Interview and Giveaway with Dr. Roya Ostovar (The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder)

I am very excited to be hosting Dr. Roya Ostovar, author of The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder on HLW3B today. Dr. Ostovar is a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Ostovar Pediatric Psychology and Consultation in Belmont, Massachusetts (http://www.royaostovar.com/).

Her new book, The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder, provides much needed information on everything from the direction of new research to practical solutions for taking your sensational child on vacation – and, I am not kidding when I say this, virtually everything in between.

I am sure you are not surprised to hear that I jumped at the chance to ask Dr. Ostovar more about Sensory Processing Disorder. Truly, how often do you get the chance to go straight to the doctor with your questions – no appointments, no co-pays, no nurses, no screening, no assessments– just straight to the doctor?! This was an opportunity I could NOT say no to!

I was also happy to find out that Dr. Ostovar's publisher, Future Horizons, was willing to give away TWO FREE COPIES of her book. Check out the bottom of the interview for details on how you could be a lucky winner!

And with that, grab your coffee, and let’s start the show.
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Please welcome Dr. Roya Ostovar to HLW3B – thanks for taking the time to talk with me and my readers!

Hello Hartley. First, I’d like to thank you and your readers for the invitation and opportunity to discuss this very important, current, and critical issue. Yours is such an informed and knowledgeable audience on this topic that I really look forward to hearing everyone’s feedback on my book and the information I have provided.

Thank you – I am always impressed by my readers’ knowledge and enthusiasm! I have had the great pleasure of reading your book and love that it offers such a comprehensive look at Sensory Processing Disorder, especially the examples of children in your private practice. Tell me about how you got into working with kids with Sensory Processing Disorder and Autism.

I have been serving children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) for about 20 years now. However, I formally became educated and made a commitment to this field in 1997, when I enrolled in a post-doctoral fellowship program in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities at the UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital. Since then I have completely dedicated my work and practice to understanding and helping kids with various developmental issues, particularly Autism and SPD.

How did that experience turn into a book?

I felt compelled to write the book and share my knowledge and experiences with educators and other clinicians, in particular. It was truly heartbreaking to see kids who had either not been diagnosed at all or who had been misdiagnosed and had been given the wrong treatment plan that they were supposedly “not responding well to.”
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