Astronaut Training
Course Summary
Without clear information coming from the vestibular system, sights and sounds in the environment do not make sense – they are only isolated pieces of information disconnected from each other and from the meaningful whole. It is integration of sensory information that holds the key for finding meaning in the world.
Vestibular enhancement has always been central to sensory integration practice. However, the importance of administering precise vestibular input that is integrated with specific sound and vision input is only beginning to be acknowledged. This course will expand the therapist’s skills via enhanced understanding of the developmental and neurological processes of the Vestibular-Auditory-Visual Triad. Understanding how these three systems work together with the body’s senses creates a foundation for achieving competency in applying specific intervention strategies, including:
Astronaut Training: A Sound Activated Vestibular-Visual Protocol.
Astronaut Training provides precise input to all five vestibular receptors, along with auditory and visual input to create a comprehensive treatment protocol that integrates these three sensory systems. Core activities provide opportunities for an adaptive response to sensory input, which completes the sensorimotor neurological circuits underlying all function. Guidelines are provided for safe, effective use of this protocol with clients of all ages and diagnoses. Videos and case presentations will be used to demonstrate practical clinical activities focusing on activating the vestibular-visual-auditory triad, including Astronaut Training case examples.
All course materials, including presentation handouts, case studies, etc. will be provided during the course.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- List the connections between connections between the vestibular, auditory and visual systems
- Recognize the reciprocal interaction between the Vestibular-Auditory-Visual Triad and the core postural muscles.
- Underline the importance of providing precise input to each of the five vestibular receptors.
- Identify powerful new tools to expand your clinical skills, including specific activities to develop and enhance core function.
- Select when to administer the Astronaut Training: A Sound Activated Vestibular-Visual Protocol safely and effectively.
Who should attend
Occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, physiotherapists, educators and other medical professionals. Graduating students or graduate students of the aforementioned fields are also welcome
Certification:
Participants will receive a certification in the Astronaut Training Protocol. This course provides participants with the necessary background information to immediately begin incorporating Astronaut Training into their programs.
Dates
14th and 15th November, 2022 – Brisbane, Australia – Calamvale Suites and Conference Centre, Calamvale
18th and 19th November, 2022 – Sydney, Australia – Bankstown Sports Club, Bankstown
Registration Form
Early Bird Booking (Until 15th September EXTENDED TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2022!) – $1100.00 inc GST
Regular Fee (Starting 1 October 2022) – $1250.00 inc GST
Group bookings (5 or more participants in one transaction) –$990.00 inc GST (During Early Bird)
$1125.00 inc GST (Starting 1 October 2022))
Instructors
Mary J. Kawar; M.S., OT/L, is a private practitioner in El Cerrito, CA. For over 50 years she has specialized in therapeutic programs for children and adults with sensory processing and motor control issues. As a well-respected professional, Mary lectures throughout the US and internationally. Mary has a wealth of clinical experience and has been particularly successful at designing precise treatment strategies and therapeutic tools to improve vestibular, visual, and auditory integration for physical, social and cognitive engagement. She is co-author of two books/CD combinations entitled Core Concepts in Action and Astronaut Training: Sound Activated Vestibular Visual Protocol for Moving, Looking, and Listening. She has also written a chapter in the book Functional Visual Behaviour in Children.
Sheila M. Frick; OTR/L, is an internationally esteemed clinician, lecturer and pioneer in Occupational Therapy. She has over 20 years of clinical experience, having worked in psychiatry, rehabilitation and home health before specializing in paediatrics. Her expertise includes sensory processing dysfunction, sensory integration and auditory interventions. She created and continues to expand Therapeutic Listening, which she has taught to over 10,000 therapists worldwide. She also lectures on such topics as clinical neurology, respiration, the vestibular/auditory system, and various auditory interventions. She is the creator and author of Listening with the Whole Body, and co-author of Core Concepts in Action, Astronaut Training, and Out of the Mouths of Babes.