Your sensory health matters. Here's why | Virginia Spielmann | TEDxMileHigh

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Published 2021-12-20
Are you comfortable right now? How do your clothes feel against your skin? How does food feel inside of your mouth? Sensory integration is something we take for granted – but it’s a complex neurological process that describes how your brain processes information from your senses. It tells you when your heart's beating fast or when your stomach's churning, but it also explains why some people prefer working in a bustling coffee shop and others alone in a dark room. Occupational therapist Virginia Spielmann helps people with disordered sensory processing navigate the inputs that cause them distress. But we all have unique sensory profiles and preferences. "If you want to flourish," Spielmann says, "if you want to be happier, healthier, joyful, more productive, more loving, you owe it to yourself to start noticing your sensory needs." Virginia Spielmann is an Occupational Therapist and the Executive Director of STAR Institute for Sensory Processing. She obtained her PhD in Infant and Early Childhood Development in August 2021 and is Affiliate Faculty at Colorado State Department of Occupational Therapy. She co-founded & authored the Critical Core therapeutic role-playing game and co-developed the Palaana sensory lounger with SLACK Lifestyle. Her extensive clinical experience includes autism, differences in sensory integration/processing, infant mental health, adoption, developmental trauma, and physical disabilities. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
All Comments (21)
  • @gavinsymes-wizardot
    Thanks for spreading this information. It shocks me how many referrals I get telling me no other OT's work with adults regarding their sensory processing.
  • @Ozubura
    This video doesn’t get as much views and likes as it deserves.
  • @abrooksdowty
    Wow this is excellent! I’m a therapist and am already sharing with clients and other clinicians! So important that we understand and refer properly for OT!
  • @katyowens3119
    As a future OT I really appreciate this explanation and case studies!
  • @windowsdan619
    my sensory problems fook with me. in work too many people, i contort my hands and tap to a pattern while serving at the till. when i lie down in my bed i feel energy overload and scream really load then im fine. yawning then screaming like im in pain but just stretching. i have to stop any conversation with someone if a car or vehicle comes past me, it just takes over my mind untill it passes. some clothes when i put them on make me fell like my body is going to explode with enegy so i take it off.tried getting help at doctors when i was younger, they did not really want to know. so i just deal with it, just class myself as my own type of wierd lol. thought it was autism at some point but now a days im not really sure. no one really cares anyway. :)
  • @coldplayfanx
    My kid was labeled as a picky eater, I keep fighting for a proper diagnosis, I'm 110% sure that is a sensory processing disorder
  • @Za3chik
    😭🙏💜 I really love the encouragement to understand and have compassion for our sensory needs!
  • @craigmerkey8518
    Amazing! I am very tactile defensive, scratchy and sticky experiences drive me crazy and make me mega anxious! Understanding this is key!
  • @africakanyi9073
    As an OT, I love the explaination, couldn't be made more simply,thank you !
  • @gayemarianesfox2405
    Thank you for this. My daughter was a preemie with SPD and when you mentioned the bladder a light bulb went off. She always had trouble knowing she had to “go”. Also, my husband gets hangry! I’m usually impatient with that but I’ll try not to be now 🙂.
  • @deborah5706
    Fantastic Virginia!! Thank you for putting on the Pedi OT FB pg, one of my favorite topics and love trying to explain this to parents..to anyone!!
  • @marshaschmid5506
    Thank you, thank you, thank you. This answers so many questions. I am a non-practicing OT. Virginia's explanation with real life examples brings sensory issues into a much clearer focus and helps me realize how many people I know are dealing with sensory issues. Very applicable and insightful!
  • @BiddyDee
    This is amazing - so insightful and I will use both personally and professionally
  • @Millie_Gibbons
    Really great information! Hopefully people will understand this more and more.