Getting Started

Snoezelen: A Multi-Sensory Approach to Challenging Behaviors

Although this position paper was written in 1998 and some of the material is outdated due to the advancement of the sciences; I feel the basic philosophy and concepts remain current.

I have put the paper unedited here, but it was accompanied by a video tape of a consumer's experience and behavioral changes documented over a six week period in the Snoezelen room. During this period in time, I utilized the Snoezelen Modality exclusively as a method of relaxation to help someone change their own behavior. By this I mean the equipment, music and projected images were slow, soft and never intense. What I now call the Phase One or Traditional Relaxation Phase. The objectives were to:

1. Lower someone's stress, fear, anxiety and level of arousal.

2. Build a trusting relationship with the individual.

3. Follow up with treatment only when the first two objectives were achieved. (In this case the individual presented in this paper had Sensory Defensiveness.)

Treatment sessions were conducted utilizing the Snoezelen Environment not in a traditional Therapy room. The Snoezelen equipment was not necessarily turned on. But, the comforting and familiar Snoezelen Environment helped the individual maintain their own level of arousal. If the individual was exhibiting an increase in stress, anxiety, or level of arousal, as demonstrated by their behavior or asked for the equipment to be turned on, it was. This allowed for traditional techniques to be used with the individual without the emotional negative connotation. (For the individual in this paper it allowed for using Patricia Wilbarger's Sensory Defensive Treatment Protocol.) [See text for explanation]

Note: Virginia continued to make progress after this paper was written. She can now sit and eat in a noisy cafeteria. She was severely underweight and gained eight pounds and maintained it. She no longer strips off her clothing. She can be touched and will initiate coming to the Snoezelen room when she is in a high state of anxiety or stress. Her sleeping pattern has changed and she sleeps through the night. Virginia is making choices for herself.

The consumers have taught me how to use Snoezelen over the years and I am very grateful to them. Thanks to my experience with Virginia and many other individuals' with Challenging Behaviors, my Treatment Approach with Snoezelen has been developing and refining itself. I look forward to sharing it in the future. This article provides a detailed view of my approach.