final episode of season one and one of my favorites because I get to talk to…
Making Sense, Episode Four
Motor development and psychological development are dynamically intertwined in early childhood. Motor development is essentially psychological. In this conversation, Renee Allen and I discuss the idea that motor development informed by sensation allows us to act on the world in…
Making Sense, Episode Three
How challenges with sensory processing and integration impact students’ learning and what we can do about it Sensory differences have a profound impact on learning. Colleen Whiting is STAR’s faculty specialist on school-based practice. In this episode, Colleen and I…
Making Sense, Episode Two
Exploring the connection between sensation and emotion through the therapeutic medium of PLAY In the second episode, Michele Parkins and I discuss how the ways in which we play can include emotion regulation alongside sensory motor regulation. They explore the…
An Introduction to the Making Sense Podcast
I am proud to introduce my new project… a podcast I recently joined The STAR Institute faculty. As my unique contribution, I created and am hosting a podcast!! I recognize that many occupational therapy practitioners are so busy with their…
Sensation & Caregiving
My last post highlighted how the caregiver response can enhance interoceptive development. This happens when a baby has a need, expresses the need, the need is met, and meaning is made. Today, I want to share some recent research on…
Interoception & Attachment
Our stories all begin as new humans. “To the extent that caregivers recognize, honor, and respect their children’s bodily experiences, the child will develop more accurate interoception” (Oldroyd et al., 2019, p. 10). In time, I will share with you…
Interoception Defined
In the course of my four-year curiosity project, I have read a lot about interoception. No single definition was a perfect representation of what I was learning. Instead, I took a little bit of learning from every source to generate…
Origin of the term “interoception”
If I asked you to name our senses, you might quickly rattle off the top 5: vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. You may even add proprioception and vestibular sensation to the list. Lately, more and more people are adding…
How a client’s story sparked my curiosity
Today, I would love to share the origin story of my three year curiosity project and the topic of my doctoral work: interoception. I am privileged to work as an occupational therapy practitioner with children and adolescents who experience sensory…