OT Programs

 

Therapeutic Listening®
Therapeutic Listening® (TL) is an expansion of Sensory Integration (SI). It is an auditory intervention that uses the organized sound patterns inherent in music to impact all levels of the nervous system. Auditory information from Therapeutic Listening® CDs provides direct input to both the vestibular and the auditory portions of the vestibular-cochlear continuum. The emphasis of TL is on blending sound intervention strategies with vestibulo-proprioceptive, core development, and breath activities so as to sustain grounding and centering of the body and mind in space and time. Providing these postural, movement, and respiratory activities as part of the TL program is critical.

Therapeutic Listening® utilizes numerous CDs that vary in musical style, types of filtering, and level of complexity. The music on Therapeutic Listening® CDs is electronically altered to elicit the orienting response which sets up the body for sustained attention and active listening.
Above taken from Vital Links 2006 Newsletter http://www.vitallinks.net/

Therapeutic Listening® coupled with SI tends to speed the emergence of:

  • Attention
  • Organized Behavior
  • Self regulation
  • Postural control
  • Bilateral coordination
  • Praxis
  • Fine motor control
  • Oral motor/articulation
  • Social skills
  • Communication
  • Visual motor integration

For more details on the Therapeutic Listening® program including case studies see this brief introduction to Therapeutic Listening.

There is a new peer-reviewed article on the effectiveness of Therapeutic Listening in the March/April 2007 issue of The American Journal of Occupational Therapy. In this article, Leah Hall (MS, OTR/L) and Jane Case-Smith (EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA) explored the effect of Therapeutic Listening® on children with sensory processing disorders and visual-motor delays.

Therapeutic Listening has always been embedded in the sensory integration framework. This article provides new evidence for the wisdom of that approach. Highlights of the article are provided below.

CLICK HERE for a two-page printable summary (in PDF format).

CLICK HERE to go to the AJOT website and view an online abstract, or to print the full article.

 

Control Your Emotions


A series of classes to assist your child in gaining control of their emotions through sensory strategies and techniques.

This small group class is aimed at empowering children with the ability to regulate their emotions so that they will be able to participate in all environments and work through difficult situations.  Both parents and children will experiment with different techniques to find what works best for them and apply the strategies to real life events.  This is a great opportunity for children to gain an understanding of their feelings and a sense of control over them to decrease emotional outbursts and meltdowns. 

 

  • Six one-hour sessions
  • Parents will participate in each session for 15 minutes
  • Weekly homework assignments

Time & Dates: Monday's 5:00 - 6:00 pm

                      March 24 - April 28, 2008

Fee:  $325  (Includes all materials)

Location:  Ashburn, VA

 

Handwriting Classes

First Strokes

This small group class will focus on the pre-writing and fine motor skills needed form letters and numbers.  We will build handwriting skills by using a multi-sensory approach to make this class a lot of fun.  The Handwriting Without Tears program will be implemented along with other techniques to help your young student succeed. We will begin with simple shapes and strokes and work our way up to copying letters and simple words.  This is a great way to jump start the new school year, supplement academic skills, as well as get ahead of the game.  “Homework” will be given to the students to practice the skills at home in a fun way to keep writing an interesting and exciting activity. 

Who:  Children beginning to learn how to form letters, preschoolers

Time: Wednesdays 4:00- 5:00

Dates: November 28, 2007 to January 9, 2008 (6 classes in all)

Fee:  $325  (Includes all materials - Six 60-minute sessions, plus an individual assessment)

Location:  Ashburn, VA

Ready Writers (1st grade+)

This class will address the essential skills needed to complete legible handwriting. Proper letter formation, line orientation and sizing will be emphasized, in order to ensure that handwriting becomes an easy, fun and automatic task. The Handwriting Without Tears program will be used. This class includes an informal assessment in order to assess problem areas and design remediation, parent handouts and a home program. Typical “homework” includes practicing the letters taught by tracing them in shaving cream, funny foam, or even in hair gel! Children love this class due to it’s multi sensory approach.

Who:  Children beginning to learn how to form letters, preschoolers

Time & Dates: Based on Demand

Fee:  $325 (Includes all materials - Six 60-minute sessions, plus an individual assessment)

Location:  Ashburn, VA

 

All classes are conducted by a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist, who is skilled in handwriting intervention.