Reflection – Elen Nathan Sensory Workshop
We recently had the privilege of hosting Elen Nathan again in Te Tai O Poutini for a workshop on sensory modulation and wellbeing here on Te Tai o Poutini. We had over 60 people attend across the sessions, which speaks to the growing need and appetite for understanding our tamariki, rangatahi and whānau in more meaningful, effective ways.
The kōrero throughout the day was honest, robust, and at times quite confronting. There were definitely moments that shifted thinking, not just small tweaks, but real “mind-blowing” changes in how we understand behaviour, regulation, and support. A key takeaway was moving away from seeing behaviour as something to manage, and instead understanding it as a response to unmet needs, environments, and nervous system states.
One of the most powerful learnings was around sensory modulation, understanding that we can support people to shift their energy state (how they feel in their body) through the senses. This is not about controlling behaviour, but about creating the conditions for regulation through safety, choice, and connection. The reminder that “it’s not the tool, it’s the person” really landed.
We explored the 9 sensory systems , not just the commonly known five, but also the internal systems like proprioception, vestibular, interoception, and neuroception. These gave us a much deeper understanding of how people experience the world, and why what might seem “small” to us can be overwhelming or unsafe for someone else.
Another important shift was recognising that:
There is no “one size fits all” — regulation looks different for everyone
What we often label as challenging behaviour is actually a nervous system response
Environments, not just individuals, need to adapt
A statistic that really stayed with many of us was that the life expectancy for neurodiverse individuals can be as low as 54 years. This reinforced the urgency of doing better, not just in services, but across all systems including education, health, and community support.
What also felt really aligned was how strongly this mahi connects with Te Ao Māori. Concepts like:
Wairua (sense of safety and connection)
Whanaungatanga (relationships as the foundation)
Manaakitanga (meeting needs with care and respect)
…are all inherently woven through sensory-informed practice. This isn’t new to us it’s a reaffirming of what we already know works for our people.
A big takeaway for our team is that supporting whānau is not about adding more programmes or strategies, it’s about doing things differently, in ways that are relational, responsive, and grounded in understanding the person in front of us.
Due to the impact of this session and the strong interest, we are planning to bring Elen back in September to deliver the Therapeutic Use of LEGO® workshop as a follow-up. This will allow us to build on this learning with practical, hands-on tools to support social, emotional, and sensory development.
Overall, this workshop has strengthened our commitment to:
Creating environments that support regulation, not compliance
Embedding sensory and trauma-informed approaches into our mahi
Continuing to walk alongside whānau in ways that honor who they are
Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.