The Whole Child Connection

04/08/2025

“What if I don’t treat my ADHD?”

03/08/2025

Curious about what DIRFloortime really is and why it’s so powerful for supporting neurodivergent children?
In this blog, we break it down simply - what it means, how it works, and why it matters.

DIRFloortime® is a developmental, relationship-based approach to supporting children with additional needs, particularly those with autism and other developmental challenges.

30/07/2025

28/07/2025

Connection shouldn’t be something a child has to earn.
It’s how they learn to feel safe, regulate, and grow.
When we lead with warmth and presence—even during tricky behaviours—we’re guiding them from the inside out. 💛
Find more tools in Guidance from The Therapist Parent or visit www.thetherapistparent.com

21/07/2025

A child growing up in a toxic environment can carry deep scars. Constant stress and fear can shape their brain and body, affecting how they think, feel and respond to their environment. Emotional regulation, behaviour and learning are all deeply impacted when home doesn’t feel safe. With neuroplasticity, this can heal if given the right accommodations and intervention. 💔❤️

12/07/2025

Sensory avoiders experience the world differently. For them, sounds, textures, smells, and movements can feel overwhelming and even painful. These children can become stressed when confronted with their sensory triggers, and may result in demonstrating stimming behaviours to try regulate their nervous system. I strongly recommend for children with sensory processing differences to have a Sensory Profile assessment to determine a sensory diet which fits their unique sensory profile. Please find a therapist who works with your child’s unique sensory needs, and who will provide a sensory-based approach. This will make all the difference in the world for the child to feel he is understood, accepted, and is not broken. 💜

20/06/2025

📚 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗗𝗜𝗥 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗦
Be sure to check out these recently published DIR books! The links to where you can order your copies are below!
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📙 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣:
𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴
By: Lindsey Hall, OTR/L DIR-Expert
⦿ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦
⦿ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The pairing of The Regulation Plan: Resource Guide & Application Guide, offer a hands-on approach to understanding and supporting regulation in children by integrating a range of concepts within the DIRFloortime framework. These books will equip professionals and parents with practical tools to understand individual sensory processing differences to foster positive, enjoyable interactions. Through theory, worksheets, summary charts, and individualized planning, the guide empowers adults to support development in a meaningful, immediately applicable way.
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📙 𝙒𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮:
𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥
By: Daria Brown, MA, DIR-Advanced, Parent Advocate
𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: We Chose Play shares a family’s inspiring journey of embracing DIRFloortime® over intensive behavioral intervention following an autism diagnosis. The story highlights how honoring a child’s individuality and engaging through play can lead to meaningful developmental progress.
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𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗘𝗦
⦿ The Regulation Plan (Resource Guide): https://a.co/d/7wjJj9l
⦿ The Regulation Plan (Application Guide):
https://a.co/d/chSzPiM
⦿ We Chose Play: https://affectautism.com/wechoseplay/

20/06/2025

Co-regulation means being the steady, soothing presence, the calming connection that a child needs to find their calm.

✨ 𝗖𝗢-𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 ✨

20/06/2025

𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀
What are some other green flags?
⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃
✅ Play-based
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✅ Follow's the Child's Lead
⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃
✅ DIR-Trained
⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃
✅ Values Connection, NOT Compliance
⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃
✅ Actively Includes Parents
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✅ Strengths-based
⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃
✅ Works with Other Therapists
⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃⁃

04/06/2025

Understanding a child’s sensory profile is key to supporting how they feel, move, connect and thrive.

Sensory responses can come in many forms . This is a great resource: http://momentousinstitute.org/blog/making-sense-of-sensory-processing

💚Sensory dysregulation refers to a mind or body state which occurs when the body is out of balance due to experiences in the sensory environment.

💛Think about how sounds, textures, exercise, movement, smells, light, and other input can affect your mood.

🧡Sensory dysregulation is the result of either too much or too little stimulation for best functioning or self-regulation.

💗Sensory processing challenges feel can cause one to feel dysregulated more often and have less ability to self-regulate.

Because it is complicated to discern the trigger, it can help to identify how input is impacting the sensory overload...
1. Over Responsiveness
2. Under Responsiveness

For more information on sensory dysregulation: https://www.theottoolbox.com/understanding-sensory-dysregulation/

03/06/2025

Love this reminder from ICDL. These qualities really capture what it feels like to be a Floortimer. For me, I’d add “playful” to the list - because sometimes a silly voice, a shared laugh or a spontaneous moment of joy can open up the most powerful connections.

🧠 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿
What other amazing qualities would you add to this list?

𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 🔗💞🧡
Prioritizing connection and trust to create safe, meaningful relationships with each client and their families.

𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 🌀🐛🦋
Ready to pivot in an instant, letting go of any plans they had, to best support regulation and engagement.

𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 🤔🔍🕵️‍♀️
Approaches every
interaction with openness and wonder – always seeking to understand someone’s inner world, perspectives, motivations, and intentions.

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 🧘‍♀️💭📝
Thinks deeply about interactions – using insights to best support development. This includes self-reflection on one’s own actions during an interaction.

𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 🤝🏻👫🧱
Partners with both parents and professionals in a shared mission to support the whole individual.

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 💪🌟🗝️
Sees the brilliance in every person – amplifying their passions, honoring their individuality, and using their strengths as a springboard for growth.

30/05/2025

Every child experiences the world through their senses, touching, hearing, seeing, moving, smelling, and tasting. But for many neurodivergent children, these sensory experiences can feel overwhelming, confusing, or even distressing. 🌟

This is why sensory-based approaches are so important. They help us meet children exactly where they are, offering support that respects their unique way of engaging with the world.

Sensory understanding is at the heart of everything we do. 🌈

Please let us know if you have questions.
📘Facebook: The Whole Child Connection
📸Instagram: @‌thewholechildconnection
🌐Website: http://www.thewholechildconnection.com.au

📍Servicing families in Point Cook, Tarneit, Truganina, and surrounding suburbs