EP320: A Counselor's Guide to Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapist Kristi Harris joins Margaret Lamar to explore how understanding a child's sensory system can transform the way counselors, parents, and educators respond to challenging behaviors. Together they discuss the "hidden senses" of proprioception, vestibular processing, and interoception, and why so many behaviors that appear oppositional are actually signs of dysregulation or sensory overwhelm. Kristi offers practical guidance for recognizing when occupational therapy may be an appropriate referral and highlights the value of interdisciplinary collaboration between counselors and occupational therapists. Whether you work with children in schools, private practice, or community settings, this conversation offers a fresh lens for understanding behavior through the body. For more on our guests, links from the conversation, and APA citation for this episode visit https://concept.paloaltou.edu/resources/the-thoughtful-counselor-podcast  The Thoughtful Counselor is created in partnership with Palo Alto University's Division of Continuing & Professional Studies. Learn more at concept.paloaltou.edu