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Webinar delivered June 21, 2016 for the

Federation for Children with Special Needs

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Supporting Children who have Experienced Trauma

Presented by:

Marisa Capogreco, OT/s Clare Demberger, OT/s

Andrea D. Fairman, PhD, OTR/L, CPRP Bridget McNamara, OT/s

& Ellie Wheeler, OT/s

Brief Summary This webinar describes some of the unique

aspects of interventions utilized by occupational

therapists (OTs) for children who have survived

trauma. Occupational Therapists “help people

across the lifespan participate in the things they

want and need to do through the therapeutic use

of everyday activities (occupations)” (AOTA, 2016).

See more at:

http://www.aota.org/AboutOccupationalTherapy.a

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Brief Summary (continued) This webinar will be delivered in four parts:

1. A general background on the overall impact of trauma on health and

wellness . Followed by three aspects and approaches to intervention often

used by OTs in helping children who have experienced trauma:

2. Creating a secure attachment

3. Using mindfulness to promote well-being

4. Sensory-based strategies

About the presenters: Dr. Andrea D. Fairman,

PhD, OTR/L, CPRP Associate Professor

OTD Students: Marisa Capogreco, OT/s Clare Demberger, OT/s

Bridget McNamara, OT/s & Ellie Wheeler, OT/s

Dr. Fairman teaches and

conducts research at the MGH

Institute of Health Professions.

In addition to over 15 years of

experience as an occupational

therapist, she is also a Certified

Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Practitioner (CPRP). She has

worked with many families in

providing community-based

mental health services,

including children who have

experienced trauma.

After each section we will pause for Q & A. Are there any questions before we begin?

The Global Impact of Trauma

Video Presentation by Ellie Wheeler, OT/s

Click to play Video

Questions & Answers

Attachment & Trauma

Video Presentation by Bridget McNamara, OT/s

Click to play Video

Questions & Answers

Mindfulness Video Presentation by

Clare Demberger, OT/s

Who, What, When, Where, Why & How?

What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is a spiritual or psychological faculty and

described in the healthcare literature as an intentional

engaging of a non-judgmental awareness of the present

moment

“Mindfulness allows you to be fully present in the here

and the now in order to enjoy the wonders of life that

have the power to heal, transform, and nourish us”

Thich Nhat Hanh

What is mindfulness? Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

1. Instructive material

2. Experiential practice

3. Group discussion

Mindfulness- Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

Why should I engage in mindfulness? Mindfulness allows individuals to implement a “present

oriented attention focus” which allows them to:

• Reduce anxiety and fear through exposure to thoughts

and feelings

• Experience greater levels of calm and relaxation

• Establish greater self awareness

Why should I engage in mindfulness? Mindfulness Increases:

• Attention, emotional and

cognitive understanding,

bodily awareness and

coordination, and

interpersonal awareness.

• Executive functioning skills

or the ability to organize

tasks, plan ahead, manage

time, and make decisions.

Mindfulness Decreases:

• Negative impacts of stress and toxic

stress.

• Levels of somatization, depression,

negative affect, negative coping,

rumination, and self hostility.

• Responses to social stress like

intrusive thoughts and emotional

arousal.

Who should engage in mindfulness? Simply, everyone.

•Children

•Parents

•Teachers

•Friends

•School Administration

•Health Care Professionals

…everyone!

Where can I practice mindfulness?

•School

•Home

•MBSR & MBCT weekly programs

•Community centers

•Occupational Therapy

When should I start practicing mindfulness? Let’s try some breathing exercises together.

Click on the box below to play video

How can I start my mindfulness practice with children? Try these today!

Family Meditation

Glitter Jar

Belly Breathing Rocks

Click on the box below to play video

Questions & Answers

Sensory Strategies Video Presentation by

Marisa Capogreco, OT/s

Click on the box below to play video

Wrap-Up with Final Questions, Answers

& Discussion

Click on the box below to play video

REFERENCES American Occupational Therapy Association (2016) What is occupational therapy ? Retrieved from:

http://www.aota.org/AboutOccupationalTherapy.aspx#sthash.qkMsW6zP.dpu

Baer, R. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and

Practice, 10, 125-143.

Biegel, G.M., Brown, K.W., Shapiro, S.L., & Schubert, C.M.(2009). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of adolescent

psychiatric outpatients: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 855-866.

Brown, C., & Nicholson, R. (2011). Sensory Skills. In Brown, C. & Stoffel, V.C. (Eds.), Occupational therapy in mental health: A vision for

participation (pp. 280-297). Philadelphia: FA Davis.

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). The foundations of lifelong health are built in early childhood.

http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

Danese, A., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Adverse childhood experiences, allostasis, allostatic load, and age-related disease. Physiology &

Behavior, 106(1), 29-29.

Dunn, W. (1994). Performance of typical children on the sensory profile: An item analysis. American Journal of Occupational Therapy,

48(11), 967-974.

REFERENCES - continued Flook, L., Smalley, S.L., Kitil, M.J., Galla, B., Kaiser-Greenland, S., Locke, et al. (2010). Effects of mindful awareness practices on executive

functions in elementary school children. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 26, 70–95.

Garner, A. S., Shonkoff, J. P., Siegel, B. S., Dobbins, M. I., Earls, M. F., Garner, A. S., Wood, D. L. (2012). Early childhood adversity, toxic

stress, and the role of the pediatrician: Translating developmental science into lifelong health. Pediatrics, 129(1), e224-e231.

doi:10.1542/peds.2011-2662

Gronksi, M. P., Bogan, K. E., Kloeckner, J., Russell-Thomas, D., Taff, S. D., Walker, K. A., & Berg, C. (2013). Childhood toxic stress: A

community role in health promotion for occupational therapists. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67(6), e148-e153.

Hornor, G. (2015). Childhood trauma exposure and toxic stress: What the PNP needs to know. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 29(2),

191-198.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain and illness. New York, NY:

Delacourt.

Mason, D. J., & Cox, K. (2014). Toxic stress in childhood: Why we all should be concerned. American Academy of Nursing, 62(6), 382-383.

Mendelson, T., Greenberg, M.T., Dariotis, J.K., Feagans Gould, L., Rhoades, B.L., & Leaf, P.J. (2010). Feasibility and preliminary outcomes

of a school-based mindfulness intervention for urban youth. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 38, 985-994.

REFERENCES - continued Nhat Hanh, T. (2011). Planting seeds: Practicing mindfulness with children. Berkley, CA: Parallax Press.

Petrenchik, T., & Weiss, D. (2015). Occupational therapy’s role in mental health promotion, prevention, & intervention with children and youth

childhood trauma. Retrieved from http://www.aota.org/-/media/corporate/files/practice/children/schoolmhtoolkit/childhood-

trauma.pdf

Ryan, K., Powers, D., & Lane, S. (2015). Trauma and development: An integrated best practice approach [PDF document]. Retrieved from

https://attach.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015ATTACh-Trauma_and_Development-An_Integrated_Best_Practice_Approach.pdf

Sibinga EM, Webb L, Ghazarian SR, et al. School-Based Mindfulness Instruction: An RCT. Pediatrics. 2016;137(1):e20152532

Shern, D., Blanch, A. K., & Steverman, S. M. (2014). Impact of toxic stress on individuals and communities: A review of the literature.

Mental Health America. Shonin, E., Van Gordon, W., & Griffiths, M.D. (2012). The health benefits of mindfulness-based interventions

for children and adolescents. Education and Health, 30(4).

Turner, K. (2015). Sensory Motor Model & Models of Sensory Processing. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://mghinstitute.desire2learn.com/d2l/le/content/171793/viewContent/1696569

University of Massachusetts Medical School. Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society. Differences- MBCT and

MBRS. Retrieved from: http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/mbct/mbct-and-mbsr-differences/

Thank you for your time and attention.

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