ASI for Mental Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifespan workshop - including Learning Disabilities

Part 1 Core: Sensory Integration beyond Childhood This workshop will review early, and later literature supporting the application of: • Ayres' Sensory Integration beyond childhood, including related and derivative approaches. • Recent neuroscience will support group work and discussion. • Practical learning with a case study will help participants to consider how difficulties integrating and processing sensory information can interfere in the active participation of older teens and adults in their everyday life. The Brain, Development, Deprivation and Trauma • This workshop will explore the impact of sensory integration differences, deprivation and trauma on early development. • Group work and discussion will focus on research from development in utero, through primary school and teen years into adulthood and later life. The workshop will explore how trauma disrupts participation in everyday life, considering the consequences of trauma experienced at different life stages. Autism, ADHD and Dyspraxia beyond Childhood • Sensory processing and sensory integration challenges can interfere with active and fruitful participation of older teens and adults with neurological diversity in everyday life. • Throughout the workshop, case studies will explore sensory integration challenges and how these may impact on personal and intimate relationships, parenting and employment. • Case Study and the data-driven decision-making process (Schaaf and Mailloux 2015) will support participants to consider the application of sensory integration theory beyond childhood in; 1. Supporting late diagnosis as part of a comprehensive assessment. 2. Informing clinical reasoning and intervention planning for adult clients. 3. Structuring of intervention in ways that are age-appropriate and use community settings. 4. Considering and understanding a range of sensory integration informed approaches with regard to fidelity and outcome measurement; from traditional Ayres' Sensory Integration to consultation models. Mental Health and Wellbeing through the Senses • We will consider the application of sensory integration approaches within clinical services for clients with a range of mental health difficulties; exploring reformulation using the theory of Ayres' Sensory Integration. • Bundy and Lane's Model (2020) based on Ayres' original theory will be used to make sense of sensory modulation and praxis difficulties commonly co-occurring with a range of mental health clinical presentations; depression, anxiety, eating disorders, deliberate self harm and other difficulties with emotion regulation [including for those who have received a diagnosis of EUPD or Borderline PD]. • This workshop will also introduce the use of Sensory Ladders in the reformulation of these clinical presentations. Intellectual Disability, Global Developmental Delay and Ayres' Sensory Integration • This part, which builds on earlier learning, will explore the links between behaviours that challenge carers and care teams and sensory integration challenges, for teens and adults with learning disabilities. • Tools and resources presented will include ways to promote participation in activities of daily life, communication and social interaction. The role of the therapist in the multidisciplinary team; individual therapy and consultation model, will be discussed, including with reference to the development of care pathways. ASI and Person, Environment, Occupation and Performance • Here we will support therapists to consider how addressing sensory challenges in the environment, and adaptation of activity can help clients with sensory integration difficulties participate more easily in everyday life. The use of checklists, narrative, chain analysis and more will be used to link Ayres' Sensory Integration to other models that inform occupational therapy practice including MOHO, SII and VdT MoCA. Specialism: CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) • This part, which builds on earlier learning, will explore the application of Ayres' Sensory Integration in CAMHS and related roles. • We will consider the roles and ways of working of OTs within community, acute, and secure settings. We will consider and explore the challenges of practice with the developing brain, extending our learning about trauma and early deprivation, considering intervention approaches and how this differs across a range of settings; home, school and in more restrictive residential and acute/secure medical facilities. Specialism: Sensory Integration in Acute and Secure Mental Health/Psychiatric Services • This part, which builds on earlier learning, will explore the application of Ayres' Sensory Integration based approaches in forensic, secure, acute and intensive care services (PICU). • This workshop will consider the role of the multidisciplinary team in creating sensory environments to support wellbeing. • The presentation will include a discussion about the management of risk and the equipment and activities that are suitable within secure settings. Therapists will explore how to create adult appropriate therapeutic spaces, care environments and the use of community resources as part of step-down; considering sensory affordances of different settings and opportunities to promote engagement with age-appropriate activities of daily life. • The development of personal, individualised sensory plans, sensory safe spaces and sensory strategies to reduce the use of restraint and sedation medication, as part of comprehensive proactive and collaborative de-escalation planning, will be explored. Specialism: Sensory integration and processing within Neuro-rehab • This workshop, which builds on earlier learning, will consider the application of sensory integration theory to address and support those with neurological changes; cognitive and physical changes impacting on function, behaviour and mood. • This workshop includes consideration of ways of working with client's post-stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) and those with MS and other progressive neurological conditions that typically occur in youth, early adulthood and to the middle-aged. Learn about sensory and movement-rich activities [including in-bed and in-chair] that can help maintain, improve or support a range of presentations • We will consider the importance of sensory integration and processing within end-of-life palliative care. Specialism: Sensory Integration with Older Adults, Aging and Dementia Care Services • This workshop, which builds on earlier learning, will consider the application of sensory integration theory to address and support those with neurological changes; cognitive and physical changes impacting on function, behaviour and mood. • This workshop includes consideration of ways of working with clients who are ageing, with sensory losses, for those with dementia, and other progressive neurological conditions typically related to ageing, including for those in residential care. • Learn about sensory and movement-rich activities [including in-bed and in-chair] that can help maintain, improve or support a range of presentations, including consideration of the importance of sensory integration and processing within end-of-life palliative care.

Kath Smith is an occupational therapist, educator and one of the founders of the UK’s ASI Wise & Sensory Project.

With over 25 years’ experience in Ayres Sensory Integration beyond childhood, she supports therapists, services and communities to understand sensory integration through participation, co-production and compassionate practice.

Kath developed Sensory Ladders® and the PEAR TREE™ Lens, helping people translate sensory patterns into meaningful, everyday support that honours voice, relationship, neurodiversity and lived experience.

She teaches internationally with warmth, clarity and care.