Virginia Spielmann, MSOT, PhDC, Executive Director of STAR Institute, will introduce and discuss the relationship between anxiety and atypical sensory processing in individuals with autism. There are many places along the pathway from the origin of stimuli to interpretation—and then execution—of the adaptive response where things can go awry, potentially causing mild to severe anxiety. This presentation introduces concepts that are pivotal to an holistic and respectful approach to the understanding sensory-anxiety-based loss of function with special attention to the unique make-up of the neurodiversity expressed within individuals on the Autism Spectrum.
Level: Introductory
Timeframe
for access: Once you first choose to "Launch" this
course, you will have 45 days to access the content as often as you like. Your
45-day window for access will not begin until you first click the
"Launch" button.
Intended Audience: Occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, educators, child development specialists, mental health professionals, parents, caregivers, and other individuals seeking a better understanding of Sensory Processing in Autism.
Learning objectives:
Following this presentation attendee’s will be able to:
- Summarize potential interactions between atypical sensory integration and processing and anxiety
- Describe three ways that sensory integration and processing in autism differs from the neuromajority
- Discuss two main implications
of altered sensory integration and processing on anxiety, sense of self
and function
Course Structure:
- Introduction to sensory integration and processing
- Literature review
- Sensory processing and the autistic lived experience
- Vestibular processing
- Proprioceptive processing
- Interoceptive processing
- Patterns of sensory processing differences in autistics, impact on anxiety
- Restricted and Repetitive behaviors and sensory processing
- Evaluation and treatment implications for intervention – cross disciplinary
- Conclusion
- Q and A with the presenter and moderator
Presenter:
Virginia Spielmann is a well-travelled speaker, coach and educator on topics including sensory integration, DIR/Floortime, child development and infant mental health. She has conducted trainings in Kenya, Australia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and the USA and leads workshops at international conferences.
Virginia is a founder and former Clinical Director of SPOT (Speech, Physical, and Occupational Therapy) Interdisciplinary Children's Therapy Center in Hong Kong, where she led a large and widely respected inter-disciplinary team.
Virginia obtained her BSc in Occupational Therapy in Oxford England (2002) and her Masters in Occupational Therapy from Mount Mary University, Milwaukee (2018). Virginia obtained her PhD in Infant and Early Childhood Development (with an emphasis on mental health) from Fielding Graduate University in 2021.
Virginia is a DIR/Floortime Training Leader and Expert and clinical consultant for the Interdisciplinary Council for Development and Learning (ICDL). Her extensive pediatric experience includes supporting autistic children and their families, as well as children with Sensory Processing Disorder, infant mental health issues, from adopted families and those who have experienced developmental trauma.
Presenter Disclosures:
- Financial: Virginia Spielmann is the Executive Director of STAR Institute
- Nonfinancial: Virginia Spielmann is co-author of a chapter entitled
Sensory Integration and Processing: Impact on Anxiety in Autism, which is
summarized in the presentation. She did not receive financial compensation for
this chapter.
Course Completion Requirements:
Upon full completion of the course video, participants must complete and pass a quiz with at least 80% accuracy to receive a certificate of completion.