Katya Kivi

Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Sarah Nielsen

Second Advisor

Jordyn Himley

Abstract

A large majority of people who are receiving mental health services have experienced a form of trauma (Arnaly et al., 2019; Champagne et al., 2010). Individuals who have experienced trauma-related sensory processing issues often have decreased occupational performance because of avoidance of the occupation or dysregulation during the occupation (Cerny, 2019; Gerney & Muffly, 2015). PTSD can affect an individual's overall quality of life and the creation and maintenance of social relationships, resulting in social isolation (Arnaly et al., 2019). The product is a guide to inform care within the adult mental health setting following sensory-based information and trauma-informed care. The guide includes an overview of this population's best practices and evaluation and intervention guidelines. This product is intended to guide practitioners in creating individualized sensory interventions to increase the feeling of safety, increase sensory processing and sensory regulation to facilitate recovery, and increase occupational performance (Champagne et al., 2010). The importance of this product is that there is a need across the continuum of care for sensory-based and trauma-informed care with people who are experiencing mental health difficulties and have experienced a traumatic event. This scholarly project provided the agency with an evaluation and interventional protocol, both individual and group intervention sessions, and educational resources for the clients. This can be expanded by modifying this protocol for a community care behavioral health organization or adapting this process for outpatient occupational therapy or inpatient at the hospital.

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