Compass is excited to introduce a brand-new Sensory Processing professional development opportunity. This two-day training format has been designed to meet the needs of both foundational and advanced practitioners. Each day stands alone as its own complete workshop, or participants can choose to attend both days for a deeper, integrated learning experience.

Choose the learning pathway that suits you:

Attend Day 1 only – build a strong sensory foundation - The 9 Sensory Systems and Tools for Effective Support

Sensory processing difficulties, where individuals process and integrate sensory information differently, often underlie behavioural and participation concerns for many children and young people. These challenges are particularly common among neurodivergent children and those with developmental trauma. Often the challenge comes from the system and people around the person not understanding their needs, rather than from the person themselves. This seminar will offer practical recommendations for facilitating meaningful change for those with sensory processing differences, neurodivergence, and developmental trauma.

Key Topics Elen Will Discuss:

• Sensory Systems: Understand the nine sensory systems and their impact on behaviour, participation, relationships, and well-being

• Which populations require greater screening and care, and why.

• Sensory Processing vs. Sensory Preference: Learn to distinguish between clinically significant sensory processing differences and personal sensory preferences, and how to apply a neurodivergent affirming practice lens.
• Behavioural Approaches: Understand why traditional behaviour- based solutions (sticker charts, detentions, earning & withdrawing privileges) often fail or can cause harm for those with sensory processing difficulties and neurodivergence, and learn effective alternatives.
• Sensory Interventions: Explore different types of sensory interventions, appropriate populations for each, and common mistakes to avoid when working with sensory tools.
• Supporting Participation: Learn strategies to support, treat, or adapt when sensory differences impact participation in everyday life activities, including environmental design or modification such as sensory rooms and sensory safe classrooms.

Attend Day 2 only – for those with existing knowledge seeking advanced skill development (while this is a stand alone workshop, it is highly recommended that you have attended a full day sensory processing training previously) - Assessment for differential diagnosis and intervention for sensory modulation, sensory discrimination, and sensory integration differences

Take your sensory assessment and intervention toolkit to a specialist level by building knowledge beyond the sensory seeking and sensory avoiding profile. Explore sensory assessment tools and develop a specialist clinical skillset to differentiate the sensory processing pathways that lead to sensory discrimination, sensory modulation and sensory integration differences.

Key Topics Elen Will Discuss:

• Learn about 4 core sensory concepts to support understanding of the wide spectrum of sensory processing differences.
• Supporting the highly sensitive across the lifespan: Explore profiles of sensitivity and understand development differences and disruption.
• Sensory modulation differences: How these impact on felt safety, self protection, regulation and behaviour.
• Sensory discrimination differences: How this impacts on everyday activities, how to identify the challenges, and plan appropriately.
• Sensory screening and assessment: Explore methods and tools for screening or assessment of sensory processing differences to better inform individualised planning
• Practical clinical training: Practice clinical screening tools such as vestibular testing, visual tracking screening, proprioceptive discrimination testing, and reflex testing.
• Learn to apply sensory processing knowledge to complex trauma histories such as adverse childhood experiences, to inform intervention and provide sensitive trauma informed care.
• Explore sensory indicators commonly missed to support differential diagnosis such as depression vs under-responsivity, ARFID vs Anorexia, visual motor delay vs reading delay.

This day is delivered workshop style. We invite you to wear comfortable practical clothing & footwear as we will be moving around across the day.

Attend both days – for a complete, connected learning experience

Elen Nathan is a specialist Occupational Therapist with advanced qualifications in sensory integration from Sheffield University, UK. With 20 years’ experience across various sectors, Elen specialises in neurodivergence, neurodevelopmental conditions, and developmental trauma. She leads a specialist therapeutic service for children and families, focusing on sensory-based therapies such as sensory modulation, sensory integration, and providing supports for sensory processing differences. Elen is a sought-after trainer in New Zealand and Australia, known for her engaging and practical presentation style.