Let's Get Curious with Replenishing Soul

Episode #29: Why Crawling, Reflexes & Sensory Development Matter with Missy Broxton, Pediatric Occupational Therapist

In this episode, we welcome back pediatric occupational therapist Missy Broxton to explore one of the most foundational — and often overlooked — pieces of child development: primitive reflexes. With nearly three decades of experience and a deeply compassionate, whole-child approach, Missy helps us unpack the “Pyramid of Learning” and why so many learning, behavioral, sensory, and emotional challenges actually begin far below the surface. From attention and handwriting struggles to anxiety, coordination, and emotional regulation, this conversation shines a light on the critical building blocks children need in order to thrive. Together, we dive into how primitive reflexes develop, why they’re essential in infancy, and what can happen when they don’t fully integrate. Missy explains the difference between voluntary and involuntary movement patterns, the importance of tummy time and crawling, and how early experiences — including pregnancy, delivery, trauma, stress, and even container baby culture — can impact neurological development. The discussion is both eye-opening and incredibly validating for parents who may have sensed something deeper was going on with their child’s struggles. We also explore the powerful connection between reflex integration and everyday functioning. Missy shares how retained reflexes can affect everything from focus in the classroom and reading comprehension to social skills, confidence, and anxiety. One of the most fascinating parts of the conversation is hearing how her own journey learning about primitive reflexes completely changed the way she approached therapy — and why addressing the nervous system first can unlock progress where traditional approaches may hit a wall. This episode is packed with practical insight, compassion, and hope for parents, caregivers, therapists, and educators alike. Whether you’re raising a neurodivergent child, navigating developmental concerns, or simply curious about how early movement patterns shape lifelong learning and regulation, this conversation will leave you seeing child development through an entirely new lens. SHOW NOTES: Online Primitive Reflex Course for parents and therapists: Harkla [https://harkla.co/collections/courses?srsltid=AfmBOoqi8PbiVoxT7awbyetIF5xPJOXfZxDvNPt4d5Qgj-UeyQTRtvdu] Sonia Story- Online Resources & Website: Move, Play Thrive- Brain and Sensory Foundations [https://moveplaythrive.com/about/about-sonia-story] Missy Broxton's Website:  Building Blocks Pediatric Therapies [https://www.buildingblockstherapies.com/about] BOOKS: A Teacher's Window Into The Child's Mind [https://amzn.to/4nm7vRc]- By Sally Goodard Integrating Primitive Reflexes Through Play & Exercise: Morro Reflex [https://amzn.to/4tvmgm9]: Startle Reflex ATNR [https://amzn.to/3PsUOHK]: Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex - separate left side of body from right Spinal Galant Reflex [https://amzn.to/4nglfwK]: for bedwetting STNR: [https://amzn.to/3PhKbau]  Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex - separated upper body from lower body Palmar Grasp & Babinski Reflex [https://amzn.to/49CQtsd] TLR: [https://amzn.to/42nWiG8]Tonic Labyrinth Reflex VIDEOS: Fear Paralysis Video - watch here [https://youtube.com/shorts/kLz2QVSmx_g?feature=share]

Episode #28: Why Breathing, Sleep, and Tongue Position Matter for Your Child’s Development with Kelley Carter, pediatric Speech Pathologist

In today’s episode, DiDi and I sit down with speech-language pathologist Kelley Carter, who brings over 20 years of experience working with children and families. Kelley shares her journey from working in geriatrics to building a thriving pediatric practice focused on early intervention and whole-child development. We dive into the world of myofunctional therapy—what it is, why it matters, and how something as simple as the way your child breathes, sleeps, or rests their tongue can impact everything from speech and feeding to behavior, sleep quality, and even facial development. Kelley helps us connect the dots between mouth breathing, poor sleep, and symptoms that can often be mistaken for ADHD. She also walks us through early signs to look for in babies and young children—especially when it comes to feeding challenges, oral function, and airway health—so we can better support our kids from the very beginning. If you’re a mom who has ever wondered about your child’s sleep, behavior, feeding, or development, this episode will open your eyes to a whole new perspective and give you practical insight into what to look for and when to seek support. SHOW NOTES: Have questions for Kelley you can reach her through her website below. Speakeasy: website [https://www.speakeasytherapylv.org/] ⭐ If you’re loving the podcast, don’t forget to give us a star rating—it really helps us grow!   Please consider writing us a review on your favorite podcast platform as this keeps our podcast in the forefront for others to find us with ease. Follow us on  IG [https://www.instagram.com/replenishing_soul/]  THANK YOU!  Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is based on the opinions and experience of Lori, Dorothy and their guests. The content should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or a treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you

Episode #27: Raising the Standard in Pelvic Floor Training - How the Buff Muff Pro Trainer Course is Redefining Pelvic Health Care

If you’re a fitness professional, birth worker, PT, chiropractor, women’s health provider — or a mom who’s realized no one really taught you how your pelvic floor works — this episode is for you.    In this special conversation, we sit down with Kim Vopni (The Vagina Coach) and Natalie Headdings to share the evolution of their work — and introduce their newly updated Buff Muff Pro Trainer. What began as prenatal birth preparation programs and postpartum recovery systems has evolved into a comprehensive, fitness-based pelvic floor training methodology designed for professionals & women who want to confidently and safely integrate pelvic health into their practice or lives. In this episode, Kim shares how her journey — from witnessing childbirth and fearing what pregnancy might do to the body, to becoming a distributor of the EPI-NO device, to building global pelvic health education programs — led her to create the original Buff Muff Method. A method grounded in one simple but revolutionary idea: The pelvic floor is a group of muscles. And muscles respond to training. Natalie shares how her experience as a doula and Pilates instructor exposed the massive gap between birth work and fitness — and how discovering Kim’s work changed her professional path entirely. Now a master trainer and co-creator of the updated Buff Muff Pro Course, she helps lead the next generation of professionals in evidence-informed pelvic floor training. Together, they explain: *Why pelvic floor education is still missing from most professional certifications *What traditional postpartum care overlooks *How to apply strength training principles like progressive overload to pelvic     health *Why breath, glutes, hips, and core function are inseparable from pelvic floor   health And how the newly updated Buff Muff Pro Trainer Course equips professionals to confidently assess, program, and support clients at every life stage — from prenatal to perimenopause and beyond. This episode isn’t just about awareness. It’s about equipping you with tools. If you’ve ever felt underprepared when a client mentions leakage, prolapse, diastasis, painful intercourse, or postpartum recovery — this conversation will show you there is a better way to bridge the gap between fitness and pelvic health. The Buff Muff Pro Trainer Course is designed to give you practical frameworks, movement progressions, and the confidence to talk about pelvic health without whispering — and without stepping outside your scope. Listen in to learn how this updated training course is changing the standard for pelvic floor education inside the fitness and birth world. SHOW NOTES: The Buff Muff Pro Trainer Course [https://www.vaginacoach.com/pro] The Bristol Poop Chart: [https://med.stanford.edu/content/dam/sm/ppc/documents/General_Primary_Care/Bristol-stool---simple.pdf]  print and post by your kiddos toilets.  Teach them early what a healthy poop looks like. YouTube:  Watch Here [https://youtu.be/jMxzx-Qjq1w] ⭐ If you’re loving the podcast, don’t forget to give us a star rating—it really helps us grow!   Please consider writing us a review on your favorite podcast platform as this keeps our podcast in the forefront for others to find us with ease. Follow us on  IG [https://www.instagram.com/replenishing_soul/]  THANK YOU!  Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is based on the opinions and experience of Lori, Dorothy and their guests. The content should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or a treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you

Episode #26: Aging: What a Physical Therapist Want You to Know

In this deeply personal episode, Lori shares why aging has been weighing on her heart—and why she feels called to talk about it now. After more than 28 years as a physical therapist, much of that time spent working in nursing homes, Lori has witnessed the aging process up close. She’s walked into countless rooms to find frail older adults recovering from devastating falls, often saying the same thing: “I don’t know how I got here.” Those moments stayed with her, and this episode is Lori’s way of pulling back the curtain on what she’s seen, learned, and lived—both professionally and personally. Lori opens up about how aging isn’t something that suddenly happens overnight, but something that builds quietly over decades through small losses in strength, balance, and mobility. Drawing from her years in geriatric care, she explains how losing the ability to do basic movements—like getting out of a chair, rising from the floor, or walking confidently—often leads to dependence, fear, and injury. Her goal in sharing this isn’t to scare listeners, but to empower them with awareness and a sense of control over their future. With passion and clarity, Lori walks listeners through simple, real-life ways to assess where they are right now and what they can start doing differently. She explains the powerful connection between muscle, bone density, balance, and aging—especially for women navigating perimenopause and menopause—and why strength, mobility, and movement are essential long before problems show up. These aren’t extreme workouts or complicated routines, but practical, preventative tools grounded in decades of hands-on experience. At its core, this episode is about hope. Lori believes deeply that it’s never too late to start, and that small, intentional actions taken today can dramatically change how we age tomorrow. This conversation is an invitation to move with purpose, shift your mindset, and learn from someone who has seen both sides of aging—what happens when we ignore it, and what’s possible when we choose to care for our bodies before it’s too late. SHOW NOTES: Mel Robbins podcast recommendations:  Dr.  Vonda Wright:   Look, Feel & Stay Younger Forever:  #1 Orthopedic Surgeon's Proven Protocol [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mel-robbins-podcast/id1646101002?i=1000697960651] Dr.  Staci Sims:  The Ultimate Guide to Menopause:  How to Boost Your Metabolism, Build Muscle and Balance Your Hormones [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ultimate-guide-to-menopause-how-to-boost-your/id1646101002?i=1000745184521] The Diary of a CEO: Cognitive Decline Expert:  The Disease That Starts in Your 30's but Kills You in Your 70's [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cognitive-decline-expert-the-disease-that-starts-in/id1291423644?i=1000748325689] Article:  Harvard Health Publishing [https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/age-and-muscle-loss] on age and muscle loss   DISCLAIMER:   The information shared on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is based on the opinions and experience of Lori Dorothy and their guests. The content should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Diagnosis or a treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast

Episode #25: Making Sense of Learning Struggles: A Pediatric Occupational Therapist Explains

In this episode of Let’s Get Curious, we’re joined by Missy Broxton, MS, OTR/L, a pediatric occupational therapist with over 28 years of experience specializing in sensory integration, functional vision, and child development. Missy shares her bottom-up approach to occupational therapy, which focuses on building strong neurological and sensory foundations to support learning, behavior, and emotional regulation in children. Together, we explore the Pyramid of Learning and why challenges with reading, writing, attention, and behavior often stem from gaps in early development. Missy explains how prenatal factors, primitive reflexes, sensory processing, and motor development create the foundation for academic success and daily functioning. When these foundational systems are overlooked, children may appear inattentive, dysregulated, or behind in school — even when they are capable and intelligent. The conversation dives into sensory-motor development, including the importance of crawling, motor planning, posture, proprioception, and vestibular processing. Missy highlights how retained primitive reflexes can impact coordination, emotional regulation, and executive functioning, and why movement-based interventions are essential for nervous system organization and learning. A major focus of the episode is functional vision, an often-missed contributor to learning difficulties. Missy breaks down key visual skills such as tracking, saccades, convergence, and visual accommodation, explaining how visual inefficiencies can affect reading comprehension, handwriting, attention, and classroom performance. Through personal stories and clinical examples, she illustrates why visual challenges are frequently mistaken for behavioral or learning disorders. This episode is a must-listen for parents, educators, therapists, and caregivers who want to better understand sensory processing differences, neurodivergent learners, and brain-based learning. By shifting the lens from behavior to nervous system function, Let’s Get Curious offers practical insight, compassion, and clarity — because lasting change starts at the foundation. SHOW NOTES: Safe & Sound Protocol [https://integratedlistening.com/products/ssp-safe-sound-protocol/]:  Listening therapy to shift the nervous system out of flight and flight to regulation. The Out of Sync Child by Karen Kranowitz: [https://amzn.to/4qeyOgM] How to understand sensory processing differences. Building Blocks Pediatric Therapies website: [https://www.buildingblockstherapies.com/]  To learn more about Missy Broxton or to get in touch. Pyramid of Learning: from Hands on Solutions discussed in this podcast and can be viewed on our Youtube Channel.  Pyramid of Learning [https://www.hol-solutions.com/learning-challenges/learning-skills-pyramid/]  Watch on Youtube [https://youtu.be/C4GWeHvsNDc?si=pcpI13KOvY9ZhtGi]