What does it really mean to provide neurodiversity-affirming care in schools? In this episode, Dr. Bryden Carlson-Giving—a neurodivergent OT and creator of the Empower Model—shares powerful insights and practical strategies to move beyond deficit-focused practices and truly center student voice, identity, and autonomy.

You’ll learn how to write strengths-based goals, conduct inclusive evaluations, and support authentic participation—while navigating the real-world challenges of school-based OT. Whether you're a seasoned OT or new to the field, this conversation will leave you inspired and equipped to better support neurodivergent learners.

Listen now to learn the following objectives:

• Learners will understand the foundations of neurodiversity affirming practice
  
  
• Learners will identify practical strategies to make OT services more empowering for neurodivergent students
  
  
• Learners will explore the empower model in School-Based OT

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Thanks for tuning into the OT Schoolhouse Podcast brought to you by the OT Schoolhouse Collaborative Community for school-based OTPs. In OTS Collab, we use community-powered professional development to learn together and implement strategies together.

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