Executive Functioning

Executive functioning involves high-level cognitive skills that are required to pay attention, plan, execute, and organize daily routines and activities.  It involves skills like organizing, planning, memory, time management, flexible thinking, multitasking, problem solving, analyzing, and strategy. When a child’s executive functioning skills are weak, any task from making a bed to completing a school project can become challenging.

• Parent education class offered in this area -to inquire further please contact Catherine Cooper or refer to our Executive Functioning Parenting Class page.

integrated Listening Syssetem (ILS)

ILS is a multi-sensory program for improving brain function through the use of modulated music with developmentally appropriate activities. ILS was developed from the concept of neuroplasticity-the idea that our brains can be changed and re-written at any age through specific and repetitive stimulation. With improved brain function, our ability to focus, think, and engage successfully in social situations also improves. For more information visit: integratedlistening.com.

Therapeutic Listening (TL)

Therapeutic Listening is a program that uses modulated music to support individuals with sensory processing, listening attention, and communication challenges. For more information, visit Vital Links. vitallinks.net.

Handwriting Without Tears (HWT)

The HWT curriculum follows a simple vertical style letter formation using a multi-sensory developmental approach for teaching capital and lowercase letters. For more information, visit Handwriting Without Tears. hwtears.com.

Sensory Processing

Sensory processing involves 5 main sensory systems:

• tactile (touch)
• vestibular (balance/movement)
• proprioception (body awareness in space)
• visual
• auditory

The main ones being tactile, vestibular, and proprioception. Our bodies are constantly interpreting sensory input from these systems and when our body processes the input correctly, we are able to function successfully in everyday activities. However, when one or a few systems are not being processed or regulated optimally, attending to, participating in, and completing daily activities becomes challenging and overwhelming.

Emotional Control

Emotional control is about learning how to regulate ones emotions in their environment. Sessions including emotional control support can include working with the child on identifying their emotions and selecting appropriate coping strategies to educating families on how to address emotional control in their home environment.

Zones of Regulation

“The Zones is a systematic, cognitive behavioral approach used to teach self-regulation by categorizing all the different ways we feel and states of alertness we experience into four concrete colored zones. The Zones framework provides strategies to teach students to become more aware of and independent in controlling their emotions and impulses, manage their sensory needs, and improve their ability to problem solve conflicts.” –www.zonesofregulation.com

Here at Developmental Therapy Services of Sacramento, we use the Zones curriculum to teach our clients how to advocate for their body’s feelings and needs. However, the full curriculum is not always a good fit for every child, so we also use strategies from the Zones program and adapt it to fit each child’s individual needs.

To learn more visit: www.zonesofregulation.com