Neurodiversity and OccuPLAYtional Therapy in School: A Conversation with Kelise Olds

Welcome back to Your Kids Don't Suck! Today, we're thrilled to have Kelsie Olds, also known as The Occuplaytional Therapist on social media. Kelsie is a parent and occupational therapist specializing in child-led and neurodiversity-affirming occupational therapy.

We discuss:

Kelsie's Training and Approach:

• Rythea and Cara delve into Kelsie's background as an occupational therapist, exploring what this means and how it shapes her approach to working with children.

The Child-Centered Approach:

• Kelsie discusses her approach to working with kids, emphasizing child-led methods and its alignment with her non-authoritarian parenting style. She contrasts this with mainstream practices, highlighting the differences and benefits.

Navigating Neurodiversity:

• The conversation shifts towards neurodiversity and how Kelsie transitions from a behaviorist lens to a more connected and conscious approach both as a parent and professional.

Support in Schools:

• Kelsie shares insights into her work (and play) within school settings, detailing how she supports children, teachers, and staff in the strong direction of non-coercive practices. The hosts inquire about steps parents can take if they feel their child isn't receiving adequate support in schools.

Advice for Educators:

We seek advice from Kelsie on how educators can become more conscious and connected in their approach to teaching and supporting children.

Find Kelsie on socials:

https://www.occuplaytional.com/

@occuplaytional on Instagram

https://www.facebook.com/occuplaytional

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It’s important and essential to put our voices (Rythea and Cara) in a context. We are two white, cis-gender, straight, middle-class women living with financial and societal privilege. Because of this, our perspectives are limited and do not reflect the realities of all our listeners. This podcast will feature guests with expertise around conscious parenting who differ in gender, race, class, abilities, sexual orientation, and histories from us, to broaden the conversation and reflect the lives of as many people as possible. 25% of the proceeds of this podcast will go to creators of color who have been mentors and influences on our work and in our growth as parents. You can donate to this podcast by going to https://linktr.ee/yourkidsdontsuck