54. Vacations Through a Sensory Emotional Lens

With summer often comes vacations, and it’s important to remember that Sensory Emotional Kids tend to express their SEPs more vividly during vacations. Why? Because vacations often involve a break from routine and a flood of novel sensory-motor, social and emotional experiences. These changes can bring out new or more intense social-emotional responses—some that may not usually show up in day-to-day life.

 

When we use a Sensory Emotional Lens, we recognize that the way we take in sensation and move our bodies affects how we feel, act, and interact with the world. At the same time, how we feel, act, and interact influences how we experience sensation and movement. Tune in as we dive into each Sensory Emotional Personality (SEP) and explore strategies tailored to each one, as well as some general strategies worth keeping in mind when going on your next vacation.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why taking a Sensory Emotional Lens matters so much on vacation 

• How the novelty in sensory, motor, emotional, and social demands of vacations can amplify SEPs

• General strategies to consider when planning trips with Sensory Emotional kids

• Specific strategies when planning for and while on vacation for each SEP:

• Anxious yet Deeply Feeling: How to offer control, protection, and predictability

• Needy yet Compassionate: Building in rest, emotional support, and bravery boosts

• Scattered yet Intentional and Passionate: Planning, preparing, and empowering leadership

• Unaware yet Deep Thinking: Using input, movement, and connection to encourage engagement

• Confused yet Full of Wonder: Fostering curiosity, offering space to experiment, and navigating social nuance

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Visit our Learning Center 

We know that sensory-motor experiences play a significant role in a child’s daily life and emotional well-being. Using playful interactions, The Sensory Emotional Center of Learning is designed to bring our therapeutic model, the Sensory Emotional Engagement Model™, into your home or work.

https://www.sensoryemotionalcenteroflearning.com

Want more resources? Please visit our blog: https://greatkidsplace.com/category/blog/

and https://sensoryemotional.org/

 

About

Michele Parkins MS, OTR/L IMH-E®

Founder & Director, Great Kids Place 

Founder, Sensory Emotional Engagement Model™

Michele is an Occupational Therapist endorsed as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist. She specializes in working with children and families with Sensory Processing and Integration Disorders and challenges in social-emotional development. She is also a parent of two sensory kids. Michele is passionate about working with families and other therapists and continues to do so as a clinician and educator. She educates therapists from all over the country and world and continues to provide consultation to schools on treatment for sensory processing disorder. Michele has co-authored a chapter in the 3rd edition of Sensory Integration: Theory and Practice, the textbook for sensory evaluation and treatment, alongside world-renowned pioneers in the field, and is currently writing a parenting book and children’s b