The Sensory Connection: Body/Mind Approaches to Treatment of Mental Health Concerns

Featuring: Karen M. Moore, OTR/L
originally recorded April 27, 2015

LiveTalks are hour long audio-only podcasts. The LiveTalk is part of the Sensory Integration and Mental Health Concerns bundle.

Description: This LiveTalk will discuss the Sensory Connection Program. The Sensory Connection Program is an occupational therapy based program grounded in a person-centered, strength oriented, skill building model of care. It uses individual and group treatment, sensory diets, and sensory sensitive environments such as sensory rooms to build sensory strategies. Sensory strategies initially focus on essential building blocks of self-awareness and self-acceptance, then move on to self-regulation, self-care, and eventually self-healing. Though initially designed for adults, this program is also applicable to adolescents and may be used in both individual and group interventions.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this LiveTalk listeners will be able to:

1. Describe the levels of the Sensory Connection intervention program.
2. Describe how sensory-based activities may facilitate function in individuals with mental health concerns.
3. Describe three sensory-based activities which may be used to facilitate self-regulation and coping with individuals with mental health concerns.

Course Level: Introductory. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Suitable For: Occupational therapists, OT assistants, physical therapists, PT assistants, social workers, mental health professionals.

AOTA
Domain: Performance Skills
Process: Intervention

Contact Hours: This course is worth 1.0 contact hours or 0.1 AOTA CEUs.

Completion Requirements: To receive contact hours for this course you must listen to the recorded LiveTalk in its entirety, and complete the accompanying assessment.

About the Speaker: Karen M. Moore, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with extensive experience working with adults in long term and acute psychiatric programs. She became interested in sensory techniques after studying the work of Lorna Jean King, an occupational therapist who pioneered the use of sensorimotor treatment in psychiatric care. She initially developed the Sensory Connection Program for use with groups in mental health settings. She has been involved in mental health programs with restraint reduction initiatives. 

ADA/Section 504: If you require special accommodations, please contact the Spiral Foundation at admin@thespiralfoundation.org or (617) 969-4410 ext. 231.

Continuing Education:

Occupational Therapy Practitioners/ Occupational Therapy Assistants:  The Spiral Foundation is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants by the American Occupational Therapy Association.  The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.