Occupational Therapy with Sarah Butler

02/05/2026

Emotional regulation is oft mentioned as a goal area. I often share how it means getting good at being all the emotions, not at getting into the 'easy to be around' ones. We learn it through experience, by going through each emotion so our body and brain learns how to and learns that it is survivable.

So today I had a good example of it and since I'm on hols I've time to write it up!

My son slipped on the rock and I watched his body bounce onto his hip and elbow.
I raced across the beach and up the rock to him.
I knew exactly what to do, the beautifully clear description of physiological reaction to shock and pain in a book I read years ago has made it so easy.

The eyes he met when he looked over to me were full of empathy for the pain he was in. "You fell, I saw, it hurts" I said.

I held him, my arm loose around his body so that he could move whatever way he needed to as he processed the pain.

He rocked, writhed, roared as the pain and shock was strong. I breathed out long to calm myself as I felt the stress of seeing a loved one in pain.

I waved off another child who came closer talking about what happened. When it's a persistent adult doing that I'll sometimes say "he's dealing with being sore right now, we will chat about it after".

When the cycle finished he turned to check his wounds and I described it with him "the skin came off there, that bit will turn into a huge bruise", then we talked about what happened "you were running so sure footed, then you slipped and had a big fall". The other children reported on it being an area of wet and had scoured for other areas of potential slippiness.

He got up and they all went to pull grass to mark the areas to avoid. It was done, fully completed.

20/03/2026

When you need to increase your own sensory input so you can finish writing your report about someone else's sensory input.

24/02/2026

It's not perfect ergonomics but pretty good... when you've an hour before collection time and don't want to waste a moment of it (apart from taking this pic!)

Typing ergonomics checklist:
Screen at eye height so your neck can stay straight
Keyboard about an inch above elbow height (of your bent elbow)
Body seated comfortably

This is why in technology recommendations I always suggest a height adjustable laptop or tablet stand and an external keyboard which can connect with bluetooth

19/02/2026

16/02/2026

You don't have to be perfect to be the best!

I was so excited to watch this example with my kids - of the best in the world not being afraid to land in a crash and celebrating her gold medal win right after.

Ok so we don't all get to win gold, at anything, but we certainly all get to land on our a** some times.
If we only see people's successes we can feel like we are the only ones to fail, but failing is such an important part of learning so it's something to celebrate, expect and learn from.

11/02/2026

We've been using these on our fridge the last while, to help
1. notice whether there is a match between our energy level and the energy needed for the task that is happening, and
2. to check in with our basic needs.

31/01/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUGkF0eCVb7/?igsh=eHJvc2RjYzd6djlt

The circle, the cycle... it's hard and helpful.

30/11/2025

09/11/2025

I braved Smyths today for the "photos with what you want" session. I'm often frustrated at the ranges of toys that undermine or overwhelm children's play so today I took a few snaps of toys/presents I would recommend.

Remember the more a toy does the less a child gets to do with it, and that too many toys limits a child's ability to play.
Research has found that just 16 toys is optimum for a child to be able to play, otherwise they become "caretakers of things" or overwhelmed.

I am not a fan of marketing ploys too so cue my kids into noticing "collect them all" sets or "one in every 100 has an actual diamond (or something else special and elusive)"...

Other questions I ask
"what do you think you'll do with this?",
"are there a few different ways this can be used?",
"what's making you like the look of this?"

18/09/2025

Pre-bed football got me thinking about proprioception...as the ball got caught in the tree again, or I kicked it so wide they had to go on the wet grass to get it back...or their hands grasped for it a second too late...or it slipped to the ground as their foot rose to kick it.

Proprioception is the sense that makes the greatest number of parents cry when I explain it...because they understand the things that have been frustrating and confusing them up to that point. As more than one person has said "so all the things I've been telling them not to do, they need to do".

Proprioceptive seeking behaviours get the muscles working harder and put the joints under pressure: lifting heavy things, pushing against a person or wall, fidgeting with things, crashing onto surfaces, rough and tumble play, burrowing into spaces, squishing yourself into a little space, wearing tight clothing, hanging out of bars or trees or railings, biting, chewing and sucking on things.

When we don't have enough proprioceptive information we either do those things to "turn up the volume" for ourselves or we struggle with coordinating and timing our movements, we drop this or slam things without meaning to, we can't do things if we aren't looking at where our hands and legs are. Our focus is poorer and our sensitivity to other things (like touch and noises and lighting) is higher.

When I was a child I always slept better at my grandparents house, which had those big heavy woolen blankets. I always fidgeted with a paper clip or biro lid, bending it back and forth until it broke. I always got chided for my poorly controlled writing. Now I know I've a system that needs more proprioceptive input in order to feel and work its best...and have an office full of things I can use to get that!