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Sensory-Safe Trauma-Informed Therapy

Updated: Oct 15


Clients who have experienced trauma and clients with biological hypersensitivities (as commonly seen with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent ways of being) will often have similar extreme reactivity to sensory experiences, even though the original cause of those experiences is very different.


For example, they may startle at loud sounds, pull away from certain materials, or need to leave when a specific smell or perfume enters the room. They may also freeze at times of discomfort and not talk until they feel physically safe.


A trauma-informed, sensory-affirming therapist will be aware and attuned to the sensory experiences of their clients as a first step to creating a sense of safety and trust in the room.


Some examples of how this may look in a therapy room include:


  • When the client is (a) a survivor of wartime trauma or (b) has a biological hypersensitivity to sound, loud sounds should be minimized, and natural startle reflexes should be noticed, named, and normalized in the room.


  • Clients who are (a) survivors of domestic violence or (b) have biological hypersensitivities to sound or light, should be addressed with a calm tone of voice and an option to reduce or increase light or sound in the room.

  • Clients who are (a) survivors of cultic, religious, or complex trauma or (b) experience regular sensory overstimulation or sensory-seeking behaviors should be invited to adjust to mindfulness or meditation exercises to their comfort level. This may include practicing mindfulness exercises with their eyes open or integrating movement into the experience.

Some trauma-informed, affirming approaches that I have taken with clients include an invitation to adjust the light in the room, an invitation to adjust the room's temperature (within my control), or to offer a drink of cold water on a hot day. The small gestures are invitations to the client's nervous system to relax into a sense of safety.


And with this invitation, therapy begins.



 

To learn more and connect with me please email erin@erinkaller.com



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