Sensory Integration and Mental Health: Self-Care – Balancing Our Emotional and Professional Selves

Description

A conversation with Erika Lally, LMHC
moderated by Erin Flynn, MS, OTR/L

Recorded March 2022

This discussion is part of the 2022 LiveTalk Series Sensory Integration and Mental Health: Exploring and Expanding Our Role. The series is included in all SPIRAL Memberships.

Description: When working in relational work, and caring for individuals with sensory processing challenges, understanding and implementing self-care is essential to stay regulated and avoid burn-out, especially during stressful times. This talk will explore the crucial role of self-care and self-reflection for therapists as well as how to integrate these concepts in setting and maintaining healthy professional boundaries. Erika will explain the role that mirror neurons, and the neurobiology of underlying empathy, play in balancing our emotional and professional selves. Lastly, we will discuss how individuals can explore ideas for self-care in order to determine which strategies work best for them.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the 2022 LiveTalk Series participants will be able to:

1. Identify how to increase mental health knowledge for occupational therapy professionals across settings
2. Recognize relationship and developmental based mental health models that compliment Sensory Integration intervention
3. Select intervention modalities and models that support mental health while utilizing Sensory Integration principles

By the end of this discussion, part 3 of 10 in the 2022 LiveTalk Series, participants will be able to:

1. Define and describe the concepts of emotional and professional self
2. Introduce the role of mirror neurons and the neurobiology underlying empathy
3. To explain the crucial role of self-care and self-reflection for providers doing relational work and how to integrate these concepts in setting and maintaining healthy professional boundaries

About the Speaker: Erika Lally, LMHC is the owner of Center Psychotherapy with a specialization in treating complex trauma. She additionally provides trauma consultation, training and supervision to help clinicians hone their trauma treatment skills. She has taught extensively through Lesley University and the Trauma Center Certificate Program prior to starting her group practice.
Erika works from a humanist approach and tailors her treatment to individual client needs. She is comfortable in verbal and nonverbal modalities and bases her practice on the belief that individuals have a resiliency and innate drive towards wellness. Treatment approaches include EMDR, art therapy, sand tray and play therapy. Self-care practices include swimming, martial arts and yoga.

Disclosure: Ms. Lally has no financial relationships to disclose.

Course Level: Introductory

Audience: OT/ OTA, PT /PTA, SLP, psychologists, educators, parents

AOTA Areas: Occupational Therapy Service Delivery: Evaluation, Intervention and Outcomes. Professional Issues: Administration and Management. Foundational Knowledge: Social Determinants of Health

Contact Hours: This conversation is worth 1 contact hour or 0.1 AOTA CEUs. The full series has been approved for 10 contact hours or 1.0 AOTA CEUs.

Completion Requirements: To receive contact hours for this course you must listen to the discussion in its entirety and complete the accompanying assessment.

ADA/Section 504: If you require special accommodations, please contact the Spiral Foundation at admin@thespiralfoundation.org or (617) 969-4410 ext. 267

Continuing Education: Occupational Therapy Practitioners/ Occupational Therapy Assistants: Foundation is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants by the American Occupational Therapy Association. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.