Areas affected by the earthquake and other disasters

Snoezelen is effective for PTSD.

Israel is often a victim of conflict and terrorism.
In Israel, Snoezelen is also being used to help those who have been victims of trauma.

In this section, I will introduce the link between the snoozelen environment and trauma based on the resume of Dr. Michele Shapiro, an Israeli occupational therapist, who gave a presentation at the Symposium on the Use of Snoozelen (Therapy) with Children held in August 2014. In this section, I will introduce the relationship between the snooze len environment and trauma based on the resume of Dr. Michele Shapiro, an occupational therapist from Israel, who gave a presentation at the Symposium on the Use of Snooze Len (Therapy) with Children held in August 2014.

First, let me introduce Dr. Michele Shapiro.

Dr. Michele Shapiro is a world-renowned occupational therapist who has been practicing and researching as a Snoezelen specialist.
She has been actively teaching in Israel and abroad, and as many as 3,000 frontline care staff have been trained by her.
In 2002, he was honored by the Israeli Society of Occupational Therapists for his contributions to Israel in changing social policies related to people in need of support, and in 2008 he was awarded the Yakir Zion Award, one of only a few awards given annually to people who have made cultural and educational contributions to the city of Jerusalem. In 2008, he received the Yakir Zion Award, which is given to only a few people per year for their cultural and educational contributions.

Snoozelen in Israel is positioned as a therapeutic act provided by occupational therapists, as she has been leading the way.
Even though it is called “therapy,” the therapist does not take the lead in approaching the patient, but rather the therapist controls the “physical environment of the snooze room” so as not to disrupt the concept of the snooze room, and draws out the “spontaneous behavior of the patient. She says that the Snoozelen concept is not to be broken. According to her, there is a wide range of patients who can benefit from the Snoezelen environment.
One such group is “children exposed to danger and stress.

Michele said the Snoezelen environment is effective in alleviating symptoms caused by PTSD.

What is PTSD?

So what are the diagnostic criteria for PTSD?

These are three examples.
The term “FFF symptoms” may be unfamiliar to many, but it refers to a state of “high arousal.

In this way, symptoms that were not seen in daily life appear.
Dr. Michele Shapiro said that the snoozelen environment can also be effective in alleviating these symptoms.

Snoezelen Environment and PTSD

A basic principle for trauma victims is “safety and security,” and Snoezelen’s environment is similarly calm, safe, and protective.

Furthermore, the most important feature of Snoezelen’s environment is that it can adjust sensory stimuli to suit the user. By adjusting the external stimuli, we can control the patient’s FFF symptoms and help them to recognize that “you are here now”. It can also help patients to re-develop body awareness by properly controlling the stimuli they receive from outside.

(From “Symposium on the Use of Snoezelen (Therapy) for Children” organized by Relax’Creation project on August 7, 2014)

From Our Activities

Mobile Snooze-Ren Vehicle Patrol in Areas Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake
【2011.7】

The Great East Japan Earthquake happened on March 11, 2011. Whenever we heard on the news that “children need mental care” or “some people can’t sleep,” we wondered if there was anything we could do to help. A mobile snooze-len car was used to visit temporary housing in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture.

We tried to eliminate as much stimulation as possible other than the sensory stimulation goods in the car, such as sunlight and car vibrations, and let them spend their time as they wished.

At this time, 21 groups of 43 people, young and old, male and female, experienced the Snooze Room throughout the three days.

Participant Comments(Excerpt)

• Played with the toys inside
  (20 children + 9 parents)
• Those who took a nap
  (5 people)
• Those who received hand massages
  (5 people)
• Relaxed
  (3 people)
• Others
  (1 person)

Many of the children enjoyed the light, sound, and vibration of the snooze-lens with their parents and staff, while many of the adults who came with their friends took a nap.

Some of them told us that they could not sleep well after the earthquake, or that their children started crying at night.
I was also impressed by the fact that the mother, who looked so stiff when we were talking outside the car, started talking to us in the car as if she was opening up to us, and by the end she had a smile on her face.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, there was no safe and secure environment for children to forget about the reality of their lives, and in some temporary housing areas, once you stepped outside, the damaged streets spread out and there were no places for children to play.

I strongly felt that if Snoozren were to spread more widely, the number of people in these areas who could be relieved of their stress and live a peaceful life would increase as soon as possible.

※This activity was also featured in NHK Volunteer Net and ecocoro magazine.