Occupational Therapy Mindfulness School Continuing Education

The Mindful Sensations
Therapeutic Approach
Incorporating Social Emotional Learning into Occupational Therapy using Sensory Awareness and Mindfulness

Self-Paced Online Course

​ The Mindful Sensation Therapeutic Approach is a self-paced online course for pediatric occupational therapists who want to incorporate mindfulness into their work in an easy, fun and accessible way using many of the tools that we already possess. We are overworked and overstressed professionals who care deeply about our clients but sometimes feel stuck working on discrete skills that do not foster social emotional growth. In this course, you will not only learn how to seamlessly incorporate mindfulness into your pediatric practice, but in the process, you will also learn simple ways to take better care of yourself.

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Mindfulness research has been exploding in the literature. You may be aware of the many benefits these practices have on attention, mood, cognition and self regulation but may lack the full understanding, confidence and skill set to use them with your clients. The Mindful sensation curriculum was created to enable OTs to explore and apply mindfulness using sensory based tools in order to bolster their pediatric practice. The lessons in this course are organized so therapists joyfully work alongside their clients. Learning how to ground yourself in the body and becoming more resilient to life's stressors will open your heart and guide you to becoming a more centered and effective therapist.

Course Coming Back Soon- Exciting New Updates

This course is for you if you want to teach your clients proven methods for self-regulation and executive functioning.

This course is for you is want to incorporate mindfulness into your busy schedule but aren't sure how to use these tools, within your sensory based practice, and still meet your other goals.

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This course is for you if you are stressed and overwhelmed and know that mindfulness could help to make you feel less scattered and more centered.

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I n this introductory training you will:

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•    Learn joyful ways to explore sensory processing to help you and your clients to feel more connected to your          bodies and your emotions

•      Understand the basic tenants of mindfulness and the impact that mindfulness has on the nervous system

•      Recognize how sensory processing is impacted by mindfulness practices

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•      Be able to adapt the sensory based lessons to all ages and levels of ability.

•      Get a better understanding of the evidence regarding mindfulness with neurodiverse populations.

•      Learn resiliency tools for yourself while reaching the clients on your caseload

•      Explore how to weave safety into your lessons so you can be a trauma informed therapist

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•      Learn how to bolster your students' social emotional connections through sensory and mindfulness play

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Training Details ​

• 6 pre-recorded modules with self-paced lessons that connect social emotional learning with sensory processing​

• Practice videos within each module to solidify understanding​

• 21 lessons that can be used immediately for individual clients as well as groups

• 5 Short meditations just for the therapist to develop their own mindfulness practice ​

• Earn .85 AOTA CEUs (8.5 contact hours of continuing education), by passing all the course quizzes (75% or better), completing all of the lessons, and submitting a review of the course)

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The course fee is $297.00 ​

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Course outline:

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Module 1-  (1.5 hours)

Introduction to Mindful Sensations

Lesson 1- Exercise

Lesson 2- Sensory Detective

Lesson 3- Introduction to the Breath

Module 2- (1.6 hours)

Our Internal World- Proprioception, Vestibular and Interoceptive Senses

Filling the Body Awareness Cup

Lesson 4- Proprioception

Lesson 5- Vestibular

Lesson 6- Breath Practices for Regulation

Module 3- (1.75 hours)

Touch, Smell and Taste- Primary Senses of Connection

Lesson 7- Introduction to the Tactile Sense

Lesson 8- Tactile- Temperature and Texture

Lesson 9-  Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT/ Tapping) and Self-Havening

Lesson 10- Smell

Lesson 11- Taste

Lesson 12- Mindful Eating

Module 4- Vision and Hearing - Senses of Exploration- (1.6 hours)

Lesson 13- Vision

Lesson 14- Auditory Sense One

Lesson 15- Auditory Sense Two

Lesson 16 - Mindful Communication

Module 5- Emotions- Connection to Sensation (1.5 hours)

Lesson 17- Emotions

Lesson 18- Dealing with Big Emotions

Lesson 19- Being Kind

Lesson 20- Gratitude

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Module 6-  Tying it all Together-  Self Regulation (.6 hours)

Lesson 21-  Yoga

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Specific Learning Objectives

1. To identify the three frameworks that are highlighted in the Mindful Sensations Therapeutic Approach

2. Will be able to define mindfulness including stating the part of the brain most closely associated with mindfulness practices

3. Demonstrate understanding of the three states of the autonomic nervous system in Polyvagal Theory

4. Explain the correlation between disability and heart rate variability and simple ways to positively impact the autonomic nervous system

5. Identify issues around exercise and disability

6. Describe benefits of pediatric massage and tactile protocols for neurodiverse children

7. Identify the correlation between sensory defensiveness/ sensory dysfunction and anxiety

8. Outline how smell is associated with memory

9. Recognize the impact of meditation on the visual and auditory sense

10. Outline the three aspects of mindful communication

11. Describe the basic functions of emotions

12. Name the 4 parts of the RAIN technique as a tool for emotional regulation

13. Define self-regulation and the domains of stress

14. Describe how the guiding occupational therapy principle of "therapeutic use of self" is utilized in the Mindful Sensations Therapeutic Approach

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What People are saying about the Mindful Sensations
Therapeutic Approach

ANE, EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT

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"I just finished the Mindful Sensations course and loved it!  You speak my language -  I loved your activity ideas and can't wait to try them with students and teachers.  We really need to emphasize the need for us, as professionals, to learn to regulate our own nervous systems and to do self-care so we can then be better equipped to help our kids learn and use these skills. This course provided so many great activities and ideas for teaching social/emotional skills as well as mindfulness and sensory awareness.  Your step-by-step videos for each activity really brought them to life and made it so much easier to learn and incorporate into my own work. Your approach makes learning these skills fun!  "

CHELSEA, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

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"The course was great!  I learned so much and feel better myself after completing all the exercises.  I'm really looking forward to doing the exercises with my own children and with my clients in the future.  Thank you so much! "

LYNN, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

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"Mindful Sensations provides an excellent base for therapists or teachers who wish to incorporate multi-sensory learning/awareness and mindfulness practice into their work.  In a time where social-emotional learning (SEL) is a focus in our school district, Mindful Sensations provided concrete lesson ideas, and helped me to explain to staff about the unique way that OT contributes to SEL:   Specifically, how purposeful movement, interoceptive awareness, and sensory exploration are central to emotional regulation"

Financical Disclosure: Deirdre Azzopardi is the creator of the course. She receives compensation for delivering the course

Deirdre Azzopardi OTD is an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience working with children with disabilities in both private and public school settings.  She has both a bachelor's degree and doctoral degree in occupational therapy and a master's degree in psychology.  She has extensive training in sensory integration including certification in administering the SIPT (Sensory integration and Praxis Test), DIRFloortime® (advanced level), Autplay, Self Reg and the SOS Feeding Approach. Dr. Azzopardi is also a registered yoga teacher for both adults and children (RYT 200 and RCYT 95) as well as a trained mindfulness instructor.   Dr. Azzopardi has presented extensively on topics related to social emotional learning.

Disability
Accommodations

Participants with disabilities  can contact
deirdreazzopardi@gmail.com  to discuss their need for accommodations and course materials will be adapted to support learners in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act.

Cancellation
Policy

A full refund will be provided within 45 days of purchase if no more than 2 modules were completed in the self-paced course. If more than 2 modules were completed, then no refund will be awarded, even if it is within the 45-day window. A full refund will be provided if the instructor cancels the course. In order to receive a refund, the participant should Contact
deirdreazzopardi@gmail.com.

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Source: https://www.themindfulschoolot.com/mindfulness-sensation-course

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