A sensory profile is not about identifying problems but about developing insight and recognising the unique ways your sensory system works, and how this influences your focus, energy, mood, and daily participation. Through this process, we identify strategies and environmental adjustments that support your regulation and wellbeing in a way that is affirming, not corrective.

The Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (Winnie Dunn, 1999)

I use the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP), a gold-standard, evidence-based tool developed by Occupational therapist Dr Winnie Dunn. This self-report questionnaire helps us understand your sensory preferences across different areas of life and is grounded in Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing.

The profile explores your responses across four key sensory processing patterns:

The profile explores your responses across four key sensory processing patterns:

1. Low Registration: needing stronger sensory input to notice things.
2. Sensation Seeking: actively seeking extra stimulation.
3. Sensory Sensitivity: noticing and reacting quickly to sensory input.
4. Sensation Avoiding: intentionally reducing sensory input to stay comfortable.

These patterns are neither “good” nor “bad”, rather they reflect the natural diversity in how people experience the world. Understanding your unique sensory pattern can help you identify what supports you to feel calm, energised, and able to thrive.

Professional Administration and Interpretation

The Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile is a standardised clinical tool. The questionnaire itself can be completed by you independently (it’s a self-report form), but the meaningful interpretation and clinical recommendations especially in relation to function, regulation, and Occupational performance require Occupational Therapy training and registration.

A qualified Occupational Therapist uses professional reasoning to link your sensory processing patterns to your wellbeing, daily functioning, and participation. This ensures that the findings are interpreted within the context of your life, not just as data, but as meaningful insights that guide real, practical strategies for sensory regulation and everyday life.

What You Receive

Following completion of the sensory profile, you will receive a detailed Occupational Therapy Sensory Report, which includes:

• A summary of your sensory profile results and what they mean for you personally.
  
• Clinical interpretation connecting your sensory preferences to your daily life, routines, and environments.
• A neurodiversity-affirming formulation that highlights strengths and supports self-understanding.
  
• Practical, tailored recommendations for sensory regulation and environmental adjustments (at home, work, or study).
  
• A sensory regulation plan with strategies for recognising early signs of sensory overload and identifying ways to maintain balance and wellbeing.
  

Why This Matters For You As A Neurodivergent Individual

Sensory processing differences are a key aspect of neurodivergent experience. Understanding these differences through a structured, neuroaffirming process can be life-changing supporting self-awareness, advocacy, and comfort across environments.

By combining clinical expertise with a neurodiversity-affirming approach, I ensure that your sensory profile is interpreted through a lens of understanding and respect, highlighting what works best for you, and equipping you with strategies and recommendations that promote authentic, sustainable regulation and participation in everyday life.