Ep. 52: Occupational Therapy: Strengthening the Foundation of the Brain
The Baffling Behavior Show {Parenting after Trauma}
Marti Smith, OTR is an Occupational Therapist, fellow with the Child Trauma Academy, and founding Board Member with A-TROT, the Alliance for Trauma Responsive Occupational Therapists. Marti is a dear friend and close colleague. We met what feels like eons ago at a Trust Based Relational Intervention training and became quick friends. I’ve learned so much from Marti in my own career about chasing the ‘why’ behind a behavior-- and not just the relational and attachment need, but the biological and physiological need behind a behavior.
The Brain is Behind Everything We Do
The foundation of my work rests on the idea that the brain is behind every single thing that we do- so let’s get curious about what is going on the brain that is underneath a specific behavior (which is the foundation of the course Parenting after Trauma: Minding the Heart and Brain). Marti’s work as an occupational therapist beautifully dovetails the work I do as a mental health therapist while also offering a new perspective by looking at the physical body and autonomic nervous system factors that are related to behaviors.
Marti’s expertise in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics helps keep her focus on the foundation of the brain as a way to support kids with challenging behaviors. She knows keenly that the foundation of any skill must be strengthened before moving on to more advanced skills. I mean, if you want to do calculus you’ve got to have addition down-pat!
Connect with Marti
Marti is doing some truly ground-breaking work within his community- go check it out!
More about Rhythmic, Repetitive, Relational, and Somatosensory Experiences
Engaging the Body: Working with Dysregulated Kids is an eight-hour virtual training for professionals (of any kind!) eager to bring movement and body-based experiences intentionally into their work with clients. I’ve adapted my previously always-sold-out training for play therapists to be applicable to a wider range of professionals and decided to offer it virtually one last time.
CLICK HERE to read about The Club and join the waitlist for the next time we welcome new members
Finally! Something that will really help you with those stickiest behaviors...
Join my webinar on Brain Based Strategies and Scripts for Lying, Manipulation, and Verbal Aggression on June 11
RobynGobbel.com/BrainBasedWebinar
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Presence in Practice: An Experiential Workshop into the Neurobiology of How Change Happens
Early Bird rate expires June 15!
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Immersion Program for Professionals!
The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals is NOW accepting applications for our 2027 cohorts. You MUST be on the waiting list to be eligible to apply so head to RobynGobbel.com/Immersion and put your name on the waiting list!
Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/book
Join us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClub
Sign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/Immersion
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Over on my website you can find:
Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)
eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)
LOTS & LOTS of FREE Resources
Ongoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The Club
Year-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute’s (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)
