Unlocking the Power of Interoception: Enhancing Speech Therapy with Kelly Mahler’s Approach

Interoception is a growing interest among speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and occupational therapists (OTs). Interoception refers to our ability to sense and interpret internal body signals such as hunger, thirst, pain, and emotions. Understanding and addressing interoception can transform the way we approach communication and social-emotional development.

Practical Speech Therapy recently took the course "A 3-Step Approach to Nurturing

Interoceptive Awareness" by Kelly Mahler, OT, who has emerged as a leading voice in this field. Her interoception course offers invaluable tools for professionals seeking to integrate this foundational sensory system into therapy. As SLPs, we can take cues from her work to strengthen our clients' ability to connect their internal states with communication and self-regulation.

Why Is Interoception Relevant to Speech Therapy?

Interoception is closely tied to emotional awareness, self-regulation, and social communication—key areas we address as SLPs. Clients who struggle with interoception may have difficulty:

Recognizing emotions in themselves and others.
Expressing their physical or emotional needs.
Understanding and using vocabulary related to feelings and bodily sensations.
Regulating their behavior in response to internal cues.

Incorporating interoceptive awareness into speech therapy empowers our clients to make meaningful connections between their internal experiences and outward communication.

Key Takeaways from Kelly Mahler’s Interoception Course

Building Body Awareness: Mahler emphasizes starting with simple, nonverbal recognition of internal sensations, helping individuals notice signals like a racing heart or a dry mouth.
Emotion-Sensation Mapping: Her strategies involve linking body signals to emotional states, bridging the gap between physical experiences and emotional vocabulary.
Self-Regulation: Mahler’s techniques foster an understanding of how internal signals impact behavior, which can guide the development of adaptive coping strategies.

Ways to Incorporate Interoception into Speech Therapy

1. Introduce Body-Sensation Check-Ins

What to do: Start sessions with a brief body check-in. Ask questions like, “How does your stomach feel right now?” or “Is your heart beating fast or slow?”
Why it works: This primes clients to tune into their internal signals and connect them to descriptive language.
Example: Use visuals like body maps or diagrams for younger clients to identify where they feel sensations.

2. Use Emotion-Sensory Charts

What to do: Create charts linking emotions (e.g., happy, nervous, angry) to physical sensations (e.g., butterflies in the stomach, tense shoulders).
Why it works: Builds vocabulary and strengthens the ability to describe feelings using sensory-based language.
Example: Pair emotion cards with descriptions like “My cheeks feel hot when I’m embarrassed” to solidify understanding.

3. Incorporate Interoception into Narrative Language

What to do: During storytelling activities, encourage clients to describe what a character might feel in their body during specific events.
Why it works: It develops perspective-taking and emotional reasoning, which are key for social communication.
Example: “If the character is scared, what might they feel in their chest or stomach?”

4. Develop Coping Plans Using Interoceptive Cues

What to do: Teach clients to identify a sensation, name it, and develop a response.
Why it works: Supports self-regulation and problem-solving skills.
Example: “If you notice your stomach feels tight, what could you do? Take a deep breath, drink water, or ask for a break.”

5. Use Movement Activities to Reinforce Awareness

What to do: Incorporate yoga poses, breathing exercises, or mindfulness activities that promote connection with internal signals.
Why it works: Physical activities often enhance awareness of the body’s sensations.
Example: Have clients notice their breathing before and after a calming exercise and describe the difference.

Benefits for Clients of All Ages

Interoception isn’t just for children; it’s relevant for clients across the lifespan. Whether you’re working with a preschooler learning to label emotions, a teenager navigating social relationships, or an adult managing anxiety, interoception can enrich therapy outcomes.

By incorporating the interoceptive framework into speech therapy, we can give our clients the tools to better understand themselves and communicate more effectively with others. Kelly Mahler’s interoception course is a fantastic resource for learning how to make these connections a reality in your practice.

Have you integrated interoception into your speech therapy sessions? Share your strategies or reflections in the comments below!