Faculty
Stormy Hill, MD (not licensed in UT), OTR/L
Founder of Sensory Recovery LLC
Dr. Stormy Hill has worked for ten years in the field of mental health as an occupational therapist with a focus on life skills and sensory processing. She has a BA from Duke University‚ her medical doctorate from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine‚ and her MS in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California with an emphasis in pediatrics and sensory integration. Her diverse background includes working in school-based settings‚ sensory integration clinics/private practices‚ hospital setting with complex medical conditions‚ mental health clinics for children‚ residential treatment centers for adolescents‚ and residential treatment centers for substance abuse rehabilitation. Dr. Hill was elected as one of the Woman to Watch for Utah Business Magazine in 2014 for her work in this area. in 2012, her research study was chosen as a semi-finalist for funding innovative social change within Utah Community Foundation. She is currently a principal investigator in a year long research study examining sensory supports and self-regulation in a dual diagnosis setting. A main focus for Dr. Hill is to provide design and implementation of sensory rooms‚ staff training and education‚ and life skills program design for substance abuse/dual diagnosis treatment centers.
Bonnie Eckman, COTA/L
Bonnie has always been passionate about life and being able to live life to the fullest, which is why she is so passionate about Occupational Therapy. During school she spent many extra hours focusing on mental health in relation to function and was particularly interested in sensory regulation/integration/modulation and its use for improved mental health. Feeling sure that this is a missing piece to leading a balanced and productive life she has made it her goal to teach as many people as possible about this important part of leading a balanced life. Sensory input is a basic human survival skill, yet no one is teaching or utilizing it for self-regulation, mindfulness, life balance and basic stress relief.
Bonnie’s passion now is to share her knowledge and experience with other practitioners. She actively consults in teaching/training others in mental health and sensory treatments. She has provided in-services for OT and OTA education programs, presented as a speaker for multiple seminars and conferences as well as volunteers often for the NBCOT (National Board of Certification of Occupational Therapy) and UOTA (Utah Occupational Therapy Association) as a specialist in mental health, addiction and sensory modulation.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives for Module 1:
By the end of this course the learner will be able to:
- name the 8 senses
- define each sense and how it operates in the brain and body
- list 3 strategies for alerting the brain and body
- list 3 strategies for calming the brain and body
- develop a personal sensory tool kit
- know how to use a sensory tool kit and apply to a variety of contexts and settings
- develop a sensory diet and apply to a variety of contexts and settings
- list the 3 steps needed to identify alertness level and adjust that level as needed for task at hand
- explain how the 8 senses contribute to self-regulation
Course Outline
Welcome!
In this module you will learn about your 8 senses in detail and how each one impacts your alertness level. You will learn how you can use sensory input to help calm or wake up the brain and body. You will understand how sensory input is a powerful tool in the art of self-regulation and how to use your senses for improved well-being.
This module consists of 12 videos, 20 worksheets/handouts, 12 quizzes for mastery, and 15 case studies
Unit 1 – Sensory Strategies for Self-Regulation
In this unit you will get an introduction to your eight senses, learn how sensory inputs affect self-regulation, investigate what “self-regulation” means, and review the sense of interoception. You will also be able to take a quiz to determine what your baseline level of energy and alertness is which will better help you determine how to alter that as needed.
This unit consists of one video, three worksheets, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 2 – Sense of Sight
In this unit, we dive into the sense of sight and how what we see greatly impacts our mood, alertness, and ability to stay regulated. You will learn how it is about more than simply what you see that impacts us visually. You will also learn strategies to alter your visual surroundings to assist in self-regulation.
This unit consists of one video, 2 worksheets, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 3 – Sense of Smell
In this unit we explore our sense of smell. Our olfactory sense (sense of smell) is a powerful tool to assist in self-regulation with both pleasant and aversive smells, can assist in breaking repetitive thought patterns, and can assist in staying in the present moment. Our sense of smell can be used to both calm and alert the brain and body. We will review practical ways to use olfaction as a sensory-based tool.
This unit consists of one video, 1 worksheet, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 4 – Sense of Sound
This unit reviews our sense of sound and how the sounds we hear help us to alert or calm our brains and bodies. We examine different types of sound and how that impacts us and our arousal level. We also review pleasant and aversive sounds and how we can use sound to alter our level of alertness as needed for the task at hand.
This unit consists of one video, 1 worksheet, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 5 – Sense of Taste
This unit examines our sense of taste. We review the anatomy of our tongue and types of taste. We examine how what we taste can be used to help self-regulate, work with oral-seeking behaviors, and help keep us focused or organized.
This unit consists of one video, 1 worksheet, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 6 – Sense of Touch
In this unit the sense of touch is reviewed as a tool to assist with self-regulation. We review the basics of touch and various sorts of touch input. We also discuss practical tools to provide various tactile inputs that can assist in neurologic organization and alertness.
This unit consists of one video, 1 worksheet, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 7 – Proprioception
The purpose of this video is to review the proprioceptive sense and how this sensory input can help us to stay and feel regulated. We review the brain basics of proprioception. We discuss practical tools for obtaining proprioceptive input as well as review calming and alerting strategies within this sense.
This unit consists of one video, 2 worksheets, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 8 – Vestibular Sense
Vestibular sense is reviewed in this video. The anatomy and physiology of our vestibular sense is reviewed. The calming and alerting effects of vestibular input is discussed as well as practical easy ways to obtain vestibular input throughout our day.
This unit consists of one video, 1 worksheet, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 9 – Sensory Strategies for Calming the Brain
This video teaches about the “just right level of alertness” and ways to help your body and brain to be more calm and organized. We review the steps to identify our alertness level and then choose strategies to alter as needed for the task at hand. Calming strategies within each sensory system are reviewed.
This unit consists of one video, 2 worksheets, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 10 – Sensory Strategies for Alerting the Brain
This video reviews sensory strategies that can be used to alert the brain and body. The steps needed to identity alertness level and strategies to alter that level are summarized. Alerting strategies within each sensory system are reviewed.
This unit consists of one video, 1 worksheet, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 11 – Personal Sensory Toolkit
This video teaches the key principals for developing your own personal sensory toolkit. A personal toolkit is a great way to keep sensory strategies at your fingertips. Supplies are reviewed and practical strategies discussed.
This unit consists of one video, 2 worksheets, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.
Unit 12 – Sensory Diet
The difference between a sensory kit and sensory diet is reviewed. What is a sensory diet? How to create one for yourself? How to implement? All of this and more is reviewed in this video.
This unit consists of one video, 2 worksheets, a quiz for mastery, and one case study.