Look closer, stay curious, and find out what’s really going on beneath the struggle. Let's dig deeper and find solutions that work!

Last week we talked about the power of focusing on just one challenge at a time—because narrowing your focus allows you to get make progress with specific challenges rather than being overwhelmed by the big issues. In this episode, we take the next step: digging deeper with task analysis. Rooted in Occupational Therapy practice, the process of task analysis helps us by breaking down a challenge into its core parts and uncovering hidden factors impacting participation. Then we can develop stronger hypotheses, and problem-solve more effectively. Using the STEPS for Development (SFD) model and the ESCAPE framework for task analysis, we’ll explore how looking beyond the surface helps you choose better strategies, adapt when things don’t work, and find solutions that actually stick.

Grab your FREE PDF Guide to the STEPS for Development Task Analysis process to help you focus your thoughts and problem solve for solutions that are more likely to be successful.

Parenting can feel impossible when it seems like everything is a problem—your child never listens, can’t sit still, melts down at homework, interrupts every conversation. These big, vague concerns can leave you feeling stuck and exhausted. In this episode, we’ll explore how to shift from overwhelmed to focused by narrowing those broad worries into specific, manageable challenges.

Once we have clear statements of a specific situation or task that your child is struggling with, we can then move forward with applying our knowledge and investigating the skills needed so that we choose the right strategies for success.

In this episode, we'll explore how to hone in on what matters most to you, while gaining clarity on a specific challenge to work on. You'll learn how to:

• Make a list of concerns, no matter how general
• Reframe vague statements into specific, solvable situations
• Prioritize and choose one concern to focus on first

Small steps really do lead to lasting change. This episode will help you let go of the pressure to fix everything at once and instead find momentum by tackling one challenge at a time.

Episode bonus: Here's a worksheet to help you frame your thoughts and gain clarity on the one challenge you want to tackle first! https://tinyurl.com/pswy256j

You've tried all the tools - sensory breaks, behavior charts, all the "parenting hacks" from social media - only to end up frustrated when nothing seems to work. It's not that you or your child are failing, it's that the strategy isn't the right match. Too often, we are looking for the quick fix and don't stop to think whether this tool in this moment is the right choice. Sometimes the tool we try even escalates behaviors and increases stress! In this episode we'll explore why even tried and true strategies might backfire, how to look beneath the surface of behavior to really know what your child needs, and what it takes to start "thinking like a therapist" so that you will be more effective and successful in supporting your child. You'll get a clearer lens for problem-solving, practical steps to start today, and the confidence to stop guessing and start knowing what works for your child.