I can’t count how many times I’ve heard it: “I want to … I just can’t get myself to do it.”
They’ve got the insight. The plan. The support.
But still – no follow-through.
I’ve been there too. As both a clinician and a coach, I’ve worked with neurodiverse kids, teens, and adults who had the insight, the goals, and even the support – but still couldn’t move forward. And no amount of “try harder” advice ever helped.
That gap between knowing and doing used to frustrate me, too. Until I realized the problem wasn’t discipline – it was how we define and activate motivation.
This training was born out of the challenges I’ve faced with neurodiverse clients who were labeled “lazy” or “unmotivated” – when in reality, their brains just needed a different approach.
In this workshop, I’ll show you what traditional models miss – how sensory processing, dopamine dysregulation, and executive dysfunction are at the heart of shutdowns, procrastination, and stuckness. And I’ll give you brain-based, body-informed strategies that actually work.
You’ll learn how to:
Whether you’re a mental health clinician or a rehab professional, you’ll walk away with clear, practical techniques you can use the next day – no fluff, no shame, and no cookie-cutter advice. Just real tools for real brains.
Justin Lyons, MS, OTR/L
Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships
All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
Continuing education credit information is coming soon for this non-interactive self-study package.
CE hours may be available for select professions, as listed in the target audience. Hours will be dependent on the actual recording time. Please check with your state licensing board or organization for specific requirements.
There may be an additional fee for CE certificates. Please contact our Customer Service at 1-800-844-8260 for more details.
**Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of your profession. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your professions standards.
Justin Lyons, MS, OTR/L, is a licensed occupational therapist and professional life and mindset coach specializing in motivation, executive functioning, and social-emotional development across the lifespan. As the founder of Special Connects, he designs innovative social and fitness programs that blend sensory-motor activities, movement, and experiential games to foster connection, strength, and sustained motivation. His signature programs, including Fit-Fun-Connect, serve both adolescents and older adults, showcasing his expertise in tailoring interventions for neurodiverse and developmentally diverse populations.
With extensive experience in private schools, sensory clinics, home-based therapy, vocational support centers, and camp settings, Justin bridges evidence-based OT principles with practical strategies to build executive functioning skills and persistence. Certified as an Irlen Diagnostician and Clinical Primitive Reflex Specialist, he brings a unique blend of clinical expertise, program development, and life coaching to his lectures and workshops – delivering neuroscience-based tools with humor, curiosity, and a genuine passion for connection.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Justin Lyons is the owner of Special Connects, LLC. He is an independent contractor with the New York Department of Education. Justin Lyons receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Justin Lyons has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Access never expires for this product.
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Neurobiology of Motivation
Mindset, Self-Talk & Neurolinguistic Strategies
Behavioral Tools for Initiation and Persistence
Brain-Based Sensory & Movement Tools to Jumpstart Motivation
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