Course | Under and Overstimulation, Diagnosis and Intervention (Physical)

Course Date

Thursday, January 15, 2026 (9:30 AM - 4:45 PM)
Thursday, March 26, 2026 (9:30 AM - 4:45 PM)
Thursday, September 24, 2026 (9:30 AM - 4:45 PM)
Thursday, November 26, 2026 (9:30 AM - 4:45 PM)

Facilitators

Monique Thoonsen
Monique Thoonsen is an educator, sensory processing expert, consultant, and trainer. She has advised and guided hundreds of children, parents, and teachers dealing with challenging behavior caused by abnormal sensory processing. She has 25 years of experience with various target groups: people with severe multiple disabilities (EMG), intellectual disabilities (ID), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), language development disorders (DLD), gifted individuals (HB), deaf and hard of hearing (HD), students in special education (SED), and students in mainstream education (Children).

Monique is the author of "Wiggle and Fidget in the Classroom: About the Influence of Sensory Processing on Learning" and "Wiggle and Fidget at Home: About the Influence of Sensory Processing on Growing Up." Through her company, SensoMatters, she provides information and courses on solutions for sensory processing problems.

In this course, you'll learn to look at behavior differently; you'll learn to recognize under- and overstimulation and offer alternatives for disruptive behavior.

Do you work with students or clients who can't sit still, where choosing clothes and food is a daily nightmare, or who regularly miss information? Or do you have students or clients who constantly rock, squirm, and fidget, are easily distracted, cross the boundaries of others, and can't collaborate? This can be related to sensory processing. Someone doesn't feel comfortable and can't concentrate when they're experiencing too little or too much stimulation. This person is either under- or overstimulated and can therefore exhibit disruptive behavior.

Course Contents

In this course, we'll use video material to examine behavior, recognizing that disruptive sensory processing can be the cause of disruptive behavior. You'll learn how sensory processing works in the brain and that there's a "stimulus filter" that determines what happens to the registered stimuli. Using a visual guide, the "stimulus guide," you'll learn to characterize (disruptive) behavior in a few steps. Is someone perhaps under- or over-stimulated? What are they doing to regulate their behavior? What can you, as a (professional) educator, offer to support sensory processing? Using case studies—some of which we've provided ourselves—we'll work on characterizing behavior and deciding whether a different or additional strategy is needed to help your student or client feel better and function more effectively. You'll learn activating and calming strategies and how to apply them. You will also learn whether being under- or overstimulated is a component of, for example, ASD, HSP, VB, AD(H)D and giftedness, or whether one can be confused with the other.

Objective

• You will learn how sensory processing (ZiP) influences growing up, experiencing, and learning.

• You will learn what behavior looks like when ZiP isn't functioning properly (you will learn to look through a "ZiP lens").

• Using video material, you will learn to characterize disruptive behavior; is someone perhaps under- or overstimulated?

• You will learn to decide immediately whether you need to offer support or whether your student or client is already doing fine.

• You will learn to devise solutions for disruptive behavior.

• You will learn whether being under- or overstimulated is a component of certain disorders/personal characteristics, or whether one can be confused with the other.

Method

Participants will be shown video material to help them recognize under- and over-stimulated behavior. They will learn to use a visual aid, the "stimulus indicator." Participants will work together to complete various tasks in which they will learn to characterize under- and over-stimulated behavior and learn to select strategies for under- and over-stimulated individuals. Participants will also be introduced to the "stimulus meter," which students or clients can use to indicate how they feel and what they need.

• Face-to-face
• Highly experienced instructor
• Get your certificate immediately
• Accredited

Information

Contact hours: 6 hours
Self-study: 3 hours

Target Audience

This training is suitable for all levels. Educational psychologists, psychologists, coaches, teachers, parents, counselors, and other stakeholders can all follow the content and use the practical tips in their own environment. The training can also be used with students and clients with different levels, personal characteristics, and disorders, from both regular and special education settings, in home settings, and in institutions.

Literature

Required purchase: (one of the three)
Thoonsen, M., Lamp, C (2017). Wiggling and fidgeting at home, about the influence of sensory processing on growing up. Pica Publishers. Chapters 1, 2, 5, and 7 (72 pages)

or

Thoonsen, M., Lamp, C (2015). Wiggling and fidgeting in the classroom, about the influence of sensory processing on learning. Pica Publishers. Chapters 1, 2, 4, and 5 (77 pages)

or

Thoonsen, M., Van der Gaag, M. Wiggling and fidgeting for people with intellectual disabilities, about the influence of sensory processing on (experience) life. Pica Publishers. Chapters 1, 2, 6, and 8 (70 pages)

Further reading is available online:
Excerpt from: Dunn, W. (2008). Living with Sensations: Understanding Your Senses. Pearson.

Accreditations

Please visit the SensoMatters website for more information about accreditations.