Welcome to ‘The Happy Sensory Corner in Special Ed’ – the podcast where we explore the world of sensory enrichment and environmental enrichment in special education.
We interview experienced special education directors to learn from their successes (and from some of their failures too!) in solving the challenges of teaching students with special needs.
In each episode, we also share practical strategies, sensory enrichment protocols, and evidence-based practices that address specific areas, such as behavior regulation, self-awareness, social skills, learning abstract concepts, hyperactivity, etc.
Reducing Restraints
This is the topic for this quarter: If you have ideas, stories, or this is a big problem in your district we would like to interview you.
See available times for recording an episode
If you want to save yourself for other topics next quarter, we will be exploring developing social skills from the inside out.
Welcome to ‘The Happy Sensory Corner’ – the podcast where we explore the world of sensory enrichment and environmental enrichment to treat neurological conditions.
Through insightful discussions, interviews with experienced experts in a variety of fields, from nutrition to psychology, and inspiring stories of resilience, we uncover the secrets to success in raising a child with complex needs. Discover practical strategies, sensory enrichment protocols, and evidence-based practices that can transform lives one episode at a time.
Our guest, John Fela, shares his personal journey of raising a nonverbal son with autism and finding his role as a caregiving father—after years of not knowing where he fit in.
We cover:
• How dads process disability differently than moms
• What dads actually need but rarely ask for
• What saved John’s marriage… until it didn’t – and how he rebuilt again
• The emotional cost of “not being the breadwinner” in a special needs family
• The power of a single dad friendship – and why it matters more than you think
Episode Highlights
2:14 – “There’s this huge gap in the support space for dads.”
6:45 – John opens up about growing up with an emotionally absent father and how it shaped his commitment to being present
12:13 – “I had no community. I had to get community.” – John’s “Tale of Two Parking Lots” shows how connection saved him after deep isolation
19:59 – The divorce he didn’t see coming and how support networks made all the difference
32:20 – “If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t happen.” – How penciling in self-care and couple time helped protect his marriage
34:37 – “Moms become best friends over wine. Dads need a reason to show up.” – What it takes to build authentic dad groups
48:04 – John shares how local legend Wayne Messmer sang at his wedding and why that gesture still chokes him up
50:00 – The celebrities who quietly support the disability world—and the surprising network John is part of
Some of the most popular protocols and strategies from the podcast
Letter on the Back
Protocol for attention span, mental visualization, tactile processing, crucial for learning abstract concepts like math.
Check out Charles Bertram’s episode or book a call.
We would be happy to teach it to you.
Mr. Pokey
Game for Self-awareness and Visualization.
Aids in understanding and retention of abstract concepts like mathematics and language.
Check out Shelley Halverson’s episode or book a call.
We would be happy to teach it to you.
Art and Stickers
Game for calm, self-control and speech development.
Check out Lorren Lucas’s episode or book a call.
We would be happy to teach it to you.
Gentle Claw
10 seconds for calm and attention and induce an elevated state of neuroplasticity.
Check out Anthony Caporaso’s episode or book a call.
We would be happy to teach it to you.
Art – Copy with Colored Paper
Reproducing art as a pretext to boost dopamine and Serotonin and for more joy in learning.
Check out Justin Bradford’s episode or book a call.
We would be happy to teach it to you.
Squeeze 2 different objects
Bridging the 2 sides of the brain for faster cognitive processing.
Check out Heather O’Connor’s episode or book a call.
We would be happy to teach it to you.
Board Walk, Holding a Spoon
Game to help with hyperactivity.
Check out Fran English’s episode or book a call.
We would be happy to teach it to you.
Very useful techniques for kids with autism