Making Sense

Apr 20 2023 38 mins 3
Making Sense Podcast artwork

Occupational therapy best practices ask us to integrate knowledge into practice. Each episode offers a conversation aimed at translating the most current research into clinical action for occupational therapy practitioners. Produced by The STAR Institute, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, in an effort to further our commitment to impacting the quality of life by developing and promoting best practices for sensory health and wellness through treatment, education, and research.

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Risky Play

Apr 20 2023 43 mins  
Anita Bundy, ScD, OT/L, FAOTA, FOTARA is a professor and head of the occupational therapy department at Colorado State University. She has conducted decades of experiments and research in Risky Play. Listen as Dr. Bundy shares both the benefits of risk-taking in play and the developmental costs of being risk-averse. The views expressed in the following presentation are those of the

A Family Nurse Practitioner and mom shares her personal and professional encounters with ADHD and SPD

Apr 06 2023 40 mins  
Family Nurse Practitioner and Parent, Holly Healy offers both personal and professional insights into sensory differences.

Reaching for Sustainable Behavioral Shifts: A Look Inside the Applied Educational Neuroscience Framework

Mar 23 2023 51 mins  
Join Dr. Lori Desautels to explore how trauma and adversity impact the developing brain and body and show up in the challenging behaviors we sometimes see.

A Family’s Journey to Sensory Health

Mar 09 2023 54 mins  
Parents of two boys with sensory differences discuss the experience of diagnosis and their pathway to building a sensory lifestyle for their family.

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Trauma Informed and Responsive Care: An OT’s Personal Story

Feb 23 2023 43 mins  
According to the Administration for Children and Families (n.d.), nearly 500,000 children and youth are currently in the foster care system in the United States.

Making Sense Season 3 is Sponsored by Summit Sensory Gym

Feb 22 2023 2 mins  
Making Sense Season 3 is Sponsored by Our Community Partner Summit Sensory GymAre you an occupational or physical therapist struggling to excite your patients with different therapeutic activities, or even worse are finding that your therapists and more importantly your patients are tired of the same old therapy? If you're like most practices are organizations, acquiring new patien

The Shift to Neurodiversity-affirming Psychological Assessment

Mar 23 2022 45 mins  
The concept of neurodiversity is credited to a sociologist named Judy Singer. Neurodiversity recognizes and pays respect to the diversity of human minds, and the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within our species (Walker, 2014). Today, listen in as two clinical psychologists, Dr. Courtney McDonnell and Dr. Jared Kilmer, discuss what a neurodiversity affirming asses

Evidentiary support for Occupational Therapy’s Role in Empowering the Occupation of Caregiver in those caring for Autistic Loved Ones

Mar 09 2022 52 mins  
Evidence-based practice is vital to focus the OT lens and voice in the autism community. Occupational therapists are in a position to recognize the importance of the occupation of caregiver and provide evidence-based support in intervention when working with all clients. Today, we focus this conversation on autism intervention science. Listen as this conversation unpacks the value

5 Concrete Action Steps for Clinicians to Take in Response to Anti-black Racism in the Autism Clinical Pathway

Feb 23 2022 42 mins  
The clinical pathway for Autism services is complex. Anti-black racism within that pathway is well-established in the literature. This pervasive, systemic racism affects every step of the pathway from early caregiver concerns to accessing intervention. This conversation begins with raising awareness around this issue and ends with five action steps clinicians can take to respond to

The role of Pre-conscious Sensory Processing in Embodied Occupation

Feb 09 2022 54 mins  
Occupational therapists recognize the importance of occupation to well-being. This episode explores the essential contribution of sensation to the way occupation is expressed in humans. From socio-cultural experiences to sensory habits, listen as Drs. Bailliard and Schmitt explore occupation with a wide lens. Episode guest: Antoine Bailliard, Ph.D., OTR/LResources Mentioned In this