With a masters in Cognitive Neuropsychology, a masters in Occupational Therapy, and a PhD, Dr. Hansen is exceptionally qualified to apply an understanding of how differences in processing sensory information impact various populations and their ability to fully engage in the world around them.
dementia, traumatic experiences, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, genetic disorders- all of these lead to neurological differences in the way the brain processes sensory information. Unfortunately, design of the built environment rarely accounts for their sensory needs and preferences. Often times, the sensory qualities of a space make the person’s experience unpleasant, uncomfortable, and even overwhelming,
Not accounting for the sensory qualities of a design unfairly excludes these members of the community, who may stay in locations for only a few minutes, or avoid them altogether.