I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Meg Ferrell, formerly Meg Proctor, on the Two Sides of the Spectrum podcast.
We spoke about the ways the field of pediatric feeding therapy is changing is such positive ways as we learn about neurodiversity and listen voices of those with lived experiences.
Listen
Dec 06, 2023—Ep. 83: Creating Gentler Approaches to Feeding Differences
Description
So many therapists are grappling with how to reconcile our feeding therapy training with what we are learning from Autistic adults. On the podcast, we’ve heard that systematic desensitization – even when it’s play-based – can feel like torture. We’ve learned that what looks like progress towards accepting new foods can actually be Autistic masking. And we’ve learned that family meals simply aren’t best for every child. In this episode, Marsha Dunn Klein, creator of the Get Permission Approach, shares with us her own journey towards aligning her work with neurodiversity-affirming practices. We dive into what this looks like for her, what she’s learned from interviewing Autistic adults, and what affirming feeding therapy can look like in your work.
About The Podcast
Have you ever heard that people on the autism spectrum aren’t great at perspective taking? It turns out that it’s actually a problem on two sides of the spectrum. Autistic people often have to work harder to take the perspective of neurotypical people. And many have spent countless hours of therapy doing this work. But new research shows that neurotypical people have just as much trouble taking the perspective of our autistic peers. It’s time for us to get to work too. Join me as I talk to neurodivergent adults and explore new research to help me and other OTs and SLPs better understand and connect with our autistic clients.