Growing Strong Roots: an Occupational Therapist’s Perspective on Parenting, Self-Regulation, and Resilience
Lee-Anne Bloom, MS, OTR/L; Oak Bloom OT
7 episodes
6 hours ago
As a mom and a therapist working with families for many years, I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming it can be to raise sturdy children. My goal is to share science-based strategies, real-life stories and resources that can help you nourish those roots so that you and the children in your life can grow stronger, sturdier, and more resilient.
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As a mom and a therapist working with families for many years, I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming it can be to raise sturdy children. My goal is to share science-based strategies, real-life stories and resources that can help you nourish those roots so that you and the children in your life can grow stronger, sturdier, and more resilient.
Consent-focused touch in OT with children with sensitivities
Growing Strong Roots: an Occupational Therapist’s Perspective on Parenting, Self-Regulation, and Resilience
15 minutes
2 days ago
Consent-focused touch in OT with children with sensitivities
In this episode of Growing Strong Roots, occupational therapist Lee-Anne Bloom explores the importance of consent and communication when using touch with children, especially those who are sensory sensitive or have trauma histories. She explains how different kinds of touch activate the nervous system and why some children may react instinctively with fight, flight, or shutdown responses. Through real examples and practical strategies, Lee-Anne highlights how caregivers can use touch to build trust, co-regulate, and support emotional development. She discusses the difference between reacting and responding, and how repeated safe experiences can shift a child’s sensory processing over time. The episode also offers simple communication systems families can use to help children express what feels good, what doesn’t, and how to advocate for their bodies.
Timestamps00:00:00 Introduction to podcast00:00:27 Parenting challenges and mission00:00:50 Growing stronger together00:00:58 Introducing topic of consent and touch00:01:17 Importance of communication and skilled touch00:01:42 Proceed with awareness for sensitive kids00:02:09 Light touch can be alerting or irritating00:02:38 Real example of defensive reaction00:03:01 Deep pressure as grounding and calming00:03:30 Tools for co-regulation in the clinic00:03:55 Weighted tools and ball squishes00:04:28 Why touch affects the nervous system00:05:20 Instinctive responses and brain pathways00:06:12 Rewiring through repeated safe touch00:06:34 Difference between reacting and responding00:07:26 Temperament and trauma influence touch perception00:08:18 Importance and controversy around therapeutic touch00:08:44 Touch builds trust and physiological change00:09:08 Intention behind touch matters00:09:29 Establishing communication systems00:10:02 Observing body language and emotional cues00:10:28 Using rough and tumble play to teach feedback00:10:49 Predictable touch builds safety00:11:15 Modeling signals and responses00:11:52 Teaching children to interpret body reactions00:12:15 Individualizing sensory tools with OT support00:12:36 Touch as calming or alerting00:13:00 Asking for consent and reading cues00:13:34 Choosing touch based on current state00:14:02 Combining touch with other regulation supports00:14:30 Gathering observations throughout the week00:14:50 Sharing insights with caregivers00:15:09 Website resources and research links00:15:25 Closing and invitation to connect
Growing Strong Roots: an Occupational Therapist’s Perspective on Parenting, Self-Regulation, and Resilience
As a mom and a therapist working with families for many years, I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming it can be to raise sturdy children. My goal is to share science-based strategies, real-life stories and resources that can help you nourish those roots so that you and the children in your life can grow stronger, sturdier, and more resilient.
