4 sessions | 1.5 hours per session | weekly on Tuesdays

Scheduled Dates: 9/26; 10/3; 10/10; 10/17

Meeting Time: 7:30 pm eastern time

Online via Zoom

Fee

$ 120

Description

This course is designed to provide specialized instruction to educators, parents, and therapists on how to integrate the principles of DIRFloortime® with best practices in education. We will engage in discussions and reflections that lead to views of our existing knowledge and practices as they relate to student learning. Discussions for each class will center around a Functional Emotional Developmental Level and how we can use that level to support and promote academic growth with our children. Reflective problem-solving and collaboration around experiences will be considered in order to learn how to create a learning environment for our students that is unique to their individual needs.

Learning Objectives

• Describe how learning and the DIR® principles can be aligned and used to promote academic development
• Explain the reasons why regulation, shared attention, and engagement are critical for learning
• Learn how to create meaningful hands-on learning opportunities for your students/children

Who should attend?

Educators, parents, and any discipline-specific therapist.

Presenters

Lindsey McDowell is an experienced Special Education Teacher with a demonstrated history of working in primary and high school special education classrooms. She is skilled in Elementary Education, Special Education, Classroom Management, Teaching, Lesson Planning, and DIRFloortime®. Lindsey is an education professional with a Bachelor’s Degree focused in Elementary Education and teaching with Middle School Language Arts and Social Science Endorsements from the University of St. Francis. She holds an LBS1 license and has taught in a private self-contained school for children with special needs for 9 years. Lindsey has a Profectum Level 2 Certificate.

4 sessions | 1.5 hours per session | weekly on Tuesdays

Scheduled Dates: 11/7; 11/14; 11/21; 11/28

Meeting Time: 7:00 pm eastern time

Online via Zoom

Fee

$120

Description

In this class, participants will review the principles of DIR® as we explore individual differences in our students. Discussions will center on how to infuse DIRFloortime® into the many activities and routines of an early childhood classroom. We will focus on arousal levels and behaviors and positive DIRFloortime® strategies to help each child feel comfortable and confident in the classroom setting. Video examples will be used to illustrate possibilities. Participants will be asked to contribute their experiences verbally and/or with some video examples of their work with students. As a group, we will detect possible sensory profiles and brainstorm how to help each child succeed socially, emotionally, and academically.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will gain an understanding of using DIRFloortime® strategies to support individual differences and facilitate each student’s developmental level within the environment and structure of the classroom.
• Participants will have the opportunity to analyze video clips with the group to enhance their knowledge of connecting to and supporting a diverse group of learners within a classroom.
• Participants will demonstrate a knowledge of DIR® principles and how to apply them during structured and unstructured times of the day in the classroom.

Who should attend?

This class is designed for early childhood educators, paraprofessionals, and parents. Previous knowledge of DIRFloortime® is not necessary to gain a valuable perspective in this class.

Presenter

Susie Rindner: As a life-long learner, my undergraduate work was in early childhood and elementary education. My graduate work was in reading and special education. During my 30-year career as a classroom teacher, I had a desire to support all learners. Toward that goal, I continued my education by studying DIR® principles with Profectum. At the Lakewood Early Childhood Center, I was able to infuse my knowledge of DIRFloortime® principles into my classroom. The student’s needs are met by building strong relationships and sharing strategies with the classroom staff and parents about individual differences and supports.

1 session | 3 hours per session |

Scheduled Dates: To be announced

Meeting Time: TBD

Online via Zoom

Fee

$ 60

Description

What is unique to the human species is the capacity for communication…does communication begin when a child learns to use words? If communication is unique to the human species, what is it like when someone struggles to communicate? Our collective thinking began with the shared observation of how communication and language remain somewhat of a mystery both within and outside our field. As children age, particularly neurodiverse children and/or families with histories of social-emotional struggles, supporting communication and language development becomes more complex across settings, especially in the home and school environments. This course will weave DIR® into the field of communication and language development while touching on the major themes presently felt within our field: Change, Growing Awareness, and New Directions

Learning Objectives

• Describe one change you would make when sharing information about communication and language development.
• Describe one change you would make in an interaction to support communication and language development.
• Describe one change you would make in an assessment and/or intervention to support communication and language development.

Who should attend?

SLPs – DIR® practitioners and those interested in learning more about developmental SLPs; Parents; Other Disciplines: OTs, Mental Health, Educators

Presenters

Heidi, Liesl, and Mary Ann are seasoned pediatric developmental speech and language pathologists with advanced certification in DIRFloortime® through Profectum Academy. Heidi is a practicing clinician and the owner of a pediatric multi-disciplinary DIR® practice in Tennessee. Liesl is a practicing clinician and the Clinical Director for Positive Development in the DC Metro Area. Mary Ann is a practicing clinician and a doctoral student in Infant and Early Childhood Development with a focus on Infant Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.

Sima Gerber, PhD, CCC is a Professor of Speech-Language Pathology in the Department of Linguistics and Communication Disorders of Queens College, City University of New York. She has been a speech-language pathologist for over 45 years, specializing in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental challenges. Dr. Gerber has presented nationally and abroad on language acquisition and developmental approaches to assessment and intervention for children with language and communication disorders. Dr. Gerber is on the faculty of Profectum Academy and the Advisory Board of the New York Zero-to-Three Network. Dr. Gerber is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Michele Ricamato, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech and language pathologist, who works primarily with children diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. Michele is one of three founders of Soaring Eagle Academy, a school for children with special needs that utilizes developmental language intervention and the DIR® model. In addition, she has a private practice in the western suburbs of Chicago. Michele has a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Northwestern University (1995) and an undergraduate degree in communicative disorders from University of the Pacific. Michele is a mother of three children and has learned the most about development and language acquisition through her interactions and experience as a parent.

4 sessions | 1.5 hours per session | weekly on Wednesdays

Scheduled Dates: 1/11; 1/18; 1/25; 2/1

Meeting Time: 7:00 pm Eastern

Online via Zoom

Fee

$120
$35 Continuing Education Fee [ credits for AOTA ]

Description

The way we move and respond to sensation impacts how we feel. Equally how we feel impacts they way we move and how we respond to sensation. This workshop will explore the connection between sensation, action and emotion offering a new lens on how we play and interact with our children. An evidence-based treatment approach will be shared to help you bring sensation and emotion together in your work with your children and families. Beginning with a quick review of sensory processing differences, we will dive deeper into the impact of these differences on the way our children feel and interact with others. Predominant emotion states and action states that trend with each sensory processing difference will be identified accompanied by new research that supports this connection. With an understanding of these connections, you will be guided to develop play scenarios that encompass both the sensory motor and social emotional needs of children impacted by each sensory processing difference to facilitate regulation, engagement and social connection.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the predominant emotional states, action states and personality traits associated with each sensory processing difference (Sensory Processing Disorder subtype) and how this impacts relational health, behavior and attachment.
• Develop treatment plans using intentional, specific therapeutic play themes that align with the sensory emotional experience represented by each sensory processing difference.
• Discuss research connecting sensation, emotion and temperament and the use of play as a therapeutic approach.

Who should attend?

OT, SLP, Mental Health therapists, Educators, Early Childhood specialist, DIR® practitioners, parents, intermediate level.

Presenter

Michele Parkins is an Occupational Therapist specializing in working with children and families with Sensory Processing and Integration Disorder and challenges in social emotional development as the Founder-Director of Great Kids Place in New Jersey. Michele is faculty of STAR Institute. She is SIPT certified. Michele has co-authored two chapters and is contributing to research articles related to sensory processing and social emotional development. Michele has Advanced Certification in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. She is DIR® certified and is faculty of Profectum Foundation. She is a board member of the New Jersey Association of Infant Mental Health.

AOTA Continuing Education Credits Approved. Read ALL Requirements & Details Here

4 sessions | 1.5 hours per session | weekly on Thursdays

Scheduled Dates: 3/2; 3/9; 3/16; 3/23

Meeting Time: 7:30 pm eastern time

Online via Zoom

Fee

$120

Description

Dysregulation challenges in school, home and clinics can take a variety of forms from self-injury (SIB), aggression towards self or others, property destruction, and verbal fight/flight.  This course will focus on conceptualizing challenges utilizing the child’s  Functional Emotional Developmental Levels (FEDLs) and Developmental Language thinking.  Utilizing these two models, the potential reasons for the child’s stress response and possible preventative and proactive strategies to consider will be discussed. The importance of adapting the environment, recognizing early signs of challenge,  and understanding the child’s individual differences will be highlighted.  Additionally, a significant focus will be placed on areas rarely connected to dysregulation  – What is the child understanding?   What is the child communicating?

Developing a consistent plan of response, involving all stake holders in the process and working collaboratively across school, clinic and home will be highlighted.  Participants will be encouraged and invited to provide case examples.

Course Components

1. Building Relationships with caregivers (parents, staff) and the child.

2. Facilitating regulation of everyone involved

3. What is the child understanding? Language comprehension is the missing component in conceptualizing stress responses.

4. What is the child communicating?

5. Understanding the impact of Individual Differences

6. Connecting the child’s FEDLs to the moment

7. Dysregulation vs. intentional behaviors

8. The importance of having a plan to support regulation and safety

Learning Objectives

• Participants will broaden their understanding of the language components that need to be considered in supporting regulation – language comprehension, early precursors, and supporting ideas.
• Participants will expand their ability understand how the child’s Individual Differences (the “I” in DIR) impact stress responses.
• Participants will broaden their understanding of possible precursors to dysregulation and the importance of identifying challenges early.
• Participants will broaden their understanding of meeting the child at the “just right” level in their developmental process during challenges.

Who should attend?

Teachers, therapists at all levels of DIR® practice across disciplines and parents/caregivers.

Presenter

Linda Cervenka, MA, CCC-SLP, is a co-founder and DIR® expert clinician at Soaring Eagle Academy, a Director on the SEA Board and a licensed speech-language pathologist. Linda received her Bachelor’s Degree from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, IL and her Master’s Degree in Communicative Disorders from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has worked for over 30 years with children with special needs in home-based and clinic-based therapeutic services and public and private schools providing consultation, training and support for children and families. Linda is a developmental speech language pathologist and is certified in DIR® as a speech-language pathologist and trainer/tutor through Profectum. She a Senior Faculty member of Profectum and teaches courses to those in the certification process. Linda is married and resides in Riverside, IL with her husband Tom. They are the parents of two adult children.

4 sessions | 1.5 hours per session | Biweekly on Tuesdays

Scheduled Dates: 3/7; 3/21; 4/4; 4/18

Meeting Time: 1:00 pm eastern time

Online via Zoom

Fee

$ 120

Description

This integrative approach blends Motor Learning Theory with DIR® in rich, client led interactions with the relationship in the forefront. This Masterclass will provide participants with an in-depth understanding of the development of motor control according to then dynamic interaction of environmental and other individual factors, including 4 E’s of Motor Development (Embodied, Embedded, Enculturated, and Enabling.) We will highlight the underlying motor strengths and challenges with Individuals with ASD and other neurodiverse developmental profiles and within our work as DIR® Clinicians how to support ongoing development of the individual.

The program will explore motor control and development specifically from ecological, perception-action and dynamic systems theory, particularly related to environmental enrichment while taking into consideration “The Individual, the Task and the Environment” Environmental Enrichment (EE) provides increased levels of multisensory stimulation, physical activity and social interaction through eliciting spontaneous explorative behavior. This program will bring these theories of motor control and motor development into our clinical practice in DIR®, in which movement is elicited by the child’s intent and the co-regulation of the caregiver to support the child’s movement in the context of their intent, with consideration that always addresses the 5C’s for the child – Comfort, Competence, Confidence, Control and Communication. This program will be rich with video examples of sessions and promote interactive discussion with participants throughout.

Learning Objectives

• Identify 3 theoretical models of Motor Learning Theory that they can bring into their work as a DIR® clinician.
• Identify key components of the individual child’s postural control to be considered as they assess the “I” of a child, moment to moment, in a treatment session.
• Identify when to give a child time to organize their movement in relation to their intent, when to provide support and what type of support to provide (affective interaction, sensory or motor support, other environmental factors).

Who should attend?

Parents, new professionals as well as intermediate and advanced clinicians – all disciplines

Presenters

Rosemary White, OTR/L brings a wealth of clinical experience to all her teaching, both in person and on-line, in the US and internationally. Rosemary brings her clinical training in Neurodevelopmental Therapy, Sensory Integrative Therapy and DIR® to her teaching. She is Profectum Senior Faculty, ICDL Faculty, and Clinical Faculty in the Infant Mental Health Certificate Program (University of Washington.) Rosemary carries an active caseload at her practice Pediatric PT & OT Services in Seattle. She supervises therapists in her practice and is director of the annual DIRFloortime® Summer Camp, & social groups, during which she and her staff train Floortime Players. Reviews describe Rosemary as “a true clinician’s clinician!”

Aymen Balikci PT, PhD, Pediatric Physical Therapist and Neuroscientist graduated from Istanbul University school of physiotherapy (2006), and he did his MSc in phyisology at Marmara University (2010), and PhD in physiology at Kocaeli University (2018). Dr. Balikci has been working with pediatric population which includes all neurodivergent population such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome and autism over 15 years. He is an NDT and Ayres Sensory Integration certified therapist. Also he has his trainings in DIR/Floortime, pediatric massage, feeding, attachment and trauma, Qigong Sensory Training and Perception-Action Approach. His main research interest is effects of environmental conditions on development. He has developed an ecological enriched environment approach named HEP (Homeostasis-Enrichment-Palsticity) for children with neuromotor disorders. He is a lecturer at Fenerbahce University Occupational Therapy Department for BSc level and at Medipol University for MSc level.

4 sessions | 1.5 hours per session | weekly on Mondays

Scheduled Dates: 4/3; 4/10; 4/17; 4/24

Meeting Time: 7:30 pm eastern time

Online via Zoom

Fee

$ 120

Description

This four-part course for all skill levels will provide a framework to help attendees support the development of language and communication skills with AAC for children at the earliest stages of communication learning, through a DIRⓇ lens. Students will be encouraged to think about how the relationship-the “R” in DIRⓇ encourages both the communicator and the communication partner to embrace a multi-modal system of communication tools and strategies that prioritizes connection. Thinking in terms of early, functional communication skills, this series will look at how partners can interweave AAC from an early age or stage to support ongoing language development for children at risk for significant, long-term communication challenges. This series will begin at the earliest stages of emotional and communication development, offering practical strategies to enhance communicative intent, shape non-symbolic communication, and immerse emerging communicators in rich language models during regulated moments. Learners will then explore strategies to recognize engagement in children who are learning to engage, and to build upon that engagement “sweet spot” when identifying key moments within which to provide aided language stimulation with AAC. As students shift their focus to more integration of symbol-based AAC for children progressing toward purposeful, two-way communication, strategies that strengthen the quality and quantity of communication exchanges using all forms of communication will be explored. This series will conclude by offering case-based, interactive discussions within which attendees can apply what they have learned thus far in the series and learn additional strategies to expand on initial connections and successes with their communicators.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the role of non-symbolic forms of AAC across the early language development period.
• Discuss three strategies for establishing and maintaining a child’s engagement with multimodal, aided language modeling.
• Describe two-way to build upon a successful interaction to expand language.

Who should attend?

Anyone interested in exploring how to support children who communicate with AAC tools and strategies, using a DIR lens. This includes speech and language professionals, other rehabilitation professionals, educators, and caregivers.

Presenters

Heidi Hosick Joyce is a licensed Speech- Language Pathologist and Audiologist with over 30 years of clinical experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities. She received her M.S. in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Heidi completed the Professional Level 1 Certificate in December of 2016 and has mentored with Profectum faculty since that time. Co-Founder at Team Autism Memphis. A specialty practice with an emphasis on SPD, feeding, AAC and ASD with a developmental approach to intervention and parent support.Heidi’s clinical model focuses on an interdisciplinary developmental approach looking at the whole child while coaching families and paraprofessionals to maximize carryover of treatment plans. Heidi is passionate about empowering families to understand different models of treatment and finding what best meets their family’s relationships and interactions. Her specialty training in AAC and autism spectrum disorder treatments is enhanced with this team approach. Heidi is also PROMPT trained and holds certification from Hanen. Team Autism Memphis (TAM) was founded by Nancy Massey and Heidi Hosick Joyce in 2016. Heidi also founded Independent Therapy Network in 1997 providing services to adults in Tennessee with developmental disabilities through Home and Community Based Waivers (HCBW) and Employment Choices First Waiver. TAM is a specialty practice supporting individuals and their families with an emphasis on Sensory Processing Disorders, feeding, Augmentative and Alternative Communication and autism spectrum disorders. TAM offers an integrated intervention approach across all disciplines looking at individual profiles of each child and family. TAMÕs treatment is directed by the DIR and the Foundational Capacities for Development (FCD’s™) model. Our clinicians receive on-going training and mentoring from Profectum Academy faculty to continue to expand their skills and knowledge base.

Tannalynn Neufeld is a speech therapist with over 15 years of experience working with complex communicators. She has presented nationwide on AAC and other topics related to complex communication via professional and parent development workshops, including her work at The AAC Academy, an online, AAC learning hub for professionals and partners. Tanna is the founder and director of AACcessible.org, a nonprofit organization driven to improve global access to AAC through education, advocacy, awareness, and action. Her child and family support philosophy pulls from a wide range of sound models, including DIR® and Hanen approaches.

6 sessions | 1.5 hours per session | weekly on Tuesdays

Scheduled Dates: 4/11; 4/18; 4/25; 5/2; 5/9; 5/16

Meeting Time: 7:30 pm eastern time

Online via Zoom

Fee

$ 180

Description

The Gifted/2E Masterclass will examine the unique complexities of children and adolescents who are gifted and also possess learning disabilities or neurodevelopmental differences. Lecture, case studies, video reviews and client interviews will encourage individual reflection of the complexities of asynchronous development for Gifted/2E populations through the lens of DIR®. Participants will explore the individual differences contributing to common challenges for the 2E population and identify specific strategies for scaffolding skills within the FEDC. Group discussion will facilitate analysis of the utilization of DIRFloortime® strategies to support 2E clients. This course is designed to support clinical reasoning related to assessment of and clinical intervention for Gifted and 2E children and adolescents within the DIR® framework. While the class will not cover academics or educational programming, educators may benefit from the course in order to better understand and support their Gifted/2E students.

Learning Objectives

• Understand how being Twice-Exceptional impacts function throughout development.
• Apply learned strategies to interventions utilizing the DIRFloortime® framework.
• Analyze individual differences of 2E clients and identify “holes” within their FEDCs.

Who should attend?

Intermediate material; OT, SLP, mental health practitioner, teachers; must have fair understanding of the DIR® model

Presenters

Kassie Allison, MOT, OTR/L, is the founder and CEO of Greenhouse Pediatric Therapy, a social-emotional specialty clinic embracing the DIR® model. Rachel Ottley, OTR/L, is the Director of Therapy Services at Greenhouse. Together they strive to create a community where the neurodivergent can thrive – through DIR® intervention, caregiver coaching, clinical mentorship, community teaching and professional continuing education courses. Kassie and Rachel received their Fellows Certification through Profectum in 2019. Kassie and Rachel are both Twice-Exceptional and have a particular passion for working with gifted and 2E kiddos.