Professional Development

Irvine Therapy Services partners with schools, educators, administrators, and school-based support teams to provide professional development rooted in relationship-based, neurodiversity-affirming care. Our goal is to share practical, experience-based strategies that help teams better understand the “why” beneath behavior and support students in feeling regulated, connected, and ready to learn.

Professional development offerings may include in-service trainings, hands-on workshops, mentorship, and consultation—tailored to the needs of your school team and student population.

Topics We Commonly Support

Our school-based professional development is designed for teachers, school staff, administrators, and caregivers navigating common challenges such as:

Understanding and responding to challenging behaviors
Supporting neurodivergent learners in inclusive settings
Making meaningful accommodations in the classroom
Promoting sensory health, regulation, and engagement
Using connection, co-regulation, and intentional language to support learning

Trainings and workshops can be booked live and in person (we come to your school or community) or accessed as pre-recorded options, depending on your needs, schedule, and staff availability.

In addition to our current offerings, we can collaborate with your team to develop a customized training based on your school’s needs and our areas of expertise (e.g., sensory processing, interoception, social-emotional development, reading and literacy, AAC, Gestalt Language Processing).

Current Offerings

Live / In-Person Trainings and Workshops

Using the DIR® Approach to Support Challenging Behaviors in Schools (1.5 hours)
Playful, Connected, and Regulated: Supporting Challenging Behaviors through Connection, Co-Regulation, and Intentional Language (1.5–2 hours, customizable)
Understanding Sensory Processing and Regulation: Helping Children Feel Calm, Connected, and Ready to Learn (1 hour; available for school staff and/or parent communities)
Handwriting Without Tears Workshop: An Introduction to Teaching Readiness and Developmentally Appropriate Handwriting (1–1.5 hours, customizable)

Pre-Recorded In-Service Trainings

Beneath Behaviors
School-Based Challenging Behaviors

Each training blends developmental understanding, real-world examples, and actionable strategies that educators can apply immediately in classrooms and school environments.

Mentorship & Consultation (OT and SLP)

In addition to trainings and workshops, Irvine Therapy Services offers mentorship and consultation to support school-based teams and clinicians who want deeper guidance, collaboration, and practical support in real-time school settings.

Individualized Support Based on Your Team’s Needs

Mentorship and consultation are individualized based on the needs of your school team, clinician, or student population. Support may be provided by an Occupational Therapist or Speech-Language Pathologist depending on the primary focus area. When helpful, we can also collaborate across disciplines to ensure teams receive practical, well-rounded guidance that supports participation, communication, regulation, and learning in the school setting.

For newer school-based OTs and SLPs, mentorship is provided by the corresponding discipline (OT-to-OT or SLP-to-SLP) to support confidence, clinical reasoning, and practical school-based implementation.

This Service Is Ideal For

Public, charter, and non-public schools
School-based OT and SLP teams
Newer clinicians seeking mentorship and confidence in school practice
Programs supporting students with complex regulation, behavior, or communication needs

Mentorship May Include Support With

Understanding behavior through a sensory, regulation, and nervous system lens
Building practical classroom accommodations and routines
Supporting neurodivergent learners with connection-based strategies
IEP participation, goal development, and service planning
Strengthening evaluation interpretation and school-based recommendations
AAC and communication access supports
Literacy and language-based learning support (including reading development)
Collaboration strategies for school teams and caregivers

Mentorship Formats

Mentorship and consultation can be provided through:

1:1 clinician coaching (virtual or in-person)
Case discussion and problem-solving meetings
Classroom or campus observation with follow-up recommendations
Support with evaluation questions, goal writing, and school documentation
Short-term support or ongoing mentorship over time

Interested in Professional Development?

We are happy to discuss your school’s needs and recommend a training, workshop, consultation format, or mentorship plan that best supports your staff and students.