CALM AND CONNECTED - EPISODE 145

Have you ever considered the neuroscience behind how we self-regulate our emotions? How do these two work together? Some children may respond in fight or flight mode in some situations. But how does your child’s body and emotions respond and why in these specific moments? What pathways are connecting in your child’s brain to cause certain reactions? Knowing your child and techniques to keep them calm can help moments like this - it’s more than just a behavior, but thinking about the child as a whole.

The topics we cover in this episode are:

An introduction to Dr. Varleisha and the work she does
The beauty of having a multidisciplinary team and how to support the kids in your lives
How does our brains work and what hormones are released
Techniques for self regulation
The power of sound and movement and self regulation
Using temperature for self regulation
Finding evidence based practice rather than what social media tells us
How Dr. Varleisha rests and relaxes

About The Guest - Dr. Varleisha

Varleisha D. (Gibbs) Lyons PhD, OTD, OTR/L, ASDCS has been an occupational therapist for over 20 years. Dr. Lyons founded and operated a private therapy firm for over 10 years. She developed and founded Delaware’s first occupational therapy program and became the first Black Indigenous American woman to serve as the Scientific Programs Officer at the American Occupational Therapy Foundation. Currently, she is the Vice President of Diversity Equity Inclusion Justice Access and Belonging and formerly the Vice President of Practice Engagement and Capacity Building at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Varleisha continues to lecture internationally and has authored four books, one of which is a bestseller. She has dedicated her time to mentoring underrepresented individuals and desires to help shift others toward growth and healing despite traumatic experiences or diagnoses. Her research spans various disciplines and professions with grant funding in the areas of community-based services and interprofessional education and care. Through such efforts she has guided several into the profession of occupational therapy and supported families across the nation through her volunteer efforts. Her areas of expertise include neuroanatomy, self-regulation strategies across the lifespan, health inequities, and trauma responsive approaches.

Website: http://wasutsanctuary.com/

Instagram Page: https://instagram.com/drvarleisha

X: https://x.com/drvarleisha

Other resources:

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Varleisha-Gibbs/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AVarleisha+Gibbs ;

https://www.pesi.com/speaker/details/00259440 ;

https://www.medbridge.com/instructors/varleisha-gibbs-otd-otrl-pediatric-occupational-therapy-sensory-integration/