How to support sensory needs in the therapy space

For those who experience sensory sensitivities, which may mean feeling either under- or over-stimulation, making sensory-friendly accommodations to the therapy space can provide comfort, psychological safety, enhanced relaxation, focus, and engagement.

Examples of overstimulation and how it can be supported:

Overstimulation may look and feel like:

• Aversion to strong or bright lights

• Aversion to loud noises

• Aversion to strong smells

• Discomfort from clothing that is tool tight, too loose, or an uncomfortable texture.

How can it be supported:

• Limiting strong smells (e.g. perfumes or cologne, food smells, essential oils)

• Turning off fluorescent overheads lighting in favour of dim or low lighting (e.g. lamps)

• Utilising noise reduction tools such as noise-limiting headphones or loops.

• Provide a space that is accepting of personal clothing choices (e.g. wearing what is comfortable and sensory supporting).

• Encourage use of sunglasses or hats to minimise overhead lighting or light input.

• Allowing an over-stimulated client time to engage in a calming or deescalation technique at the beginning of therapy to promote relaxation, sensory regulation, and positive engagement.

Examples of under-stimulation and how it can be supported:

Under-stimulation may look and feel like:

• Fidgeting or movement seeking

• Noise seeking

• Zoning out

How it can be supported:

• Demonstrate acceptance for movement seeking (e.g. using hand fidgets, moving hands/arms/feet, allow pacing or standing as needed).

• Encourage frequent moving or sitting in positions that are comfortable, not just upright and in a chair.

• Encourage use of music in the therapy space.

• Encourage sessions to be diverse and interactive to prevent loss of focus, disengagement, or boredom.

Experiences of over- or under-stimulation should not only be considered over the course of a therapy session - consider how sensory needs may have gone unmet throughout a day or week. Perhaps this may limit someone's capacity to focus or capacity for verbal communication. This should be considered when offering accommodations and supports. For example, can verbal communication be limited or substituted for non-verbal communication (i.e. writing) to provide support.

As a practitioner, supporting clients to explore potentially unknown sensory needs is a highly valuable act to promote self-awareness, self-understanding, and self advocacy of sensory needs.

At Attain Psychology, we encourage flexibility and acceptance for the accommodation of sensory needs. Clients are free to utilise tools to support their individual sensory needs without judgement.