What are your sensory preferences?
by Sonya Vargas Stagg
As occupational therapists, we’re very aware of how the environment around us impacts on how and what we can do. Every single moment, we humans are processing information from the world around us via our senses (and although I can’t speak on behalf of your pets, my guess is that they do too!). So, we know the importance of understanding your own sensory systems, needs and processing styles.
So what are these “sensory systems” that we’re referring to? Well, those 5 senses you learned as a child (sight, auditory, smell, taste, touch) plus 3 others that you may be less familiar with: proprioception (having a sense of your position in space), vestibular (your sense of movement) and interoception (the sensations from inside your body, like hunger, pain, or needing to use the toilet).
But, it’s not always easy to figure out what works for you in a sensory-sense. You might notice that too much sound doesn’t make you feel good, but only after hours of being in a noisy environment. Or, you might keep falling asleep whenever you’re supposed to be studying at your desk. Or, maybe others around you don’t understand what you find too much, or what sensory input you may need to feel calm and alert.
Too. Much. Noise.
Learning about our sensory needs and preferences can help us develop strategies to manage how we respond to the sensory world around us.
Sensory strategies can help with:
feeling calm and tuned in to connect with others,
feeling more alert for learning,
helping us pick up on information we might be missing,
feeling less agitated and stressed
focusing on what we are trying to focus on
So how can you learn more about your sensory needs?? We’re so glad you asked! You might like to start by noticing the types of sensations that you like and dislike. What do you find calming? Irritating? This type of exploration might be enough for you, but many people find it helpful to see an Occupational Therapist for some 1:1 sensory assessment and exploration of their own sensory environments, to customise strategies that may assist. Or, you might like to start by attending one of our Sensory Space workshops run by our Occupational Therapy team. We will help you learn about your sensory systems, explore your preferences and needs, and you even get to start making your own sensory kit!
Here at The Social Confidence Collective, Rachel, Jo and I all have further training and experience in working with young people and their supports to better understand and address their sensory needs. We use this knowledge across everything we do! We keep this information in mind when we facilitate our groups, when we meet with young people…we even consider this information when running training with other clinicians! We think finding out and knowing what works for you is one of the most empowering things we can provide for young people.
There is no one right way to better understand yourself and your sensory preferences…but we know our workshops and groups can be very helpful for the young people that we have worked with. Get in touch if you want to find out more, or book into our October Sensory Space workshop before it fills up!