Joleen R. Fernald Pediatric Therapy Services

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Joleen R. Fernald Pediatric Therapy Services This pediatric therapy practice uses the DIRFloortime Model to assess and support children.

09/01/2026

šŸ‘‘āœØ Princesses + First Sounds + FEDC 3! āœØšŸ‘‘

Sometimes communication starts with just one little sound. šŸ’›

Grab some Disney Princess figures and pair them with the FEDC 3 cards from the DIRĀ® Selective Mutism Card Deck to create a playful, child-led opportunity for purposeful back-and-forth interaction.

šŸ° Pick a princess.
šŸ”¤ Find her first sound.
šŸ—£ļø Pair that sound with a FEDC 3 card.
āœØ Then PLAY!

Think:

šŸ‘ø M ā€” Moana
ā„ļø E ā€” Elsa
šŸŒŠ A ā€” Ariel
šŸŒ¹ B ā€” Belle
ā˜€ļø R ā€” Rapunzel
šŸø T ā€” Tiana

The goal isnā€™t to get the child to ā€œsay the princessā€™s name.ā€

Instead, we can invite the first sound into an interaction that is already fun, meaningful, and connected. A sound, gesture, look, movement, or shared idea can all keep that beautiful communication circle going. šŸ’¬šŸ’ž

With selective mutism, we donā€™t have to jump from silence āž”ļø words.

We can build from connection āž”ļø engagement āž”ļø purposeful communication āž”ļø sounds āž”ļø more complex communication.

šŸ‘‘ Follow the child.
šŸ’› Keep the pressure low.
šŸ”¤ Play with sounds.
šŸ”„ Keep those communication circles going!

PurposefulCommunication SpeechTherapy SLP SelectiveMutismSupport ChildLedTherapy NeurodiversityAffirming PlayBasedTherapy

08/27/2026

šŸŽ² FEDC 2: Engagement, Gestures & Getting the Body Moving

One simple way to support FEDC 2 is to bring movement into the interaction!

Grab a die and assign a yoga pose to each number:

1ļøāƒ£ Frog šŸø
2ļøāƒ£ Down Dog šŸ¶
3ļøāƒ£ Cobra šŸ
4ļøāƒ£ Tree šŸŒ³
5ļøāƒ£ Plane āœˆļø
6ļøāƒ£ Owl šŸ¦‰

Take turns rolling the die and doing the matching pose together.

Why movement? Because gestures are motor movements too. When we help children become more aware of and organized in their bodies through whole-body movement, we can also support the motor planning needed for gesturesā€”reaching, pointing, showing, waving, nodding, moving toward another person, and using the body to communicate.

For children with Selective Mutism, this gives us another way to build engagement and communication without requiring speech. We can follow their movement, imitate them, add playful gestures, and create back-and-forth interactions that feel safe and fun.

The goal isnā€™t, ā€œCan you say it?ā€
The goal is, ā€œCan we connect and communicate together?ā€ šŸ’›

Another easy way to put your DIRĀ® Selective Mutism Card Deck into action!

08/26/2026

šŸŽ’ Back to school can bring BIG feelings.

New teachers. New classrooms. New routines. New expectations. New sensory experiences. Even exciting changes can be a lot for a childā€™s nervous system to process.

Sometimes what looks like shutting down, avoiding, becoming silly, melting down, or ā€œnot listeningā€ may actually be a child who is flooded and struggling to stay regulated.

This is where FEDC 1: Self-Regulation & Interest in the World matters. šŸ’›

The FEDC 1 DIR-SMĀ® Cards can help us slow things down and ask:

āœØ What is this childā€™s nervous system telling me?
āœØ What sensory input might help them feel more organized?
āœØ Do they need movement, rhythm, deep pressure, or less stimulation?
āœØ How can I co-regulate instead of adding another demand?
āœØ What helps this child feel safe enough to reconnect?

For children with selective mutism, regulation comes before communication. When the nervous system is flooded, our goal isnā€™t to push for wordsā€”itā€™s to help the child find their way back to a regulated, connected state where communication becomes more available.

As everyone settles into the school year, remember:

Regulate. Connect. Then communicate. šŸ§ šŸ’›

The FEDC 1 cards from the DIR-SMĀ® Card Deck give parents, teachers, and clinicians practical ideas for supporting that foundation.

So excited to welcome our new SLPA, Miss Mary!
08/25/2026

So excited to welcome our new SLPA, Miss Mary!

The Window of Tolerance helps us understand when a child is available for connection, learning, and communication.Above ...
08/12/2026

The Window of Tolerance helps us understand when a child is available for connection, learning, and communication.

Above the window, we may see anxiety, agitation, rigidity, or big reactions. Below the window, we may see withdrawal, freezing, low energy, or very little communication.

For children with Selective Mutism, this matters. When the nervous system senses danger, increasing demands for speech can make communication even harder.

šŸ’› Regulate first
šŸ©µ Connect before expecting
šŸ’› Reduce demands
šŸ©µ Support safety

Regulation supports connection ā€” and connection supports communication.

08/05/2026

The DIR-SM Card Deck was designed with selective mutism in mindā€¦ but thatā€™s only the beginning. šŸ’›

Today we paired the cards with Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and created a sequencing activity. While the goal was to support communication, something else became very clear: motor planning was playing a big role.

To sequence the story, this child had to:
āœØ Generate an idea (ideation)
āœØ Plan which card came next (planning)
āœØ Move the cards into the correct order (ex*****on)
āœØ Notice mistakes and make changes (adaptation)

When motor planning is challenging, so much cognitive energy is spent figuring out what to do next that thereā€™s less mental space available for communication.

By slowing down, co-regulating, and supporting the motor planning demands of the task, we reduced the cognitive load. As the sequence became easier, his brain no longer had to work so hard on planningā€”and that created more capacity for what we were really hoping to hearā€¦

šŸ’¬ His voice.

This is why I always encourage clinicians and caregivers to look beyond the speech. When we understand the developmental foundations that support communication, we can remove barriers instead of simply expecting more talking.

The DIR-SM Card Deck isnā€™t just a selective mutism resourceā€”itā€™s a flexible developmental tool that can support motor planning, executive functioning, visual perception, sequencing, imagination, regulation, and so much more.

Sometimes the path to communication isnā€™t asking for more wordsā€¦
Itā€™s making the rest of the task easier.

šŸŽ‰ The DIR-SM Card Deck is currently 15% off, making it a great time to add this versatile resource to your therapy toolbox!

Ā®

08/04/2026

Our back to school SALE starts tomorrow!!! From 8/4-8/5 you can shop our entire site 15% off!

Donā€™t let these savings leave without you! Start your wishlist now on www.bjoremspeech.com šŸ›’

08/04/2026

Did you know the DIR-SMĀ® Card Deck can support so much more than selective mutism? šŸŒŸ

One of my favorite ways to use the cards is alongside childrenā€™s booksā€”especially Eric Carle favorites like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? šŸ»šŸ“š

āœØ Hereā€™s what youā€™re targeting while having fun:
šŸ¦‹ Visual Perceptual Skills: Scan the cards to find the matching animal or character.
šŸ¦ Imagination & Symbolic Play: Pretend each yoga pose transforms you into the animal in the story.
šŸ¦† Sequencing & Organization: Put the cards in the correct order to retell the story and strengthen narrative skills.

This simple activity supports language, motor planning, executive functioning, visual processing, and shared engagementā€”all through playful, relationship-based learning. ā¤ļø

The possibilities are endless! Try pairing the deck with your favorite books, songs, themes, or classroom activities. The cards were designed to grow with children and support many developmental skillsā€”not just selective mutism.

šŸŽ‰ For a limited time, the DIR-SMĀ® Card Deck is 15% OFF! If youā€™ve been thinking about adding it to your therapy room, classroom, or home, now is a great time to grab a deck.

How would you use the cards beyond selective mutism? Iā€™d love to hear your ideas below! ā¬‡ļø

07/31/2026

If you're parenting a neurodivergent or sensory-sensitive child, you know this moment: the transition warning comes, and suddenly it's a meltdown.

Refusal.

Shutdown.

And you're left wondering: Is this defiance? Or is something deeper going on?

Here's what we see every day in our sessions: it's almost never about being difficult. Your child's nervous system is working overtime to shift gears-and without support, that feels impossible.

The shift that changes everything?

Moving from "my child won't" to "my child's system can't yet." That reframe opens up a whole new way to respond-with understanding instead of frustration.

Share your transition struggles in the comments. What does it look like for your family? We're here to listen, and we'd love to share one concrete strategy you can try this week. Your child doesn't need to be fixed. They need to be understood. And you've got this.

Address

2144 Duck Slough Boulevard, Suite 101
Trinity, FL
34655

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16034987825

Website

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