Noticing how close physical touch, eye contact and verbal instructions can all affect someone's ability to feel calm and present.
Exploring how sensory input from sound, movement, and crowds can build up over time.
Thinking about how different people experience the same activities in different ways.
Considering what might be a way we can respond in a moment of overwhem.
Exploring what environments or strategies help you feel regulated and at ease.
Norma is at a life coach group. The leader has the participants engage in trust activities such as staring at each other and holding hands. Norma becomes visibly overwhelmed as the sensory input builds. Norma breaks away from the group, sitting on her own by the waters edge whilst she calms herself.
• What did you notice about how Norma was responding in the group activities?
• What did Norma find particularly difficult?
• Are there activities that you find easier or harder to be involved in?
• Is there something you do to help yourself feel more comfotable when you are overwhelmed?
• What might it feel like to need support in a sensory situation and not have access to it?
• How might someone let others know they are feeling overwhelmed without using words?
• What could help when someone around you is experiencing sensory overwhelm?
The questions within this guide are designed to open dialogue and facilitate discussion around the relevant topics. It is up to the user to adapt as needed to best suit the person they are supporting. A neuroaffirming approach was central to the design of these resources and remains essential to their application. This means recognising and respecting the diverse ways people think, communicate, and experience the world, ensuring all conversations are led with curiosity, respect, and without judgement. These resources are a starting point. Trust your knowledge of the person you are supporting to shape the conversation from there.
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