What is DIR® ?

DIRFloortime® is an intervention that can be used to work with autism and other forms of neurodiversity as part of counselling and psychotherapy.

DIRFloortime® was created by Dr. Stanley Greenspan (1941 to 2010) for children on the autistic spectrum and for those with developmental delays. He was an American psychiatrist and established the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning (ICDL) to be the home of DIR® and DIRFloortime®.

• DIR® refers to the theoretical model behind DIRFloortime® which puts the framework into practice.

• DIR® and DIRFloortime® are most utilized with children with educational, social-emotional, mental health, and/or developmental challenges.

DIR® stands for:

• D – Developmental: Development from the perspective of the individual.

• I – Individual differences: Unique ways each person takes in, regulates, responds to, and comprehends the world around them.

• R – Relationship-based model: Humans are social beings. Relationships fuel development. DIR harnesses the key affective (emotional) aspect of relationships to promote development.

DIR®

• Highlights the critical role that social-emotional development has on overall human development starting at birth and continuing throughout the lifespan.

• Provides a framework for understanding how each person individually perceives and interacts with the world differently.

• The model highlights the power of relationships and emotional connections to fuel development.

Sources:

ICDL (2021) Introduction to ICDL, DIR® and DIRFloortime®, https://www.icdl.com/home

ICDL (2021) What is DIR®? https://www.icdl.com/dir