Therapeutic Approaches

DIR ® Floortime

Floortime (also known as DIRFloortime®) is an approach used to promote an individual's development through a respectful, playful, joyful, and engaging process. It uses the power of relationships and human connection to encourage the development of the capacities for self-regulation, engagement, communication, shared social problem solving, and creative, organized, and reflective thinking and reasoning.

It is an evidence-based approach to promoting human development that is used with individuals of all ages...especially children on the autism spectrum.

Please see www.floortime.org or www.icdl.com for more information on this approach.

Ayres Sensory Integration®

Sensory Integration, as originated by A. Jean Ayres, is a theory and practice that focuses on enhancing an individual's ability to process and integrate sensory information derived from their body and environment. ASI® employs tailored activities and "just right" challenges to improve sensory processing, motor planning, and adaptive behavior. Specialised equipment is used in playful therapeutic sessions conducted by trained therapists, primarily occupational therapists (OT), in safe and sensory-rich clinical settings. This approach enhances individuals' sensory skills and overall well-being.

Please see https://chan.usc.edu/about-us/sensory-integration for more information on this approach.

Zones of Regulation ®

The Zones of Regulation framework and curriculum (Kuypers, 2011) focuses on guiding students through a structured learning process to enhance their emotional intelligence and foster self-regulation abilities. The program emphasizes developing metacognitive skills, enabling individuals to become more attuned to their emotions and internal state. Within this approach, students are equipped with a diverse set of tools and strategies that encompass mindfulness, sensory integration, movement techniques, cognitive approaches, self-care practices, and methods for nurturing healthy connections with others.

Therapeutic Listening ®

Therapeutic Listening is a specific sound-based intervention that is embedded in a developmental and sensory integration perspective. The music in Therapeutic Listening gives the listener unique and precisely controlled sensory information. The music is electronically modified to highlight the parts of the sound spectrum that naturally capture attention and activate body movement, synchronizing it with the environment. Therapeutic Listening uses electronic modifications, along with the organized, rhythmical sound patterns inherent in music, to trigger the self-organizing capacities of the nervous system.

S.O.S Feeding

SOS feeding is a specialised approach designed to address feeding difficulties in children. It focuses on the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) method, which aims to address sensory, motor, behavioral, and cognitive aspects of feeding challenges. The SOS approach uses a child-centered approach to help children overcome aversions and expand their food repertoire. By considering the sensory and developmental aspects of feeding, SOS feeding aims to create positive and successful mealtime experiences, ultimately promoting healthy eating habits and overall well-being in children.

Please see https://sosapproachtofeeding.com/sos-approach/ for more information on this approach.