Did We Need Another Model or Theory of Development and Intervention? DIR®: The Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship based Model©

Presented by Serena Wieder, PhD

This webinar was presented live on Wednesday June 5th, 2024 at 4pm US Eastern time.

Dr. Serena Wieder

There have been many revolutions in the care of young children in the last century and the components of the DIR (Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship based) Model has long theoretical, clinical and research traditions. We stood on the shoulders of many giants and strived to bring integration to developmental domains as no part of development stands alone. Did we need another model or theory of development? We thought so and today DIR continues to develop across the lifespan with neuroscience showing us the pathways of of connectivity. (Wieder & Greenspan). Our foundation was attachment and relationships and we focused on parent/caregiver mediation. We opened the door to understanding individual differences (sensory motor processes) and brain body connections, and we integrated functional emotional capacities and mental health. We created DIR profiles beyond diagnoses and comprehensive intervention programs tailored to the needs of individuals. Floor Time play was our primary method and affect was used to dual code experience. These approaches allowed us to embrace children on the autism spectrum and understanding them allowed us to learn about more about neurodivergent  challenges. Video clips will be used to illustrate the developmental course and  how we work keeping in mind development has its own time table across the lifespan.  

Dr. Serena Wieder is a clinical psychologist and a founder and Clinical Director of the Profectum Foundation, an interdisciplinary post-graduate training program.. She co-created the Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship based Model, better known as DIR and Floor Time, incorporating the brain and body connections and their profound impact on relationships, regulation and emotional functioning. This model emerged from a six year NIMH longitudinal prevention study of infants born into multirisk families and is relevant to neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals. DIR was also the first to approach ASD and SPD from the perspective of  functional emotional development and mental health, pioneering parent mediated intervention for autism and other special needs. Dr. Wieder co-authored The Child With Special Needs, Engaging Autism and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health with Stanley Greenspan, M.D., and co-authored Visual Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling, and Movement with Harry Wachs, O.D., as well as the Profectum Parent Toolbox. Dr. Wieder has published over 40 journal and book chapters and widely disseminates the DIR Model at conferences nationally and internationally.  Her special interests are symbolic development and visual spatial processing. She teaches at various universities and served on the Board of 0-3 for 23 years. She helped found DIR interdisciplinary training programs in Argentina, Brazil and is especially proud of the work of DIR-Israel, now twenty years old, where she visits frequently. At this time, Dr. Wieder is also doing outcome studies and has a private consultation practice in New York City.

With our apologies, a recording of this webinar is unavailable.