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The purpose of my project was to design and create a short-term sensory modulation room for individuals with mental illness who attend services at Greenhouse Ministries. A review of the literature was completed to determine what sensory processing issues impacted occupational performance of individuals with mental illness. From this review, donations from Greenhouse Ministries’ warehouse were gathered to establish an appropriate temporary sensory room within the space and budgetary constraints of the non-profit organization. A checklist of available and appropriate sensory items was developed to use for pilot testing the sensory modulation room. Qualitative observations were completed during the pilot testing along with quantitative results from the checklist. From the outcomes of the pilot testing, a report was compiled of recommendations including pricing of items for the future sensory room. In addition, a policies and procedures manual was composed to ensure safe and appropriate use of the room. Finally, a blueprint was drafted of an ideal sensory modulation room to implement in Greenhouse Ministries’ new establishment to be built in 2020.

About Greenhouse Ministries• A sensory room is a therapeutic space designed to promote

participation in activities and self-regulation of emotions by using certain items to calm or alert the senses (Champagne, 2015).

• “Sensory room” is an umbrella term that encompasses different types of rooms including sensory modulation rooms and sensory integration rooms (Champagne, 2015).

• Current research has suggested that there is a positive correlations between sensory modulation dysfunction and mental health symptoms (Sutton & Nicholson, 2011; Champagne & Frederick, 2011).

• Sensory rooms in mental health settings are often therapeutic sensory modulation rooms that are used with the end goal for the individual to continue engaging in meaningful activities within the community (Champagne, 2015).

Why at Greenhouse Ministries?

Creating A Sensory Modulation Room at Greenhouse Ministries

Participant Results from Pilot Testing

Future Recommendations• Expand sensory modulation room with more participants from

Greenhouse Ministries. • Implementing individual sensory modulation programs with

participants based on the results from pilot testing. • Attempt to get grant funding for the existing sensory modulation

room.• Create a volunteer and staff training module for operating the

sensory modulation room.• Establish a sensory modulation program for the home

environment.

Ashley Byers, OTD/SFaculty Mentor: Dr. Christine Manville, EdD, OTR/L

Expert Mentor: Joseph A. Olmstead, MS, OTR/L, CEAS

Creating a Sensory Modulation Room at Greenhouse Ministries

What is a Sensory Modulation Room?• Services for individuals with mental illness have transitioned from

a hospital-based medical model to an outpatient community, public health model (Castaneda, Olson, & Radley, 2013).

• With this transition, a focus has shifted to incorporating the Recovery Model in client care (Castaneda et al., 2013).

• Greenhouse Ministries uses the Recovery Model along with the Community Health Model developed by Joseph A. Olmstead.

• The main focus of occupational therapy when working under these models is to help individuals develop skills needed to function within the community by enabling independence, interdependence, and/or productive living (Moore, K., 2015).

• Occupational therapists adapt the context and environment to help individuals regulate emotions to better participate in meaningful activities, such as volunteering at Greenhouse Ministries.

• The sensory modulation room at Greenhouse Ministries is used to provide a “safe zone” for individuals to go to self-regulate and prevent crisis situations (Champagne, T., 2015).

Review of the literature

Checklist developed of sensory activities

Temporary sensory room designed

Pilot testing with participants from

Greenhouse Ministries

Results of the pilot testing analyzed

Recommendations and pricing report for

future sensory room

• A review of the literature was completed on the topic of the use of sensory modulation to promote adult mental health.

• From this review, a checklist was created of appropriate sensory activities for a sensory modulation room at Greenhouse Ministries.

• Referring to the checklist, donations throughout the warehouse at Greenhouse Ministries were gathered.

• An existing room was redesigned to house the donations gathered for the sensory activities.• These activities were piloted with participants who were receiving occupational therapy services at

Greenhouse Ministries.• Observations were collected throughout the pilot testing process. • The results from pilot testing and review of literature were compiled into a report that included

recommendations for equipment and activities for a sensory room to be housed in the new building at Greenhouse Ministries.

• In addition, policies and procedures for use and maintenance of the room were compiled.

P #1

Alerting

Exercise

Auditory

Drums

Waterfall

Ocean soundsDisco ball

GustatorySalty chips

Sour candy

Calming

Weighted lap pad

Deep breathing exercises

Fidgets

Auditory

Summer night

Birds chirping

Relaxation music

Violin music

Visual

Lava lamp

Nature scenes

Cloud formations

P #2

Alerting

Auditory

Drums

White noise

Summer nightDisco ball

Aromatherapy candle

Calming

Weighted lap pad

Kneading clay

Deep breathing exercises

Coloring with crayons

Auditory

Violin music

Waterfall

Birds chirping

Ocean sounds

Visual

Nature scenes

Underwater video

Lava lamp

Cloud formations

Glow sticks

Blowing bubbles

P #3

Alerting

Therapy ball

Fidget - plush ball

Hand roller

Wrapped up in crocheted blanket

Auditory

Drums

White noise

Summer night

Visual

Watching underwater video

Disco ball

Glow sticks

Gustatory

Sour candy

Spicy candy

Strawberry candy

Calming

Exercise

Sitting in bean bag chair

Weighted lap pad

Deep breathing exercises

Coloring pictures

Auditory

Violin music

Waterfall sounds

Ocean sounds

Visual

Watching nature scenes

Watching cloud formations

GustatoryChewing gum

Sweet candy

P #3

Alerting

Therapy ball

Fidget - plush ball

Hand roller

Wrapped up in crocheted blanket

Auditory

Drums

White noise

Summer night

Visual

Watching underwater video

Disco ball

Glow sticks

Gustatory

Sour candy

Spicy candy

Strawberry candy

Calming

Exercise

Sitting in bean bag chair

Weighted lap pad

Deep breathing exercises

Coloring pictures

Auditory

Violin music

Waterfall sounds

Ocean sounds

Visual

Watching nature scenes

Watching cloud formations

GustatoryChewing gum

Sweet candy

Goal OutcomeTo organize, collect, and analyze data in a systematic manner for the design of an effective sensory modulation room for the clients at Greenhouse Ministries (ACOTE B.5.30).

• An annotated bibliography of the current literature on sensory modulation programs for the treatment of adults with mental illness.

• A blueprint for the design of a sensory room for Greenhouse Ministries.

To explore the relationships between sensory processing issues and their impact on every day function in individuals diagnosed with mental illness (ACOTE B.7.9).

• Analysis of quantitative data from pilot testing the sensory modulation items.

• Written observations of how the clients interacted with the sensory materials.

To create written policies and procedures that promote safe and appropriate use of the sensory modulation room at Greenhouse Ministries.

• A written document including policies and procedures of the sensory modulation room

• A comprehensive list of recommendations and pricing for sensory modulation items that are appropriate for the room.

Abstract

Since 1999, Greenhouse Ministries has been reaching out to underprivileged individuals and families in Rutherford County (Greenhouse Ministries, n.d.). Greenhouse Ministries is a faith-based, inter-denominational, non-profit organization that provides assistance with job skills, clothing, food, education, and counseling (Greenhouse Ministries, n.d.). The staff, volunteers, and occupational therapy students at Greenhouse Ministries also reach out to adults with disabilities to assist with attaining and maintaining skills to better participate within the community.