Make The Sensory Connection: A Human Approach to Self-Regulation
Presenter(s)
Cynthia Miller-Lautman, Occupational Therapist
Make the Sensory Connection: A Human Approach to Self-Regulation is an advanced, 4-hour training that invites occupational therapists to deepen their practice by reframing sensory regulation as a fundamental human need rather than a specialized intervention. Drawing from more than 25 years of clinical experience, the course integrates theory, neuroscience, and clinical storytelling to equip therapists with both conceptual frameworks and practical tools to support regulation across the lifespan. The program begins with a clear overview of the eight sensory systems: touch, vision, hearing, taste, smell, vestibular, proprioception, and interoception - highlighting their role in shaping behavior, learning, and participation. The course emphasizes that dysregulation is not confined to children with developmental differences but is experienced by all individuals, including adults managing stress, trauma, or cognitive decline. By positioning sensory regulation as universal, the course broadens its relevance and clinical utility. A central theme is the concept of the “Just Right” state—an accessible model for explaining regulation to clients, families, and teams. Occupational therapists are guided to observe energy levels, link behaviors to underlying sensory needs, and use tailored strategies to help individuals reach an optimal state for engagement. This model is presented not only as a clinical tool but as a language that bridges communication between professionals, teachers, parents, and clients themselves. The course also foregrounds the therapist’s responsibility in education and advocacy. Participants are shown how to translate complex sensory science into understandable strategies for teachers, caregivers, and interdisciplinary colleagues. The training stresses that therapists are not simply prescribing “sensory diets,” but facilitating awareness and co-regulation within natural contexts—classrooms, families, workplaces.
This systemic lens positions occupational therapy as central to promoting resilience and inclusion. In terms of practical strategies, the course presents a wide repertoire of tools and adaptations, from movement breaks and fidget objects to environmental modifications and co-regulatory approaches. Special attention is given to proprioception and interoception—often overlooked systems that profoundly influence self-awareness and emotional regulation. Occupational therapists are encouraged to integrate these dimensions into assessment and intervention, moving beyond surface behaviors to address the embodied experience of clients. Another unique element of the training is its lifespan perspective. While much sensory education is targeted at pediatrics, this course deliberately incorporates examples across development—supporting children with autism, adolescents with ADHD, adults experiencing anxiety, and older adults living with dementia. For OTs, this reinforces the transferability of sensory frameworks across practice areas, from schools to mental health to geriatrics. The course also explores professional reflection. Therapists are invited to consider their own regulation, biases, and sensory preferences as part of their clinical reasoning. By modeling regulation themselves, OTs can more effectively co-regulate with clients and demonstrate strategies authentically. Learning is consolidated through structured models, visual frameworks, and simple metaphors that therapists can immediately apply in practice. The material aligns with evidence from occupational science, neuroscience, and psychology, while remaining pragmatic and grounded in real-world contexts.
Ultimately, Make the Sensory Connection strengthens the occupational therapist’s toolkit by: Deepening understanding of all eight sensory systems and their role in participation. Framing sensory regulation as a universal human need. Providing accessible models (such as “Just Right”) for client and team education. Expanding assessment and intervention strategies across the lifespan. Reinforcing the OT’s leadership role in advocacy, co-regulation, and systemic support. For occupational therapists, this training offers both reassurance and challenge: reassurance that their sensory expertise is indispensable, and challenge to extend this lens beyond disability toward a universal framework for human performance. By completing the course, OTs gain not just strategies, but a language and perspective that empower them to lead conversations about regulation in schools, healthcare, families, and communities. A certificate of completion is provided for this course.