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2026 ICDL International
Conference Description
Conference Description
This two day conference is focused on using a Developmental Individual-differences and Relationship-based (DIR) model to promote development and learning for everyone. Promoting development is not about simply training or teaching skills, it is a process of helping people grow and develop from the inside out. By implementing DIRFloortime, professionals and caregivers alike can fully engage in promoting development and increasing their capacity of self-regulation, engagement, communication, problem solving, thinking and reasoning.
Through lectures, case studies, research reviews, and discussions, participants will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of DIRFloortime and how to effectively promote development in individuals with autism and other developmental differences.
Content Disclosure: The conference content is focused on a specific product or service (DIR® and DIRFloortime®) and there will be no mention of other products or services.
Please CLICK HERE for Presenter Disclosures.
Registration closes on Wednesday, March 19 or when registration is full.
continuing education information
continuing education information
International Council on Development and Learning, provider number 1967, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/1/2025 - 8/1/2028. Social workers participating in this conference will receive up to 11 continuing education credits.
ASWB TRACK PRESENTATIONS
ASWB TRACK PRESENTATIONS
Participants may elect to receive a certificate of attendance and/or professional continuing education credit by paying the $25 processing fee during registration. Social Workers seeking ASWB-approved continuing education credits must attend any of the below listed presentations. Social Workers are invited to attend any and all presentations in this conference, but ASWB credit will only be awarded for the presentations listed on this page.
Social Workers seeking ASWB ACE continuing education credits must complete the feedback survey of each and every ASWB track presentation they attend in order to receive credit. Feedback surveys and attendance attestations for each session are included in the ASWB Track packet that all social workers will receive upon check-in at the conference. You must turn in the packet at the end of the day in order to receive credit for the sessions that day.
ICDL will confirm your attendance and that you have completed the feedback survey for each ASWB track session attended, and process your eligible credits as requested. Certificates will be available no later than 30 days after the conference ends.
Please note that continuing education credit is only provided for full attendance. Arriving late or leaving early will result in negating that session from your CE credits.
PRESENTATION descriptions
PRESENTATION descriptions
Please click here to access detailed descriptions of all conference presentations.
FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2026
FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2026
opening keynote 9:30 - 10:30 AM
opening keynote 9:30 - 10:30 AM
The Science of Being Together: Co-Regulation, S-A-M, and the Epigenetics of Flourishing
Speaker: Tracy Stackhouse, MA, OTR/L
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1 Credit, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe how co-regulation functions as a biological process within the DIR® famework, integrating principles from DIRFloortime®, Polyvagal Theory, and the Sensory–Affective–Motor (S-A-M) Model to support physiological safety and connection
2. Explain how valence-based processing (S-A-M model) explains individual differences in sensory integration and affective responses, and how this informs individualized intervention planning
3. Explain how emerging epigenetic research on eudaimonic versus hedonic well-being highlights the role of relationships and purpose in shaping gene expression, resilience, and long-term health
WORKSHOP SESSION ONE: 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
The Art of Being Seen: How Clinicians’ Cue Reading Shapes Attachment and Growth
Speaker: Erin Forward, MSP, CCC-SLP, DIR-Expert
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1 Credit, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe how three individual differences can impact a child's cues and how they present.
2. Identify three strategies to help support meaning making within an interaction through attunement to cues.
3. Describe the importance of the language we use when responding to a child's cues.
Prioritizing Relationship-Building Before Communication and Cognition: Integrating Floortime®, Semi-Structured Problem Solving, and Limit-Setting in a Unified DIRFloortime® Service
Speaker: Kingkaew Pajareya, MD, DIR-Expert
Level: Advanced| Professionals | 1 Credit, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the clinical markers of performative or "pseudo-play" that function as defensive coping mechanisms in children with neurodevelopmental challenges.
2. Analyze the developmental progression from unhealthy assertiveness and defensive withdrawal toward secure dependency and functional, respectful communication.
3. Describe semi-structured problem-solving and limit-setting techniques as therapeutic tools for facilitating a child’s transition from defensive avoidance to robust, intentional, and emotionally regulated interactions across diverse situations.
WORKSHOP SESSION TWO: 1:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Sharing Our Inner Music: Analytical music therapy techniques with neurodivergent children and adolescents in a DIRFloortime® School Setting
Speakers: Anne Koehler-Crean, MS, LCAT, MT-BC, Analytical Music Therapist, DIR-Proficient
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. As a result of this session participants will be able to identify how DIRFloortime® techniques can be incorporated into psychodynamic approaches, improving the quality of therapy for neuro-divergent individuals.
2. As a result of this session participants will be able to identify how transference and countertransference can manifest in a therapeutic relationship.
3. As a result of this session participants will be able to compare and contrast therapeutic models to promote integrative thinking in clinical settings.
Rooted in Reflection, Centered in Connection: FEDC 9 and Mindfulness in action
Speakers: Catherine Murray, LCSW, I/ECMH-C, DIR-Expert | Andrea Minor, MPA, Mindfulness Consultant
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify three common elements between mindfulness and FEDC 9
2. Identify one mindfulness strategy to apply to DIRFloortime® practice
3. Describe three components of a relationship-based approach
Praxis as an Individual Difference: Integrating the "D" and "I" of DIR Through Interdisciplinary Practice
Speakers: Emily Tritz, OTD, OTR/L, DIR-Expert | Brookes Barrack, MS, CCC-SLP, DIR-Expert
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. As a result of this session participants will be able to describe how challenges in ideation, sequencing, execution, and adaptation might impact a child’s progression through the FEDCs.
2. As a result of this session, participants will be able to list examples of how a child's praxis abilities might both facilitate and interfere with a child’s development.
3. As a result of this session, participants will describe the impact of praxis challenges on a child’s regulation, engagement and reciprocity.
WORKSHOP SESSION THREE: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Caregiver Coaching for the DIR®-Curious
Speakers: Ann-Bailey Lipsett, MEd, DIR-Expert | Stephanie A. Peters, MS, OTR/L, DIR-Expert
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to explain the science behind early relationships and how to support the development of these early relationships with clients.
2. Participants will identify the science of relationship building between caregiver and DIR coach resulting in a parallel process that impacts the developmental growth of the child.
3. Participants will be able to list several ports of entry to build relationships and connection with caregivers that will support this process.
The Beauty of Collaboration: Bringing DIR®’s Transdisciplinary Potential to Life
Speakers: Nikki Magliaro, LMHC, CEIS, DIR-Expert | Megan Selchan, LMHC, DMT, CEIS, DIR-Basic | Dawn Capelli, MSW, LICSW, DIR-Expert | Amanda Diaz, MS, CCC-SLP, DIR-Advanced
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. As a result of this session participants will be able to describe how the DIR® model provides a shared developmental framework for speech therapy, occupational therapy, and mental health counseling.
2. As a result of this session participants will be able to identify strategies for implementing transdisciplinary collaboration through reflective supervision, DIRFloortime® mentorship, case presentations, and caregiver coaching.
3. As a result of this session participants will be able to analyze case examples to recognize how caregiver involvement strengthens generalization across disciplines and long-term developmental outcomes.
Complex case management from a DIR® perspective: Harnessing the power of the DIR® model to support individuals, families, clinicians through crisis, stagnation, and burn-out
Speakers: Kathy Platzman, PhD, DIR-Expert | Amanda Kriegel, PsyD, DIR-Expert
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the central role of the reflective process as it applies to complex cases
2. Identify three barriers to care in complex cases
3. Explain how the concept of individual differences applies across all aspects of case complexity including family, community, culture and institutional resources
Integrating Discipline-Specific Goals Within Transdisciplinary Floortime®: Bridging Professional Perspectives to Support Holistic Child Development
Speakers: Andrea Snyder, OTR/L, DIR-Expert | Naomi Wong, SLP, DIR-Expert
Level: Advanced| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify common challenges faced by professionals when integrating discipline-specific goals within a transdisciplinary DIRFloortime® framework
2. Demonstrate practical strategies to align discipline-specific objectives with the child’s individual differences and Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDCs)
3. Apply principles of shared language, collaboration, and reflective practice to enhance team outcomes and promote holistic developmental progression within DIRFloortime® interventions
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2026
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2026
opening keynote 8:30 - 9:30 AM
opening keynote 8:30 - 9:30 AM
It All Begins with COMMUNICATION
Speaker: Robert Owens, PhD, CCC-SLP
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1 Credit, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe early communication development
2. Explain how emphasis on communication shapes early intervention
3. Outline intervention goals for caregivers
Conference KEYNOTE Presentation: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Conference KEYNOTE Presentation: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Rethinking Autism Through the Body: A sensory–motor architecture of Autistic experience
Speaker: Hari Srinivasan, PhD Candidate Neuroscience
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1 Credit, General
Learning Objectives:
1. As a result of this session, participants will be able to explain how sensory–motor processing, prediction, and attention interact to shape autistic behavior and regulation, moving beyond behavior-only interpretations.
2. As a result of this session, participants will be able to identify monotropism and special interests as structural features of autistic attention, and describe how these features can function as both strengths and sources of strain across support needs.
3. As a result of this session, participants will be able to apply sensorimotor-informed design principles to support transitions, communication, and regulation, particularly for autistic individuals with higher support needs or co-occurring ADHD.
WORKSHOP SESSION FOUR: 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Using AGILE to Tailor the Interaction
Speakers: Colette Ryan, PhD, IMH-E, DIR-Expert | Gerry Costa, PhD, Psychology, DIR-Expert
Level: Foundational| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the 5 words associated with AGILE
2. Describe the importance of latency
3. Define affect in a deeper, richer way that reflects current research
In Search of Perspective, Nuance, and Shades of Grey: The Evolution of Political and Cultural Attitudes in Two Autistic Men and the Impact of DIRFloortime®
Speaker: Dave Nelson, LPC, ACS, DIR-Expert
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. As a result of this session participants will be able to identify a range of experiences and influences that can impact political thinking over time.
2. As a result of this session participants will be able to explain the possible effects of individual processing differences and constrictions in developmental capacities on the emergence of perspective-taking and critical thinking.
3. As a result of this session participants will be able to identify a range of techniques, rooted in the DIR® Model, for strengthening the perspective-taking, self-reflectiveness, and shades-of-grey thinking in people across the lifespan.
An integrated approach to child development: DIRFloortime® and Polyvagal theory
Speakers: Elizabeth Ijalba, PhD, CCC-SLP, DIR-Expert
Level: Advanced| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. As a result of this session participants will be able to explain key principles in DIRFloortime® and key components in Polyvagal theory, including the significance of neuroception in child development.
2. As a result of this session, participants will be able to identify different autonomic states in children (ventral vagal, sympathetic, dorsal vagal) to assess their emotional and physiological states during DIRFloortime® therapy sessions.
3. As a result of this session, participants will be able to design activities that encourage children to express their emotions through play, while implementing communication strategies that emphasize emotional expression and social engagement.
WORKSHOP SESSION FIVE: 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Things to Consider for the Future of DIRFloortime®
Speaker: Gil Tippy, PsyD, DIR-Expert
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to cite evidence base that supports DIRFloortime®.
2. Participants will be able to explain how it is possible to work effectively in the model, regardless of their level of formal training in DIRFloortime®.
3. Recognize how the practitioner’s own development, assumptions, and practice context shape perceptions of clients as stuck in early developmental stages, and identify the factors contributing to clients’ lack of progression beyond these stages.
Dramatic Difference: Using drama to empower autistic students in the classroom
Speaker: Liz McDonough, MFT, DIR-Basic
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. As a result of this session participants will be able to define the concept of monotropism and how it impacts autistic play.
2. As a result of this session participants will be able to identify 3 benefits of doing social-emotional themed puppet shows in the classroom.
3. As a result of this session participants will be able to lead 5 different drama games that promote social-emotional learning in the classroom.
Enhancing the DIRFloortime Approach with an Understanding of Developmental Movement Rhythms and Motor Development
Speakers: Michelle Merna, LCAT, BC DMT, DIR-Expert | Mary Beth Crawford, MPT, DIR-Expert
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1.5 Credits, General
Learning Objectives:
1. As a result of this session participants will be able to explain at least 2 connections between social and emotional development (i.e. the FEDCs) and motor development.
2. As a result of this session participants will be able to list 3 ways developmental movement rhythms can support body-mind connection and development of sense of self.
3. As a result of this session participants will be able to list 3 ways motor development and developmental rhythmic movement can enhance the practice of DIRFloortime®.
Conference Closing Keynote: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Conference Closing Keynote: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
From Autism Self-advocacy to Advocating for the Broader Neurodiverse Community
Speaker: Dr. Emile Gouws, PhD, Self-Advocate, President of the Board
Level: Intermediate| Professionals | 1 Credit, General
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to describe the key differences between the medical model and the socio-ecological model of disability, including their implications for neurodiverse individuals.
2. Participants will be able to explain the value of insider perspectives and autoethnography in advancing autism research and self-advocacy.
3. Participants will be able to identify practical strategies for promoting inclusive policies and support systems for neurodiverse students in higher education institutions.
Target Audience
Target Audience
This conference track was created to offer to Social Workers, many of whom are connected to the international DIRFloortime® community. This track will also benefit professionals from a range of fields including but not limited to: Speech and Language Pathologists, Counselors, Physical Therapists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Expressive Arts Therapists, and Educators. Level: Various
Cancellations/Refunds/Grievances
Cancellations/Refunds/Grievances
Cancellations are accepted up to 30 days prior to the event less a $50 processing fee. Cancellations are not accepted less than 30 days prior to conference and no refunds are provided less than 30 days prior to a conference. For detailed information please click here.
Please click here to view our grievance policy.
Accessibility
Accessibility
Aligned with the DIR model, continuing education offered by ICDL works to be responsive to a range of individual differences in processing, communicating, and regulating; learning differences, learning disabilities, and other forms of disability. Please click here to read more about accessibility and accommodations.
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