SENSORY MODULATION FOR EVERYONE:

A Training A Training For Consumers and Staff at Sunshine VillageFor Consumers and Staff at Sunshine Village

Allison Sullivan, MS, OTR/L, CAGSAllison Sullivan, MS, OTR/L, CAGS20152015

About Me: Allison Sullivan• Occupational Therapist for 22 years• Group Exercise Instructor for 30 years• A.I.C. Occupational Therapy Faculty

– Teaching responsibilities include mental health curriculum and group dynamics

– Research interests in trauma-informed care, sensory modulation, movement therapy

Learning is movement from Moment to Moment” -Krishnamurti

Learning is movement from Moment to Moment -Krishnamurti

How we think about a situation often influences our experience of it:

– Being worried or anxious can cause increased muscle tension and inefficient breathing patterns

– Sympathetic nervous system becomes more engaged; triggers “fight or flight” response

The experience of being human is embedded in The experience of being human is embedded in the sensory events of everyday life the sensory events of everyday life

-Winnie Dunn, OTR, 2001-Winnie Dunn, OTR, 2001

Sensory ExperiencesSensory Experiences

Sensory Input can be used purposefully to:Sensory Input can be used purposefully to:

To promote health and wellnessTo promote health and wellness

To enhance functional performanceTo enhance functional performance

To develop skills and abilitiesTo develop skills and abilities

To maintain skills and abilitiesTo maintain skills and abilities- From the AOTA Practice Framework

Yoga is Sensory Modulation PracticeYoga is Sensory Modulation Practice

Sensory Modulation is:Sensory Modulation is: the ability to take in sensory information, the ability to take in sensory information,

decide what is relevant, decide what is relevant, and make an adaptive behavioral responseand make an adaptive behavioral response

Potential Benefits to Sensory Modulation Techniques

• Facilitates self-organization & functional performance– Attention span– Alertness– Emotional Regulation– Self-soothing– Self-Awareness– Feelings of safety– De-escalation– Communication/Interaction– Relaxation/calming– Grounding/Centering– Development

Potential Benefits to Sensory Modulation Techniques:Potential Benefits to Sensory Modulation Techniques:Self organization Self organization Functional skills: Functional skills:

Attention spanAttention spanAlertnessAlertnessEmotional RegulationEmotional RegulationSelf-soothingSelf-soothingSelf-AwarenessSelf-AwarenessFeelings of safetyFeelings of safetyCrisis De-escalationCrisis De-escalationCommunication Communication SkillsSkillsInteraction SkillsInteraction SkillsRelaxation/calmingRelaxation/calmingGrounding/CenteringGrounding/CenteringDevelopmentDevelopment

Health and Wellness Focus:Mind-Body-Breath Pattern of Mind-Body-Breath Pattern of Order Order ==

Sensory Regulation (“Rest and Digest”)Sensory Regulation (“Rest and Digest”)

Mind-Body-Breath Pattern of Mind-Body-Breath Pattern of DisorderDisorder ==

Sensory Dysregulation (“Fight or Flight”)Sensory Dysregulation (“Fight or Flight”)

What is Yoga?What is Yoga?• Yoga is an ancient practice which is

proven to improve health and well being.• 30 million people practice yoga

worldwide in their homes, community centers, and workplaces.

• Yoga is mindful, noncompetitive exercise, which emphasizes the connection of body and mind, and of movement and breathing.

WHY YOGA???WHY YOGA??? Yoga movements and breathing practices help:

“switch off” the fight-or- flight mode and

+ =

“switch on” the rest- and-digest mode,

which decreases stress levels and improves health and energy levels.

Why Use a Yoga to Increase Why Use a Yoga to Increase Health and Wellness?Health and Wellness?

• People use and prefer meaningful People use and prefer meaningful sensorimotor activitiessensorimotor activities

WHY USE YOGA as a Sensory Intervention?

• Developing a habit versus just an activity is empowering

• The process of trying new things and sustaining attention to chosen activities is emphasized versus the overall product of getting it 100% correct ( i.e. following game rules or recipe instructions)

• Sensory interventions enhance relaxation, stress relief, and trust building to increase a person’s ability to calm oneself

Practice YogaKids’ “Take 5” & “Peace Breath”:

Permission and EmpowermentPermission and Empowerment• Using a more mindful approach, the messages we Using a more mindful approach, the messages we

send become:send become:It is OK to be good to yourself!It is OK to be good to yourself!

It is important to take care of yourselfIt is important to take care of yourself You are in control!You are in control!

You deserve it!You deserve it!

• This process cultivates a warm, This process cultivates a warm, nurturing, understanding environment nurturing, understanding environment of care of care (Champagne, 2003)(Champagne, 2003)

Need to consider the influence of : Sensory Deprivation

Trauma

Nurturance

Therapeutic Environments

Modification Considerations:

• The following list is not all-inclusive:– Age– Symptoms– Co-existing medical problems– Culture– Ability– Complexity– Safety Issues– Changes in Status

Things to Keep In Mind When Things to Keep In Mind When Starting to Practice YogaStarting to Practice Yoga

• Have Fun!Have Fun! Consumers feed off positive Consumers feed off positive energyenergy

• Go With the Flow!Go With the Flow! Don’t be afraid to Don’t be afraid to improvise/amend as energy and interest in improvise/amend as energy and interest in choices waxes and wanes.choices waxes and wanes.

• If at First You Don’t SucceedIf at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try , Try, Try Again! Anyone can have a bad day- don’t Again! Anyone can have a bad day- don’t take your most difficult days to heart.take your most difficult days to heart.

References

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2002). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process. American Journal of Occupational Therapy,56,609-639.

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2005). Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) position paper. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 59,653-655.

Bowen-Irish, T.(2005).Bringing Yoga into the Classroom. Occupational Therapy Advance Online. www.advanceweb.com/ot.

Champagne , T. (2003). Creating nurturing and healing environments for a culture of care. Occupational Therapy Advance. Vol. 19 (19), p. 50.

Champagne , T. (2003). Sensory Modulation and Environment: Essential Elements of Occupation . Champagne Conferences & Consultation: Southampton, MA .

Gallagher, B. and Sabel, R. (2007).Restorative yoga.OT Practice, Vol.12 (21),pp.16-20.

Moore, K.(2005).The sensory connection program manual.Therapro, Inc.: Framingham, MA.

Yogakids foundations facilitator training program manual. Long Beach, IN:Dancing Feet Yoga Center, Inc.(2006)

www.yogakids.org