sensory integration

Sensation is everywhere! We influence and are influenced by sensory information throughout the day, both consciously and unconsciously. We may fidget in our seat during a long meeting, fiddle with an object in our hands to help with focus and concentration, or we may avoid certain places or times that provide too much sensory input. Some people may need more sensory information to get their neurological thresholds met (which helps them to feel ‘just right’), while others may become easily overwhelmed by too much sensory input (which may lead to feelings of unease, avoidance of busy places where there is too much noise/too many people for example). This part of Sensory Integration (SI) is called sensory modulation, which refers to the regulation and organisation of sensory input.

The other part of SI is sensory discrimination. This process is the ability to identify and interpret the quality of the incoming sensory information- to be able to process salient sensory information such as loudness, position, texture, and shape (Bundy and Lane, 2020). Examples include being able to feel for something in your pocket and identify what it is without needing to look at it or knowing how far away a car is from you when you cross the road.

These sensory processes are neurodevelopmental, which means that as we grow and develop from infancy through childhood to adulthood, our sensory systems are becoming integrated to support us in navigating through the day and within our

environments. They are the foundation that supports self-regulation- the ability to adapt and adjust to meet the demands of life.

Doctor Jean Ayres was an occupational therapist and educational psychologist. Through her work during the 1960s and 1970s, she began to consider the relationships between difficulties in interpreting sensations from the body and the environment and difficulties with academic and motor learning (i.e. learning to do things like ride a bike, tie shoelaces, hold a pen in the correct position).

Ayres spent her career working predominantly with children in educational settings. She took her advanced training in neuroscience and began to hypothesise that the behaviours she was seeing in the children she worked with were the result of poor or underdeveloped processing of sensation in the central nervous system (Bundy and Lane, 2020). More recently, evidence for using these approaches with adults particularly with neurodifferences and mental health conditions is emerging.

Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI) continues to be taught at a post-graduate level to occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists, providing the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills required to practice as a sensory integration practitioner.

Although Ayres Sensory Integration was traditionally a theory to understand behavioural responses observed with autistic children, there is a large body of evidence to support its application with the adult population. Many occupational therapists working in the field of adult mental health have additional training in ASI. Assessing for sensory processing differences (using standardised and non-standardised assessments) and providing education and intervention can make a real difference to a person, promoting understanding of self, hope, and recovery, where traditional approaches perhaps haven’t considered if a person’s participation challenges, and behavioural responses may be related to sensory processing difficulties.

Further, there is a large body of evidence to support the application of SI for adults who are neurodivergent. It's pretty common for neurodivergent people to have differences in the processing of sensory information, with many reporting that the world can feel very overwhelming. This can increase anxiety, lower mood, create isolation, and increase difficulties with participation of daily tasks.

Carrying out occupational and sensory assessments provides a deeper understanding of a person’s participation challenges, helping to consider the person’s experiences from a neurological level and through a sensory lens. The gathering of this information not only provides validation and a deeper understanding at a personal level but can support the writing of practical recommendations, which can be applied by the person in their daily life. Furthermore, sensory-based recommendations can help an employer

in supporting meaningful adjustments in the workplace environment or an educator in supporting a student within a higher education establishment.

Our typical package is 4 sessions, with each session lasting between 1-1.5 hours in length.

The initial session is to find out more about you, using an occupational and sensory-focused framework, supporting the initial formulation of information. This session can be online if required, but subsequent sessions are more effective if they are in person. Further assessment data will be gathered from you through a self-reporting sensory questionnaire. Depending on this information, the 2nd session may include further assessment, through the use of structured, neurological observations, which help to gather further information around ‘in-body’ sensory processing (i.e. from the internal senses). We will spend the 3rd and 4th sessions providing you with education and advice, tailored to your individual ‘sensory profile’ (further to the assessments completed), supporting you in building a toolkit of sensory strategies you can use in your day-to-day life and at work/in education. The package also includes a report of recommendations and advice to your employer or educational establishment.

The cost of this 4-session package is £700 (not including travel time or mileage).

If you wish to have additional sessions, we can discuss your individual requirements and agree a price for additional sessions.