CLOSED GROUP | November 6, 2026 – LIVE WEBINAR – Brains In Training & Regulation and Connection

November 6, 2026 | 9:00 AM-12:15 PM CST

Two sessions will be held during this event, and attendance is required for both sessions to receive CEU credit. Information on each session is available below.

9-10:30am – Brains in Training: Playful Paths to Language and Motor Development with an Executive Function Lens

As pediatric therapists, we frequently engage children in learning tasks designed to build communication, motor, and functional skills. However, many children come to therapy without the foundational cognitive skills needed to benefit fully from intervention. Executive function, the set of mental processes that includes perception, attention, working memory, initiation, and cognitive flexibility, is central to learning and development across domains. When these skills are underdeveloped, children may struggle not only with language and communication, but also with play, motor learning, social interaction, and participation in daily routines.
When executive function challenges are present, traditional interventions may not fully meet a child’s needs. Supporting these foundational skills is essential for meaningful progress. Fortunately, therapists are uniquely positioned to integrate executive function support into their practice. By embedding strategies into play, movement, and sensory-rich experiences, we can strengthen attention, memory, flexibility, and self-regulation while simultaneously targeting communication, fine-motor, and gross-motor goals.

This presentation will explore the intersection of executive function with communication, motor learning, and participation. Presenters will highlight how to identify deficits, support skill development, and integrate strategies into therapy. Presenters will offer perspectives from both speech-language pathology and occupational therapy, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration. Attendees will gain practical tools for engaging caregivers and other professionals in fostering executive function to enhance communication and motor outcomes.

All content in this course is applicable to all pediatric settings treating this population.

Following this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify at least 3 executive function skills that may be hindering communication and motor progression
2. Describe how to modify goals to address the underlying executive function deficit that may be impacting progression
3. Describe at least 3 intervention strategies to support executive function skills as either a pediatric OT, SLP, or PT
4. List alternative caregiver recommendations to improve and generalize skills across settings and routines

10:45am-12:15pm – Regulation & Connection: Sensory & Nervous System Considerations in Pediatric Intervention

Effective pediatric therapy requires more than addressing skills. It requires understanding how a child’s sensory processing and nervous system regulation influence behavior, engagement, motor performance, and communication.

This course equips pediatric physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists with a practical, neuro-informed framework for interpreting and supporting regulation across settings. Participants will explore both external and internal sensory systems, including interoception, and examine how sensory modulation, discrimination, and praxis impact functional performance and participation.

Therapists will also gain insight into the role of the autonomic nervous system, including stress responses such as fight, flight, freeze, and fawn, and how these states affect a child’s ability to engage in therapy.

Emphasis is placed on clinical application, helping therapists:
• Reframe behavior through a regulation lens
• Use co-regulation, interaction style, and environmental supports to improve engagement
• Integrate strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming approaches into practice
Participants will leave with actionable strategies to better support regulation, enhance participation, and improve outcomes across pediatric therapy settings.

Following this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the role of sensory processing and the autonomic nervous system (including fight, flight, freeze, fawn) in shaping pediatric behavior, engagement, and participation in therapy.
2. Analyze how differences in sensory modulation, discrimination, praxis, and interoception influence motor performance, communication, and functional outcomes across pediatric populations.
3. Apply neuro-informed strategies (e.g., co-regulation, environmental modifications, and interaction style adjustments) to support regulation and improve engagement during therapy sessions.
4. Integrate strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming approaches into clinical decision-making to enhance participation and promote meaningful outcomes in pediatric therapy.

These courses meet the requirement for Professional Development hours towards your ASHA renewal since it is approved by TSHA! You can count these hours towards ASHA renewal when you submit your Compliance Form.