Speaker: Dana Johnson, “Mind over Motor: Understanding sensory motor differences and the impact of neurological noise."

Dr. Dana Johnson, PhD, MS, OTR/L, is the Founder of Spellers Center, Tampa; Founder of Invictus Academy, Tampa Bay; and co-founder of the Spellers MethodTM. Dr. Johnson has a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and a Ph.D in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Development. 

The Spellers Method is a form of assistive technology that teaches motor skills such as pointing to letters on a letterboard or keyboard to communicate. Nonspeakers use this form of communication to express their wants and needs and participate in conversations, write essays for college, or even email a friend. The common challenge among all spellers is their difficulties with motor planning or apraxia. 

The presentation will discuss apraxia and how it affects those with neuromotor challenges, including autism, Down syndrome, and other sensory-motor diagnoses. Key interventions, including reflex integration and developmental optometry, will be discussed as ways to support efficient motor planning and, ultimately, communication.

She is a producer of the award-winning documentary SPELLERS, an executive producer of UNDERESTIMATED: The Heroic Rise of Nonspeaking Spellers, and co-author of The Spellers Guidebook: Practical Advice for Parents and Students. Dr. Johnson has worked with individuals with motor and sensory differences for almost 20 years and currently specializes in supporting nonspeaking, unreliably speaking, and minimally speaking individuals to utilize spelling and typing as a form of communication. Dr. Johnson started her career as an occupational therapist supporting children in the public school system, then moved to private practice working with individuals with autism, apraxia, and other sensory-motor differences. You can learn more about her at www.spellers.com