Dynamic Therapy Associates

03/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14azeuSPYcG/?mibextid=wwXIfr

We’ve always known this… but it’s important it’s being said

A new paper is highlighting and reminding everyone about something many therapists have always known - Sensory differences are not unique to autism

They are seen across a wide range of developmental and clinical presentations
For many of us working in mental health, learning disabilities, trauma, schools
and across the lifespan, this is not new

Sensory integration and processing have always been part of how people move, feel, connect, cope and most importantly participate in everyday life.

So why does this matter now? Because much of the recent growth in sensory awareness has come through autism spaces

And while that visibility has been powerful it has also unintentionally narrowed the narrative. Sensory is not an “autism add-on”. It is part of being human

This paper also reminds us of something else, if we only look through a behaviour lens at sensory variations, we may misinterpret what we are seeing:

- Avoiding might be anxiety
- Sensitivity might be overwhelming
- Seeking might be exploration
- Registration differences might affect daily life in subtle ways

This is where careful assessment matters, and where we need to stay connected to:
- participation
- context
- and the lived experience of the person

At ASI Wise, we hold sensory as something that sits across the lifespan, across services and across professions. Not owned by one diagnosis, but central to how we all engage with the world. Perhaps the question is not
“Who does sensory belong to?", but “How are we using it to support participation for everyone?”

Read the full paper here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/16/3/310

03/20/2026

Share this with your physician and friends!

03/19/2026

✨ Now Serving Families Across Virginia – From the Comfort of Your Home! ✨

At Dynamic Therapy Associates, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive 💛

We offer telehealth occupational therapy and nutrition coaching designed to support your child’s unique needs—without the stress of travel. 

👶 Ages: Birth through young adulthood
🏡 Services available across ALL of Virginia
💻 Convenient virtual sessions + limited in-home support

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🌱 We can help with:
✔️ Sensory processing challenges
✔️ Feeding & picky eating
✔️ Motor delays & coordination
✔️ Life skills & independence
✔️ Behavior & regulation
✔️ Nutrition & healthy habits

Our approach is holistic and family-centered—we don’t just treat symptoms, we help uncover the root cause so your child can reach their full potential 💫 

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💬 “Therapy that fits into your real life.”
No long drives. No waiting rooms. Just real support, right where you are.

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📅 Now accepting new clients!
👉 Schedule your evaluation today:
https://dynamictherapy-associates.com

📍 Serving all of Virginia

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💡 Feel free to message me with questions or to see if this is the right fit for your child!

Dynamic Therapy Associates offers telehealth occupational therapy and nutrition coaching for children and young adults. We strive to help families overcome sensory processing issues in Wi******er, Leesburg, and Reston, VA.

03/17/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ae2bxTnms/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The sensory struggles you may be seeing in a child if…

…a child one or more retained Primitive Reflexes.

Retained reflexes can disrupt the entire sensory system, which can disrupt the child’s ability to function on a daily basis. You may not realize a reflex is retained, but you will notice behaviors that seem confusing or inconsistent.

Some of the sensory disruptions you may see include the following:
🤯 Overreacting to sounds, lights, touch, or movement
🤯 Constant fidgeting or inability to sit still
🤯 Difficulty with body awareness (seems clumsy or crashes into things)
🤯 Fight-or-flight responses to everyday situations

…and several other signs. When primitive reflexes remain active, the nervous system can stay in a stressed, protective state making it much harder for a child to feel calm, safe, and ready to learn.

To learn more about sensory disruptions and even more signs caused by retained reflexes, leave a comment below and we’ll send you the link.

03/11/2026

This new study investigated links between sensory processing, autism severity, and maternal caregiver burden in 73 autistic young children (aged 3–6) compared with 73 age- and gender-matched typically developing peers. Sensory processing difficulties were reported in 77% of the autistic children in the study. Mothers in the autism group showed significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and caregiver burden. Sensory processing differences that impacted on every day life (sensory difficulties) associated with greater caregiver burden and vestibular and visual processing differences in particular were significant predictors of caregiver burden.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2026.202818

Follow us to keep up to date on the latest research in Sensory Integration and Neurodiversity.

To learn more about supporting individuals with sensory differences across the lifespan see the link below:
https://www.sensoryintegrationeducation.com/bundles/Sensory-Inclusion-Facilitator-Certificate-B

03/03/2026

ADHD and sensory processing.
Let’s talk about it through our PEAR Tree™️Model.

A new large research review of over 5,000 people found that children and adults with ADHD are much more likely to experience sensory differences. (https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(25)00209-6/fulltext)

That means more sensory sensitivity.
More sensory seeking.
More low registration.
More avoiding.

So how do we understand this?

PEAR helps.

P – Person
ADHD is not just attention.
It is how a person experiences sound, light, touch, movement, texture, smell.
Some nervous systems register everything.
Some miss things and need more input to stay alert.
Some do both, depending on the situation.

E – Environment
Busy classrooms. Supermarkets. Open plan offices.
Fluorescent lights. Background chatter. Unexpected touch.
The same space does not feel the same to every nervous system.
For one person it is fine.
For another it is exhausting.

A – Activity
If a child is rocking, chewing, tapping, pacing, spinning, lying on the floor…
Is it defiance?
Or is it regulation?
Movement and sensation can be tools for focus.
Without the right sensory support, attention falls apart.

R – Relational Response
How we respond matters.
If we interpret sensory behaviour as “naughty” or “lazy”, stress increases.
If we recognise a nervous system doing its best, we can co regulate and adapt.

ADHD is not separate from the body.

Attention happens in sensation.
Participation happens in context.
Regulation happens in relationship.

When we see ADHD through PEAR, we stop asking
“What is wrong?”

and start asking
“What does this person need to participate safely and successfully?”

The research is aligning with lived experience.

And that gives us permission to design better support.

02/23/2026

😍

02/21/2026

Luv all of them 💙❄️🩵

And so much more! ❤️🤍

https://tacanow.org/what-we-do/family-resources/

02/14/2026

Weekly Article February 14th: A Structured Sensory-Motor Exercise Program Improves Balance and Parent-Reported Sensory Reactivity in Autistic Children.

Per the abstract, it is highlighted that autistic children often experience sensory processing and balance differences. This randomized controlled trial study followed a 16 week sensory-motor exercise program to see if it would improve these differences. "The primary outcome was balance, and the secondary, exploratory outcome was parent-reported sensory reactivity." This study suggests the functional benefit and improvement in participation in daily life activities that may occur with the implementation of sensory-motor exercises in therapeutic work with the autistic population.

Interested in a full article review? Click the link in our bio for access options!

02/14/2026

For Valentine’s Day help us get the word out! Share this page with your favorite local groups, then come back and say “done” in the comment section!

Telehealth Occupaitonal Therapy and nutrition health coaching! We are licensed in VA and WV :-)

02/06/2026

New trend: tell chat gpt to make a photo of you based on everything it knows about you:

02/02/2026

Oh no! 6 more weeks!