This teaching guide introduces the core principles of the Sensana approach for individuals, carers, support workers, educators, and families supporting someone living with ALPIMS-pattern conditions.
Each foundation includes a definition, why it matters, and how to support it in others. These principles support trauma-aware, neurodivergent-affirming, and consent-based care practices.
1. Zone Awareness
What it is: The Zone System uses five color-coded states to reflect a person’s nervous system and capacity level:
- 🟢 Green – Regulated, balanced
- 🟡 Yellow – Rising tension, fragility
- 🔴 Red – Flare, panic, overload
- 🔵 Blue – Shutdown, flat, withdrawn
- ⚫ Black – Collapse, survival mode
Why it matters: Zone awareness helps people match activities, expectations, and support to their actual capacity. It also helps others avoid pushing them into distress or overload.
How to support it:
- Ask, “What zone do you think you’re in right now?”
- Use zone-matched task menus or visuals
- Adapt plans based on zones (e.g., simplify when Yellow or Red)
- Praise self-awareness, not performance
2. Consent-Led Care
What it is: Consent-led care centers the person’s internal cues—not just whether they say “yes” to others, but whether they feel allowed to say “no” to themselves.
Why it matters: Many ALPIMS-affected individuals override their needs to meet expectations. This can cause flares, crashes, or shutdown. Internalised pressure often blocks recovery.
How to support it:
- Normalize changing plans or saying no
- Model self-consent in your own behavior
- Avoid praise for pushing through
- Ask, “What would feel kind to your body right now?”
3. Sensory Safety
What it is: Sensory safety means environments, relationships, and routines are gentle on the senses and adaptable to needs.
Why it matters: Sensory overload can trigger pain, shutdown, immune flares, or emotional dysregulation. Creating low-threat sensory environments can be healing.
How to support it:
- Ask about light, sound, scent, and texture preferences
- Offer noise-canceling tools, soft clothing, quiet spaces
- Reduce unexpected sensory changes (e.g., surprise touches or loud noises)
- Design shared spaces with multiple sensory profiles in mind
4. Minimal Effective Strategy (MES)
What it is: MES means doing the smallest, simplest version of a task that still meets the need—especially in Yellow, Red, or Blue Zones.
Why it matters: People with ALPIMS conditions risk overdoing or underdoing. MES helps preserve energy while protecting dignity, connection, and safety.
How to support it:
- Reframe MES as strength, not avoidance
- Offer choices like “Would you like to do the 10% version today?”
- Pre-plan MES options for key tasks (meals, hygiene, communication)
- Help build MES libraries (visuals, cards, routine hacks)
5. Co-Regulation and Anchoring
What it is: Co-regulation is the use of shared rhythm, voice, movement, or presence to return to safety. Anchors are personal sensory tools or phrases that help bring calm.
Why it matters: When someone is dysregulated, logic often fails. Co-regulation is a biological need, especially for people with trauma, pain, or sensory sensitivity.
How to support it:
- Stay calm and present when others are in distress
- Use soft voice, slow breath, and safe distance
- Offer anchoring tools: weighted items, calming scent, music
- Use scripts like, “You don’t have to talk. I’m here.”
Teaching Notes
- This framework works well with neurodivergent, trauma-aware, and disability support teams
- Can be adapted for group settings (classrooms, homes, clinics)
- Use visual aids, check-ins, and modeling to reinforce the five foundations