This presentation will focus on

This session introduces a framework called ASSUME a Sensory Reason. This framework was developed due to the authors personal and professional experience of how often sensory regulation challenges are misinterpreted as behavioral issues. What looks like resistance, disengagement, or noncompliance is sometimes the nervous system responding to overwhelm, dysregulation, or unmet sensory needs. Today’s training is to help us rethink behavior through a more regulation-informed lens. ASSUME a Sensory Reason is a simple framework that encourages us to pause before assigning intent and instead ask:
‘What might the nervous system be responding to right now?’

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between intent-based and regulation-based interpretations of behavior in Clinical settings by identifying how proprioceptive and tactile sensory patterns (seeking and avoidant) influence engagement, interaction, and perceived “behavior.”
• Analyze the ethical and relational impact of misinterpreting sensory-driven behavior, including increased risk of stigma, escalation, re-traumatization, and disruption of the therapeutic alliance across clinical settings.
• Apply the ASSUME a Sensory Reason™ framework to real-world Clinical scenarios by selecting regulation-informed language, environmental adjustments, and support strategies that improve engagement, reduce escalation, and strengthen therapeutic outcomes.