Today Mainstay launches our new DIRFloortime Caregiver Training Program! DIRFloortime is a person-centered approach that helps promote development through playful interactions within the context of a meaningful relationship. DIR is an initialism that stands for Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-Based model and Floortime is the practical application of these principles into the play the caregiver does with their person. This approach is person-centered because it involves following their interests and utilizing their strengths to provide a just right challenge that encourages growth and development.
DIRFloortime is grounded in the science of human development and has a large evidence base to support that it works. All people go through stages of development and in DIRFloortime we refer to these stages as Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities. These initial six stages form the foundation of a person’s learning throughout the rest of their life so by focusing on and strengthening these capacities, we set the person up for long term success. Children without developmental challenges and who have nurturing caregivers often move through these capacities in the first few years of life. However, due to neurodevelopmental and biological challenges, called Individual Differences, some people require extra support from parents, caregivers, and therapists. DIRFloortime practitioners are trained to understand how a person’s sensory profile, motor differences, and ways of communicating require a different approach and help you to provide interactions that are nurturing and feel safe for that individual.
All of this development takes place in the context of relationships. It’s through our early interactions with our caregivers that we learn to feel safe and calm, how to communicate, and how to manage our feelings. This concept holds true throughout our lives as well, so no matter what age we are, we learn best when we learn in relationship. This is why caregivers and parents are at the center of our DIRFloortime program. Because you spend the most time with your person and you know them best, we use that relationship as the primary driver of your person’s development. People, unfortunately, don’t come with instruction manuals, which is where the role of a coach comes in. It’s difficult to think about our actions while they’re taking place, so the coach is there to help you reflect on what you’re doing with your person and help you tailor your interactions to be more inviting and engaging. This empowers caregivers to build their own expertise and continue doing Floortime anywhere, anytime rather than having to wait to see a specialized therapist once per week.
We launched our DIRFloortime Caregiver Training Program because it aligns with what we hear parents and caregivers want the most for their person: to find connection and joy in shared, warm, loving relationships. There will always be more skills to improve and things to learn but relationships are one of the most important things in our lives as humans. DIRFloortime focuses on and builds the capacities that sustain and nurture these types of relationship, setting the stage for a lifetime of connection.
Visit/click here to learn more and email Tony@MainstayMusicTherapy.com to register for the program today!