Affect Autism

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Affect Autism was created to help parents and practitioners apply the Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR) model to respectfully promote relating, communicating, and thinking in autistic children in order to invite out their highest potential. Research in neuroscience has…

Affect Autism

Toronto, Canada

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    • Apr 25, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 48m AVG DURATION
    • 238 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Affect Autism

    Neurodiversity-Affirming Support in DIR®-Informed Music Therapy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 39:17


    Our topic for this episode is promoting agency and autonomy through the lens of DIR®-informed music therapy and how facilitators can practice within a more mindful, neurodiversity-affirming approach.Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https://www.icdl.com/parentsCaregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parents

    Olas de Conexión: Surfeando el Enfoque Floortime

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 5:00


    La invitada de este episodio es Simone Tiemann, terapeuta ocupacional de integración sensorial formada en Floortime en Santander, la costa norte de España. Atiende a pacientes con dificultades y diferencias en el desarrollo en su clínica y dirige desde hace 15 años la asociación Disfrutar El Mar, que ofrece actividades en la playa y el mar, incluyendo surf, donde voluntarios juegan y atienden a niños con el enfoque Floortime.Enlace al blog completo con los enlaces a los puntos clave de la discusión y otras formas de ver o escuchar el podcast aquí: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2025/04/11/surfing/⁠Cuidadores: Consideren unirse a nuestra Red de Padres DIR® para recibir apoyo de una comunidad de Floortimers con intereses similares aquí: ⁠https://www.icdl.com/parents

    Waves of Connection: Surfing the Floortime Approach

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 45:51


    This episode's guest is Simone Tiemann who is a Floortime-trained sensory integration occupational therapist on the north coast of Spain in Santander who sees clients with developmental challenges and differences in her clinic and runs an association for 15 years now called Disfrutar El Mar which means "enjoying the sea" that offers activities at the beach and sea, including surfing, where volunteers play with and attend to children using a Floortime approach.Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https://affectautism.com/2025/04/11/surfing/Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parents

    Let's Talk About Autism Inclusion this April

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 32:39


    The International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL) Board President, autistic self-advocate, Emile Gouws and I discuss April's month of autism awareness, acceptance, and appreciation, and the need to move towards action and inclusion. What does all of this mean and how does DIRFloortime® fit in? Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https://affectautism.com/2025/03/28/april/Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parents

    Perspectivas de los Padres: Reuniones de Apoyo para Padres Floortime

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 54:59


    En esta edición de Perspectivas de los Padres, Mary Santiago de Toronto, una madre practicante de DIRFloortime® conversa con Susana en Buenos Aires, Argentina, y con Lucia y Manuel en Atlanta, Georgia, sobre sus experiencias con Floortime y su participación en las reuniones virtuales de apoyo para padres lideradas por la terapeuta ocupacional y DIRFloortime® Expert Training Leader, Mili Cordero.Enlace al blog completo con los enlaces a los puntos clave de la discusión y otras formas de ver o escuchar el podcast aquí: https://affectautism.com/2025/03/14/padres-floortime/Cuidadores: Consideren unirse a nuestra Red de Padres DIR® para recibir apoyo de una comunidad de Floortimers con intereses similares aquí: https://www.icdl.com/parents

    Floortime Around the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 58:00


    This marks the second edition of DIR® Dialogues from Affect Autism! This new podcast features Practitioner Panels–this one featuring five international DIRFloortime® Expert Training Leaders discussing Floortime around the world! DIR® Dialogues will be an addition to the usual podcasts. I hope you will enjoy them!Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https://affectautism.com/2025/02/28/world/Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parentsThank you to Toronto recording artist Ayria for the intro/outro song permission: https://ayria.bandcamp.com/track/infiltrating-my-way-through-the-system

    Joyfully Together: Collaboration in the DIRFloortime® Approach

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 45:36


    The therapy trio from  Baby Steps Therapy, a DIR® clinic  offering physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy in the suburbs of Philadelphia, is here to discuss their collaborative Floortime approach used within their strengths-based studio to support growth within the  Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDCs). Baby Steps embodies a true DIRFloortime® collaborative.Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https://affectautism.com/2025/02/14/baby-steps/Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parents

    Following the child's emotional intent

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 54:07


    German Psychologist Sibylle Janert is a DIRFloortime® Expert and Training Leader who teaches courses in the UK in English, and in German in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. She also offers Floortime coaching to families over Zoom in both English and German, as well as offering family intensives in her beautiful village. She runs supervisions groups, a mastermind group, and monthly webinars on relevant topics in German. She has also published several books for parents and for professionals about autism from a relationship-based developmental multi-cultural and trauma-informed perspective. Her next book on early exploratory play is due to be published in early 2026. Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points here: https://affectautism.com/2025/01/31/following/ Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parents

    Parent Perspectives: Finding and Holding on to Floortime

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 55:25


    On this edition of Parent Perspectives, I am interviewing three Buffalo area families about their struggles finding, accessing, and keeping DIRFloortime services and how it has changed their view of their neurodivergent children and given them hope. Bethany is the mother six of whom two are neurodivergent, one with an autism diagnosis. They range in age from 14 to 32. Heather is the mother of three of whom two are autistic boys and one is a neurotypical girl, ranging in age from 3 to 8. Megan and Mark are the parents of one autistic son who is 7. They are all in Bridget Palmer's DIR parent support group, Bridget being a colleague of mine at ICDL who is an amazing DIR-Expert and Speech Language Therapist. This video is from https://affectautism.com/2025/01/17/finding-dir/ where you can link to full BLOG post with links to key discussion points. Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers! Learn more at https://www.icdl.com/parents!

    DIR Dialogues: Parent Practitioners

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 73:28


    DIR and the Science of Hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 49:56


    Parent Perspectives: Floortime Intensives at the DIR® Institute

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 46:15


    Intensives at the DIR Institute

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 41:52


    Floortime Supports Parental Self-Efficacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 50:05


    Diagnosing Autism in Girls and Women

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 51:47


    women girls diagnosing autism
    Co-Regulation through Affective Signalling

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 48:25


    Gestural Development: The ‘D’, the ‘I’, and the ‘R’

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 47:09


    development gestural
    DIR/Floortime In-Home Coaching Supports Families

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 59:59


    The post DIR/Floortime In-Home Coaching Supports Families appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Bringing DIR Into the Classroom to Accommodate Communication for All

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 52:39


    The post Bringing DIR Into the Classroom to Accommodate Communication for All appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Trauma through a DIR Lens

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 57:00


    The post Trauma through a DIR Lens appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Developing Through FEDC 4 into FEDC 5

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 45:39


    The post Developing Through FEDC 4 into FEDC 5 appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    FEDC 4: Complex Communication and Shared Problem Solving

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 57:04


    The post FEDC 4: Complex Communication and Shared Problem Solving appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Nurturing Intentionality as a Bridge to FEDC 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2024 56:35


    The post Nurturing Intentionality as a Bridge to FEDC 4 appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    A DIR Lens on Sleeping

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2024 57:20


    The post A DIR Lens on Sleeping appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Giant Steps Interdisciplinary Autism Centre

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024


    The post Giant Steps Interdisciplinary Autism Centre appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Reflective Practice in DIR

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2024


    The post Reflective Practice in DIR appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    DIR and Medically Complex Children: Trauma-Informed Care

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2024 55:25


    The post DIR and Medically Complex Children: Trauma-Informed Care appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Advocating for rightful inclusion in school

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 66:23


    The post Advocating for rightful inclusion in school appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Affect and Regulation in Middle Eastern Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2024 46:51


    The post Affect and Regulation in Middle Eastern Culture appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    If I Need Help

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 36:49


    The post If I Need Help appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Presuming Competence

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2024 54:53


    The post Presuming Competence appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    A Developmental Perspective on Sharing

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024


    The post A Developmental Perspective on Sharing appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Gestalt Language Processing and DIR

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2024 59:30


    The post Gestalt Language Processing and DIR appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Parent Perspectives: Navigating Our Different Support Roles

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2024 41:19


    The post Parent Perspectives: Navigating Our Different Support Roles appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Parent Perspectives: Parent Self-Regulation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2024 26:35


    The post Parent Perspectives: Parent Self-Regulation appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Revisiting the ‘R': Hidden Regulators in the Development of Relationships

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2024 53:17


    The post Revisiting the ‘R': Hidden Regulators in the Development of Relationships appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Parent Perspectives: Parents Listening to Autistic Self-Advocates

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2023


    The post Parent Perspectives: Parents Listening to Autistic Self-Advocates appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Regulating through Trauma

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2023 36:50


    The post Regulating through Trauma appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Autistic Masking or Impression Management?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2023 55:57


    The post Autistic Masking or Impression Management? appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Parent Perspectives: Retrospective Perspective

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 59:37


    The post Parent Perspectives: Retrospective Perspective appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Visual Spatial Planning and Assessment (ViSPA)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2023 51:55


    The post Visual Spatial Planning and Assessment (ViSPA) appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Visualization leads to Imagination

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2023 38:08


    The post Visualization leads to Imagination appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Parent Perspectives: Relationships, Play, and Growth

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2023


    The post Parent Perspectives: Relationships, Play, and Growth appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Parent Perspectives: Navigating our Health and Education Systems

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2023 49:47


    The post Parent Perspectives: Navigating our Health and Education Systems appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Harnessing the Power of Narratives to Impact Development

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2023 49:06


    The post Harnessing the Power of Narratives to Impact Development appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    (Non)Compliance does not equal (Dys)Regulation

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2023 42:28


    The post (Non)Compliance does not equal (Dys)Regulation appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    A New Community-Created Resource: SLP MAPs

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2023 51:53


    This episode's guest is Amanda Binns, a clinician scientist who has her PhD and is also a Speech and Language Pathologist. She's currently the co-lead at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital of a student-led environment designed to support autistic children and families across the province of Ontario. She's also an assistant professor at the University of Toronto and an adjunct researcher at Western University. She's with us to introduce us to the new MAPs (Meeting the needs of Autistic People) resource designed to support Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) who are working with autistic clients and their families. Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https://affectautism.com/2023/08/04/maps/ Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parents

    A New Community-Created Resource: SLP MAPs

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2023


    The post A New Community-Created Resource: SLP MAPs appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Parent Support: How Do We Handle Fears and Anxiety?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 27:42


    The post Parent Support: How Do We Handle Fears and Anxiety? appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    Adapted Spiral Praxis and Movement for the Bodymind Process

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 45:42


    The post Adapted Spiral Praxis and Movement for the Bodymind Process appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

    All About Praxis: Part 2 of 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2023 73:11


    The post All About Praxis: Part 2 of 2 appeared first on Affect Autism: We chose play, joy every day.

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