ACTIVITIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
Overview
The Sensory Connection Program is an occupational therapy based program designed to help patients with mental health problems. When a person's world implodes and mental illness takes over, it is a time of confusion, despair, uncontrollable feelings, loneliness, and agonizing discomfort. Treatment traditionally involves medications, counseling, talk therapy, and possibly behavioral therapy. While these treatment approaches are vital and will eventually be helpful, they take time to work and to people in mental health crisis they can seem frustratingly ineffectual in dealing with the immediate feelings of catastrophic distress.
The Sensory Connection Program:
- Offers strategies that can be used immediately to help people calm down and regain self-control.
- Helps patients in ways that differ from that provided by other mental health professionals.
- Gives patients and care providers alternative options to deal with symptoms.
- Provides strategies for sensory distortions, dissociation, sensory defensiveness, self-harming behaviors, negative thinking, cognitive disruptions, substance abuse, and stress management.
Applicable Treatment Settings
- Acute and long term mental health units
- Outpatient mental health treatment programs
- Substance abuse programs
- Programs for patients with head injuries or neurological problems
- Adolescent units
- Geriatric settings
- Programs for adults with Developmental Disabilities
Download a complete overview document which includes:
An Overview of the Program
Description of Treatment Components and Activities
Clinical Treatment Stories
The Manual for the Sensory Connection Program contains many stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of sensory activities. View a few sample stories here....