Sensory Processing & Regulation

Sensory processing is the body’s ability to take in information from our senses, filter what’s needed from what isn’t, and to combine the senses together to form a clear picture of our environment and our body’s position within it. Our brains get more and more efficient at this throughout childhood. Each of our brains achieves a slightly different balance in processing our sensory input, based on our own neurological makeup and the experiences of our childhoods. Our brains and bodies work together, seeking out certain sensory experiences and to avoiding others to keep us in a state that balances alertness with a sense of calm. That balance is called regulation. Many neurodivergent kids (and adults) can have trouble staying regulated, in part because the modern world is not set up to help their sensory systems thrive.

At Rumpus OT, we will work together to understand your child’s sensory needs and to support their regulation. We do this through careful evaluation, clinical observation, and experimentation. This process helps you and your child to become more aware of your own sensory experiences. This awareness, called interoception, is linked to increased self-regulation and emotional awareness (because all of our emotions are registered initially as body sensations).

I draw on a number of modalities and models in my work around sensory processing. I am trained in the Safe and Sound Protocol, the Interoception curriculum, and the DIR Floortime model, all of which inform my work in understanding children’s sensory systems and helping parents, caregivers, and teachers better understand and support their children’s behavior and development.