Ep. 133: Dr. Kelly Mahler - Interoception & Executive Function

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Our body is a screen onto which our inner experiences are frequently projected. Authors, through their writings, vividly illustrate the imprint of the mind onto the body; for example, Caroline Hanson says “Nervousness made her feel nauseous, almost like she had two hearts frantically beating in her chest, instead of one.” The human interoception system processes the internal sensations and let’s us feel what is happening in our bodies and through body-regulation we can strengthen our Executive Function by self-regulating our thoughts, behaviors, and actions without the sense of being overwhelmed. If loving oneself is the greatest revolution, then the body is its frontline fighter!

On this episode, award winning occupational therapist, author, and faculty at Elizabethtown College, Dr. Kelly Mahler discusses how to understand the signals from our body and how cultivating the abilities to know the meaning behind these signals is the key to live a healthy life.

Dr. Kelly Mahler
Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L, earned a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Misericordia University, Dallas, PA. She has been an occupational therapist for 18 years, serving school-aged children and adults. Kelly is winner of multiple awards including the 2020 American Occupational Therapy Association Emerging and Innovative Practice Award & a Mom’s Choice Gold Medal. She is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA and is actively involved in several research projects pertaining to topics such as interoception, self-regulation, trauma & autism. Kelly is an international speaker and presents frequently on topics related to the eight resources she has authored:

• The Interoception Curriculum: A Step-by-Step Framework for Developing Mindful Self-Regulation–winner of Mom’s Choice Award Gold Medal
• Interoception Activity Cards–winner of Mom’s Choice Award Gold Medal
• My Interoception Workbook: A Guide for Adolescents, Teens and Young Adults
• Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System
• And many more!

Website:

• https://www.kelly-mahler.com/

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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