Sensory Modulation Resource Manual

LISTS: Leisure Interests, Sports Through the Senses.
LISTS is a Leisure Interest Checklist organised according to sensory experiences and environments .

Activities are also grouped according to:
* primarily indoors or outdoors
* by self or with others

We developed LISTS in response to a couple of clinical scenarios:

1. A person who was interested in exploring leisure activities that she could do at home.

2. A young person admitted to a mental health unit with a love of nature and who had interests but they were just not on any checklist!

3. Sometimes sensory differences were an enabler or a barrier of exploring interests and so it was useful to explore leisure interests according to the senses.

4. Checklists can be pretty dry so we incorporated some unusual interests in the checklist to encourage humour or curiosity!

Free to download on the Sensory Modulation Brisbane Free Resources page
*Italian translation available

Sensory Based Interventions (SBI) in Schools

OTs who work with children and in the school environment may be interested in this new article by Margaret Morris.

"Occupational Therapy Best Practices in U.S. Public Schools: Alignment with Federal Legislation and State Licensure"in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

"School occupational therapy practitioners are well-versed in the use of SBIs in collaboration and consultation with the interprofessional educational team (Benson et al., 2019; Watt et al., 2024), without adding ASI® with fidelity. One benefit of SBIs is the ability of school practitioners to collaborate with the team to place the intervention in context, wherever and whenever the student's participation outcomes benefit from the sensory strategy during their day. A scoping review by Watt et al. (2024) reports generally mixed evidence for SBIs, and both Benson et al. (2019) and Watt et al. (2024) advocate for further data collection on SBIs tied explicitly to student participation goals. It is imperative for researchers not to conflate the implementation of SBIs and ASI® as similar in the published literature; doing so only perpetuates the challenge in researching the effectiveness of both categories."

(Thankyou Greg Santucci for highlighting this article)

Sensory Modulation Brisbane uses the DIN model as a SBI.

The DIN model proposes that sensory modulation interventions work by:

(1) strengthening the person's (and/or educators') sensory awareness;
(2) changing the environment; and
(3) changing occupations.

Alterations to sensory input can be explored and applied through:

* Decreasing or eliminating the sensory input,
* Increasing the sensory input,
* New sensory input introduced.

Warmth and Hugging Strengthen the Feeling of Being You

A growing body of research shows that temperature signals from the skin help shape bodily self-awareness, influencing how connected we feel to our physical selves.

Warmth and touch strengthen the feeling of body ownership by engaging interoceptive pathways that link sensation to emotion and identity.

Disruptions in thermal perception can weaken this sense of embodiment, contributing to detachment in several mental health and neurological conditions.

These insights may inform new therapeutic strategies that use temperature-based or tactile interventions to support grounding and wellbeing.

https://neurosciencenews.com/temperature-hugging-body-awareness-30020/

Julie and Carolyn have developed a course based on years of clinical experience in working with people who found bathing really challenging.

* The person who hears voices when they try to shower
* The person who experienced trauma in the bathroom and hates being in there
* the autistic child with sensory and anxiety challenges
* People who feel that a shower needs to be done in a certain way and does not have the energy for that.

Julie and Carolyn provide practical guidance and solutions to suit most challenges in bathing!



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Clinicians working in mental health need a broad toolbox including grounding skills.

This webinar provides a deep dive into grounding skills and content includes:
Brief description of Dissociation, Panic, Disconnection and Flashbacks
Pickle juice, vinegar, mustard as strategies including
why it works.
Other Sensory Modulation strategies that are grounding
This 2 hour 30 minute pre-recorded webinar series and powerpoint presentation focuses on grounding strategies .
The videos are divided up into 9 smaller videos.

Throughout each webinar, participants will be invited to pause the recording for the opportunities to reflect on content or engage in an activity to help consolidate learning.
A 31 page workbook is also accessible for participant use.

Grounding strategies for Dissociation, disconection and flashbacks Grounding Strategies for Dissociation, Panic, Disconnection and Flashbacks This webinar provides a range of Grounding strategies for you to try. Content includes: Brief description of Dissociation, Panic, Disconnection and Flashbacks Grounding Strategies Workbook

Are you interested in assistive technology and autism?

Do you want to increase understanding of neuroaffirming approaches to AT assessment & prescription for autistic people? The next ARATAaus webinar (available real time and on-demand via recording) is being delivered on Wednesday 19th August 2026 at 4pmAEST by Carolyn Fitzgibbon (Sensory Modulation Brisbane and OTSi).

Details and registrations via link in comments

Ruth Lanius article includes predictive processing and an understanding of why trauma may result in someone not feeling safe in the current moment

Why Traumatic Memories Feel Like They’re Happening Right Now These findings help explain why the brain continues predicting danger after trauma — and could reshape how we understand and treat PTSD.

New Research - Exploring sensory aspects of cutlery in neurodivergent-informed eating disorder care

Sensory sensitivities are common in individuals with eating disorders (ED) & this research focused on the sensory preferences of the cutlery.

*Chubinidze D, Meyer A, Makin L, Sterling K and Tchanturia K (2026) Exploring sensory aspects of cutlery in neurodivergent-informed eating disorder care. Front. Psychiatry 17:1827308. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1827308

Universal Design for Uniforms

Schools and Workplaces can adopt Universal Design principles by offering sensory-friendly uniform options as part of the standard uniform range.

This benefits students/employees who are Autistic or ADHDers or people who have sensory processing differences, eczema, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, hypermobility, or other conditions that make certain clothing uncomfortable.

The goal is for students/employees to spend their energy on learning and participating, not on coping with uncomfortable clothing.

Sensory Friendly clothing can include:
* Tag-free (printed labels instead of sewn-in tags)
* Flat or flatlock seams
* Minimal internal stitching
* Covered elastic waistbands
* Soft waistbands
* stretch
* minimal polyester
* Easy-to-use zips
* Large buttons or magnetic fastenings (where appropriate)
* Minimal buckles
* No stiff collars unless optional
* Choice of relaxed or fitted styles
* Multiple length options
* Clothing that allows freedom of movement
* Soft socks with flat toe seams
* Comfortable jumpers without itchy wool
* Comfortable shoes
* Hats with soft internal bands

The most important feature is choice. Students/employees should be able to wear the uniform option that best meets their sensory needs while still meeting the dress requirements.

People with sensory processing differences are not going to “get used” to seams and tags etc and their attention will be continually drawn to the discomfort.

Chapter 6 of ‘Sensory Approaches to Mental Health Practice’ was written by Sensory Modulation Brisbane.

This chapter ‘Sensory modulation interventions in practice when working with trauma’ explains trauma and trauma informed care, the role of sensory modulation when working with trauma and outlines a model and strategies for using sensory modulation as an intervention in this space.

Sensory Modulation Brisbane offers comprehensive on demand training on trauma and sensory modulation – designed as a lunchbox series (where individual training topics can be purchased separately or all together as a comprehensive course).

Link to a free introduction to the on demand training series -
https://sensorymodulationbrisbane.ticketspice.com/free-introduction-to-trauma-and-sensory-modulation-lunchbox-webinar-series?fbclid=IwY2xjawNX8E5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHg6WLuEVw_4eJ8d_SXCu4B5QuOHwwcdh3HX3KrSBJ4D5KfQMG_Krno1Hj2MV_aem_r2WfB2J4VOsAx3mD2524ow

Link to the introductory session for the on demand training series -
https://sensorymodulationbrisbane.ticketspice.com/sensory-modulation-and-sensory-processing-introduction-on-demand-lunchbox-series

Link to the session on frameworks for working with trauma -
https://sensorymodulationbrisbane.ticketspice.com/sensory-modulation-frameworks-for-trauma-on-demand-lunchbox-series

Link to session on sensory modulation interventions for trauma -
https://sensorymodulationbrisbane.ticketspice.com/sensory-modulation-interventions-for-trauma

Link to session on anxiety, panic & breathing -
https://sensorymodulationbrisbane.ticketspice.com/anxiety-panic-and-breathing-trauma-sensory-modulation-lunch-box-series

Link to session on sensory spaces and equipment -
https://sensorymodulationbrisbane.ticketspice.com/sensory-spaces-and-sensory-equipment

Sensory Spaces and Sensory Equipment Get tickets online for Sensory Spaces and Sensory Equipment here.