Ruth Waldrop Occupational Therapist

Ruth Waldrop Occupational Therapist Occupational Therapy helping infants and children, ages 0-21, and supporting their families

11/15/2025

Need a physical activity for a large group or one student? Check out this FREE Gross Motor Bingo PDF Classroom set. Get your students moving with this adaptation of traditional bingo.

You can download this for FREE at the bottom of this blog post.

11/15/2025

You could add many tools to this list! Depends on the individual!

11/15/2025

It’s time to let go of the myths! Both Nervous System Regulation and Optimism are NOT about being “calm all the time” or “eliminating stress.” They are active, flexible skills we build every single day.

11/15/2025

When a young person’s protective response is activated, their body moves faster than their thinking brain. Co-regulation isn’t about 'calming them down' — it’s about offering the steady nervous system they can borrow while theirs finds its way back to safety.

Co-Regulation in Action, breaks down what this actually looks like in real moments: the posture, the pacing, the tone, and the choices that help a child feel safe enough to reconnect.

If you’d like a deeper dive into this approach, you can explore the full resource, the Protection Response, available now (link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio).

There are two more posts going up today to complete the The Protective Response Series — Safe Before Sorry and Recovery After the Response — so make sure to check those out if you want the complete picture.

11/15/2025

Supporting a child through a meltdown is not just about what we say or do.
It’s also about what is happening inside us.

Our nervous system responds to their overwhelm.
Their panic can trigger our panic.
Their intensity can activate our urgency.
Their distress can stir our own history of not feeling safe.

So before we can co-regulate a young person, we often need to regulate ourselves.
Not perfectly — just enough to stay steady.

This post shares supportive ways to stay regulated as the adult, so that we can be the grounding presence a child’s nervous system is reaching for in the storm.

Because when we are calm, predictable, and connected — the child feels safe enough to return to calm too.

If you’d like a deeper breakdown of every phase of the meltdown cycle — and how to respond at each stage without shame, fear, or urgency — you’ll find the full Timeline of a Meltdown resource via link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

Save this post to return to when you need it

11/15/2025

YES!!!

11/08/2025

Some 15-year-old girls feel so much on the inside — but don’t have the words for it yet.

They can look confident, calm, or “okay”… while carrying overwhelm, anxiety, and emotional pressure quietly beneath the surface.

This visual is her voice — what she wishes adults understood.

If you’re supporting a young person who struggles to communicate what’s going on inside, the Managing Big Feelings Toolkit can help. It offers visual check-ins, grounding strategies, co-regulation tools, and scripts for conversations. Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

11/08/2025

I've referenced this pyramid of learning many times! And it's been recently updated to include the interoception system.

You can read more about each sensory system here > https://www.growinghandsonkids.com/a-comprehensive-guide-to-sensory-processing.html?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Get your printable copy of the pyramid here > https://play-spark.com/products/pyramid-of-learning-informational-handout?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Reference: Pyramid of Learning (Taylor, Trott) 1991.

11/05/2025

Another in our Curious Conversations series - designed to scaffold conversations with your young people.

Ever wondered what’s really happening inside the brain when a child feels big emotions?

According to neuroscience - namely Lisa Feldman, feelings aren’t just automatic reactions — they’re constructed by the brain, moment by moment.
Your child’s brain is constantly blending body signals, past experiences, and what’s happening around them to create each emotion.

When we teach children to notice what’s happening inside — to name sensations, label emotions, and pause before reacting — we’re helping their brain build emotional understanding from the inside out.

It’s not about stopping feelings. It’s about teaching the brain how to make sense of them.

Our Managing Big Feelings Toolkit for Parents & Educators brings this science to life with practical, evidence-based strategies to help children regulate emotions and strengthen resilience.
(Link in comments ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in bio)

Address

1025 W. 24th Street Ste 8
Yuma, AZ
85364

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 12pm

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