The Working Therapist: Providing Helpful Ideas for Pediatric Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy

In January 1983, in the middle of winter, the twangy southern voice of John Anderson hit the airwaves with a song about sitting on the front porch with his girl, "Just a' swangin'." It would become the song on the year in spite of the fact that is was released in the dead of winter.There's just something about the enjoyment of swinging with which everyone can identify. Employing that universal love for a swing into therapy can break down barriers and open up new possibilities. Today's podcast examines six swing types that are useful in therapy and how to maximize their effectiveness in your therapy sessions.The Swings Covered in this Podcast:1.Platform swings2.Web swing3.Adventure swing4.Bolster/Horse swing5.Pogo swing6.Surf board swing

It has become an annual hunting trip for Haden & Kjirsti and it doesn't require any camping gear! It's their yearly trip to the Toy Fair to discover new fun things that can bring new life into your tried and true Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy session techniques. In this two-part podcast, they will introduce you to their top 5 Tactile Sensory finds. (If you have listened to the podcast before, you should know there might just be a bonus item.)

It has become an annual hunting trip for Haden & Kjirsti and it doesn't require any camping gear! It's their yearly trip to the Toy Fair to discover new fun things that can bring new life into your tried and true Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy session techniques. In this two-part podcast, they will introduce you to their top 5 Tactile Sensory finds. (If you have listened to the podcast before, you should know there might just be a bonus item.)

A Google search of "how do I" will get you 4,590,000,000 approximate results in .56 seconds. "Do it yourself" will provide an additional 197,000,000 possibilities and you're still under 1 second of search time. While you may find out how to change the oil in a John Deere lawn tractor or make your own homemade soap using some questionable ingredients, finding exactly what you're looking for takes your search time from 1 second to hours and even days with no guarantee of usable results. In this series of podcasts, Haden will share insights from her years of experience that will answer how-do-I questions that she has heard hundreds of times. You'll receive the benefit of usable tips that she has learned and picked up from other successful therapists through the years that you can add to your therapy tool belt today. Today's podcast is the third topic in the series and focuses on teaching "WH" questions without the use of picture cards.

A Google search of "how do I" will get you 4,590,000,000 approximate results in .56 seconds. "Do it yourself" will provide an additional 197,000,000 possibilities and you're still under 1 second of search time. While you may find out how to change the oil in a John Deere lawn tractor or make your own homemade soap using some questionable ingredients, finding exactly what you're looking for takes your search time from 1 second to hours and even days with no guarantee of usable results. In this series of podcasts, Haden will share insights from her years of experience that will answer how-do-I questions that she has heard hundreds of times. You'll receive the benefit of usable tips that she has learned and picked up from other successful therapists through the years that you can add to your therapy tool belt today. Today's podcast is the second topic in the series and focuses on understanding and using pronouns.

A Google search of "how do I" will get you 4,590,000,000 approximate results in .56 seconds. "Do it yourself" will provide an additional 197,000,000 possibilities and you're still under 1 second of search time. While you may find out how to change the oil in a John Deere lawn tractor or make your own homemade soap using some questionable ingredients, finding exactly what you're looking for takes your search time from 1 second to hours and even days with no guarantee of usable results. In the next several podcasts, Haden will share insights from her years of experience that will answer how-do-I questions that she has heard hundreds of times. You'll receive the benefit of usable tips that she has learned and picked up from other successful therapists through the years that you can add to your therapy tool belt today. Today's podcast focuses on moving beyond single-word communication to phrases and sentences.

A Google search of "how do I" will get you 4,590,000,000 approximate results in .56 seconds. "Do it yourself" will provide an additional 197,000,000 possibilities and you're still under 1 second of search time. While you may find out how to change the oil in a John Deere lawn tractor or make your own homemade soap using some questionable ingredients, finding exactly what you're looking for takes your search time from 1 second to hours and even days with no guarantee of usable results. In the next several podcasts, Haden will share insights from her years of experience that will answer how-do-I questions that she has heard hundreds of times. You'll receive the benefit of usable tips that she has learned and picked up from other successful therapists through the years that you can add to your therapy tool belt today. Today's podcast focuses on moving beyond single-word communication to phrases and sentences.

"GPS has lost signal." Every traveler has heard this unwanted announcement from their GPS or cell phone at one time or another. It invariably seems to come right before an upcoming turn. Were you supposed to turn right or left? When you do get reconnected, you hear, "Recalculating. Turn around when possible." If only you had a clear understanding of where you were going, this would be so much less frustrating? By now, you've surely picked up on where we are going in today's podcast. The goals you write are your GPS. If you write them well, redirecting your methods to achieve the goal is so much easier. Today, Haden will give you tips on writing goals that will get you and the children you serve where you want to arrive in therapy.

Every building project starts with and lasts because of one common element: a good foundation. Without a stable foundation, every great thing built will crumble. With it, everything achieved will last. The jaw is the foundation for every area of oral growth and achievement. If we are skill focused we may have some temporary success that will fade as old habits rooted in the jaw reassert themselves. Today, Haden will teach you how to build a good foundation in the jaw that will cause you therapy successes to stand the test of time.

As you look into the year ahead, no doubt you are setting goals to be further along in your company, career and personal life at the beginning of next year than you are now. Everyone to wants to move higher on the ladder of success.Today, Haden will share a tool that was introduced to her in a very unexpected way, that will create growth in you personally. This tool will make you more vital and promote-able in your company and career.

The saying is true, "Teamwork makes the dream work." You understand that everyone on your team has an important role in the success of those needing your therapeutic intervention. But every team needs a captain. While your training has taught you the how to's of therapy, you haven't necessarily been taught how to be the captain and steer the ship with just the right mix of grace and guidance to keep everyone on board. Haden & Kjirsti want to help you find that balance in today's podcast.

We all use them and love them! They are simple modifications that enhance everyday tasks. In the learning environment, simple modifications can enhance engagement, retention and simplify tasks. In today's podcast, Haden & Kjirsti will share simple modifications that will bring a S.M.I.L.E to your therapy sessions. Listen to their ideas and then share your own by posting them on your social media page with the hashtag #pdtsmile. Here's an example:An over-the-door pocketed shoe holder is perfect for holding arts & craft supplies. #pdtsmile

Every case that comes to you as a therapist is a unique situation requiring a unique strategy. But there are many practices in therapy that are universal. New therapists at PDT repeatedly ask Haden and Kjirsti, "How can I improve as a therapist?" In response, they have identified three areas that can help move you from being a good therapist to being a great therapist. Today's podcast focuses on work ethic.

Several years ago, Haden and the Pediatric Developmental Team took a hard look at just how much they spent on their Annual Christmas Party. Then they had a trans-formative thought: "What if we spent that money helping children?" From that pivotal moment, the focus of PDT's Christmas Celebration have been the children in their practice and their community. Today's podcast tells that story.

If you seen the movie "The Incredibles," you know that to truly triumph, it required every member of the Super Hero family and their unique abilities. But there were situations that only the super-flexible mom could handle. Her adaptability was her best asset. Every case that comes to you as a therapist is a unique situation requiring a unique strategy. But there are many practices in therapy that are universal. New therapists at PDT repeatedly ask Haden and Kjirsti, "How can I improve as a therapist?" In response, they have identified three areas that can help move you from being a good therapist to being a great therapist. Today's podcast focuses on adaptability.