Feb 2024 - Best Practices for Interoception-Based Supports - Kelly Mahler

I’ve been following Kelly’s work for a while now and this is the first on demand training of hers I have done. Really clear best practice principles for using interoception based supports with practical examples for how to implement. Gets me thinking about how foundational these skills are for emotion regulation and self-management and how important it is to explore interoception.

May 2024 - Interoception and Monotropism: Paying attention to Autistic and ADHD experiences - Kelly Mahler and Kieran Rose

• Really engaging and informative webinar. Clear definitions of interoception (internal bodily senses), monotropism (deep dives), polytropism (swimming on the surface) and interesting discussion on the links between these and lived experiences of not being able to follow your innate monotropic way of thinking.

• Key learnings: implicit and explicit branches of interoception, learned interoception predictions; autistic attentional styles are different, with deeper dives; monotopism is an intrinsic, interest based model of attention; cumulative multi-level invalidation and pathologisation of autistic experiences and ways of being and how this creates trauma, shifts our trust in the body and impacts sense of self; attention is not just taking notice of something, it is also regarding it as interesting or important; monotropism about more than attention, impacts transitions, sensory processing, interests, interoceptive awareness, movement, behaviour, perception, learning, biological and emotional responses; a dysregulating environment impacts the ability to get into a flow state, need to work on meeting needs and creating safety.

• Strategies: identify and challenge rigid polytropic practices; validate and honour monotropic processing; nurture interoceptive (re)learning; nurture interoceptive attention during a flow state.

June 2024 - Interoception and Masking, Kelly Mahler and Kieran Rose

• Interoception, foundation for co-regulation, building the interceptive awareness bridge = co-regulation -> interoceptive awareness -> self-regulation; interoception and early life trauma, express discomfort, needs not met, disconnect from internal experience to survive, non-affirming experiences -> learning inner needs are not important, disrupts IA bridge development

• Masking, starts with dismissal of sensory needs, unmet needs and trauma, masking as a lifelong developmental issue, cumulative multi-level invalidation and pathologisation, disconnect of brain and body self, impact on identity development, negative internal narrative, masking as projecting acceptability, changing/exaggerating/suppressing behaviours, identity forms around unsafety, try and predict other people’s expectations and meet them

• Domains of masking: behaviour, linguistic, appearance, dissociation, suppression -> poorer outcomes; interoception and masking cycle, compliance and behaviourism -> masking interoceptive identity, alexithymia as a trauma response linked to interoception and masking

• Strategies: help the person feel safe, curiosity, opportunities to explore and re-learn interoceptive identity, there is a difference between not feeling and not trusting -> slow process of self-exploration to reconnect, promote interoceptive felt safety, interoception exploration, continue learning.

• Thought provoking and useful information, deeper definition of masking, linking to trauma and interoception feels hugely useful as I am often working with people around emotion regulation and self-awareness and interoception is a big part of this. Lots to ponder and affirms the importance of looking at these topics.

June 2024 - Sensory Processing Trauma and Attachment, Advanced Training: Embedding Sensory Approaches and Trauma-Informed Care in Occupation Based Practice - Tina Champagne

• 2 days of all things sensory and getting to meet the amazing Tina Champagne!

• Topics: occupations, everything is sensory, sensory systems, nervous system, different models and frameworks, terms, focus on proprioception/tactile/vestibular, interoception, olfaction and trauma, stress and trauma, brain changes due to trauma and impact on sensory development, default mode network and central executive network, attachment, using a developmental approach, window of tolerance (window of resilience, circle of capacity), Polyvagal Theory, co-regulation, assessments, sensory modulation program, therapeutic use of self, individual strategies and environment, train the trainer, risk management.

• It was affirming to realise just how much I actually already know. I came away with some new pieces of information and the confidence to deliver my own trainings and put my focus into knowledge translation. Some topics I want to explore further: sensory discrimination and praxis, looking at different assessments, look into the neurosequential model of therapeutics, learn more about the DMN and trauma, look into the circle of capacity and window of resilience.

July 2024 - Te Pou Sensory modulation - whakaāio ā-rongo training package - launch webinar

• Launch of a new sensory modulation training package with an e-learning module and resources, including a series of six booklets (theory, cultural responsiveness, assessment, sensory modulation approaches, sensory modalities, using in practice, bringing it all together).

• Useful tools and templates accompany the information.