Larissa Geleris, MS, OTR/L, is a licensed occupational therapist specializing in identifying and treating sensory processing dysfunction. She is passionate about supporting parents who are experiencing overstimulation, overwhelm, and dysregulation. She has written multiple courses, has been a guest on several podcasts, and runs an Instagram platform that provides practical and evidence-based strategies for the sensory challenges of parenthood (@steadyparents). Larissa's dream is to help all parents feel confident and steady in their parenting journey.
You can find all of her links below.
Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!
We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3
Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla.Co/Podcast.
Brought To You By Harkla
This podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mission at Harkla is to help those with special needs live happy and healthy lives. We accomplish this through high-quality sensory products & child development courses.
Podcast listeners get 10% off their first order at Harkla with the discount code "sensory". Head to Harkla.co/sensory to start shopping now.
Links
www.steadyparents.com/touchedout
www.steadyparents.com/sensingyourneeds
Larissa’s Instagram @steadyparents
All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram
Larissa Geleris, MS, OTR/L, is a licensed occupational therapist specializing in identifying and treating sensory processing dysfunction. She is passionate about supporting parents who are experiencing overstimulation, overwhelm, and dysregulation. She has written multiple courses, has been a guest on several podcasts, and runs an Instagram platform that provides practical and evidence-based strategies for the sensory challenges of parenthood (@steadyparents). Larissa's dream is to help all parents feel confident and steady in their parenting journey.
You can find all of her links below.
Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!
We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3
Be sure to check out the show notes on our blog at Harkla.Co/Podcast.
Brought To You By Harkla
This podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mission at Harkla is to help those with special needs live happy and healthy lives. We accomplish this through high-quality sensory products & child development courses.
Podcast listeners get 10% off their first order at Harkla with the discount code "sensory". Head to Harkla.co/sensory to start shopping now.
Links
www.steadyparents.com/touchedout
www.steadyparents.com/sensingyourneeds
Larissa’s Instagram @steadyparents
All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram
Everything that happens in parenthood is signaling your protective system to respond. And so recognizing that that's what's happening and we are just overloaded can be so validating and so helpful in understanding why you are responding the way that you are in releasing yourself from guilt. And that's one of the biggest things that I've heard from parents is that I've worked with is, this has helped me release myself from guilt of knowing that there was nothing wrong with me.
Rachel:I'm Rachel.
Jessica:And I'm Jessica. And this is All Things Sensory by Harkla.
Rachel:We are both certified occupational therapy assistants and together with Harkla, we are on a mission to empower parents, therapists and educators to help raise confident and strong children of all abilities.
Jessica:On this podcast, we chat about all things sensory, diving into special needs occupational therapy, parenting, self care, overall health and wellness and so much more.
Rachel:We're here to provide raw, honest and fun strategies, ideas and information for parents, therapists and educators as well as other professionals to implement into daily life.
Jessica:Thank you so much for joining us.
Rachel:Today, we had the pleasure of chatting with Larissa Geleris, an occupational therapist that specializes in identifying and treating sensory processing dysfunction. And she's passionate about supporting parents who are experiencing overstimulation overwhelm and dysregulation. You can find her at Steady Parents and Larissa's dream is to help all parents feel confident and steady in their parenting journey. This is a season that I am in right now with my two kiddos and it was so much fun chatting with Larissa she shares tons of tangible tips that you can implement into your parenting journey today. So without further ado, let's go ahead and meet Larissa. Hello Larissa! Welcome to the podcast. We're so happy to have you.
Larissa Geleris:Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.
Jessica:So before we jump into what we're going to talk about today, we have to ask you five secret questions.
Rachel:First one, what is your favorite type of music?
Larissa Geleris:Oh, that'sa good one. Um, it depends on how I'm feeling in the moment. But I would do like my go to would be something like, nice and chill and repetitive, like Jack Johnson or Jason Mraz. And just like, I mean, that that really goes into what we're going to be talking about as my sensory system, just really needing like, calm and repetitive and, like a very nice comforting voice, not to a rhythmic and yeah, so something like that something gel. I love that.
Jessica:If you could choose any time period to live in besides the one we're in now, when would you choose?
Rachel:That's a really hard question. I've never I've never thought about that before. That's funny. I loved growing up reading Little House on the Prairie. So that's my, that's what I guess that's what I would say. It's like in Little House on the Prairie times.
Jessica:Is it like 1800s or something?
Larissa Geleris:I think so. That sounds about that.
Rachel:So you want the simpler quiet
Larissa Geleris:Nice living in a cabin? I mean, but without all the you know, running from bears and stuff.
Rachel:Well, I'm with you on that one. Okay, what is your bedtime routine like?
Larissa Geleris:My personal bedtime routine?
Rachel:Your bedtime routine?
Larissa Geleris:Okay. That's a good one. So my personal bedtime
routine is around 9:30, shut down the electronics and then I go take a dimly lit shower by myself. And my husband knows if the the candle is lit in the bathroom. That means like don't even come in to ask me a question about anything that's that's Larissa's time and so don't bother her. We, for a long time, didn't have a home with a bathtub in it. We just moved into one that has a bath like two months ago. So now I'm starting to kind of get into baths but that just was never an option before. So showers really are what does it for me still. And so if I turn down the lights and just get in there with no noise, then it all kind of like drowns everything else out. And it really helps my nervous system decompress so that I, you know, it's because it's dark, there's no visual input. There's just the like, the constant sound of the water running. And it's very calming, and it helps me kind of go like, now it's time for me. And I also I always brush my teeth before I get in the shower, so that there's nothing left to do. Besides get in my pajamas and go to bed.
Rachel:I can really Yes, yeah, I brush my teeth in the shower if I go to bed at night. That's debatable these days.
Jessica:That's your whole bedtime routine.
Larissa Geleris:That's it. I just get in my cozy pajamas and get in bed. And sometimes if I'm still feeling like I'm not really quite settled down, then I will go on and watch Netflix. It's something that I've watched a million times before. So it's almost like a sleep story in a way. Like, worthy. Yeah, totally. Yeah. Right now, I'm rerunning friends. And then I'll wake up and be like, Oh, I just watched four seasons while I was sleeping.
Jessica:I've done that before.
Larissa Geleris:Something like that, where that way, I don't really have to focus. But if my brain is having a hard time shutting off, then it's like something slow and easy to focus on. And then I can fall asleep pretty quickly. Totally. Um,
Jessica:Are you wearing blue light glasses right now? Do you wear those at night? If you do watch the show in bed?
Larissa Geleris:No I don't, because my head is laying down on the pillow. Yeah. And these glasses are also, they are prism glasses as well. Because I had a concussion a couple years ago. And so I have some ocular motor issues. So I use them for mostly computer work so that it keeps my line of vision straight.
Jessica:Anyways, that was a total side question. Okay. Next question. Would you rather not say anything for a full 24 hours or not hear anything for a full 24 hours?
Larissa Geleris:100% not hear anything for 24 hours?
Rachel:She's like, Yeah, take it, please. Okay, our last question. And because this is a sensory podcast, of course, we throw this in every episode. What is your sensory quirk?
Unknown:My sensory quirk? Ooh. Why does this feel so hard? I don't I mean, I guess I would say that I have, it would be oral motor, for sure. It was that I just really need to be chewing on something or sucking on a straw or something like that. It really just that is just so grounding to me, having something in my mouth at all times. And I've noticed now to my son is four, almost five, and we were working on some handwriting yesterday, he was writing a letter for Santa. And he started to get so frustrated. And I was like, but do you want some gum? And he was like, Yeah, and so he started chewing on some gum, and you could see his whole body kind of relax. And he then finished the letter and it was great. And so it's pretty powerful how something so small and simple can make such a difference.
Jessica:So true. My My son is the same way. He's an oral seeker. So I totally see that in him.
Rachel:And if I don't have chewing gum in my mouth, I yawn. So I probably have to go get some mid podcast because it's so regulating. Okay, well, now that everyone knows your deepest, darkest secrets,
Larissa Geleris:it's pretty much
Rachel:Tell us who you are, what you do, why you do it, all those beautiful things.
Larissa Geleris:Alright, so I am Larissa Geleris and I am an Occupational Therapist. And I was originally clinically trained in pediatrics. And so that's where I was, that's where my heart was. Actually, for a while. While I was in OT school. I was adamant that I would not be a pediatric sensory therapist. That was not what I was going to do at all. I didn't even pay attention to the lectures in school because I was like, I'm not doing that like I was I fully thought I would be working with kids with physical disabilities. And then, as I was waiting for my license to come in, I had like a couple of weeks in there where I couldn't work but I will was done with everything that I needed to do. I went and I shadowed a sensory based therapist just because she was pretty close to where I lived, and I needed something to do. And I fell in love with it. I really realized that kids with sensory challenges are kind of like the middle child of kids with disabilities, it's like they get overlooked pretty frequently. But their needs are so important. And sensory therapy can be so powerful. And so that's where I started my career. And then, like I mentioned earlier, I had a concussion and I had to stop working from that. And so after I the fog from that kind of lifted, I realized the strategies that I knew, as a pediatric sensory therapist, I had to apply to myself so that I could continue parenting my children. At the time, I only had the one now I have two. They're almost five and almost two. So I really started to figure out how I could support myself using the strategies that I already knew. And I really then realized how hard it can be to live in a constant state of sensory dysregulation. And so then, that's kind of where study parents was born was, I realized that these are tools that I have, I'm not the only parent in sensory overload, you don't have to have had a brain injury to be experiencing sensory overload. And because my concussion was so severe that I literally couldn't do anything, it really forced me to step back and think like, how am I going to apply these strategies in a way that is sustainable? And so that's then what I started putting out on Instagram. And my community has just really grown since then. And so that's what I'm doing now- supporting parents in their overstimulation.
Jessica:Wow, is it all virtual?
Larissa Geleris:Yeah, all virtual And right now, I have an online program that parents and it's that parents can enroll in, and it's self paced. It's lifetime access. And so you can just get that program. And in the new year, I plan on offering one on one coaching for that.
Jessica:What were some of the signs of your personal sensory overload that you experienced?
Larissa Geleris:Well, one of the biggest ones was, I was I had my, so I had my concussion, and then I kept going to work. Because I was refusing to believe that anything was wrong. And even my director was, like, Larissa, are you sure you should be in here? And I was like, yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. And then I had someone on the had a little kid on astronaut board, and I could not look at them as I was spinning them. And because I was starting to get so nauseous with just like one spin. I was turned with my head, just like spinning without looking. And that's when my, my director again was like, Larissa, this is not normal. You need to go to your doctor. And there was another moment where I had to ask another therapist who specializes in reflex integration. And she had, I asked her to help me understand something about TLR and the testing for it. And she did something where she touched the back of my neck and my head totally flopped forward. And, and she was like, no, Larissa, keep your head up straight. And I wanted to like yell at her. And I was like, I'm trying, but you pushed my head forward. And she kind of like, backed off. And later I told her I had had a concussion, right. But I thought I had had a concussion. She was like, Larissa. What just happened was an indication of a brain injury. And I didn't want to tell you that because I didn't want to freak you out. But now you're telling me yeah, you just had a brain injury. So it doesn't it was really stuff that happened in the clinic that made me realize like, this is not normal. And then I also couldn't reach up to get a bowl so that I can make my son oatmeal in the morning that would make me dizzy was like looking up into the cabinet.
Jessica:Wow. And so those are more specific to like your concussion symptoms. That sounds like yes, yeah. Okay.
Rachel:Wow. So have your sensory processing challenges stuck since your concussion? Do you feel like that's what kind of started the pattern of like getting dizzy and feeling overstimulated or do you feel like that has always been something that you've struggled with?
Larissa Geleris:I've always been more on the sensitive side for sure. It just got so much worse after a concussion, but I've always been more sensitive to noise and, and touch and stuff like that. But I also had, at the time I had my concussion, my son was only 18 months old. And so I didn't have the full experience of parenting multiple kids. So now I'm in the stage where it's like, was this a concussion? Or was this like just, you know, living with two small children? And I've gone through physical therapy and stuff. So mostly, I'm pretty much better from the concussion. And now it's just I think, regular overstimulation from parenting.
Jessica:Let's talk about that. So what does that look like for you now, as a parent of two kids? What does that sensory overload look like for you?
Larissa Geleris:So for me now, I get so overwhelmed by the competing noises, and I can feel just like I feel my whole body kind of tunnel in and kind of shut, it feels like it's going to shut down and at the same time explode. And I know sometimes I can, when I get really touched out, and there's like, one more thing touching me or one more child crawling on me. It's just this whole body, just need to just rip everything off. Like, don't I remember, even there was one moment when my daughter was my youngest was maybe a month or two old and she was nursing and, and there was just this moment, I just like, pulled her off and I just laid her on the ground. And I just like stared at her. Just so overwhelmed with everything. And then going back to thinking like I have these tools. I'm an OT. I know, I know what's going on. So I thought about it, I zoomed out, and I was like, you know what, I'm nursing. I'm sleep. So nursing is a lot of tactile stimulation. I'm very sleep deprived. Because I have a one month old, my three year old has been watching Mickey Mouse on repeat. So I also have Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, playing all the time. And so there's just so much happening. And that's often where that touched out feeling can come from. And so many other things as well.
Rachel:Yeah, it's so hard to process multiple streams of sensory inputs simultaneously, when you're kind of in that state of fight or flight. Lack of sleep, you know, is is a big factor of it as well. The constant noise, the constant tension, like it's so much sensory input, and it's like, wow, I always think back, Jess and I were talking about this when we were just eating lunch. Like, I always think back to biology, like what were our ancestors doing? Like, how were they processing this, they had much less input coming at them all day, every day, there wasn't technology, there wasn't cars, beeping all around them. There wasn't constant microwaves beeping. There wasn't this constant state of sensory input. We're now in just normal life every day. There's so much sensory input bombarding us. And I'm like, no wonder it's increasing. There's so much more sensory input to process. And we're not necessarily created to be able to process so much of that simultaneously.
Larissa Geleris:Totally. And then, in addition to that, to that we have this as parents this internal urgency to complete tasks quickly. And, you know, always trying to keep up with whatever we see on social media, and oh, they had this kind of birthday party, maybe I should have done that. And oh, and now it's the holidays. And so should we be going to this holiday party? And should we be taking them out to see Christmas lights and we didn't go see Santa and all of this. It's so there's the the sensory input from that foundational level, and cognitive urgency, executive functioning happening all the time, the mental load. You can't finish a sentence without somebody interrupting you. It's just, it's so much and all of it is very alerting, which I guess is why I would prefer to go back to Little House on the Prairie time. Like, I'm going to do whatever you want. I'm going to go gather some gather some berries for breakfast and call it a day.
Rachel:Well, just being out in nature, and I'm sure we'll talk just being out in nature is grounding.
Jessica:What are some of the main things you see in the parents that you're helping when they're overstimulated or in sensory overload?
Larissa Geleris:Yeah, so this can be it's pretty individualized to the person but a lot of the most common things that I see are common responses that I get when I asked, Are people feeling jumpy or quick to irritability or seeming like you're yelling out of nowhere, or your ears might start to ring or your jaw and your shoulders get tight? Maybe you have a headache, you might zone out scrolling on your phone, that's a big one. You maybe are struggling to carry out your thoughts or understand what someone else is saying. I know sometimes I just stare at my husband and he's talking like, I have absolutely no idea what you just said. It's nothing about I don't care. And it's not even where my mind is somewhere else. It's just completely I didn't process that. Or also, like, if he will try to spell something out for me to keep it a secret from the kids like, Oh, should we give them d e s s er t? It's like, I don't know what you just spelled. So yeah, sure, let's do it. But or you maybe you feel dizzy or your vision gets blurry. Or kind of tunneled in, like I mentioned earlier, or other changes in your body like feeling hot or heavy or tingly?
Jessica:So two thoughts. One, I find myself kind of zoning out sometimes with my son. I mean he likes to talk. He's a talker. He talks constantly, and he'll just go on with these stories, and we'll be sitting down eating dinner, and have we just rambling on telling me the story. And I'll find myself not only listening, and I feel badly, but I'll find myself kind of zoning out and tuning him out. Because he's been talking for so long. And I'm like, I can't listen to you anymore.
Larissa Geleris:Yeah
Jessica:You're not even listening to you anymore because you're talking for so long.
Larissa Geleris:I actually just I am good friends with Mila from Joyful Parents. And I just texted her the other day. And I was like, my lat, what's the gentle parenting version of saying, I don't care. And she, she was like, Well, why don't you have them? Have him record the story into your phone? Make him have him make you a video and then you come back to it later. And I was like, that is exactly why I asked you because you are brilliant at those things. And so now it's just like, buddy, I can't focus on what you're saying right now. But could you make me a video and I'll go watch it later? And he's like, oh, yeah, that's, that'd be awesome. So then it feels his little power box, too. So he feels like he's doing something really important. And mom does care. She just can't handle it right now.
Jessica:I love it. I'm gonna use a little tablet, the Amazon tablet. And I'll be like, hey, go make a story about it on your tablet and I'll watch it later.
Larissa Geleris:Yeah, it's perfect. They get it out, and you don't have to switch. And it's hard to because you're always doing something else. And so switching attention shifting attention. That's another huge executive functioning task that we as parents are dealing with all the time.
Rachel:That exhausts me. Yeah, for sure.
Jessica:The other thought, while you were listing off some of those signs was, how do we know if it's sensory overload or something else? Right, like, maybe nutrition deficiency or sleep deprivation or something underlying or maybe, you know, like, a concussion symptoms, something like that? How do we know which is which? Or are they just so intertwined? That they kind of feed off each other?
Larissa Geleris:Yeah, they are very intertwined. And they feed off of each other. So you wouldn't without really like writing down everything and how one thing relates to one symptom, you can't really know. And then by plugging in strategies throughout the day, and seeing what's working and what's not, then you can kind of start to tease apart like, is this just that I'm overstimulated, because I have two children, or is this that I'm not sleeping well, but also not sleeping well, correlates with sensory sensitivities. And then nutrition, too, if you're not feeding and nourishing your brain, you're not going to be able to process sensory information. And so it's all related and you control what you can. So that would be making sure that you're eating nutritiously. You're actually nourishing your body and not just eating the leftover chicken nuggets off of your child's plate, which we're all guilty of doing. But that's not helpful, you know, and then focusing on sleep when you can't, you can't always get a good night's sleep, you can't control that. But what you can do is set yourself up to have good quality sleep when you do have the opportunity to sleep even if it's only for a few hours at a time.
Rachel:Let's talk about some strategies to feel confident as a parent When you are overloaded when you're feeling that sensory overload, you're like, there's no way I can get through this four to 7pm stretch.
Larissa Geleris:Oh man four to seven.
Rachel:Oh, Iknow. How can parents feel confident in their abilities?
Larissa Geleris:One of the biggest things, I think is, like you just said, it's the four to seven stretch. So it's from four to seven, it's a wave, and it's going to come up, it's going to get to this point where you feel like you can't handle it anymore, and then it will come back down. It's like labor! Exactly, yeah, like 630 is like that transition. And then you're, oh, man, that's fun stuff. But yeah, it is it'll, it'll go in a wave, and it will come back down. And that really is one of the most helpful strategies is being able to visualize sensory overload as a wave. And knowing like, Okay, this is I'm at the point now, where it feels like it's going to, it's not going to get any better. But I know that it will, it will come back down, my kids will go to sleep, even if it takes much longer than I want. Just knowing that it's a moment in time, and it will come back can be very helpful. And in regulating yourself.
Rachel:So simple, but so spot on.
Larissa Geleris:Totally, totally. It's so simple. And sometimes it's annoying how simple some of this stuff is.
Jessica:Well, it's it's simple, but it's hard in the moment. That's why it's so hard.
Larissa Geleris:And you have to be able to be able to zoom out like that is another executive functioning skill that if you are so, so overloaded, it's hard to access that for sure. So if you can practice those thoughts, and really have them more readily available, when you're calm, then when you're in those moments of overload, then you can access them more quickly.
Rachel:You shared on your Instagram, some like quick, like regulation strategies to do in the moment, can you share some of those with our listeners?
Larissa Geleris:Absolutely. One of my all time favorite ones is leaning against a wall. Because again, it is so so simple. But it's so effective. So what happens when you lean against a wall is one you are reducing the demands for postural stability for yourself. So you don't have to work so hard to stand upright, because that is also a skill, a sensory based skill. And you are getting deep pressure into your body, which is regulating, you are cutting out visual and auditory stimuli from behind until you only have to focus on what's in front of you. And it grounds you into your body, you can feel your ribcage moving when you when you start to take your deep breaths. And one of the best parts about it is that your kids don't know you're doing anything out of the ordinary, they're not going to come chase you over to the wall like they would if you ran to the bathroom and lock the door. And then they're pounding on the door, which really doesn't help. So if you stay, you can stay with them and find that calm in the moment against the wall can be really, really, really effective.
Jessica:I was even thinking that's a good way to model a strategy as a parent. And you can even talk about that with your child, maybe afterwards and say, yep, I was just feeling very overwhelmed. And leaning against the wall helped me feel more calm. And that's what I do when I feel too. Like it's too much and I just pulling against the wall to feel calm again. And kind of that for your kiddos is great.
Larissa Geleris:Yeah, yeah. And so important for them to be able to see those strategies in action too. And I think it's really important for them to know that it's whatever's happening is not on them. It's not their job to fix it to because you can't put that on them.
Jessica:You know, my kid is very much a seeker and so he loves to wrestle. And sometimes I don't want to and so I'll tell him hey, I know you really want to wrestle right now but I my but I don't feel good about wrestling right now. Like my body doesn't want that right now. So why don't you go do this instead. And I'll be right here to still talk to you. And so then typically what he'll do is he'll jump from the couch to the crash pad or like big beanbag cushion. Yeah. And that same type of input, just not on me so that I don't get overloaded.
Larissa Geleris:Yeah. And it's important for kids also to learn those boundaries of other people's space as well. You know, like, moms and dads are people who need space and for children to realize like, this is my mom. My parents, my mom doesn't want this right now. So I'm gonna go get this another way. That's a very important lesson for children to know is to have that to understand consent and body, body safety and body awareness too.
Jessica:I still struggle with this sometimes, because sometimes I'll want to tell him a glow and stop climbing on me. I want to say that, but I'll have to take a deep breath and word it in a way so that he doesn't feel bad about it or he doesn't think he's in trouble or feel shame. Because, you know, I don't want to put that on him.
Rachel:I think to going along with that, like, especially on social media, there's so much guilt associated with being overstimulated and like, oh, you know, I felt bad because I lashed out, I yelled at my child, and I feel guilty about it. But I was just overstimulated, like, how do you recommend parents move forward with that?
Larissa Geleris:One of the best ways to overcome that guilt is just knowing physiologically what's happening and knowing that, in that moment, when you lashed out, it is because your nervous system could not handle one more thing coming at it. And that is a very physiologically normal response. When you think about everything that we are inundated with, as parents, it's all very alerting, and it's supposed to raise our arousal level. You know, if you're tripping over a child, or a dog or a toy, that quick vestibular input that alerts your nervous system, and then you feel that like, gasp, and then there's alerting, there's high pitched screams happening, which are distressing. And also you need to tune into them to make sure that everybody's safe. At the same time, there's low frequency, background sounds like the stove vent, or the dishwasher, or the laundry, and those are Indic evolutionarily indicative of a predator nearby. And so you get this, like, I have to tune in because somebody's in trouble. And also, I have to get the heck out of here, because there's a mountain lion nearby. And so that can be very, very disconcerting. And then there's all the touch, there's all the light touch, the tapping the poking the mom, and that is all alerting to this is all everything that happens in parenthood is signaling your protective system to respond. And so recognizing that that's what's happening, and we're just overloaded, can be so validating, and so helpful in understanding why you are responding the way that you are in releasing yourself from guilt. And that's one of the biggest things that I've heard from parents is that I've worked with is, this has helped me release myself from guilt of knowing that there was nothing wrong with me. And also knowing that there are strategies in place so that I don't get to that point so easily, and so, so rapidly, because that can be really, that can feel really hard to is when you feel like you're skating along and then all of a sudden, you just yelled and it seems like it's out of nowhere, when really there are little subtle signs throughout the day that you can pinpoint. But you have to be able to take those steps and really recognize what's happening in your body.
Rachel:That's usually always at the end of the day, when your little sensory cup is overflowing. It's so much easier for parents to just get through, we're gonna get up, we're gonna go out, we're gonna want to adventure. And then it's just, you know, your cup is just filling and filling and filling with so much sensory input. And by four to seven. Yeah, it's overloaded.
Larissa Geleris:Totally. And it makes sense. And that's why it's so important to set up a routine, everything that we talked about with parents. It's all it's, it's pediatrics, you know, we set ourselves up with a routine, we give ourselves a sensory diet, all of this stuff that we talk about with our sensory processing disorders, kids. It's this, like those strategies apply to us as parents too. And so if you're going to do something that you know, will fill your cup rather quickly than at the beginning of the day, and before that, four to seven, stretch, do something to empty your cup a little bit to give yourself that moment of calm. Put yourself under a weighted blanket to some crunchy snacks, get outside, go for a gentle walk, push a heavy stroller, all of that stuff can be really, really helpful. Yeah,
Jessica:I think that sometimes we get so focused on helping you know, our kids and the sensory kiddos that we forget to help ourselves and we forget that what helps our sensory kiddos will also help us sometimes we maybe just need to modify it a little bit because we're adults.
Larissa Geleris:Totally, totally. Yeah.
Jessica:On that note, I'm curious about some strategies that you would recommend for sensory overload.
Larissa Geleris:I like to split these up into two different categories. There's your sensory armor strategies, which are your proactive, getting yourself set up for success strategies. And then there's the in the moment strategies, but for your sensory armor. This means, like we mentioned focusing on your sleep, which I realize feels impossible when you have little kids, but you can control the quality of your sleep. Like I said, at the beginning, when you ask about my bedtime routine, that is to help me get a good quality sleep, even though I don't know who's gonna pitter patter into my room in the middle of the night. But I know that whatever sleep I do get will be high quality. And that is so important. And again, like if you set yourself up with routines for the day, infuse your day with sensory strategies. So know what strategies work well for you. So maybe you do need gentle movement throughout the day, which you likely do because everybody's vestibular input needs at least some kind of input. So essentially, it's giving yourself a sensory diet. And that will be very individualized to what your nervous system needs. But it is so important. And then in the moment strategies when you're in that overload, it's again, like visualizing that wave leaning against a wall, getting outside I have been doing on Instagram I've been, I haven't done it in a while. But at 446, which is like that prime time, I did it once where I posted, it's 446. And were out for a walk because I didn't know what else to do. But knowing that those strategies are so important. And even though it made dinner a little bit later, it made it so that I could handle dinner better. And I gave everybody a crunchy snack on the walk. And I even mentioned on Instagram, like, I know, it sounds crazy to give kids a snack before dinner. But if everyone's dysregulated no one's gonna eat anyway. So at least they're having an apple, and then they're going to come down and then they'll eat at least a little bit of their dinner. But so really just getting yourself out, making sure that you know, your strategies too. And in my program, I have a whole library of coping strategies as well, that are individualized to each sensory system.
Rachel:Well, I I just love the idea. I mean, that's always, that's always my go to when I'm feeling overwhelmed. I'm like, even though it's the season, I mean, it's so hard to get everybody dressed in their warm clothes, get the stroller get the dog loose, like get everyone out of the house, generally, someone's upset on the walk. But like, I feel like once I'm outside, pushing the stroller getting the fresh air looking around getting off the screens, I feel like I'm so much more regulated. Even if a child isn't regulated on the walk, or like, you know, my two year olds having a having a fit, you know, I still feel like I am so much better equipped, once I'm outside getting that input in order to be present and help him co regulate. I feel like just being outside and moving in. And also just like we've got like a stair side in our house and like I'll get on it and go down the side and crash into the nugget at the bottom. Like, anytime I do those activities with him. I'm in such a better mood, I'm more regulated. And I think that's something for parents to remember to like. The dishes can wait, dinner can wait five minutes. Obstacle course with your kiddo show them how to do it, and you will feel that much better afterwards.
Larissa Geleris:Totally, totally. And like going back to the dishes can wait like there will always be more dishes. And so but but the most important thing is that you are feeling connected and regulated. And that is where the joy of parenting and childhood come together. And that beautiful co regulation, it's not with you, oh stressed over the dishes. Because guess what, you're gonna finish these dishes and then you're gonna have another meal. So there's always dishes and there's always laundry and that's okay. And don't I don't want you to get overwhelmed by that fact as well. But just knowing like, if I am in a more regulated state, I can handle these other household tasks better, and I can be there for my children when they need me. Exactly.
Jessica:Yeah, and I think you know, setting yourself up with the sensory strategies to meet your sensory needs. And then also just setting up those daily routines so that things are easier, right like making sure that maybe not making sure but making maybe meal prepping for a couple of meals in a row on the weekend. So that that four to seven and time during the week is more smooth because dinners already cooked or something, you know, whatever works for you and your family. But setting up those kind of daily habits can be helpful too.
Larissa Geleris:And when you set yourself up for when you do habits that is calming to your nervous system as well, because you don't have to think so much. So like for me, the emptying the dishwasher has always been one of the biggest over since my concussion has been a really challenging task, because there's the clanking of the dishes. There's the bending, there's the reaching, there's, and then there's the whatever toddler is climbing into the dishwasher. And so, but I realized now like, if, after dinner, I run the dishwasher overnight, and then in the morning, I know it needs to be unloaded, every single day, even if it's not full, I run it. Because then one I only have to unload like a half full or three quarters full dishwasher every time. And I know that's what has to happen. And so my brain isn't surprised like, oh, shoot, I gotta go unload the dishwasher. So every morning, now, I make my kid some breakfast, I pour myself a cup of coffee, they sit at the table and eat their breakfast, I drink my coffee and empty the dishwasher. And then I go and sit with them and fit and eat some breakfast too. So that's our routine in the morning. And it has helped astronomically just to have that routine. And and just so that I know what I need to do, and I can expect it.
Jessica:Well, that's almost like that strategy of doing, doing the things you don't like to do first, like when it came totally. Right. So you look at your 10 work tasks for the day, which are the ones that you don't want to do you do those ones first, when you have more energy and your cup isn't already full and overflowing. And then those ones that you don't like or that cause you more sensory overload, they're done. They're out of the way. And the rest of the rest of the tasks are so much easier.
Larissa Geleris:Totally. They're not like looming over your head. Like, I gotta do that one, too. Yeah.
Rachel:So simple. But again, it's so helpful to have the outline of like, these little steps will make such a big difference. Absolutely. Kind of switching gears, but not really because it's all connected connection between highly sensitive parents and highly sensitive kiddos. What's your experience been with that? Do you see a connection?
Larissa Geleris:Yes. I don't have the research right in front of me. But I do know that those are they tend to run in families, especially like neuro divergence definitely does. And so whether it's autism running in families, or some autism, some ADHD, some highly sensitive all of it, it's all connected. And it can be really hard to manage when you're in it doesn't necessarily mean that if you are more sensory sensitive that your child will be more sensory sensitive. But it can mean that your child will may have some other sensory issues and whether or not at turn it full sensory processing disorder or just a little more on the sensitive or a little more on the seeking side. Either way, it can be really challenging to handle that dynamic when you as the parent have some needs that don't match up with your child's or that do match up with your child's and you're both overwhelmed in the same in the same moment, one of the biggest things that I recommend is understanding the difference between your your wants and your needs and your child's wants and their needs. So you need to figure out the difference of those for both of you and figure out how to prioritize those. So maybe your child wants to listen to and condo on repeat, but your nervous system needs a break from that or you know, you're gonna snap. So knowing those differences can be very helpful. But the tough part is when it's like needs versus needs. And that's when you as the parent need to be the CO reg the leader of that CO regulation dance. But to in order to do that, it is essential that you have already taken care of yourself in the moment or outside of that moment so that you're not already hitting your point of overwhelm. At the same time as your child's sensory dysregulation moment, whether for them that sensory, oh, it's overstimulation or sensory seeking behaviors. But it's also it's really, really important to recognize that you, the parent are important in this role. And my friend Natalie from a highly sensitive family on Instagram, she recently posted a message that I just have to amplify because it was so important somebody had asked her about the guilt so she was feeling guilt associated with sleep training when you This mom was in the depths of postpartum depression. And Natalie, who's an OT and a psychotherapist, she reminded everybody that the negative consequences of untreated postpartum depression are documented extensively. So if it's a matter of taking care of yourself so that you can get well and choose to show up and love on your kids, then you need to choose you every time, even if it means not taking care of your child's sensory needs in the moment, because by choosing you, you are choosing your kids in a much bigger and more impactful way. So that's really important to to not be the martyr in that moment. because your kids need you.
Rachel:So great message. Yeah, yeah. Wow. I was just thinking like, when someone like when a parent has like more of on the sensitive side, I feel like, generally, not generally, but like, we have to laugh when their child is definitely more of a seeker and you're in that store. It's like, you are oversensitive to this tactile input in this movement, and your child is jumping and crashing and visually, and there's just so much and you're like, we don't we don't mesh like this is this is opposite here of what we have going on. And I just feel like those parents who are often unequipped of like, how do I give this child so much input, but I don't need that much input.
Larissa Geleris:Totally. And you don't as a parent, often, before parenthood, baby, you knew you were a little sensitive, but you didn't, you weren't inundated by input at this intensity and frequency before, so you didn't need to figure out your own strategies. And now they are clashing with your child. And that is really, really hard. And so again, stepping back, taking a moment to step back, figure out what does my nervous system need? And how can I give that to myself in a way that is controlled, predictable, and sustainable, so that I can be there for my child and say, like, either, yes, Let's wrestle, I'm in a good position to do that. Or say, I can't handle that right now. But this is what you can do. And like you were saying, and so, but that really comes from a true understanding of your nervous system. And that takes time, and it takes. But that's a skill that can be learned for sure. And that's why I love what I do is helping parents understand what their what their needs are. And I get to be able to give this outside perspective of like, look, this is what's going on, and then they can take that and move forward.
Rachel:So helpful, so important. One last question I had, how do you go about communicating your sensory needs to your partner who maybe doesn't understand sensory overload? Maybe they're out of the house all day, and they aren't constantly inundated with the same sensory input that you are? How do you go about communicating that with someone?
Larissa Geleris:Yeah. So again, it goes back to being confident in what you need, and to not be afraid to communicate it. One of the things that I've I have heard so much from parents in the online program is that now that they understand their needs, they feel like they can tell their partner what they need. And in a way that isn't, doesn't put the partner on the defense, because it's all about like, this is what my nervous system needs. And this is what's happening in the environment. And this is why I am feeling like this. But at the same time, it's really important to recognize that your partner has their own nervous system, and their needs are valid as well. And so just like with your kids, maybe you and your partner have nervous systems that clash sometimes, and that is okay. So for example, my husband is big and loud, and he is a dentist. And so he doesn't really move very much during the day. And so he's just cornered into this little thing. He can't really talk to his patients much. And so as soon as he comes home from work, he jumps right into playing monster with our kids, which means they're running around, they're roaring, they're squealing. And by the end of the day, my nervous system wants absolutely nothing to deal to do with that. But that doesn't mean that they have to stop that because it's important for them to do that it's important for their connection in their nervous system regulation. And they should get that and so, but I don't have to participate in it. And that's okay. I can take those moments where they're playing monster to go to my room and have some time where no one's touching me. So it's really it's a win win and recognizing my needs are valid and my partner's needs are valid. And when we have clashing moments, we can just do things separately. That's okay.
Rachel:It's kind of like the the name at "claim it, tame it". Yeah, yeah. You know, you have to name it in order to tame it. But then you also have to claim like, this is me, this is what's going on with my body. This is what I'm, I feel like once it's out there, it's a lot easier to have that conversation. But I think too, it's it's definitely more challenging for someone who doesn't understand your, your overload because maybe they haven't felt that, you know, you think about the nails on the chalkboard and maybe for me, it gives me that visceral reaction. But just because like, nails on a chalkboard, like why I just thought that was like, you know, just someone scratched like, yeah, you know, and so it's hard to, it's hard to empathize if you haven't felt that overload. And I think being able to explain it, like it's okay, if you don't understand like how I'm feeling but this is this is it, this is why I'm struggling. And this is how you can support me,
Larissa Geleris:Right. And then there's this level of respect that needs to happen for both nervous systems, as well as saying, like, I don't get that, but I respect that what you're experiencing is a big deal to you, and I'm going to do whatever I can to support you in that that's really important as well.
Rachel:Totally so many things.
Jessica:What would you say is the biggest challenge with what you're doing right now?
Larissa Geleris:So the biggest challenge, honestly, is that parents are so overwhelmed, and they feel like they're drowning. And so they can't fathom one more thing on their to do list and self care, quote, unquote, seems like just one more thing. But so as parents, we will do anything for our kids will push ourselves to the limit to advocate for them to get them the services that they need, whatever it is our kids need, we'll do it. But we don't tend to show ourselves the same kindness. And so honestly, the biggest challenge has been convincing parents that one, it's okay. And two, it's essential to take care of, to take the time to figure out what's going on with your nervous system, so that you can move forward with strategies and actually enjoy your life. Now, like I mentioned at the beginning, because of my concussion I was I was forced to take this break and figure it out, because I literally couldn't do anything if I didn't figure it out. But if you're doing okay scaling by even if it feels stressful and overstimulating, I can see how it would be really hard to, to just keep pushing that to like, Oh, I'll deal with that later. Or when my kids go to elementary school, I'll figure it out later. But what's going to happen is that you are going to hit a point of burnout. And your nervous system will simply say, like enough, and you won't be able to ignore it any longer. So it's a lot easier to put strategies in place. Now, before you hit that point than doing it already, when you're when you're already in that state of complete burnout. So that has really been the biggest challenge is, is helping parents see that they it is essential to take care of themselves.
Rachel:I love that. Let's talk a little bit about your programs, your online programs. You just launched some new merch. Share with us about that...
Jessica:I was looking at that this morning. I was like, Oh, I know what shirt I like that!
Larissa Geleris:So I did, I just launched a merch line. And I designed it all. And it was so fun. And so my goal in that merch line was to be able to help one everything is very soft and comfortable. That was very important to me. So I personally have tried on every single article of clothing to make sure that it was soft. And then to remind you to prioritize yourself, and you're not alone. So when you throw on that sweatshirt that says I'm not procrastinating, I'm prioritizing. Is that the one? That's the one that I want. You're wearing that all day you it's that physical reminder that like in this throughout the day, I'm important and my needs are valid. So that's what that was my goal in creating that merchant, it's been pretty successful people are loving them. And so that's been really fun. And then, like I mentioned already, I have I do have a online program called sensing your needs and parenthood. And so you in that we go very deep into understanding your needs and implementing the strategies to support yourself. And the way that the program is set up is that if you are in a good headspace and ready to create a sustainable plan, then you start at the beginning of the program, and you can work your way through. But if you really feel like you're drowning, like I said, a lot of parents are then you can start at the end of the program, which is where we have this SOS vault. So that's where you find those in the moment supports for feeling touched out for feeling overwhelmed by noise. are generally overwhelmed and overstimulated their audio guides and accompanying script if you prefer that. But we're I literally take you through that moment of overwhelm like, from I help you with that entire wave, I'm right there with you in your head in your little headphones. And it's just a couple of minutes, you can pop that in, and watch, and I'll walk you through it. And then you can go into the sensory self care library identified the tools that you might, that might work for you. And then you work towards learning more about yourself creating a sustainable plan and habits and routines like we've talked about. So and it's self paced, it's you get lifetime access, you can come back to it whenever you need to, and get refer back to the things that you need again. And it's really, it's a wonderful program. And the feedback I've gotten from parents is so encouraging. And like I mentioned earlier, I'm going to be also starting one on one coaching in the new year. And if you're in the online program already, you'll be able to access that at a discounted rate.
Jessica:Super exciting.
Rachel:Oh, my goodness, okay. We'll make sure to link that in the show notes. So anyone who is feeling overstimulated and touched out, can reach out to you and work with you will link your Instagram study parents, is there anything else that we can share for people to find you and contact you.
Larissa Geleris:I also have a free touchdown meditation as well. So it's pulled straight from the SOS vault. And so it's for when you're feeling touched out. And that, I'll send you the link for that. So you can post sad as well. But that's a free download. You can get a little taste. Yeah. Yeah.
Rachel:Yeah, I need it. I need all the tools. It's so hard when you're in the moment. It's like, yeah, it is cool. But like, let's create a plan and stick to it.
Larissa Geleris:And I think it's really important to, to know that you're not alone in it, which is why I wanted it to be an audio guide to just have like a friendly voice saying, like, I'm right here with you. I get it too. I have these moments as well. And I'm right here. So because your nervous system needs to know that it's not alone.
Rachel:So amazing... how creative... I love that.
Larissa Geleris:Thank you.
Jessica:You have some amazing content. Super excited.
Larissa Geleris:Thank you. Thank you. It's been really fun.
Rachel:Okay, before we wrap everything up, what is one last piece of advice you've already given us so much. But one last piece of advice you can leave our listeners with today?
Larissa Geleris:So my biggest piece of advice is to reach out for help talk to your friends and know that you're not alone. Like I just said, your nervous system needs to know that it's not alone. So talk to your friends it your your friends are going to also be experiencing like, anytime I post something about the stove vent I get so many DM replies about it. Everyone's like, oh, that's the worst. I can't like you know, it's it's the absolute worst. And so just knowing those little things can be triggering for other people as well. It can be so powerful.
Jessica:That's so true. Such a good point.
Rachel:The stove, the microwave... I just turned my microwave off.
Larissa Geleris:Yeah, I saw your I saw your post about that. I was like I need to figure out how to do that. Yeah.
Rachel:Amazing. Well, there is a thank you so much. This was magical chatting with you. And oh, it was so fun.
Larissa Geleris:Thank you for having me.
Rachel:Of course! Well, that will be in touch. And we're excited for everyone to find you.
Larissa Geleris:Thank you so much. Thank you.
Jessica:We hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Louisa is a wealth of knowledge. She's super fun. And you can go follow her on Instagram at study parents, make sure you check out all of the resources that she has. And if you liked this episode, make sure you share it with a fellow parent or a fellow therapist, fellow teacher, whoever you are, share it with somebody else who will find value in this conversation. Let us know you listened on Instagram. And thanks for being here.
Rachel:Thank you so much for listening to all things sensory by Harkla.
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Jessica:We're so excited to work together to help create calm Wouldn't kids all over the world? While we make every effort to share correct information we're still learning.
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Jessica:One doctor or therapist may have a different way of doing things from another.
Rachel:We are simply presenting our views and opinions on how to address common sensory challenges, health related difficulties, and what we have found to be beneficial that will be as evidence based as possible.
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