Sensory Integration Education

Anna Willis, OT and Advanced SI Practitioner of Active Play Therapies, won a ticket to the STAR Institute Virtual Summit: Sensory Processing in Autism, sponsored by Sensory Integration Education. We’re grateful to Anna for providing her personal reflections on the event:

“Winning a ticket to STAR’s Virtual Summit about Sensory Processing in Autism, I had high expectations. I thought I would come away with an update on the evidence base around sensory processing, hear OTs discuss their latest therapeutic techniques, see videos of clients in sessions and get ideas of new equipment to try, new activities, new ways of working. Well. Let me tell you right now - the learning I have taken away from this Summit has nothing to do with that.

“The four days instead, just blew my thinking out of the water. I like to think of myself as an ally, a promoter of neurodiversity and absolutely client-centred in my practice. However, the speakers at the Summit showed me just how far I have to go. The content gave me so much food for thought, and a profound feeling of discomfort and inspiration in equal measure. Discomfort because it should not be comfortable to come to the realisation that your practice is not as forward thinking as you think it is. And inspiration because the opportunity to know better means an opportunity to do better. 

“The talks were a celebration of neurodiversity. Instead of therapist voices being the star of the show, it was autistic voices. Autistic voices from all walks of life. Dr Stephen Kapp, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Portsmouth; Dr Damian Milton, a lecturer at the University of Kent who works alongside the National Autistic Society and Autism Education Trust; Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, whose bio is “Advocate, Public Speaker, Writer, Educator, Researcher, Mom”; Dr Amy Pearson, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Sunderland; Mariah Person, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor at the STAR Centre; Kieran Rose, Neurodivergent Educator at the STAR Centre; and lots of others - but the voice who made the most significant impact on me was Jake Reisman. Jake is nonverbal. With the support of Julie Sando, founder of Autistically Inclined, Jake wrote a presentation that was incredibly poignant, impactful and moving. 

“Humility was a key theme for us therapists - the take home message was to be open and acknowledge what we don’t know. We need to be open and authentic, just as we need to support our clients to become their authentic selves, dropping meaningless goals around working on social skills - with the intent to make someone pass as neurotypical (or allistic - not autistic). Jake and Julie’s presentation was one of those moments where everything you think you know gets turned upside down. If I met Jake for an assessment, I would have been highly likely to use an approach following his physical lead - using an ‘intensive interaction’ style of engagement to reflect back movements and pauses and tuning in to what his nonverbal communication was ‘telling me’. The session, I imagine, would have centred around using sensory equipment, have been largely silent and I would have spent time just getting to know Jake’s sensory preferences and dislikes based on what he was doing. 

“Jake’s presentation showed me just how wrong I would have got things. Jake’s words were so powerful. “My body is separate from my mind” he started. “My voice is not accurate. I get stuck doing the same stuff over and over. I have so much more in my head but I am not able to get it all out. Stop treating my body like it is truth. Stop treating my brain like it is not there”. Profound words that have made a huge impact on me.The fact that there could be so many people trapped in their bodies without a way to communicate feels like it should be international headline news. There must be so many people like Jake who can’t express themselves until the right person with the right tools comes along. The idea that these children and adults could be stuck in therapy that doesn’t take their thoughts and wishes into consideration is incredibly upsetting. The role of AAC as a crucial avenue to explore is one of my key learning points. 

“Another thread woven through the Summit was sensory accommodations and adapting environments and routines. Although I do address this with clients, I now think I haven’t been giving this the attention it deserves, instead using this as an adjunct to ASI rather than of equal weight. A lot of speakers highlighted the importance of small, simple changes that can be made to support people with sensory needs. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu beautifully illustrated how she does this for her family in her talk titled “How to create a sensory haven: Advice for parents on building a sensory lifestyle at home when you have conflicting sensory needs”. Things like having fidget toys hidden on seats, no TV in the lounge but instead having free weights and an exercise bike, having different seating options and fans and heaters to allow for temperature regulation. And recognising that differing sensory needs in the same home can exist - and although there’s no perfect solution, sometimes just recognising this can be powerful in itself. 

“Throughout the Summit, the focus was on respecting the individual and changing the environment, not trying to change the person through desensitisation or other means. This led me to ask a question around ASI - as ASI is designed to change underlying neurological function, is there a space for ASI going forwards? Virginia Spielmann (Executive Director of STAR) answered this with “yes - from the right paradigm”. Virginia’s presence throughout the Summit was invaluable, deepening discussions and raising points that my mind struggled to keep up with - such as needing to decolonise the biomedical model and undo existing power structures.

“Mariah Person’s workshop, “Sensory Stim-ploration: The Joyful Exploration of Sensory Stims”, was indeed joyful. It celebrated stims - discussing all sorts of different ways to stim such as “playing with your eyeballs” by shifting your focus near and far - this came up again in Dr Erin Bulluss’ talk (‘Nature is my Co-Regulator’) where she brought this to life by having two photos side by side of a flower from her garden - one with the flower in focus, and another with the background in focus. The idea of enjoying stims and exploring what feels good was seen not just as supportive for individuals, but in a broader context of helping to actively dismantle oppressive structures that force autistic people to contain themselves to present as allistic.

“The undercurrent to acknowledge our shared humanity while respecting our neurodiversity also had another side. Although not explicitly stated, it was clear there is no room for ABA in this new paradigm. I hadn’t spent much time considering this, as it appears to be far more common in the USA than the UK where I practice. However, UK based Kieran Rose made an excellent point. Positive Behaviour Support (or PBS) is the UK equivalent. If we are to work together to create a world where everyone can be free to be themselves, we need to ask ourselves uncomfortable questions. We need to stand up and advocate for our clients and empower them to self-advocate also. PBS is based on compliance and behavioural techniques. The Therapists Neurodiversity Collective is an excellent source of resources, including this article about PBS. 

“Overall, I can’t quite express how much my thinking has been turned inside out this past week. It has been a timely reminder that I need to surround myself with people who aren’t like me. As an allistic, white OT, it is important to recognise my privilege. I have learnt this week that I have a lot of learning to do (for example, concepts such as monotropism and the double empathy problem), but I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to engage in such a compassionate and experience-rich event.”

Thanks to Anna Willis for sharing her personal reflection on this event. Click here to find out more about these upcoming STAR events, also sponsored by Sensory Integration Education:

• STAR Institute Virtual Summit: Sensory Processing in ADHD
• 2021 STAR Sensory Symposium: Safety and Sensation: Neuroception and Sensory Processing