Securely Attached The science of interoception: How parents can help kids connect body signals to emotions with OT Kelly Mahler
Sep 30, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Kelly Mahler, an occupational therapist and interoception expert, shares her insights from over 20 years of working with children. She explains interoception, the 'eighth sense,' and its crucial role in helping kids regulate their emotions and behaviors. Listeners learn how parents can use play to bolster children’s awareness of body signals and explore why some kids struggle with this connection. Kelly provides practical strategies for everyday interactions, advocating for a gentle approach that fosters understanding and emotional growth.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Three Internal Senses Explained
- Three internal senses are vestibular, proprioception, and interoception, which gather information from inside the body.
- Mahler maps each sense to movement, body-position, and internal organ signals respectively.
Conscious vs Unconscious Interoception
- Interoception has unconscious and conscious branches; many internal processes never reach awareness.
- Conscious interoception breaks through as sensations like needing to pee or butterflies in the stomach.
Some Inner Worlds Are Overstimulating
- Some people experience overwhelming, highly salient interoceptive input that floods conscious awareness.
- Mahler compares it to a glitter timer where sensations spread and compete for attention.
