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Hi Friends,

This episode explores how play-based occupational therapy helps children learn emotional regulation by meeting them where they are, using games and role-play to safely surface emotions, and modeling appropriate responses.

We discuss tools like the Zones of Regulation, sensory strategies (proprioception, vestibular, interoception), and practical tips parents can use at home, plus a note about related summer camps and group programs.

Sincerely,

Your Friends At Ability Innovations

Check Out Aarone's Course: https://www.abilityinnovations.com/therapyunmaskedland

Check Out Aarone's Blog: https://www.abilityinnovations.com/blog/nbspa-guide-to-help-with-daily-living-skills-including-sensory-challengesnbsp

Hi Friends,

In this episode, Aaron, an occupational therapist and clinic regional director, explains activities of daily living (ADLs) for children—why skills like dressing, toothbrushing, and tying shoes matter, common challenges (attention, sequencing, sensory issues), and real clinic examples of learning and relearning skills.

He shares practical strategies such as creating visual schedules with the child, discusses which diagnoses often affect ADLs (autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, stroke), and offers guidance on milestones and when to seek an OT evaluation.

If you feel like your child may be behind in some of their activities of daily living reach out to us for an evaluation. Also don't forget to check out Aarones course as well as his most recent blog post all about Activities of Daily Living.

Sincerely,

Your Friends At Ability Innovations

In this episode of Therapy Unmasked, host Nick Sidwell (Owner of Ability Innovations and Occupational Therapist) is joined by Megan Davidson, Admin Director and future Financial Strategist, to pull back the curtain on a topic most parents find daunting: Health Insurance.

They dive deep into the often-frustrating reality of how insurance companies dictate pediatric care, often prioritizing "cookie-cutter" policies and profit margins over the individualized needs of a child. If you’ve ever wondered why your child’s therapy was suddenly cut off or why a doctor—who may know nothing about handwriting or sensory processing—is the "gatekeeper" for your child's services, this episode is for you.

• The Insurance Trap: Why following insurance rules can sometimes mean sacrificing the quality and frequency of care your child actually needs.

• Rehabilitation vs. Habilitation: Understanding the crucial difference between "getting back" a skill and "learning a skill for the first time," and why insurance companies often use the wrong metrics to limit visits.

• The Hidden Costs of "Coverage": Breaking down the math of premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. Why private pay might actually be more affordable (and less stressful) than you think.

• The Power of Investment: Viewing pediatric therapy not as an expense, but as an investment in your child's "superpowers" and their future ability to change the world.

• Taking Back Control: How shifting your mindset away from insurance dependency allows parents and therapists to make medical decisions based on milestones, not mandates.

"Your insurance company doesn't know a thing about your child, and yet they're the ones dictating everything about their therapy."

https://www.abilityinnovations.com/ 💡- Check Out Ability Innovations

https://www.therapy-unmasked.com/ 🧠 - Check Out Therapy Unmasked

Where To Find Rachel:

https://racheljacksondesign.com/ 👩‍🎨- Check Out Rachel's Website

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f69EvcvCOq8 👩🏼‍🏫- Rachel's Free Introductory Workshop

IG: https://www.instagram.com/racheljacksondesign/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/rjdesignatx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@racheljacksondesign

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-jackson-design/

Upcoming Events: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/home-design-lab-by-rachel-jackson-design-93549020103

LISTENER DEAL: Podcast listeners enjoy a special discount on my signature course: Interior Design For ADHD-Friendly Homes (Part 1) - a practical, eye-opening guide to designing spaces that support sensory needs. Use code PODCASTLOVE at checkout: Link: https://courses.racheljacksondesign.com/course/adhd-friendly-interior-design-pt1

Hey Friends!

Join us on Therapy Unmasked, brought to you by Ability Innovations, as we sit down with special guest Rachel Jackson, an experienced interior designer who specializes in creating sensory-friendly and ADHD-aware homes and spaces.

Drawing from her own experience with ADHD and that of her son, Rachel shares how her design instincts naturally led her to a niche focused on making homes work for the people living in them. She explains her detailed intake process, which helps uncover a family's unique sensory blend and the common environmental frustrations she sees, typically related to:

• 💡 Lighting

• 🔊 Sound/Acoustics

• 📚 Organization and Visual Clutter

Rachel discusses her range of services—from DIY guides and self-paced courses to full-service design and professional development for therapists and designers—all aimed at spreading the powerful impact of neurodiversity-aware design.

Key Takeaways You Won't Want to Miss:

• Understanding Sensory Profiles: Learn why taking your child's sensory sensitivities seriously is the first step, and how to look at emotional reactions as a form of communication.

• Flexible Living: Rachel provides a fascinating example of how simply repurposing rooms (like turning a seldom-used dining room into a quiet family room) can dramatically improve home life.

• The Universal Win: Discover why designing for neurodiversity, as famously stated by architect Magda Mostafa, is truly "designing for everyone," leading to a calmer, more comfortable environment for the entire family.

• Quick and Budget-Friendly Home Tips: Get actionable advice you can implement immediately to lower the "temperature" of your house, including:

  • Switching to warm lamp light in the evenings to aid melatonin production (aim for $2700-3000$ Kelvins).

  • Embracing sound machines and rugs to address acoustics and reduce echo.

  • Tackling visual overwhelm with her simple Four Piles Organization Method (Keep, Price/Resale, Donate/Recycle, Pitch).

Tune in to learn how thoughtful design can reduce stress, improve organization, and bring a feeling of calm and stability to your home environment.

Love,

Your Friends At Ability Innovations 💡

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Donate To The Giving Tree 🌲

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Hi Friends, Welcome back to another episode of Therapy Unmasked! Today's episode isn't boring but it's about boredom. 😉 Here are some of the talking points:

Technology vs. Imaginative Play: Nick addresses the question of whether technology is killing imaginative play, suggesting that while it can be a necessary tool for some, periods of pause are essential for creativity and development, especially as we face an uncertain future.

Boredom and Executive Functioning: As an Occupational Therapist, Nick explains how boredom—or unstructured downtime—can actually be beneficial for children struggling with executive functioning challenges, such as ADHD and time blindness. Boredom acts as a necessary rest period for the brain, helping it recalibrate and process information.

Sensory Regulation and Boredom: Discover how boredom intersects with sensory seeking and sensory avoidant behaviors. Nick provides tips for parents on how to reframe downtime, explaining that activities like sitting in a sensory swing or even doing seemingly unproductive tasks are, in fact, doing a lot to regulate a child's sensory system.

Introducing Unstructured Time: Learn practical strategies for integrating "boredom time" into a child's day, even one with a strict structured routine. Nick suggests starting with short, scheduled intervals (like five minutes of alone time) and gradually building up. Fostering Creativity and Adaptability: Boredom is presented as a vital vehicle for teaching creativity and adaptability, skills that are increasingly necessary in a rapidly changing world.

"Boredom Ticklers" and Open-Ended Play: Looking for gift ideas or simple activities? Nick recommends "boredom ticklers"—open-ended tools and simple materials (like blank paper or magnetic toys) that spark intrinsic motivation and allow kids to act on their environment rather than being acted upon by screens.

Intrinsic Motivation in Teens and Young Adults: The conversation concludes by defining intrinsic motivation (choosing to do something because it comes from within) and discussing how providing space for boredom is crucial for teens to develop genuine interests, helping them move away from being constantly guided by external algorithms and social media.

Thanks Listening! Love, Your Friends At Ability Innovations

https://www.abilityinnovations.com/

https://www.weber.edu/athletic-training/occupational-therapy.html

https://www.therapy-unmasked.com/

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Hi Everyone!

On this episode of Therapy Unmasked, we welcome Occupational Therapist and educator Rhonda Roth to discuss her dynamic career and commitment to clinical excellence. Rhonda recounts her journey through acute care, schools, and skilled nursing, eventually finding her passion in pediatric Sensory Integration.

The conversation centers on the core philosophy behind her former clinic, Children in Motion: maximizing parent involvement to ensure lasting progress and timely discharge. Rhonda explains the importance of training and educating caregivers so they can effectively become their child's primary therapist.

We conclude with a look at her exciting new role spearheading the development of a four-year Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy Assisting program at Weber State University—a unique program designed to address the critical need for qualified practitioners and offer students multiple professional pathways.

Love,

Your Friends At Ability Innovations

Check out Resources Here ⬇️

https://t.mtrbio.com/abilityinnovations

Hi Everyone,

As a parent, you have a lot on your plate. If your child is in therapy, you're likely juggling multiple appointments, different therapists, and a calendar packed with sessions. What if there was a way to make therapy more efficient and even more effective?

On this episode of the Therapy Unmasked podcast, we sat down with Nick, an occupational therapist (OT), and Megan, a speech-language pathologist (SLP), to discuss co-treating. A co-treatment is a therapy session with one child but two therapists from different disciplines.

At Ability Innovations, our goal is to be interdisciplinary. We believe that by working together, we can provide better care and achieve greater success for the children we work with. According to Nick and Megan, co-treating offers several key benefits:

• Better Outcomes: When two therapists from different specialties work together, a child often makes greater progress in both areas. The therapists can build on each other's work and augment the benefits of each session. For example, an OT might work on a child's core strength on a swing, while the SLP uses that regulated state to encourage communication and language skills.

• Efficiency for Parents: Co-treating can significantly shorten the time a family has to spend at the clinic. Instead of attending two separate appointments, you can get two therapies in one session. This is a huge time-saver for busy families.

• Holistic Care: Therapy isn't just about one specific skill; it's about helping a child function better in the world. By combining two disciplines, therapists can address multiple goals at once. Megan shared a great example of a scavenger hunt she did with an OT. While the child was working on fine motor skills and handwriting with the OT, Megan had them practice and write words that targeted their speech sounds.

A major point that Nick and Megan emphasized is the importance of regulation. Regulation is about getting a child to a "just right" state where they feel calm, focused, and ready to learn. As Nick pointed out, we do this as adults all the time—whether it's having a morning coffee to wake up or chewing gum to focus. For kids, a therapist can use activities like swinging or deep pressure to help them get to that optimal state.

Megan noted that she often sees more communication from a child when they are regulated. Co-treating allows therapists to work together to achieve this state, making the therapy goals easier to reach.

While co-treating offers many advantages, it's not a perfect fit for every child. Nick and Megan discussed a few things to consider:

• Goals: Co-treating works best when the goals of both therapies can be addressed in a single, fluid session. If a child needs a very specific, quiet session to work on a skill like articulation, a separate appointment might be more effective.

• Child's Temperament: Some children thrive with the energy of two therapists, while others might become overstimulated or gravitate toward one therapist over the other. Therapists often try a session to see how the child responds.

• Insurance: Unfortunately, not all insurance companies will approve or pay for co-treatments. It's always a good idea to check with your provider to see what is covered.

Ultimately, the decision to co-treat is made on a case-by-case basis, with the child's needs and goals at the forefront.

We encourage you to listen to the full episode to hear more great stories and learn how co-treating could be a powerful option for your child's therapy journey.

Love,

Your Friends At Ability Innovations

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Hi Friends!

This episode of Therapy Unmasked is going to be a little bit different than most. The majority of this episode was recorded during our live event: The All Abilities Fair. In the first half of the podcast we had the opportunity to sit down with fair attendees and discuss what the term Progress Through Play means to them. The second half of the episode is a recording of the talent show portion of the fair. You may want to consider watching this podcast on Youtube as the visual component is very important to this episode.

Check it out here:

https://youtu.be/YG4_W5zjo28

We want to offer a huge shout out to all of the staff and parents that helped make this fair possible. Seeing this kiddos perform and showcase their art was a very special experience and we hope you enjoy.

Love,

Your Friends At Ability Innovations