Challenging behavior can feel like a puzzle with missing pieces. But what if we could see these behaviors as messages from the brain—a way our minds tell us, “I’m doing my best to protect you!”? That’s where a little bit of user-friendly brain science can make a world of difference. Making the Invisible Visible For […]

Tips for Therapy, Home, and School I came across the work of Marti Smith, OTR when I was still in the therapy office. We developed a friendship across the miles as I was working on Riley the Brave’s Sensational Senses. And when her new book Sensory Healing after Developmental Trauma came out, I scooped it right up! One of the things […]

A guide for parents, educators, and helping professionals I walked into my 11-year-old’s room to find him using an electronic device in a way that went against our family agreement. I can’t remember if he had been on it too long or downloaded an app he wasn’t supposed to, but I know I felt a […]

Students learn better when their brains are not clouded by worries. Our minds can’t attend to very many things at once. When kids are preoccupied by tough stuff happening outside of school, friend struggles, or other worries, there’s not much room for math facts and grammar lessons. That’s a topic I explore in the first […]