WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.680 Hi, my name is Jordan. I am a special education 00:00:02.680 --> 00:00:06.160 teacher from the UK. I share my passion for everything 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.119 communication, sensory regulation and fun lesson 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:11.660 ideas for my classroom of disabled pupils aged 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:15.300 4 to 11. Each week I am joined by experts in 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:17.640 the field answering your questions and sharing 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:19.579 our knowledge and experience working alongside 00:00:19.579 --> 00:00:22.559 our beautiful young people. Let's get started. 00:00:27.820 --> 00:00:30.539 Hello everybody and welcome to the Sensory Classroom 00:00:30.539 --> 00:00:33.460 podcast. My name is Jordan and today I'm joined 00:00:33.460 --> 00:00:37.640 by Kelly who calls herself The Different OT and 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:38.780 we're going to be talking about occupational 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:42.840 therapy and sensory co -regulation today. Hi 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:47.520 Kelly. Hello. Welcome. We can tell from your 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:50.259 accent that you are not from the UK. Can you 00:00:50.259 --> 00:00:53.100 tell us a little bit about yourself please? Yeah, 00:00:53.159 --> 00:00:55.380 I've never even been to the UK. It's on my to 00:00:55.380 --> 00:00:57.960 -do list. I am from New Zealand. I have been 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:00.420 an occupational therapist since graduating in 00:01:00.420 --> 00:01:02.679 2010, and I've worked in the paediatric space 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:06.359 pretty much that entire time. Yeah, I am a mum 00:01:06.359 --> 00:01:09.540 of two beautiful girls, five and nine, and I 00:01:09.540 --> 00:01:12.719 just am incredibly passionate about my profession, 00:01:13.140 --> 00:01:15.379 occupational therapy as a profession, and particularly 00:01:15.379 --> 00:01:19.819 about helping children and everyone really regulate 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:23.819 and feel regulated. So you said you worked in 00:01:23.819 --> 00:01:27.000 paediatrics the whole time. When did you choose 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:30.480 to specialise in sensory needs? Is that quite 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:34.500 early on? Yeah, so I did... what we typically 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:36.859 call over here a gap year. I went to Canada when 00:01:36.859 --> 00:01:39.120 I was just out of high school and that's when 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:41.219 I learned I wanted to do paediatrics. I was working 00:01:41.219 --> 00:01:45.379 at a summer camp and I had a non -speaking autistic 00:01:45.379 --> 00:01:48.799 girl who was 11. Her name's Amanda and I fondly 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:50.840 remember her and the way she communicated with 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:53.379 me during that week at camp was very tactile. 00:01:54.219 --> 00:01:56.200 very physical that was the way that she communicated 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:59.019 her needs and on day three she had her occupational 00:01:59.019 --> 00:02:01.959 therapist visit and by the end of the day her 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:04.140 communication style had changed dramatically 00:02:04.140 --> 00:02:08.539 and my the physical demands on me had reduced 00:02:08.539 --> 00:02:11.259 and I was like what is this magic what's happened 00:02:11.259 --> 00:02:14.280 and that was just like this moment for me I want 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:17.000 to be able to help others in the way that that 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:19.919 OT helped her and so that's what prompted me 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:21.759 to even go down that track and I didn't know 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:25.460 what OT was before that. So I really was passionate 00:02:25.460 --> 00:02:27.719 about getting into that field pretty much straight 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:30.139 away. It's amazing, isn't it, what an impact 00:02:30.139 --> 00:02:32.599 a professional can have because that person would 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:35.680 never have realised the ripple effect of that 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:38.639 one visit. And who knows that you could be having 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:40.560 the same ripple effects to other people that 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.080 are supporting other children. And it just shows, 00:02:43.219 --> 00:02:44.919 doesn't it, that as professionals, our reach 00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:48.480 is so much further than we'll ever realise. Absolutely. 00:02:48.480 --> 00:02:51.039 And I think that's so, so powerful when you find 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:52.879 a thing that you are so passionate about because 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:55.120 it spreads out to others and it feels contagious. 00:02:55.180 --> 00:02:58.960 And when you can actually see change being created 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:02.719 and you can see this like really tangible evidence 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:05.280 that something's working, it's just, you just 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:08.379 want to do more of it. Absolutely. It is. It's 00:03:08.379 --> 00:03:11.099 like a dopamine hit, isn't it? I suppose it's 00:03:11.099 --> 00:03:13.020 not always like that, but I suppose it's important 00:03:13.020 --> 00:03:16.330 to acknowledge that. These aren't quick fixes. 00:03:16.409 --> 00:03:18.610 You know, sometimes you see that immediate impact, 00:03:18.889 --> 00:03:21.530 but other times it can take weeks and months 00:03:21.530 --> 00:03:24.090 to really build that rapport, to build that understanding, 00:03:24.370 --> 00:03:28.870 to have an impact. How do you navigate those 00:03:28.870 --> 00:03:32.449 times and keep that motivation to keep going 00:03:32.449 --> 00:03:35.430 and keep trying? I have to tell you, I've lost 00:03:35.430 --> 00:03:37.909 motivation at times. I've felt like I'm just 00:03:37.909 --> 00:03:40.449 not making any difference. I feel like when I'm 00:03:40.449 --> 00:03:42.770 ready to go and see a client, I'm thinking, is 00:03:42.770 --> 00:03:45.030 this even going to do anything? Is this making 00:03:45.030 --> 00:03:47.430 any impact? And I think it was really important 00:03:47.430 --> 00:03:50.389 learning for me in my early years was that reflecting 00:03:50.389 --> 00:03:52.669 on that occupational therapist that I met that 00:03:52.669 --> 00:03:55.370 day, she had known Amanda for at least a year 00:03:55.370 --> 00:03:57.930 and she was coming to camp to help Amanda, but 00:03:57.930 --> 00:04:00.949 to also educate us and show us the ways to support 00:04:00.949 --> 00:04:04.759 her. And to really remind myself that you're 00:04:04.759 --> 00:04:07.219 just one piece of the puzzle. And when you go 00:04:07.219 --> 00:04:09.560 in, you go in with the best intentions, you try 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:12.159 your best in every session. But actually, the 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:14.400 way that I work in a therapeutic model is it's 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.079 only a small little piece of their day. And so 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:19.639 to just be realistic with myself, I think about 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:23.019 what can be achieved, what is on top for them 00:04:23.019 --> 00:04:25.600 and not trying to look too big picture, just 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:27.860 stay in the moment and really support whatever 00:04:27.860 --> 00:04:30.970 you're seeing from them at that time. Otherwise, 00:04:31.009 --> 00:04:34.089 if you go too big, it can be quite disheartening 00:04:34.089 --> 00:04:38.250 or you feel like nothing's working. Yeah, I love 00:04:38.250 --> 00:04:40.949 that about targeting what's needed in the moment. 00:04:41.129 --> 00:04:44.089 How do you, I suppose, yeah, one of my pre -plan 00:04:44.089 --> 00:04:46.589 questions actually is what are the signs that 00:04:46.589 --> 00:04:48.589 a learner is dysregulated? What are you looking 00:04:48.589 --> 00:04:52.250 for? Yeah, it's interesting because there is, 00:04:52.250 --> 00:04:54.870 you hope that there would be like this. go -to 00:04:54.870 --> 00:04:57.509 book that says if you're in a classroom you're 00:04:57.509 --> 00:04:59.470 going to see this and this and this and I guess 00:04:59.470 --> 00:05:02.589 in a lot of ways we've kind of summarized people 00:05:02.589 --> 00:05:04.870 summarize you're going to see maybe excessive 00:05:04.870 --> 00:05:07.149 movement you're going to see an increase in volume 00:05:07.149 --> 00:05:09.930 or you're going to see an attempt at avoiding 00:05:09.930 --> 00:05:12.810 or escaping a situation you might see those things 00:05:12.810 --> 00:05:15.829 and think those are the typical signs but it's 00:05:15.829 --> 00:05:19.250 actually not until you know a person deeply that 00:05:19.250 --> 00:05:21.589 you would sense that they're dysregulated I may 00:05:21.589 --> 00:05:24.600 someone off the street may walk into a classroom 00:05:24.600 --> 00:05:26.579 and look around and go that child's wobbling 00:05:26.579 --> 00:05:29.160 a lot on their stool they're gazing out of the 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:30.879 side of their eye and they're chewing on their 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:34.259 silicon tool they're very dysregulated I may 00:05:34.259 --> 00:05:36.899 walk into the same space and go they're doing 00:05:36.899 --> 00:05:39.279 such a good job regulating themselves that's 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:42.259 awesome and so it's really a case of knowing 00:05:42.259 --> 00:05:45.569 what dysregulation looks like per person When 00:05:45.569 --> 00:05:47.550 you think about the whole classroom space being 00:05:47.550 --> 00:05:50.310 dysregulated, there are ways to identify that, 00:05:50.329 --> 00:05:52.389 oh, this perhaps, there's not limited engagement 00:05:52.389 --> 00:05:55.930 happening or there's a sense that, hey, this 00:05:55.930 --> 00:05:59.129 isn't quite flowing properly. But in specific 00:05:59.129 --> 00:06:03.069 terms, it's really dependent on the person. Yeah. 00:06:03.089 --> 00:06:05.329 Yeah, it makes sense, doesn't it? Knowing their 00:06:05.329 --> 00:06:08.610 individual baseline of what regulation looks 00:06:08.610 --> 00:06:11.449 like for them, I suppose, is a really good start, 00:06:11.649 --> 00:06:14.629 isn't it? Yeah, and I think that... That ties 00:06:14.629 --> 00:06:18.050 into what is regulation. Regulation is about 00:06:18.050 --> 00:06:20.589 getting to your baseline. So whatever your baseline 00:06:20.589 --> 00:06:24.250 is, being at a calm, regulated state for you 00:06:24.250 --> 00:06:27.410 is what regulation is. So we can look at the 00:06:27.410 --> 00:06:29.610 definitions of regulation and we can understand 00:06:29.610 --> 00:06:32.149 that as a construct. But then when we apply it 00:06:32.149 --> 00:06:34.509 to five people in a line, it's going to look 00:06:34.509 --> 00:06:37.089 very different for everyone. So I can't say, 00:06:37.149 --> 00:06:39.629 you're doing this, therefore you're dysregulated. 00:06:39.750 --> 00:06:42.629 They may reply to me, speaking or non -speaking, 00:06:42.910 --> 00:06:45.709 that that... that they're fine. They're not dysregulated. 00:06:45.709 --> 00:06:48.370 This is their baseline. But until you know those 00:06:48.370 --> 00:06:50.750 cues and you know them well enough, it's easy 00:06:50.750 --> 00:06:53.829 to make those judgments. Absolutely. And it's 00:06:53.829 --> 00:06:56.050 about, it's very ableist, isn't it, to assume 00:06:56.050 --> 00:07:00.350 that being still or static and quiet is regulated. 00:07:00.970 --> 00:07:03.370 It's a lot of learning I've been doing this year, 00:07:03.509 --> 00:07:06.110 honestly, of kind of doing unlearning of the 00:07:06.110 --> 00:07:10.310 focus and the goal isn't still and static and 00:07:10.310 --> 00:07:14.149 looking. Because it's ingrained in us, isn't 00:07:14.149 --> 00:07:16.370 it, to think like that. That isn't the goal here. 00:07:16.589 --> 00:07:18.790 And actually this year, really recently, I've 00:07:18.790 --> 00:07:21.269 been actually thinking about regulated state 00:07:21.269 --> 00:07:24.389 as matching it to the activity. So if we're doing 00:07:24.389 --> 00:07:27.629 a really exciting activity that involves lots 00:07:27.629 --> 00:07:30.509 of movement, say if it's a sport or we're outside 00:07:30.509 --> 00:07:35.149 playing, actually regulated state doesn't look 00:07:35.149 --> 00:07:37.149 like stillness and quietness and looking in that 00:07:37.149 --> 00:07:40.000 state. Let's match the regulated state. It's 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.000 actually quite excited. We want everybody to 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:44.240 be moving and up and moving their bodies and 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:48.759 alert and really quite excited about that activity. 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:51.300 That's the matched and regulated state. And it's 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:55.300 completely undone all of my focus, honestly, 00:07:55.300 --> 00:07:58.540 on regulation. And now when I'm planning, I'm 00:07:58.540 --> 00:08:00.899 planning my lessons, I'm thinking, OK, what would 00:08:00.899 --> 00:08:04.040 the regulated state be for my class? This instance, 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:05.819 I want them to be up off their chair. I want 00:08:05.819 --> 00:08:08.000 them to be up on their toes and moving their 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.899 arms and moving their bodies. It wouldn't be 00:08:10.899 --> 00:08:15.000 appropriate in this activity to be sat and passive. 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:18.860 Yes, yes, I hear that. And I think that's when 00:08:18.860 --> 00:08:22.000 you're seeking engagement or you're looking for 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:24.029 that. just right spot where they're ready for 00:08:24.029 --> 00:08:26.430 learning they're ready for engagement if we can 00:08:26.430 --> 00:08:29.430 create that sense of regulation in the nervous 00:08:29.430 --> 00:08:31.990 and sensory systems then we'll have more engagement 00:08:31.990 --> 00:08:36.330 and so going into an activity that may stimulate 00:08:36.330 --> 00:08:39.429 more excitement and more movement and things 00:08:39.429 --> 00:08:42.149 like that to know that you've front -loaded that 00:08:42.149 --> 00:08:44.889 and they're ready for that activity means that 00:08:44.889 --> 00:08:47.440 you will get the best out of them And in that 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:49.399 moment you go, wow, look at them running around 00:08:49.399 --> 00:08:53.659 and doing these things. This is them. Maybe that's 00:08:53.659 --> 00:08:56.240 even a source of regulation for them. They could 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:58.879 have gone into that being less regulated and 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:01.159 then they're like, now my body feels just right. 00:09:02.039 --> 00:09:04.720 Yeah. And that is that, isn't it? And us believing 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:06.679 them because we can't go into their heads or 00:09:06.679 --> 00:09:08.440 into their bodies and know that they feel just 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:11.259 right. I guess that comes back to knowing them, 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:13.679 having a relationship with them, knowing what. 00:09:14.029 --> 00:09:16.309 their baseline is knowing what their goals are 00:09:16.309 --> 00:09:19.529 and working alongside them to achieve that you 00:09:19.529 --> 00:09:21.350 can't again you can't just walk into a room and 00:09:21.350 --> 00:09:25.269 know those things no and it's really unhelpful 00:09:25.269 --> 00:09:29.029 to to make assumptions or to go in expecting 00:09:29.029 --> 00:09:31.769 to see a certain thing to walk into a classroom 00:09:31.769 --> 00:09:34.269 and go I've been in some classrooms where the 00:09:34.269 --> 00:09:36.769 school principal will walk do a walk along and 00:09:36.769 --> 00:09:39.789 they'll walk in and go room five everyone in 00:09:39.789 --> 00:09:42.590 here is so quiet. It's so lovely to see everyone's 00:09:42.590 --> 00:09:46.409 so calm. And I can look and see specific kids 00:09:46.409 --> 00:09:49.330 who are not calm at all. Their sensory system 00:09:49.330 --> 00:09:52.990 is just like, they're not coping in their nervous 00:09:52.990 --> 00:09:55.529 system. They're masking, they're keeping it together, 00:09:55.730 --> 00:09:58.750 they're following the rules. And there's no way 00:09:58.750 --> 00:10:00.929 that they're taking in the new information. They're 00:10:00.929 --> 00:10:02.629 just like, I have to sit still, I have to face 00:10:02.629 --> 00:10:05.070 the front, I can't bite on my nails, I can't 00:10:05.070 --> 00:10:08.350 wriggle in my chair. But they get praised for, 00:10:08.429 --> 00:10:12.110 oh, wow everyone's so calm and so when we start 00:10:12.110 --> 00:10:15.309 attaching words to what we're seeing if that 00:10:15.309 --> 00:10:17.250 doesn't fit what the child is feeling inside 00:10:17.250 --> 00:10:20.750 it's actually really confusing for them because 00:10:20.750 --> 00:10:24.490 we're getting told that we're calm but hey I 00:10:24.490 --> 00:10:28.830 don't feel calm Yeah, and it's always been a 00:10:28.830 --> 00:10:31.629 good practice to name emotions that you see as 00:10:31.629 --> 00:10:33.789 an adult so they get to link what they're feeling 00:10:33.789 --> 00:10:35.730 in their bodies to that emotion. But ultimately, 00:10:35.870 --> 00:10:38.590 how do we really know what they're feeling? So 00:10:38.590 --> 00:10:41.750 I guess that takes us on to how can we be the 00:10:41.750 --> 00:10:43.649 best supporting adults around these children? 00:10:43.690 --> 00:10:45.529 You know, we don't know what's inside their bodies. 00:10:45.590 --> 00:10:47.289 We don't genuinely know what they're feeling. 00:10:47.960 --> 00:10:51.340 What can we do to work alongside them, to support 00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:54.559 them, to know what regulation is for them, to 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:57.960 meet their needs safely, to name what they're 00:10:57.960 --> 00:11:01.000 feeling? How can we do that effectively in a 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:05.720 non -ableist way, I suppose? Yeah. Well, I don't 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:08.500 know that your audience is going to like that 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:10.679 I don't have a solid answer for this, except 00:11:10.679 --> 00:11:15.590 for... using yourself as the tool. So I strongly 00:11:15.590 --> 00:11:18.509 believe that when you are able to identify your 00:11:18.509 --> 00:11:21.549 own likes and dislikes, it makes it easier for 00:11:21.549 --> 00:11:23.950 you to have compassion and curiosity with those 00:11:23.950 --> 00:11:27.809 around you. So as an example, if I go into a 00:11:27.809 --> 00:11:31.580 classroom and I say, this student of mine has 00:11:31.580 --> 00:11:34.100 these sensory preferences and we're using these 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:37.000 tools to support them. And they say to me, oh, 00:11:37.059 --> 00:11:38.720 but they're doing this thing and it's really 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:40.860 annoying. They're constantly doing this thing 00:11:40.860 --> 00:11:43.460 and I don't understand why they do it. Those 00:11:43.460 --> 00:11:48.029 teachers, I often go, okay. there's some learning 00:11:48.029 --> 00:11:50.649 to be done here let's let's give them some tools 00:11:50.649 --> 00:11:53.110 let's hold up a magnifying glass for them to 00:11:53.110 --> 00:11:56.250 become a detective and go hmm why are they doing 00:11:56.250 --> 00:11:59.429 these things but unless you know why you do what 00:11:59.429 --> 00:12:02.730 you do it's really hard to relate to others excuse 00:12:02.730 --> 00:12:06.809 me so to be able to I guess delve into your own 00:12:06.809 --> 00:12:09.309 preferences why do I like my tea at a certain 00:12:09.309 --> 00:12:12.730 temperature Why do I prefer those type of pyjamas 00:12:12.730 --> 00:12:15.049 over those type of pyjamas? Why is it that when 00:12:15.049 --> 00:12:17.509 I'm sitting in traffic, I bite on my fingernails? 00:12:17.850 --> 00:12:20.690 If you can have understanding of your own self, 00:12:20.950 --> 00:12:24.669 then I think it makes you a far better educator 00:12:24.669 --> 00:12:28.350 and also a more patient and curious caregiver 00:12:28.350 --> 00:12:31.690 parent because you go, oh yeah, I kind of get 00:12:31.690 --> 00:12:33.809 why they're doing that thing. Like I can see 00:12:33.809 --> 00:12:36.590 why they would like that or it doesn't work for 00:12:36.590 --> 00:12:38.490 me, but I can see they're getting a lot of joy 00:12:38.490 --> 00:12:41.740 out of that. And so I think knowing yourself 00:12:41.740 --> 00:12:43.919 is the best tool, is the best thing that you 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:47.659 can do to move forward with your students and 00:12:47.659 --> 00:12:50.379 your children to understand them properly. Does 00:12:50.379 --> 00:12:53.360 that make sense? Yeah, it really does. And I 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:55.360 suppose if you're working with learners that 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:56.940 you're able to have that conversation, you don't 00:12:56.940 --> 00:12:58.779 have to name their emotions, but you could certainly 00:12:58.779 --> 00:13:02.860 name your own. I feel really frustrated that 00:13:02.860 --> 00:13:06.620 X, Y, Z, or I feel so excited about this thing 00:13:06.620 --> 00:13:09.299 that's coming up. And then that's true because 00:13:09.299 --> 00:13:11.279 you're talking about you and you know that's 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:13.480 true, regardless of what your student feels or 00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:15.299 not. You're not putting those words on them. 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:18.419 But it opens up that conversation of, huh, we're 00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:21.440 all sensory beings and this is what they're feeling. 00:13:21.460 --> 00:13:24.799 Maybe I'm feeling that too or different or whatever. 00:13:25.980 --> 00:13:28.460 Totally. And then you can approach every interaction. 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:30.539 You can observe every behavior with curiosity. 00:13:30.740 --> 00:13:33.740 As you say, labeling it for yourself helps them 00:13:33.740 --> 00:13:36.039 to observe. We can talk about why we're doing 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:39.299 this thing. Like I've got these things in front 00:13:39.299 --> 00:13:41.659 of me and I'm playing with them behind here. 00:13:41.899 --> 00:13:45.919 I picked one that was stretchy and that I could 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:48.559 pull the legs off if I wanted to and one that 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:52.240 would do this. And I can sit in a session with 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:55.990 a child and say, My goodness, I'm feeling overwhelmed 00:13:55.990 --> 00:13:58.750 right now because there's so much noise happening 00:13:58.750 --> 00:14:01.730 outside. I've got a hungry tummy. I can hear 00:14:01.730 --> 00:14:04.429 it rumbling. I'm going to go and get one of these 00:14:04.429 --> 00:14:07.250 to pull on. And when I pull on it, I start to 00:14:07.250 --> 00:14:09.389 feel calmer. And then I'll say, oh, look, this 00:14:09.389 --> 00:14:12.710 came off. That feels good. Would you like a turn? 00:14:13.049 --> 00:14:15.490 And then I can welcome them. I can invite them 00:14:15.490 --> 00:14:17.870 into, let's explore this together. Is this something 00:14:17.870 --> 00:14:20.149 you like? And they may throw it away and say, 00:14:20.230 --> 00:14:23.049 no, I don't like it. And you go, okay. squishy 00:14:23.049 --> 00:14:24.929 things aren't for them what about this thing 00:14:24.929 --> 00:14:27.870 it's firmer it makes you know and and it just 00:14:27.870 --> 00:14:31.009 allows that back and forth rather than us doing 00:14:31.009 --> 00:14:33.809 you know when we do things to children when we 00:14:33.809 --> 00:14:35.809 put them in front of something and we go oh well 00:14:35.809 --> 00:14:38.929 I saw them they really loved the swing so every 00:14:38.929 --> 00:14:42.230 time they're dysregulated I'm going to tell them 00:14:42.230 --> 00:14:46.350 you have to go to the swing now rather than swing 00:14:46.350 --> 00:14:51.220 or wobbly stool swing or duck then you know offering 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:54.480 them things because you've allowed them that 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:57.840 I guess autonomy but also that respect to be 00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:01.460 like what is it that you like yeah and also also 00:15:01.460 --> 00:15:04.779 dysregulation comes from lacking I suppose sensory 00:15:04.779 --> 00:15:07.700 regulation but it also often stems the trigger 00:15:07.700 --> 00:15:11.480 often is a lack of control or autonomy or voice 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.320 or lack of being heard and all that that's often 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:18.159 the trigger for that over spill of of it as well 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:20.559 as lack of movement or whatever they need it 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:22.620 kind of goes hand in hand doesn't it not being 00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:25.620 understood and lacking sensory regulation input 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:28.419 yeah so i suppose if you're not giving them them 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:30.580 choices then you're only putting that extra demand 00:15:30.580 --> 00:15:34.080 on them helping them to feel even less in control 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:37.360 even less you know and all of those things so 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:40.720 yeah it's just making it harder for them to gain 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:45.070 control gain that idea of being heard and so 00:15:45.070 --> 00:15:47.190 often those hurting behaviors come from that 00:15:47.190 --> 00:15:49.590 frustration you know they come to me and say 00:15:49.590 --> 00:15:52.149 oh they're doing the sensory thing and what i 00:15:52.149 --> 00:15:56.470 see is an unregulated child but i'm also seeing 00:15:56.470 --> 00:15:59.389 an unheard child and i'm not understood child 00:15:59.389 --> 00:16:02.250 whether they've got words or not they might not 00:16:02.250 --> 00:16:04.309 be able to voice them when they're feeling dysregulated 00:16:04.309 --> 00:16:07.669 um they might not be listened to when they're 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:10.720 You know, they're trying to explain as best they 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:13.039 can of what they need and it's not being honoured 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:15.320 maybe, you know, and that goes for speaking children 00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:18.519 and minimally speaking children. I see it a lot. 00:16:18.779 --> 00:16:21.740 So I think it goes hand in hand with those choices, 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:24.299 that communication, that believing them and also 00:16:24.299 --> 00:16:29.059 that regulation. Absolutely. Considering them, 00:16:29.179 --> 00:16:31.740 like considering us all as sensory beings and 00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:35.240 thinking about, let's say you've got one child 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:37.950 who has, I don't know how it works. in the schooling 00:16:37.950 --> 00:16:40.149 system there, but we might have learning assistants 00:16:40.149 --> 00:16:42.970 that come and go. So over the course of a week, 00:16:43.070 --> 00:16:46.169 a student may see three, four different learning 00:16:46.169 --> 00:16:48.649 assistants throughout that week. And it could 00:16:48.649 --> 00:16:52.169 be, you know, we're doing ABCs, we're recording, 00:16:52.230 --> 00:16:53.870 you know, what's happening before, during and 00:16:53.870 --> 00:16:56.450 after a behavior. We're trying to record data. 00:16:56.690 --> 00:16:58.850 You might start to see a pattern that when they're 00:16:58.850 --> 00:17:01.230 with that particular person, something's happening. 00:17:01.529 --> 00:17:05.769 And often I will engage with those. those staff 00:17:05.769 --> 00:17:08.390 who are so willing and so wanting to help and 00:17:08.390 --> 00:17:09.750 they're going, I don't know what's going wrong. 00:17:09.829 --> 00:17:13.269 I don't know what it is that I'm doing. And actually, 00:17:13.309 --> 00:17:16.650 it could be something as little as the perfume 00:17:16.650 --> 00:17:21.349 that they're wearing or the frames of their glasses 00:17:21.349 --> 00:17:23.690 or the fact they're wearing dangly earrings. 00:17:23.809 --> 00:17:25.970 It could be the nail polish that they're wearing. 00:17:26.130 --> 00:17:28.730 It could be the gruff sound of their voice. To 00:17:28.730 --> 00:17:32.099 be able to delve lower and go, sensory sensory 00:17:32.099 --> 00:17:34.759 sensory let's look at all of these different 00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:37.259 eight systems and actually realize that it's 00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:39.660 not without trying it's not because you don't 00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:41.579 have the compassion and the willingness it's 00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:44.740 that that child is responding to something about 00:17:44.740 --> 00:17:48.259 you that maybe they can't explain why but they 00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:50.460 just know when they see that person come in the 00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:54.359 door this feels hard I don't like how they smell 00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:57.849 I don't like the tone of their voice and we it's 00:17:57.849 --> 00:17:59.890 very hard for us to get to the bottom of that. 00:17:59.970 --> 00:18:02.509 But if we can look at it as they're communicating 00:18:02.509 --> 00:18:05.170 to us that something doesn't feel right and it's 00:18:05.170 --> 00:18:08.009 not because we're a bad person, it's because 00:18:08.009 --> 00:18:10.710 it just isn't the right fit or it just isn't, 00:18:10.710 --> 00:18:14.490 you know, something's not gelling and allowing 00:18:14.490 --> 00:18:17.789 the adults as well to just sort of take that 00:18:17.789 --> 00:18:20.509 pressure off themselves and go, it's okay. We 00:18:20.509 --> 00:18:25.089 don't all have to be the right fit. Yeah, as 00:18:25.089 --> 00:18:29.230 a manager of my... team it's something I have 00:18:29.230 --> 00:18:35.029 to handle with a lot of care um on how I approach 00:18:35.029 --> 00:18:38.390 that because yeah you're absolutely right sometimes 00:18:38.390 --> 00:18:40.970 it just isn't a right fit whether it's tone of 00:18:40.970 --> 00:18:45.910 voice or patterned clothing or rising difference 00:18:45.910 --> 00:18:49.809 you know whatever if you're a manager listening 00:18:49.809 --> 00:18:53.880 to this how I manage that is I Ignorate my own 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:57.279 faults and flaws and the reasons why I might 00:18:57.279 --> 00:19:00.099 not be the right person for a particular child. 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:02.769 And I do it all the time. I'm constantly saying, 00:19:02.829 --> 00:19:05.309 can we swap out? Because actually, I'm feeling 00:19:05.309 --> 00:19:06.910 dysregulated and I don't think I'm helping the 00:19:06.910 --> 00:19:10.890 situation. Or I narrate saying, oh, yeah, I'm 00:19:10.890 --> 00:19:12.849 wearing perfume today. They're not going to like 00:19:12.849 --> 00:19:15.609 that. Can you take that on? And by me doing that 00:19:15.609 --> 00:19:19.230 as the manager, I'm creating an ethos of it is 00:19:19.230 --> 00:19:22.170 nothing to do with me. You know, I'm the specialist. 00:19:22.269 --> 00:19:24.710 I'm the expert in the room. And yet I am saying 00:19:24.710 --> 00:19:26.930 I am not the right person for this job right 00:19:26.930 --> 00:19:30.049 now. because either i'm dysregulated or i'm too 00:19:30.049 --> 00:19:33.410 little like i'm only five foot often it's a physical 00:19:33.410 --> 00:19:36.630 reason why i can't be the person that's involved 00:19:36.630 --> 00:19:39.609 or i'm wearing patterns today or whatever it 00:19:39.609 --> 00:19:42.609 is i'm or i'm the person that actually gave the 00:19:42.609 --> 00:19:44.089 demand in the first place so actually they're 00:19:44.089 --> 00:19:47.549 really angry at me can you step in and be that 00:19:47.549 --> 00:19:51.710 be the good cop yeah or whatever it is so i think 00:19:51.710 --> 00:19:56.299 by me doing that so openly and so confidently 00:19:56.299 --> 00:20:00.160 and we every day constantly I'm constantly stepping 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:02.819 back or swapping in and all of those things it 00:20:02.819 --> 00:20:05.940 then hopefully allows my team to when I say oh 00:20:05.940 --> 00:20:09.240 can I step in or can we swap out they're not 00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:11.480 taking it personally because it's not personal 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.559 it's something that we're just practicing all 00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:16.250 the time a bit like a muscle Rather than waiting 00:20:16.250 --> 00:20:19.069 for those big, big moments, those crisis moments 00:20:19.069 --> 00:20:20.930 to then propel. Actually, if you're doing it 00:20:20.930 --> 00:20:22.849 regularly all day, every day, actually, you haven't 00:20:22.849 --> 00:20:24.150 had a break yet. I've noticed you haven't had 00:20:24.150 --> 00:20:26.269 a drink yet. Step out and take your drink for 00:20:26.269 --> 00:20:28.049 a couple of minutes and I'll step in. Just doing 00:20:28.049 --> 00:20:31.509 it, even when it's not needed, doing it regularly 00:20:31.509 --> 00:20:34.609 just really helps, yeah, breathe that ethos of 00:20:34.609 --> 00:20:37.849 we're all doing this together. And that leads 00:20:37.849 --> 00:20:40.890 on to co -regulation, doesn't it? Beautifully. 00:20:41.329 --> 00:20:45.549 And I think. When you can model that as a manager 00:20:45.549 --> 00:20:48.049 and you can create that ethos, it's almost as 00:20:48.049 --> 00:20:50.970 though you're creating your own versions of sensory 00:20:50.970 --> 00:20:53.970 activity schedules. You're acknowledging, hey, 00:20:54.089 --> 00:20:55.809 throughout the day, we're going to need sensory 00:20:55.809 --> 00:20:58.130 breaks and our sensory cups are getting depleted. 00:20:58.150 --> 00:21:00.329 And perhaps we're triggered by certain things 00:21:00.329 --> 00:21:02.990 in the classroom environment, the stimulus, the 00:21:02.990 --> 00:21:05.470 constant stimming of a certain child that maybe 00:21:05.470 --> 00:21:07.630 triggers something in you. And you go, OK, I 00:21:07.630 --> 00:21:10.210 know that I've got a 20 minute window here. Once 00:21:10.210 --> 00:21:12.130 I pass that, I'm going to become dysregulated. 00:21:12.170 --> 00:21:14.569 regulated and so it's acknowledging that hey 00:21:14.569 --> 00:21:17.670 all of us need to have our own breaks our own 00:21:17.670 --> 00:21:20.250 do our things that are going to help us if if 00:21:20.250 --> 00:21:22.990 we want to wear loops in our ears these little 00:21:22.990 --> 00:21:25.829 discrete buffers of noise then if that's going 00:21:25.829 --> 00:21:28.630 to allow you to do the best job then hey you 00:21:28.630 --> 00:21:31.210 go for it too because it's one thing to promote 00:21:31.210 --> 00:21:33.910 that to our children and support them but if 00:21:33.910 --> 00:21:37.170 we're not regulated then we can't co -regulate 00:21:37.170 --> 00:21:40.410 it's it's just true I don't know if you find 00:21:40.410 --> 00:21:42.450 this too, that the people that go into this field, 00:21:42.529 --> 00:21:44.849 either in special education or occupational therapy, 00:21:45.130 --> 00:21:48.029 especially sensory occupational therapy, we seem 00:21:48.029 --> 00:21:51.049 to have a heightened awareness of our own sensory 00:21:51.049 --> 00:21:53.930 needs. And I don't know if that's because those 00:21:53.930 --> 00:21:56.529 that are neurodivergent or have sensory regulation 00:21:56.529 --> 00:21:58.569 needs go into those fields or that we just have 00:21:58.569 --> 00:22:00.049 a heightened awareness of our own because we're 00:22:00.049 --> 00:22:02.789 talking about it and aware of it every day. It's 00:22:02.789 --> 00:22:05.650 so obvious in our rooms and in our work. So I 00:22:05.650 --> 00:22:07.269 don't know where that's from, but it's certainly 00:22:07.269 --> 00:22:10.589 true that... the teams i work with have a heightened 00:22:10.589 --> 00:22:13.470 awareness of their own regulation needs like 00:22:13.470 --> 00:22:15.529 they often say well yeah i don't like that or 00:22:15.529 --> 00:22:18.109 oh i love that and we're constantly having that 00:22:18.109 --> 00:22:20.529 conversation yeah and it was a revelation for 00:22:20.529 --> 00:22:22.329 me when i started this podcast one of the first 00:22:22.329 --> 00:22:24.430 people i had on said well yeah i have my own 00:22:24.430 --> 00:22:26.509 chewy and i have my own ear defenders and when 00:22:26.509 --> 00:22:28.670 i need them i use them in front of my students 00:22:28.670 --> 00:22:32.069 and i was like huh what we can do that that's 00:22:32.069 --> 00:22:34.710 that makes much sense like why didn't i ever 00:22:34.710 --> 00:22:38.240 consider that of course sensory children become 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:41.640 sensory adults you know that yes of course of 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:43.519 course we're going to need them and model them 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:46.380 and not in a patronizing way but genuine in that 00:22:46.380 --> 00:22:49.740 need um and i've been doing it ever since it 00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:52.200 was a revelation to me that oh yeah i could have 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:54.259 my own savia defenders and we often need them 00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:57.279 in class yes isn't that awesome like it just 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:00.680 feels really empowering and it feels really really 00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:03.859 supportive to ourselves it's like you know putting 00:23:03.859 --> 00:23:06.279 on your own oxygen mask before the person anyone 00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:08.400 else it's like I'm going to support myself with 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:12.000 what I need and what you're then doing is facilitating 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:16.319 these young people to become the adults who sit 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:19.839 in the co -working space and can identify hey 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:22.440 these lights are a bit bright for me I'm going 00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:24.960 to have tinted glasses or I'm going to have air 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:27.930 defenders or I'm going to have a cold glass a 00:23:27.930 --> 00:23:30.069 cold bottle of water beside me and I sip on it 00:23:30.069 --> 00:23:31.970 regularly throughout the day because they know 00:23:31.970 --> 00:23:34.490 that that's what helps them and they can go into 00:23:34.490 --> 00:23:37.670 the adult world and advocate for themselves because 00:23:37.670 --> 00:23:40.009 I think what we're seeing a lot of in the adult 00:23:40.009 --> 00:23:43.589 space are people that have been masking for a 00:23:43.589 --> 00:23:46.509 long time and also have felt as though their 00:23:46.509 --> 00:23:51.220 needs aren't that they're not big enough it's 00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:53.380 like well I can just I'll just get through it 00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:55.500 I'll just get through my work day even though 00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:57.720 I've got all of these sensory triggers or stimuli 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:00.539 that just are tricky for me I'll just push through 00:24:00.539 --> 00:24:03.480 that then leads to the next part of their day 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:05.180 where they go home to their children they've 00:24:05.180 --> 00:24:08.160 got all these triggers of of the noise and everything 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:11.519 and mum mum mum mum mum and there's less to offer 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:13.779 at that point because they've put all of their 00:24:13.779 --> 00:24:16.779 needs to the side And actually, if we can have 00:24:16.779 --> 00:24:19.099 what we say about our learners is if we can have 00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:21.400 regular bursts of sensory input throughout the 00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:24.579 day, then we're going to be better able to engage 00:24:24.579 --> 00:24:28.700 and able to learn. Yeah, it's so cool that we 00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:32.640 can be doing this for young people now. I hope 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:34.299 that the flow on effect is that once they're 00:24:34.299 --> 00:24:37.059 adults, they'll have more of that within them 00:24:37.059 --> 00:24:39.720 than what we and particularly the older generations 00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:42.720 currently have. Yeah, I completely agree. And 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.579 I think that's why I find it so frustrating when 00:24:44.579 --> 00:24:46.700 people say things like, but we don't have time 00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:48.359 for full movement breaks. We don't have time 00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:50.779 for full time circuits. And I just think it's 00:24:50.779 --> 00:24:53.660 learning. Don't see it as other than the lesson. 00:24:53.740 --> 00:24:55.880 Don't see it as other than the learning is the 00:24:55.880 --> 00:24:57.099 learning. In fact, it's probably one of the most 00:24:57.099 --> 00:24:58.859 important lessons we're going to make because 00:24:58.859 --> 00:25:00.640 if we're going to be lifelong learners, we need 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:02.579 to know how to get in a regulated and focused 00:25:02.579 --> 00:25:05.680 state in order to read that book or do that research 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:08.359 or listen to that lecture or do that job, do 00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:12.549 that work. whatever it is that we want our children 00:25:12.549 --> 00:25:15.750 to be as independent as possible whatever that 00:25:15.750 --> 00:25:17.990 looks like they're going to have to understand 00:25:17.990 --> 00:25:19.769 their regulated state they're going to have to 00:25:19.769 --> 00:25:23.369 understand how to meet those needs as independent 00:25:23.369 --> 00:25:28.289 as possible you know within yeah there's so much 00:25:28.289 --> 00:25:31.019 that we do as adults that compensates for the 00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:33.660 trickiness of our days and I think when you as 00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:35.539 you say you have this lens when you work in the 00:25:35.539 --> 00:25:37.539 profession you kind of go into it with some compassion 00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:40.299 or this awareness of yourself if you're neurodiverse 00:25:40.299 --> 00:25:43.059 or however you've ended up in that field you 00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:46.079 just can naturally kind of do the things that 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:48.720 you need when your cup is full and you've got 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:51.700 capacity you can employ those strategies but 00:25:51.700 --> 00:25:55.259 when we think about like a parent who goes oh 00:25:55.259 --> 00:25:56.920 I have to go to the supermarket on my way home 00:25:56.920 --> 00:25:59.019 and get these things for dinner and they get 00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:00.900 into the supermarket and they don't have their 00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:02.539 list and they go I don't even know what I need 00:26:02.539 --> 00:26:04.960 for dinner and then they just grab something 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:06.799 random they get home and they go oh we'll just 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:09.880 have takeaways for me when I think about how 00:26:09.880 --> 00:26:12.440 we got to that point there's so much that's happened 00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:16.140 to get them there that that the stimulus of being 00:26:16.140 --> 00:26:18.440 in the supermarket and all the other things happening 00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:22.200 around them is just like oh my gosh like they 00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:24.890 might go into like the fight flight freeze sort 00:26:24.890 --> 00:26:27.430 of mode they might get grumpy at the driver in 00:26:27.430 --> 00:26:29.730 front of them who actually on another day they 00:26:29.730 --> 00:26:32.470 wouldn't have got grumpy and just being able 00:26:32.470 --> 00:26:36.130 to be kind to yourself and acknowledge hey actually 00:26:36.130 --> 00:26:39.049 this this is the reason why this has happened 00:26:39.049 --> 00:26:43.039 because we commonly will be like oh my gosh that 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:45.160 person is so grumpy today or that person was 00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:47.559 so rude to me or they did this but if we look 00:26:47.559 --> 00:26:49.940 at them and go maybe they're just really overstimulated 00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:52.900 maybe maybe they just haven't had their cup filled 00:26:52.900 --> 00:26:55.819 today they've there's all these reasons why people 00:26:55.819 --> 00:26:58.619 behave the way they do and I just think being 00:26:58.619 --> 00:27:02.059 compassionate to them and to yourself is so important 00:27:02.059 --> 00:27:05.160 I don't yeah I kind of don't track it makes you 00:27:05.160 --> 00:27:08.420 a far more understanding just part of society 00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:11.200 doesn't it because there is always a reason behavior 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:15.779 is communication and so all everything that happens 00:27:15.779 --> 00:27:19.099 to you from that's done by other people is some 00:27:19.099 --> 00:27:22.099 kind of communication and coming at it with empathy 00:27:22.099 --> 00:27:27.900 and being a detective definitely removes anything 00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:30.519 personal from the situation and just makes you 00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:33.480 question you know it puts the onus back on them 00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:36.319 doesn't it i wonder what they need and it does 00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:39.079 help you're less angry about it when you're in 00:27:39.079 --> 00:27:42.880 the queue or whatever absolutely and i i think 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:44.960 this i would like to just touch on the concept 00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:48.440 of sensory diets here because so often like i 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:51.660 i I worked with a really amazing occupational 00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:54.180 therapist in Australia who did a lot of research 00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:56.500 into the concept of sensory activity schedules 00:27:56.500 --> 00:27:59.140 as opposed to a sensory diet and the sensory 00:27:59.140 --> 00:28:02.099 activity schedule was scheduling into the day 00:28:02.099 --> 00:28:04.799 regular sensory breaks but it wasn't prescriptive 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:06.980 in the sense that we need to do this at this 00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:09.579 time. It was like a schedule that had options 00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:12.960 and these are your choices and we acknowledge 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:16.059 that at these points in the day some regulation 00:28:16.059 --> 00:28:18.259 may be useful what is it that you're going to 00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:21.339 take from this as opposed to at this time you 00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:25.299 need this thing and we as adults will model that 00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:27.839 by sitting doing two hours of work and then going 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:30.440 I need to go and get a coffee or I'm just going 00:28:30.440 --> 00:28:32.720 to go and talk to my colleague and you don't 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:34.119 sort of realize that the reason you're doing 00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:36.000 that is because you actually just need to move 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:38.380 your body you need some vestibular input you 00:28:38.380 --> 00:28:41.319 need some oral input you need just a break when 00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:44.299 we do those things We're not doing it because 00:28:44.299 --> 00:28:46.200 we've been told that at this time we need to 00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:48.220 do it. We're doing it because we've recognized 00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:51.000 that our body needs it. So if we can have options 00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:53.440 available to children to go, hey, I'm noticing 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:56.480 this. Do you need this? It gives them the choice 00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:59.200 rather than stop what you're doing on your sensory 00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:02.400 diet. It says at 10 .45, we have to go and do 00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:05.799 this thing. Sometimes that's not actually going 00:29:05.799 --> 00:29:09.480 to be beneficial to them. yeah I completely agree 00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:13.059 I completely agree it makes no sense to me to 00:29:13.059 --> 00:29:15.900 have a particular movement break at a particular 00:29:15.900 --> 00:29:19.319 time for so many reasons so many of my autistic 00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:22.400 learners need to finish an activity have it completed 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:25.480 in order to move on and feel successful in that 00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:28.039 and to transition out of that yeah stopping an 00:29:28.039 --> 00:29:29.480 activity halfway through because we need to do 00:29:29.480 --> 00:29:32.359 a sensory diet just would not be a regulating 00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:34.650 thing to do in fact it would be a The complete 00:29:34.650 --> 00:29:36.690 opposite would be a very dysregulating thing 00:29:36.690 --> 00:29:39.690 to do. Even if it's an enjoyed activity and they're 00:29:39.690 --> 00:29:41.730 not enjoying what they're doing, I still think 00:29:41.730 --> 00:29:46.049 they would prefer to complete it than to move 00:29:46.049 --> 00:29:48.450 on halfway through. So I suppose that's one thing 00:29:48.450 --> 00:29:50.730 of why not to. But yeah, offering choices as 00:29:50.730 --> 00:29:52.069 well. Like we said at the beginning, you know, 00:29:52.069 --> 00:29:54.789 who are we to say they need alerting at this 00:29:54.789 --> 00:29:56.509 point? Maybe they already alert because of what 00:29:56.509 --> 00:29:59.470 we've been doing already in the day. And then 00:29:59.470 --> 00:30:03.549 maybe they need something else to. to yeah fill 00:30:03.549 --> 00:30:06.490 up their cup to not feel dysregulated um and 00:30:06.490 --> 00:30:09.470 to feel like they can focus and choices are a 00:30:09.470 --> 00:30:12.049 really great way to go if symbols are a really 00:30:12.049 --> 00:30:14.390 great way um if your children can't understand 00:30:14.390 --> 00:30:16.490 symbols if they're or if they're dysregulated 00:30:16.490 --> 00:30:19.269 in the moment then objects or photos a really 00:30:19.269 --> 00:30:22.130 great option sometimes when my students are regulated 00:30:22.130 --> 00:30:25.410 uh dysregulated even though they can usually 00:30:25.410 --> 00:30:27.609 use a communication book or a high -tech AAC 00:30:27.609 --> 00:30:29.549 device to communicate they just can't because 00:30:29.549 --> 00:30:32.259 they're in this fight fright freeze mode and 00:30:32.259 --> 00:30:34.880 they can't process that question and all those 00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:38.460 symbols or navigate their device so I will simply 00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:41.920 show them two physical options that they can 00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:43.880 do like a scooter board or an exercise board 00:30:43.880 --> 00:30:45.880 or literally hold the exact objects in front 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:48.059 of them and they will either like reach for one 00:30:48.059 --> 00:30:50.259 or look at one I think cool right that's what 00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:53.099 we'll go for then so it's kind of moderating 00:30:53.099 --> 00:30:56.309 your expectations I suppose as well on what's 00:30:56.309 --> 00:30:58.750 realistic in that moment even though you know 00:30:58.750 --> 00:31:00.910 that they can do it they might not be able to 00:31:00.910 --> 00:31:04.230 do it right now absolutely and that is true for 00:31:04.230 --> 00:31:07.569 all of us like we have so many skills and abilities 00:31:07.569 --> 00:31:10.069 and when we're in a high pressure situation when 00:31:10.069 --> 00:31:12.150 we're overstimulated when our needs aren't being 00:31:12.150 --> 00:31:16.809 met all of our skills dwindle in their effectiveness 00:31:16.809 --> 00:31:20.450 or our our capacity is like man like I can't 00:31:20.450 --> 00:31:22.690 find the words right now I don't I can't locate 00:31:22.690 --> 00:31:25.410 objects I can't do the things I need and so being 00:31:25.410 --> 00:31:28.890 yeah giving giving them tangible options I always 00:31:28.890 --> 00:31:34.029 say reduce stimulus and reduce demands wherever 00:31:34.029 --> 00:31:37.130 possible go back to the basics and it's not about 00:31:37.130 --> 00:31:41.230 trying to change or do something for the child. 00:31:41.349 --> 00:31:43.769 I think the hierarchy here is what can we do 00:31:43.769 --> 00:31:45.890 in the environment that's going to be supportive? 00:31:46.069 --> 00:31:49.369 What can we do as ourselves, as the tools, the 00:31:49.369 --> 00:31:52.069 humans around them before going to the child? 00:31:52.230 --> 00:31:54.650 Because if we just focus solely on the child 00:31:54.650 --> 00:31:56.450 and go, oh, you need to stop that. You need to 00:31:56.450 --> 00:31:58.049 move from here. You need this. You need that. 00:31:58.210 --> 00:32:01.049 And we're not going, actually, I could just dim 00:32:01.049 --> 00:32:03.130 the lights a bit. I could turn the volume here 00:32:03.130 --> 00:32:06.529 down. I could remove these things that are close 00:32:06.529 --> 00:32:10.180 by them. I can myself. tap out to another person, 00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:13.359 or I can take five deep breaths, wriggle my toes. 00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:16.220 Once all of those things are done, if there's 00:32:16.220 --> 00:32:19.559 still that level, that acuity of dysregulation, 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:22.420 then we go, okay, what does the child need? And 00:32:22.420 --> 00:32:24.720 it's requiring you to do it really quickly. Like 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:26.799 this isn't, you're not stopping with a checklist 00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:29.140 and going, okay, just give me five minutes. I'm 00:32:29.140 --> 00:32:30.759 just going to look around the classroom. I'm 00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:32.940 just going to check in with myself. You get, 00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:34.980 over time, you practice this and you get really 00:32:34.980 --> 00:32:37.160 quick at going, okay, environment, boom, boom, 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:41.119 boom, me, yeah what do I need okay and then you 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:44.700 go to the child so often though educators will 00:32:44.700 --> 00:32:47.759 go straight to the child this child needs to 00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:49.460 move we need to get them out of here we need 00:32:49.460 --> 00:32:52.720 to do this thing to them or for them rather than 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:56.579 what's around them and what am I doing what what 00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:59.500 how is my regulation impacting on them right 00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:02.240 now that co -regulation stuff if I'm not feeling 00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:04.480 regulated and it could have been because something 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:07.019 happened in my morning I ran out of coffee I 00:33:07.420 --> 00:33:10.460 My son's school bag was dripping wet because 00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:12.740 his drink bottle leaked from yesterday. I've 00:33:12.740 --> 00:33:15.400 got an overdue bill. I come into school feeling 00:33:15.400 --> 00:33:18.740 dysregulated. I'm already going to be more sensitive 00:33:18.740 --> 00:33:21.640 to these things. But if I can recognize that 00:33:21.640 --> 00:33:25.299 in myself, I'll go, okay, just give me a moment. 00:33:25.420 --> 00:33:26.819 I'm just going to get my fidget. I'm going to 00:33:26.819 --> 00:33:28.500 have a cold drink of water. When you approach 00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:30.920 the child in a calm, regulated state, you're 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:34.009 going to get so much more. and responsiveness 00:33:34.009 --> 00:33:36.569 and mirroring from them too. They mirror what 00:33:36.569 --> 00:33:39.730 they feel. It's so true. I've noticed a massive 00:33:39.730 --> 00:33:43.349 difference in how my team manage situations by 00:33:43.349 --> 00:33:46.289 we all start a sensory circuit at the beginning 00:33:46.289 --> 00:33:48.450 of the day and we all have, it's 45 minutes. 00:33:48.869 --> 00:33:50.589 We all have 45 minutes at the beginning of the 00:33:50.589 --> 00:33:53.950 day of connecting, having a snack, going on a 00:33:53.950 --> 00:33:56.619 walk. doing a laminated task if you want to like 00:33:56.619 --> 00:33:59.359 whatever you need going outside and then we so 00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:01.160 we all do that and then we all come together 00:34:01.160 --> 00:34:03.279 for the movement organizing and then grounding 00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:06.180 stuff before we even start register and what 00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:08.820 i've noticed because the adults are well it's 00:34:08.820 --> 00:34:10.760 the luxury of special education right but what 00:34:10.760 --> 00:34:13.679 we're what i've noticed is that it's so much 00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:15.460 more effective that the adults leaving their 00:34:15.460 --> 00:34:18.800 stuff at the door because they come in with it 00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:21.980 and then they're co -regulating they're connecting 00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:25.000 they're having snack with the children they're 00:34:25.000 --> 00:34:26.619 having a drink they're having up going outside 00:34:26.619 --> 00:34:28.300 we're doing movement we're doing organizing and 00:34:28.300 --> 00:34:30.260 then we're doing grounding that stuff's gone 00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:33.960 we've let it go so even if it has no impact on 00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:35.960 the children whatsoever which it actually does 00:34:35.960 --> 00:34:39.260 even if it didn't just regulating the adults 00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:42.340 at the beginning of the day makes for such a 00:34:42.340 --> 00:34:45.179 better day and then again after lunchtime because 00:34:45.179 --> 00:34:46.780 you've checked your phone maybe something else 00:34:46.780 --> 00:34:48.639 has stressed you out you've checked your bill 00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:50.400 or you had a phone call from your student at 00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:53.000 your children's school or whatever it is and 00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:55.059 then you do the movement break again and again 00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:57.480 you just let it go so that you can be present 00:34:57.480 --> 00:34:59.280 in the moment because if we're in our own heads 00:34:59.280 --> 00:35:01.699 there's no way we could connect with a child 00:35:01.699 --> 00:35:05.639 because we're up here absolutely and that is 00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:08.920 to me that's co -regulation is doing it together 00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:11.860 and almost yeah being selfish in that of putting 00:35:11.860 --> 00:35:15.239 our own mask on before we even attempt to support 00:35:15.239 --> 00:35:17.539 them. I mean, who are we to say that we can support 00:35:17.539 --> 00:35:19.659 somebody else in their recognition if we aren't 00:35:19.659 --> 00:35:22.559 supporting ourselves, I suppose. It's a bit ironic, 00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:26.199 isn't it? Which is why work on ourselves is the 00:35:26.199 --> 00:35:28.739 biggest tool, I believe. Like, we can have as 00:35:28.739 --> 00:35:30.940 many sensory resources, we can attend as many 00:35:30.940 --> 00:35:35.159 courses. If you've done as much as you do and 00:35:35.159 --> 00:35:38.170 you still sit there going, well, I... I don't 00:35:38.170 --> 00:35:40.289 really know what I like, but I know that that's 00:35:40.289 --> 00:35:42.730 annoying and I wouldn't do that myself, then 00:35:42.730 --> 00:35:46.690 you haven't got the understanding of the whole 00:35:46.690 --> 00:35:51.030 person, your whole self. I often give an example 00:35:51.030 --> 00:35:54.650 of when I was young, it was told to me that I 00:35:54.650 --> 00:35:56.630 was scared of having my blood taken or having 00:35:56.630 --> 00:35:59.230 injections. I was very scared of needles. I was 00:35:59.230 --> 00:36:01.630 told that I had a phobia because when I went 00:36:01.630 --> 00:36:04.550 to have that done, I was dysregulated. I would 00:36:04.550 --> 00:36:06.690 get upset. I would... You know, I don't think 00:36:06.690 --> 00:36:08.730 I ever screamed and kicked, but it certainly 00:36:08.730 --> 00:36:11.070 was showing that I didn't want to participate 00:36:11.070 --> 00:36:14.070 in this. Sometimes it was necessary and it still 00:36:14.070 --> 00:36:16.469 happened. As I got a bit older into my early 00:36:16.469 --> 00:36:21.050 teens, I realized that I didn't have a phobia 00:36:21.050 --> 00:36:23.150 of needles. The thing that I was afraid of was 00:36:23.150 --> 00:36:25.730 the cotton wool. So the cotton wool that they 00:36:25.730 --> 00:36:28.829 would put on to stem the bleeding and to hold 00:36:28.829 --> 00:36:32.329 it there to apply pressure. I'm still so afraid 00:36:32.329 --> 00:36:34.409 of that. I would rather hold a spider or a snake 00:36:34.409 --> 00:36:37.750 than hold cotton wool. And so many people I come 00:36:37.750 --> 00:36:39.869 across have no understanding of that. They're 00:36:39.869 --> 00:36:41.710 like, that is so weird, Kelly. I completely agree. 00:36:42.070 --> 00:36:44.309 It's so funny you say that. Do you know the name 00:36:44.309 --> 00:36:48.550 of it? It's called Bamback Malleophobia. And 00:36:48.550 --> 00:36:50.889 it's the cotton wool. It's a real thing. And 00:36:50.889 --> 00:36:55.489 I totally agree. At my 16th birthday. I can't 00:36:55.489 --> 00:36:56.829 even watch adverts with cotton wool in them. 00:36:56.929 --> 00:36:59.969 But for my 16th birthday, one of my friends thought 00:36:59.969 --> 00:37:03.570 it'd be really funny to stick my birthday card 00:37:03.570 --> 00:37:07.269 at the bottom of a box full of like cotton wool 00:37:07.269 --> 00:37:10.809 balls. And I cried. I would too. It's a real 00:37:10.809 --> 00:37:13.750 thing. So yeah, I totally am validating your 00:37:13.750 --> 00:37:16.590 fear of that. It's called Bambachomania phobia 00:37:16.590 --> 00:37:20.769 and I have it too. There's no survival reason 00:37:20.769 --> 00:37:24.260 why we should be. so horrified by that but it's 00:37:24.260 --> 00:37:27.179 a thing it's a thing and it's crippling like 00:37:27.179 --> 00:37:32.400 oh I can't like no thank you but once I got to 00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:34.760 the point yeah I understood that about myself 00:37:34.760 --> 00:37:38.280 and then I could say to the phlebotomist can 00:37:38.280 --> 00:37:41.519 you just use a piece of tissue or hey here's 00:37:41.519 --> 00:37:43.900 my arm stick the needle in like I've got lots 00:37:43.900 --> 00:37:46.139 of tattoos and things now I have no fear of needles 00:37:46.909 --> 00:37:49.869 But even to explain that to my mum down the track, 00:37:49.909 --> 00:37:52.130 to be like, no, mum, I'm not afraid of needles. 00:37:52.650 --> 00:37:55.730 She'd be like, well, how can you be afraid of 00:37:55.730 --> 00:37:57.989 cotton wool? It's not a thing. But it is a thing 00:37:57.989 --> 00:38:01.050 and it's real for me. If she had kept telling 00:38:01.050 --> 00:38:05.730 me what I was afraid of and I wasn't able to 00:38:05.730 --> 00:38:08.110 understand and learn about myself, it would have 00:38:08.110 --> 00:38:10.809 been such a barrier for me moving forward. So 00:38:10.809 --> 00:38:13.769 that narrative that... that we give to children, 00:38:13.889 --> 00:38:15.809 we need to be so careful about what it is that 00:38:15.809 --> 00:38:17.630 we're telling them. When we observe something, 00:38:17.750 --> 00:38:20.550 say, oh, it's because of this. You feel this 00:38:20.550 --> 00:38:24.130 way. You don't like this. But that's actually 00:38:24.130 --> 00:38:27.329 quite unhelpful for them. Yeah, and it just comes 00:38:27.329 --> 00:38:30.130 back down to just believe them. Even if it doesn't 00:38:30.130 --> 00:38:34.750 make any sense, even if they're not in any danger. 00:38:35.710 --> 00:38:38.690 or it's not hurting them. If they are reacting 00:38:38.690 --> 00:38:42.989 as if it is, then we have to believe them. 100%. 00:38:42.989 --> 00:38:45.329 And so if you and I were in the same room together 00:38:45.329 --> 00:38:47.550 and there was cotton wool, we can protect each 00:38:47.550 --> 00:38:50.449 other. Like, I am so fine to just like... I mean, 00:38:50.489 --> 00:38:52.849 when I'm in that fight -flight mode, I'm not 00:38:52.849 --> 00:38:55.590 protecting anyone. I am getting out of there. 00:38:55.730 --> 00:38:58.849 Getting out! The flea response, like, get me 00:38:58.849 --> 00:39:01.809 out of here. I feel clammy just thinking about 00:39:01.809 --> 00:39:05.079 it. It's true, isn't it? It comes down to us 00:39:05.079 --> 00:39:08.119 understanding our own regulation needs and being 00:39:08.119 --> 00:39:10.900 confident enough to be able to voice those. And 00:39:10.900 --> 00:39:12.460 then that allows others to be confident enough 00:39:12.460 --> 00:39:14.800 to voice theirs. I suppose Christmas is a classic 00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:17.420 time for cotton wool fears, isn't it? That everybody's 00:39:17.420 --> 00:39:19.260 making snowman and stuff. And I've never done 00:39:19.260 --> 00:39:21.559 that in my classroom. So my students have been 00:39:21.559 --> 00:39:24.619 deprived of the cotton wool ball snowman because 00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:27.079 I just will not do it. And I suppose what... 00:39:27.309 --> 00:39:29.409 Then I need to also respect when my teaching 00:39:29.409 --> 00:39:31.630 assistants say, I can't put my hand in that mud 00:39:31.630 --> 00:39:34.150 or shaving foam. I have to wear gloves. Or to 00:39:34.150 --> 00:39:36.329 respect my students when they say, I can't taste 00:39:36.329 --> 00:39:41.090 that thing because I don't want to. And it just 00:39:41.090 --> 00:39:43.349 comes down to, okay, that's obviously not good 00:39:43.349 --> 00:39:45.730 for you. It doesn't mean that it's not, I don't 00:39:45.730 --> 00:39:49.150 offer the opportunity to try. It's not that I'm 00:39:49.150 --> 00:39:51.610 not curious about ways of supporting you with 00:39:51.610 --> 00:39:55.329 that. It's just also doing that alongside believing 00:39:55.329 --> 00:39:59.400 them. believing them absolutely and and having 00:39:59.400 --> 00:40:02.079 the tolerance and patience to know that that 00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:04.260 might change again just like when you know the 00:40:04.260 --> 00:40:07.420 the ladder for eating different types of foods 00:40:07.420 --> 00:40:10.199 knowing how many times it takes to try a different 00:40:10.199 --> 00:40:13.320 food before you know if you like it or not saying 00:40:13.320 --> 00:40:15.559 okay right now that you don't want to be around 00:40:15.559 --> 00:40:17.639 that that's okay we might try again another day 00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:20.360 and also knowing that some of those things just 00:40:20.360 --> 00:40:23.809 won't they won't leave you like i some things 00:40:23.809 --> 00:40:25.989 just don't leave and that's okay you just work 00:40:25.989 --> 00:40:28.710 around them right you just you still go have 00:40:28.710 --> 00:40:30.690 your blood taken but you don't and you don't 00:40:30.690 --> 00:40:33.150 look at the things in the cosmetic aisle and 00:40:33.150 --> 00:40:35.650 when your children say I want this to do a snowman 00:40:35.650 --> 00:40:37.869 because I want to make Olaf you're like let's 00:40:37.869 --> 00:40:42.710 use some paper yeah I suppose this leads perfectly 00:40:42.710 --> 00:40:45.719 on to I need to be really aware of the privilege 00:40:45.719 --> 00:40:47.820 and luxury that I have. I have other people in 00:40:47.820 --> 00:40:50.119 the room to swap with. Lots of parents don't 00:40:50.119 --> 00:40:52.059 have that luxury. They might be single parents 00:40:52.059 --> 00:40:56.489 or lots of. as teaching assistants or paraprofessionals 00:40:56.489 --> 00:40:58.570 are it's quite isolating they could maybe just 00:40:58.570 --> 00:41:00.449 work with one -to -one with a child there's nobody 00:41:00.449 --> 00:41:03.170 to swap with in those instances when you feel 00:41:03.170 --> 00:41:06.309 yourself as an adult become dysregulated when 00:41:06.309 --> 00:41:09.269 your children are asking of you what you cannot 00:41:09.269 --> 00:41:12.949 give because it will lead you into a dysregulation 00:41:12.949 --> 00:41:15.869 are there any strategies in those moments that 00:41:15.869 --> 00:41:19.210 these isolated adults can use in order to help 00:41:19.210 --> 00:41:23.219 themselves co -regulate with the child um to 00:41:23.219 --> 00:41:25.219 be more effective than with them because swapping 00:41:25.219 --> 00:41:27.739 out isn't an option or leaving and getting a 00:41:27.739 --> 00:41:29.519 drink or leaving and doing a bit of break maybe 00:41:29.519 --> 00:41:32.920 isn't an option yeah that's a great question 00:41:32.920 --> 00:41:35.320 and it's so important to be compassionate towards 00:41:35.320 --> 00:41:38.000 those people where that where their options are 00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:41.059 limited i think depending on the situation the 00:41:41.059 --> 00:41:42.760 environment you would look at it and say well 00:41:42.760 --> 00:41:45.199 in this situation this could be an option but 00:41:45.199 --> 00:41:49.460 on a broader level i think When we think about 00:41:49.460 --> 00:41:52.159 feedback loops and we think about how when one 00:41:52.159 --> 00:41:54.260 person is dysregulated, it feeds into the other 00:41:54.260 --> 00:41:56.440 person and we kind of think of it as a circuit 00:41:56.440 --> 00:41:58.940 that just keeps going around and around. I would 00:41:58.940 --> 00:42:01.679 be imploring people when they're calm and able 00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:03.679 to think about what could be some really good 00:42:03.679 --> 00:42:06.900 circuit breakers. So I'm working with a family 00:42:06.900 --> 00:42:09.059 at the moment where the mum and the daughter 00:42:09.059 --> 00:42:11.320 are really feeding off each other a lot and we've 00:42:11.320 --> 00:42:14.519 created a list of circuit breakers whereby one 00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:17.969 of them... They have agreed that when there is 00:42:17.969 --> 00:42:20.789 a feedback loop happening, when the adult is 00:42:20.789 --> 00:42:23.389 getting quite dysregulated, it's okay for the 00:42:23.389 --> 00:42:26.829 child to put on some music, to blast. There's 00:42:26.829 --> 00:42:28.889 a certain song that they have both agreed, it's 00:42:28.889 --> 00:42:30.909 okay if we play this music, and that's a way 00:42:30.909 --> 00:42:34.650 of breaking the circuit. It's okay for one of 00:42:34.650 --> 00:42:37.690 them to leave the situation. It's okay for one 00:42:37.690 --> 00:42:40.650 of them to physically just go away from the room. 00:42:41.519 --> 00:42:45.659 creating a list of circuit breakers to sort of 00:42:45.659 --> 00:42:47.960 think, okay, it's not actually about fixing this 00:42:47.960 --> 00:42:50.119 situation right now, and we don't know how long 00:42:50.119 --> 00:42:53.659 this dysregulation will last. But if we continue 00:42:53.659 --> 00:42:57.519 in this circuit, it's really going to get us 00:42:57.519 --> 00:42:59.420 nowhere. We can see we're just going round and 00:42:59.420 --> 00:43:01.199 round. But if we can find something that breaks 00:43:01.199 --> 00:43:03.119 that circuit and sends us on a different path, 00:43:03.360 --> 00:43:06.079 even if it just distracts us for two or three 00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:08.300 minutes and then we come back, then we have another 00:43:08.300 --> 00:43:11.219 circuit breaker. I really like the power of making 00:43:11.219 --> 00:43:13.760 a fool out of myself, doing something that's 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:18.559 unexpected or just doing something that is going 00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:21.539 to throw everything off. That can be a really 00:43:21.539 --> 00:43:26.010 good... circuit breaker when you can't you know 00:43:26.010 --> 00:43:28.130 change things around you or you don't have another 00:43:28.130 --> 00:43:31.550 person to tap out with that makes sense yeah 00:43:31.550 --> 00:43:33.309 that's really great it's really great to have 00:43:33.309 --> 00:43:36.630 to when you are in a calm state have pre -planned 00:43:36.630 --> 00:43:39.269 ideas maybe have grab and go bags maybe have 00:43:39.269 --> 00:43:42.030 grab and go activities that either help you or 00:43:42.030 --> 00:43:44.969 the child that you're working with to just give 00:43:44.969 --> 00:43:48.949 yourself that minute that you need to just take 00:43:48.949 --> 00:43:51.610 those breaths or give yourself those squeezes 00:43:51.610 --> 00:43:54.769 or take yourself just pace yourself to have those 00:43:54.769 --> 00:43:56.969 grab -and -go bags ready so that when they are 00:43:56.969 --> 00:43:59.829 needed you can just get them and use them is 00:43:59.829 --> 00:44:03.010 really great advice and and just yeah I would 00:44:03.010 --> 00:44:05.769 love to hear more about this from those people 00:44:05.769 --> 00:44:10.610 as to how they manage that um and I think a lot 00:44:10.610 --> 00:44:14.710 that I've spoken to it's they end up in disassociation 00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:18.719 there is no way out so their body finds them 00:44:18.719 --> 00:44:22.139 a way out which is then not healthy long term 00:44:22.139 --> 00:44:24.739 is it and yeah I want to get better at supporting 00:44:24.739 --> 00:44:28.960 the people that don't have the option to do all 00:44:28.960 --> 00:44:31.360 of those wonderful things that I can do in my 00:44:31.360 --> 00:44:34.340 classroom I'm very aware that there's a different 00:44:34.340 --> 00:44:37.559 community out there that maybe can't happen and 00:44:37.559 --> 00:44:42.500 out yeah can't do those things so yeah Thank 00:44:42.500 --> 00:44:44.739 you so much for joining me today. This was such 00:44:44.739 --> 00:44:46.960 an important conversation of co -regulation. 00:44:47.039 --> 00:44:49.639 I'm certainly going to take this conversation 00:44:49.639 --> 00:44:53.119 into the week of a self -awareness of what I'm 00:44:53.119 --> 00:44:56.480 feeling, an awareness of maybe what the other 00:44:56.480 --> 00:44:58.360 adults in my room are feeling, and just making 00:44:58.360 --> 00:45:02.139 sure that I'm narrating my needs as much as possible 00:45:02.139 --> 00:45:05.280 to embed that ethos in my room of that we're 00:45:05.280 --> 00:45:08.840 all. sensory beings and that it's it's all good 00:45:08.840 --> 00:45:11.360 and that start from me i think is something that 00:45:11.360 --> 00:45:12.860 i'm going to be taking in from the week so thank 00:45:12.860 --> 00:45:17.219 you from that for that kelly you're welcome people 00:45:17.219 --> 00:45:21.380 want to learn more about you and your work and 00:45:21.380 --> 00:45:24.099 uh yeah follow your journey where can people 00:45:24.099 --> 00:45:29.840 find you so i have a website www .thedifferentot 00:45:29.840 --> 00:45:33.980 .co .nz and i'm also on social media as the different 00:45:33.980 --> 00:45:37.159 OT. I really admire what you do in terms of putting 00:45:37.159 --> 00:45:40.599 yourself out there and being front -facing in 00:45:40.599 --> 00:45:42.480 terms of what you do. And I think it's really 00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:44.619 awesome. It's something that's a goal for me 00:45:44.619 --> 00:45:47.260 moving into the new year is to just be more vulnerable 00:45:47.260 --> 00:45:50.840 and front -facing for potential clients and give 00:45:50.840 --> 00:45:54.920 advice, support, ideas to people. So you can 00:45:54.920 --> 00:45:56.460 check me out there if you want. And obviously 00:45:56.460 --> 00:46:00.349 those that are actually in my country. And we 00:46:00.349 --> 00:46:02.530 can potentially see each other inside my sensory 00:46:02.530 --> 00:46:06.110 caravan. But I also do virtual support as well. 00:46:06.710 --> 00:46:09.030 It sounds amazing, Kelly. Thank you so much. 00:46:09.150 --> 00:46:11.710 And I really hope that you're listening to this 00:46:11.710 --> 00:46:15.650 and feeling validated and seen and that you leave 00:46:15.650 --> 00:46:18.949 with some realistic ideas on how to co -regulate 00:46:18.949 --> 00:46:20.769 with the people that you work with. Thank you 00:46:20.769 --> 00:46:23.469 so much, Kelly. You're welcome. Thank you for 00:46:23.469 --> 00:46:23.869 having me.