Addressing Sensory & Emotional Regulation through a DIR Floortime Approach

Explore how to integrate sensory, emotional, and psychological factors to support neurodivergent individuals through regulation strategies
About this Event

How to Stay Regulated When Life Isn't: An Interdisciplinary DIR Floortime Approach to Address Sensory and Emotional Regulation

Date: April 29, 2025 (7-8:15PM EST)
Speaker: Dr. Lauren Tobing-Puente & Toni Tortora, MS OTR/L
Hosted by: Dr. Scott Mesh
Format: Online Webinar

- Join for FREE: get a Certificate of Attendance at the end.

- CE Certificate/CEUs $9
○ 1.0 CTLE CE Hours (CE Certificate)
○ 1.0 NYSED SW CE Hours (CE Certificate)
○ 1.0 NYSED PT CE Hours (CE Certificate)
○ 0.1 ASHA CE Credits (via ASHA Registry) pending

REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN CE Certificate/CEUs:
○ You MUST attend the webinar from start to finish
○ You MUST fill out the attendance form (will be sent via email)
○ You MUST answer & submit the evaluation form after the webinar (will be sent via email)
○ ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR ASHA: You MUST PASS the QUIZ (75% pass rate)

Failure to fulfill requirements may result in delays receiving your certificate/credits, or in some cases, non-receipt of your certificate/credits.

Webinar Description:
As teachers and therapists,it is important to understand the value of using an interdisciplinary approach when working with neurodivergent individuals. The presenters, a psychologist and an occupational therapist, will describe the importance of recognizing and supporting both sensory and emotional individual differences in clients, families and in ourselves, as well as the underlying neurological basis for doing so. Engagement and relating can only be achieved once there is regulation. But how do we get to a state of regulation and which regulatory strategies should we provide? Should we push our client on a swing or model breathing techniques? This webinar will demonstrate why it is less important to think about this as an “OR” question, and more useful to think about integrating what we know about an individual’s sensory system, psychological factors, and emotional environment, and how to address them in the context of an emotionally meaningful relationship.

Objectives:
The participants will be able to…
1. Explain the benefit of using an interdisciplinary approach for addressing regulation.
2. Describe the neurology that underlies sensory and emotional regulation, highlighting the Polyvagal theory.
3. Identify strategies for promoting regulation within their clients, students, parents and/or themselves.

Speaker's Bio
Dr. Lauren Tobing-Puente is a licensed psychologist who earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in child and family therapy, from Fordham University. She leads a team of mental health clinicians at her private practice, Connected Growth & Wellbeing, in NYC which provides evaluations and treatment for individuals, from toddlerhood to adulthood, and their families, as well as professional consultations and training, and parent workshops. Dr. Tobing-Puente is the former Clinical Coordinator of a large nonpublic school where she supervised a multidisciplinary team of mental health clinicians, and evaluated and provided psychotherapy to students through age 21 using the DIRFloortime methodology. Her diverse experience includes many years working in home-based and center-based Early Intervention, independent preschool and elementary school, Head Start, and hospital settings for children with various developmental needs. Dr. Tobing-Puente was a long-time board member of the NY Metro chapter of the National Autism Association (NAA).

Toni Tortora, MS OTR/L is an occupational therapist and ICDL Expert-level DIRFloortime® Training Leader and independent consultant. She provides occupational therapy evaluations, consultations, DIRFloortime® parent coaching, services and training. Toni received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from SUNY, Downstate Medical Center. She is the Clinical Director of the Rebecca School, where she has worked since 2008. Toni has extensive training in DIRFloortime® and teaches courses for professionals and parents through ICDL (International Council on Development and Learning) about child development, DIRFloortime® in schools and DIRFloortime® across the lifespan. Toni also teaches courses and lectures in sensory integration, trauma, and learning in the classroom environment. Toni believes that parent and self-advocate choice are essential when supporting neurodiverse families.

Host's Bio
Dr. Mesh is a clinical psychologist and the co-author of the book “Early Childhood Assessment: A Practical Guide to Psychological and Developmental Evaluations in the Early Intervention Program.” He has worked with families for over 30 years. Dr. Mesh is the Co-Founder and CEO of Los Niños Services, an award-winning Early Childhood Special Education program in New York City, and the Founder of Young Child Learning which provides professional development to teachers and all professionals working with young children. He consults with professionals and parents on the challenges they face in helping young children achieve their full potential. Dr. Mesh is the author of upcoming book Tapas: Tasty Inspirational Poems(www.inspire.nyc).

Cancellation Policy:
If you cancel within 30 days before the event, the registration fee is not refundable. However, you will receive a credit for the registration fee which can be applied to another Young Child Learning event within the following 12 months. The processing fee is non-refundable.

Special Accommodations or Requests.
Individuals with disabilities in need of special accommodations should contact the Admin, Cari Laroza at (212) 787-9700 ext. 3330 to make a request. The Admin will work with the team to provide the necessary accommodations. Requests for special accommodations must be made at least a month prior to the webinar date. Once accommodations are found, the Admin will confirm need for accommodations. Once the individual confirms, the special accommodations will be secured. If the individual finds that he or she is no longer in need of the accommodations, he or she must contact the Admin a week before the webinar date.

Grievance Policy & Procedure
Young Child Learning will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of program participants. The monitoring and assessment of compliance with these standards will be the responsibility of Young Child Learning. All grievances must be submitted in writing (via e-mail or mail) within 30 days of the end of the webinar date. Any supporting documents must be included with the submitted complaint. For all grievances, contact information (name, phone number, and email) must be provided in the case that the Young Child Learning team may need clarification.
Submit complaints in writing to Young Child Learning, 505 8th Avenue, Floor 12A Room 02, New York, NY 10018 or via email at [email protected]. If you have any additional questions or concerns, contact Cari Laroza at (212) 787-9700 ext. 333 or at [email protected]

This webinar is presented by Young Child Learning & sponsored by Los Niños Services.

About Young Child Learning
Young Child Learning (YCL) organizes Early Childhood Webinars. The mission of YCL is to help all early childhood professionals learn, grow, and help young children get a good start in life and achieve their full potential. YCL carries on the tradition of the Young Child Expo and Conference.

About Los Niños Services
Los Niños Services is an award-winning multilingual agency that has been serving young children with developmental delays and autism for 25 years. Los Niños is one of the leading early chilhood special education providers in NYC and surrounding communities. Los Niños serves all children and families from all communities providing services such as the Early Intervention Program, Preschool Special Education, & Private Services/ABA Private Insurance Services.

If you have further questions, contact Cari Laroza (Administrator) at [email protected]

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