Anthony M. McCrovitz is a psychologist, educator and Executive Director of the Quality of Life Institute (Indiana, US). He is internationally recognized for his contributions in the fields of Gentle Teaching, multisensory therapy, and the development of relationship-centered models of care. Dr. McCrovitz has been working for decades at the intersection of psychology, education and therapeutic environments, by integrating neuroscience (EEG), sensory awareness and emotional regulation in clinical and educational practices. His work continues to link human connection with technology to cultivate meaningful moments that enhance well-being, dignity, and a sense of belonging.

“Creating meaningful moments: integrating Gentle Teaching into Snoezelen multisensory environments.“

This lesson will explore how to use Multisensory Environments (MSEs) as intentional and relationship-building spaces, rooted in the Gentle Teaching framework. Drawing on his book “Creating Meaningful Moments”, Professor McCrovitz will demonstrate how expert companions can intentionally structure interactions, using our tools of presence, words, eyes and hands to cultivate trust, security and unconditional value.

Through concrete examples, practical exercises, and reflective discussions, participants will learn how to go beyond simply offering sensory stimulation, creating meaningful moments that honor each person’s socio-emotional experience and promote a sense of belonging, self-esteem, and growth.

The Four Pillars – Feeling Safe, Feeling Loved, Being Loving and Being Involved – can be practiced in any Snoezelen/MSE context, both fixed and mobile. This approach integrates the original spirit of Snoezelen with contemporary relational practices, ensuring that MSE spaces remain culturally relevant and human-centered in an era of rapid technological change.

Prior to his retirement, Dr Paul Pagliano was Associate Professor in Education at James Cook University, in Singapore and Australia.  A long-standing member of the ISNA-MSE Board, Paul has authored three books on Snoezelen-MSE, all published by David Fulton (Rutledge) London: Multisensory Environments (1999), Using a Multisensory Environment (2001), The Multisensory Handbook (2012) as well as numerous journal articles on the topic.  Paul’s PhD research was in parents living with a child with hearing impairment.  During his academic career Paul supervised 13 doctoral completions.  He was President of the South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (2009-2013) and subsequently was made a Life Member.  Paul was on the editorial boards of eight international peer reviewed journals including the International Journal of Disability, Development and Education (2012-2017) as Associate Editor, the British Journal of Visual Impairment (2006-2018), the Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability (2002–2019), the Journal of the South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (2000–2019), the Italian Journal of Disability Studies (2012-2014), the Australasian Journal of Special Education (2003–2015), and the Australian Educational Researcher (2005–2007).  Paul has delivered keynote papers at international conferences throughout Europe, the UK, the USA, Canada, Asia, New Zealand and Australia.

“Let’s play!”

This paper takes inspiration from the internationally famous Italian educator and physician Maria Montessori (1870-1952) and her influential ground breaking work on children’s play.  First the paper interrogates the concept of play broadly, from the more inclusive perspective of 2025.  The paper then focuses on the diverse populations who constitute the Snoezelen Multisensory Environment (MSE) participant base, within a play context.  It aims to better understand the value of including play in Snoezelen-MSE practice for leisure, therapy and education.  It also aims to provide suggestions as to what play could look like in the Snoezelen MSE and identify strategies skilled companions might consider to support participant play.  In particular it seeks answers to the following questions: 
What is play?
Why is play so critical to the development, learning and wellbeing of Snoezelen MSE participants of all ages and abilities?
How can play be incorporated into Snoezelen MSE practice?
How can the success of play interventions in Snoezelen MSE practice be assessed and monitored?  

Member of the ISNA MSE International Board of Directors.
Svenja Furhmann, after experiencing the positive effects of Snoezelen in child and adolescent psychiatry for many years, has been running her psychotherapy practice in Munich for 10 years, focusing on children and adolescents. She is part of the ISNA-MSE team in Germany and is a member of the international ISNA-MSE board of directors.

“The magic of books in the Snoezelen therapeutic environment”

This conference explores the healing potential of storytelling and the magic of books within Snoezelen therapy sessions. In a safe, multisensory environment, they can open delicate pathways to difficult topics and stimulate inner experiences, memories, and emotions.

Shared in a relationship of trust and supported by sensory elements, stories acquire depth and meaning.

The conference will explore both the theoretical foundations and practical examples drawn from therapeutic work with children, adolescents, and adults.

In the spirit of the conference “SNOEZELEN – TOGETHER IN THE SPACE OF POSSIBILITIES”, you are invited to discover how stories can support self-regulation and inner healing.

Giorgia Monetti is a psychologist, founder of Focos in 2010 and HrCare – Mondo Snoezelen in 2017, and Vice President of the “Persona Al Centro” Association in Padua (Italy). Graduated in Psychology in 1994 (University of Padua). ISNA MSE certified teacher, facilitation lecturer at Stirling University (Scotland). Master’s in Adult Education and Network Management at the University of Padua. She introduced ISNA MSE in Italy and created the first company and association that brought Snoezelen certified training to Italy with Italian trainers. She has trained hundreds of teachers in Italy and designed Snoezelen rooms and Multisensory Environments in their schools. Co-author of “Snoezelen a Scuola” published by ScuolaOltre (2023).

Davide Stecca, Master’s Degree in Organ and Organ Composition
He has developed an innovative teaching model – RCVE: Rhythm, Body, Voice, Emotions – focused on global well-being and inclusion through unconventional languages, such as body percussion.
Author of Illustrated Books: Meravigliosa Imperfezione (Wonderful Imperfection). Dadadum’s dance – The game of opposites. The scent of a caress, both published by Federighi Editori.
He is an internationally certified Snoezelen companion and trainer (ISNA MSE, 2021–2024) and has obtained a Master’s Degree in Developmental Bibliotherapy from the University of Verona (2023–2024).
Vice President of the Scuola Oltre training platform, he collaborates with schools, health institutions and educational centers in the design of inclusive paths and home interventions for people with disabilities, integrating music, bibliotherapy and sensory stimulation within a humanistic and relational vision of care.
He represents the Institute of Gentle Teaching for Italy, and has been a partner of Mondo Snoezelen since 2021

“When sound heals: music, vibrations and emotions in the Snoezelen room“

What happens when music is not just listened to, but is perceived by the body, welcomed by emotions and intertwined with relationships? This talk takes us on a sensory and scientific journey to discover the transformative power of sound within the Snoezelen room.

Through an experiential approach, we will explore how musical instruments and vibroacoustic devices can become valuable allies in reducing stress, fostering states of deep relaxation, and awakening authentic and connected emotions.

A section will be dedicated to the intelligence of the body: we will analyze how vibrations affect bodily and emotional experience, activating affective memories and emotional regulation processes. Sound, emotion, and neuroscience will dialogue in a fascinating interweaving, revealing the profound therapeutic potential that arises when music meets a safe and relational environment such as Snoezelen.

In conclusion, we will reflect on how music can become a universal language capable of overcoming verbal barriers, facilitating deep connections and offering new forms of empathic communication. As a vehicle for emotions and a bridge between inner worlds, music in Snoezelen opens up spaces of authenticity, listening and encounter, where even silence becomes an integral part of the dialogue.

Monserrat Cervellera Pinot is a professional specializing in intellectual and developmental disabilities. Head of Snoezelen training at Apasa, a center dedicated to the care of people with intellectual disabilities and their families in Amposta-Catalunya and its application in the center. Currently in two of the center’s services. Snoezelen trainer authorized by Isna-MSE since 2007. She has participated in courses, congresses and conferences in Spain and abroad.

“Snoezelen and family”

There are families who are experiencing difficulties in their relationship with their children. How can we, as professionals, help them improve with an approach based on the Snoezelen concept?
In this workshop, we will share the story of a case: Noelia (the person receiving assistance) and Ramón (the father) – through recorded images that follow the entire process of mutual approach -.
In the context of the Snoezelen approach, the person is offered the opportunity to establish a secure relationship. This allows them to fully express their potential, giving rise to an insurmountable feeling of trust.
Among the more general objectives achieved are greater emotional well-being, greater levels of relaxation, better cognitive development, greater adaptive responses to the environment, better communication, greater capacity for self-determination…

Simona Bonfanti has previously worked as a researcher at the CSM in Borgo Roma and has collaborated with Villa Garda and AIDAP. She co-founded a study for the care of children and families, collaborating with local authorities. She has completed level I, II, III and IV training and two international diplomas on the Snoezelen approach certified by ISNA-MSE.

She contributed to the creation of the e-book “Snoezelen a scuola” (Snoezelen at school). She is currently the teaching coordinator at the XI Aprile 1848 school, where she promotes an inclusive and multisensory Snoezelen educational model.

“Snoezelen sessions structured as an individualized intervention to address the fragility that emerges in the school context”

During schooling, each child is confronted with stimuli, demands, and relationships that test their resources, but sometimes also highlight their vulnerabilities. These can manifest in various forms: difficulty in attention and concentration, difficulty in regulating emotions, disorganized behaviors, withdrawal from relationships, or a general sense of discomfort that leads to a progressive disinvestment in school participation.

It is essential to create environments in which children feel welcomed in their authenticity, recognized for their specific needs, and accompanied in experiences that encourage exploration, physical connection, openness to relationships, and non-verbal expression.

Intervention in a Snoezelen space allows for delicate but profound work on fragility.

In this process, the adult assumes the role of a silent and tuned guide.

Integrating Snoezelen into daily school life means adopting a deeply inclusive pedagogical vision and promoting a school that not only transmits knowledge, but cares for, supports and creates authentic spaces for growth, where even fragility becomes an integral part of the educational process.

Amèlia Martins has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, a specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology and a PhD in Cognitive Psychology. Quality Manager and consultant for various organizations. Co-founder and trainer of the Via Hominis Cooperative and member of Humanitude Portugal, trainer for Humanitude and Snoezelen Trainer (in Portugal, Spain, Brazil and Italy).

“Sensory baths inspired by the Snoezelen concept: impact on agitation in elderly people with dementia”

This study explores the effectiveness of sensory baths (which incorporate multisensory elements typical of Snoezelen rooms) inspired by the Snoezelen philosophy and the 24-hour Snoezelen concept, as a non-pharmacological intervention to reduce agitation in elderly people with dementia. The evaluation of the effects of the intervention was based on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), with particular attention to verbal and physical agitation. The results, consistent across all sessions, indicated a significant reduction in agitated behaviors, underscoring the importance of sensory approaches in person-centered care and in promoting well-being in older adults with dementia. There is a growing body of evidence on the practical applicability of the Snoezelen concept beyond the traditional multisensory room, offering new perspectives for integrated interventions in the daily lives of people with dementia.

Member of the ISNA MSE International Board of Directors.
Anthony M. McCrovitz is a psychologist, educator, and Executive Director of the Quality of Life Institute (Indiana, US). He is internationally recognized for his contributions in the fields of Gentle Teaching, multisensory therapy, and the development of relationship-centered models of care. Dr. McCrovitz has been working for decades at the intersection of psychology, education and therapeutic environments, in particular by integrating neuroscience (EEG), sensory awareness and emotional regulation in clinical and educational practices. His work continues to link human connection with technology to cultivate meaningful moments that enhance well-being, dignity, and a sense of belonging.

Ruud van Nieuwenburg is the CEO and owner of Barry Emons, a company renowned for its pioneering work in developing multi-sensory environments and therapeutic furniture tailored for individuals with disabilities. Ruud is passionate about ensuring accessibility and innovation remain central to Snoezelen’s evolution, making his contributions to this project grounded in decades of hands-on design, manufacturing, and implementation expertise.

 Hay Young is the CEO of IF Interactive, a cutting-edge technology company specializing in interactive sensory environments. With a background in immersive design, AI systems, and neuro-responsive technology, Hay has led the development of the iSensory Room: an advanced, modular system that blends Snoezelen principles with real-time data and adaptive experiences. His work spans international collaborations in health care, education, and therapeutic settings. Committed to accessibility and personalization, Hay brings a forward-thinking technological lens to sensory care and therapy innovation.

“The iSensory Room approach to creating meaningful moments through interactive design and neuro-responsive technology”

iSensory Room combines EEG, artificial intelligence and portable design to evolve Snoezelen therapy. This interactive system adapts in real time to the user’s responses, improving engagement and well-being. We present its zones, analysis tools and applications to create meaningful and personalized sensory experiences.

Member of the ISNA MSE Board of Directors in Germany.
After training with the renowned academic Krista Mertens, author of the book “Snoezelen in Action”, Nicole Ling had the opportunity to work at a facility for people with visual disabilities, adopting the Snoezelen method for 18 years. In this way, she has been able to develop her educational practice, in which Snoezelen is a method to support children and young people in their development.

“Snoezelen with animals and in nature- back to the basic”

The focus of the work is to experiment with Snoezelen using ponies, sheep, chickens and other animals, using all the senses, to support the development of children with disabilities and autism. Working in nature, assisted by animals, promotes perception, communication and interaction in a relaxed atmosphere, encouraging activation or relaxation. Nature and its animal inhabitants offer us fascinating opportunities for Snoezelen!

In this practical workshop, you will discover the different possibilities of Snoezelen outside of a Snoezelen room.

Kindergarten teacher, collaborator of the School Director and pedagogical coordinator of the Didactic Direction Secondo Circolo “Comparozzi” of Perugia. Graduated in Educational Sciences with university assignments and publications in the pedagogical field. An expert in the 0-6 age group and in teacher training on educational issues, she has completed the four-level training on the Snoezelen approach certified by ISNA-MSE.

Snoezelen and kindergarten children: how the multisensory environment can become an integral part of daily teaching. Photographic documentation and observation protocols in children aged 3 to 6 years.

By designing and creating spaces that stimulate and activate, but also relax, the senses, the Snoezelen approach promotes deeper learning, better self-awareness and the ability to listen to others, offering each child the opportunity to express themselves authentically, regardless of their communication style, timing or characteristics. This allows them to feel welcomed, competent and empowered. The Snoezelen room thus becomes a space of deep connection, where the presence of the adult offers silent guidance and emotional support.

Real experiences with preschool children, supported by photographic documentation and observation protocols, will be presented to demonstrate how a multisensory environment can become an integral part of daily learning. The focus will be on how this approach promotes emotional, cognitive, and relational development, supporting a more empathetic school system focused on children’s well-being.

The workshop is aimed at teachers, educators and early childhood professionals interested in rediscovering the educational power of the senses.

Psychologist and founder of Mondo Snoezelen and Focos Argento, she has been working alongside healthcare teams and organizations for over fifteen years to improve the quality of life of people with cognitive disabilities, promoting eco-bio-psycho-social care models in residential, hospital, and educational services.

The heart of her work is the integration of sensory, relational, and emotional interventions that can promote connection, well-being, and meaning for people with profound cognitive and multiple disabilities, even at the end of life. In particular, she deals with multisensory approaches such as Snoezelen (internationally certified trainer) and the Namaste Care program for the well-being of people with severe dementia (Namaste Care Champion for Italy). She supports caregivers in recognizing and understanding the deficits and sensory processing disorders of people with disabilities, helping them to adapt living and care spaces in order to promote well-being, comfort, and quality of life.

She is committed to spreading a culture of Person-Centered care that recognizes the person beyond the disease and values the relationship as a therapeutic tool.

Adapting sensory stimulation for people with severe dementia and those in the end stages of life – Namaste Care

In the advanced stages of dementia and at the end of life, people often have severe deficits in attention, communication, and sensory perception, accompanied by physical stiffness and contractures. These symptoms greatly complicate the classic use of Snoezelen multisensory environments (MSE), designed for active and spontaneous explorations of space and stimuli. The difficulty of mobilization, the reduced state of vigilance and the inability to communicate require operators to profoundly rethink their approach to make the sensory experience meaningful.

Scientific evidence underlines the importance of significantly simplifying the sensory space and carefully selecting the proposed stimuli, calibrating them to the specific needs of these people (Jakob & Collier, 2017). In this scenario, the Namaste Care program is an optimal solution, being specifically designed for people with very advanced or terminal dementia. It does not necessarily require standard structured multisensory environments, but a set-up that favors mobile sensory materials and small tools for sensory activities, which can be used both in a dedicated space (Namaste Care Room) and at the person’s bed. It provides simple, repeated and easily accessible sensory activities even for severely impaired people, who are not able to independently explore spaces and objects.

During the intervention, practical examples and evidence from the scientific literature will be used to illustrate how to create meaningful sensory moments through Namaste Care sessions. These moments are aimed not only at providing physical and emotional comfort, but above all at honoring the dignity and identity of people until the last moments of their lives. The aim is to offer concrete ideas to overcome the challenges posed by the care of frail people at the end of life, harmoniously integrating the satisfaction of physical (hydration, postural comfort, pain detection and management), psychological (relational connection, affective security, sense of identity), spiritual and sensory (gentle, targeted and deeply human stimulation) needs.

Member of the ISNA MSE International Board of Directors and President of ISNA Spain.
Maria Josè Cid has a degree in Psychology. She has obtained several Master’s degrees in Pedagogy, Mediation, Clinical Psychology, etc. She is a Snoezelen Certified International Trainer. She is a lecturer in several University Master’s programs. She has published articles in magazines and books about Snoezelen. Consultant for the development of support teams for people in vulnerable situations.

“Understanding and supporting the person and his/her well-being: sensory processing – emotional state and behavior”

Emotion can be generated by sensoriality. Therefore, by managing and offering an appropriate sensory environment, we will be able to offer an “adapted” behavior that makes the person’s daily life more pleasant.

Recent research shows us how sensory perception can be influenced in some people, such as people with dementia and Alzheimer’s, people with autism spectrum disorders, people with functional diversity, people with mental illness, among others. This alteration in perception and sensory processing often generates emotional situations with high levels of stress that have an impact on disruptive and complex behaviors for the person and their relationship with the environment. Very often, this situation is managed with pharmacological interventions, with many side effects.

Snoezelen offers us the non-pharmacological possibility of offering a sensoriality adapted to the person’s state and at the same time, thanks to neuroplasticity, allows us to modulate these sensory alterations.

Member of the ISNA MSE International Board of Directors and President of ISNA Poland.
Agnieszka Smrokowska-Reichmann is an expert in ethics, psychogerontology and labor sciences. She is an associate professor at the Institute of Applied Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy, Academy of Physical Culture in Krakow. She is an international Snoezelen teacher and a pioneer and promoter of the Snoezelen-MSE method in Poland.

“Snoezelen as a psychomotor space. Synergy of emotions, sensory experience, and movement”

It is not the limbs that move, but the person; not the eye that sees, but the individual (Hugo Kükelhaus). Today, psychomotricity and its associated therapies explore the intricate connections between perception, movement, emotions, and cognition. Psychomotricity postulates that human beings possess an innate need for both movement and sensory experience and derive satisfaction from the fulfillment of these needs. It also emphasizes that individuals learn about their surroundings through active involvement, with perception playing a fundamental role in environmental exploration. Does the holistic framework of psychomotricity, which integrates the psychological and physical spheres, essentially encompass the fundamental principles of Snoezelen? How does Snoezelen’s sensory and interactive environment reflect the key principles of psychomotricity? And how can multisensory spaces provide an optimal environment for psychomotor-based interventions?

Margherita Fassari is a developmental and educational psychologist, scientific director and coordinator of Crescere Insieme, where she is responsible for the scientific committee, which promotes the emotional and physical well-being of children in early childhood, parental support and the professional training of teachers and educators. She holds a degree in Developmental Psychology from the University of Rome La Sapienza and a PhD in Developmental and Health Psychology from the University of Galway. She has been registered as a psychologist since 2001.

“Sensory discovery: exploring food”

Little is known about the effects of sensory play in promoting dietary changes in children with typical and atypical development.

Playing with sensory bags can be linked to food choices through tactile exploration, which allows children to explore different textures, which can be particularly useful for children who are reluctant to try new foods due to sensory sensitivities; through the development of sensory tolerance, which allows children to gradually become more familiar with different textures and materials, which can result in a greater willingness to try new foods; and finally, through olfactory stimulation, which gradually reduces the child’s sensitivity to odors.

Using a qualitative exploratory observational design, we studied the positive effects of playing with sensory bags, in particular working on textures and smells, in facilitating changes in food preferences in young children with typical and atypical development.

We administered the sensory profile questionnaire to parents and developed a qualitative tool to assess behavioral changes in children after playing with the sensory bag.

Member of the ISNA MSE International Board of Directors

Kinga Dziewiątkowska is a child psychologist, psychotraumatologist, sociotherapist, specialist in social prevention, preschool and early childhood educator, and doctoral student. She specializes in early development support and works as a therapist based on solution-focused therapy and social skills training.

She is an educational therapist and Snoezelen specialist. Author of scientific and informative articles, also focused on the Snoezelen method, she collaborates with specialists from the United States and Italy.

“Snoezelen as a therapeutic tool for children diagnosed with ADHD, ASD, and selective mutism”

The lecture will explore the practical use of the Snoezelen approach in therapeutic work with children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and selective mutism.

A reflection will be presented on real-life sessions that integrate multisensory stimulation with psychotherapeutic and sociotherapeutic elements, based on a holistic and non-directive model, adapting tools and methods to the individual needs of each child. We will discuss how combining Snoezelen with psychological interventions can significantly accelerate progress compared to individual therapy, through practical examples of how specific Snoezelen tools can be used to support children with ADHD in self-regulation, how sensory zones can be co-created with children on the spectrum, and how selective mutism can be addressed gently without verbal pressure.

Ad Verheul has been working at the De Hartenberg center, dedicated to people with profound mental disabilities, since 1973. He started as a therapist and in 1974, together with his colleague Jan Hulsegge, a music therapist, he defined the concept of Snoezelen. Since 1980, Ad Verheul has been the organizer and main spokesperson for seminars on the theme of Snoezelen all over the world.

The development of Snoezelen worldwide and the influence of Snoezelen on the entire assistance to people with disabilities

In the mid-1970s, no one could have imagined that a simple idea like Snoezelen would become a global concept. Today, Snoezelen is used as a method in 48 countries around the world and, as far as scientific research is concerned, 28 universities around the world are active in various fields of research. Snoezelen was created for people with severe multiple disabilities, but it has evolved into a cross-cutting activity and treatment method with multiple applications. The workshop will present and show images of the development of the Snoezelen method in the Netherlands in the 1980s.

Member of the ISNA MSE International Board of Directors.
Ana Maria Gonzales Galli is the founder and director of the Instituto El Galileo, a nursery school, and primary and secondary education. Founder of ISNA MSE in Latin America. Speaker at the International World Congress on Multisensory Stimulation (2008-2018). President of the Scientific Committee and speaker at the World Congress on Multisensory Stimulation in Argentina in 2013 and 2018. Speaker at the Symposium on Multisensory Stimulation in Argentina. Snoezelen consultant and trainer in Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru.

The art of educating and teaching in an educational institution based on the principles of Snoezelen

In this workshop, we will share the development of Snoezelen in some Latin American countries in the field of preschool, primary and secondary education over the past twenty years, particularly in Argentina. Snoezelen is establishing itself in Latin America as a methodology to be used in early childhood and primary education, with a greater emphasis on special education.

The objectives are clear: to promote imagination, meaningful learning, and enrich communication through emotions and sensoriality, in order to develop skills and inclusion in the community.

The workshop will illustrate not only the objectives proposed at the different school levels, but also the results obtained and the organization of differences and similarities, in order to provide comparative tables of the different practices and thought processes of Snoezelen.

Paul Pagliano
Prior to his retirement, Dr Paul Pagliano was Associate Professor in Education at James Cook University, in Singapore and Australia.  A long-standing member of the ISNA-MSE Board, Paul has authored three books on Snoezelen-MSE, all published by David Fulton (Rutledge) London: Multisensory Environments (1999), Using a Multisensory Environment (2001), The Multisensory Handbook (2012) as well as numerous journal articles on the topic.  Paul’s PhD research was in parents living with a child with hearing impairment.  During his academic career Paul supervised 13 doctoral completions.  He was President of the South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (2009-2013) and subsequently was made a Life Member.  Paul was on the editorial boards of eight international peer reviewed journals including the International Journal of Disability, Development and Education (2012-2017) as Associate Editor, the British Journal of Visual Impairment (2006-2018), the Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability (2002–2019), the Journal of the South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (2000–2019), the Italian Journal of Disability Studies (2012-2014), the Australasian Journal of Special Education (2003–2015), and the Australian Educational Researcher (2005–2007).  Paul has delivered keynote papers at international conferences throughout Europe, the UK, the USA, Canada, Asia, New Zealand and Australia.

Svenja Furhmann
Member of the ISNA MSE International Board of Directors.
Svenja Furhmann, after experiencing the positive effects of Snoezelen in child and adolescent psychiatry for many years, has been running her psychotherapy practice in Munich for 10 years, focusing on children and adolescents. She is part of the ISNA-MSE team in Germany and is a member of the international ISNA-MSE board of directors.

Success in Snoezelen depends on you!

How an individual, because of our effort, learns to make SENSE of the world. Your role in creating the perfect condition and relation for achieving success, pedagogical aspects.

Rym Amiri has a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She practiced her profession for 7 years in Oman, under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development.

The experience of Snoezelen therapy in the Arab region

The workshop will illustrate a practical model of the Snoezelen approach with an elderly patient in Oman and how this type of session has helped to activate neural pathways, improve sensory perception and enhance cognitive functions.

Engaging with sensory stimuli can evoke memories, trigger positive emotions, and promote a sense of connection and well-being.

The Snoezelen approach offers a comfortable atmosphere that includes a pleasant environment and, since each patient is unique, our care is designed to fit the needs and lifestyle of each patient.

Real cases will be presented to demonstrate how Snoezelen treatment has had a positive effect on the psychology of our patients

Alessandra Orso graduated in pedagogy from the University of Verona in 1996, and has been director of the Civic Library of the municipality of Chiampo since 2008. On November 23, 2024, a multisensory “Kindness Room” Snoezelen room was inaugurated in the library. In February 2025, she completed the first level of training on the Snoezelen approach, certified by ISNA-MSE at Mondo Snoezelen in Padua.

The kindness room: Snoezelen in the library

The kindness room is a refuge for users where every stimulus is designed to relax, reassure, and explore. The aim of our workshop is to show how the Snoezelen environment
– Amplifies the effects of reading in another voice, making it more engaging and emotional
– Promotes sensory experiences that foster relaxation and human contact
– It gives people with special needs the opportunity to play and experiment with new and stimulating tools, contributing to greater inclusion in the community.

Sofia Santori Bassi has been involved in Snoezelen training in Ticino, Switzerland for ten years. She collaborates with institutes, schools, companies and nurseries for internal and public training. In this decade, she has accumulated a wide and varied Snoezelen experience in different areas and with different ages.

Prevention of burnout in adults

Dedicated to adults: a practical workshop dedicated to those who want to reduce daily stress (professionals, parents, caregivers) in the Snoezelen room.

Pietro Rinaldi is a professional educator and coordinator of the Snoezelen service of the Insieme a Voi cooperative. An ISNA certified operator, he has completed training in all 4 Snoezelen levels and accompanies all users in multisensory sessions. He is also trained in Basal Stimulation. He designs personalized educational paths, centered on well-being and the multisensory relationship.

Spaces that welcome, bodies that communicate: Snoezelen as a relational path in severe disability

The workshop aims to explore the use of Snoezelen as a tool for sensory and relational stimulation, focusing on basal stimulation as a privileged means of communication in people with severe disabilities. In this context, basal stimulation is configured as a therapeutic approach that acts directly on the body and the senses, creating sensory experiences that promote an emotional, affective and behavioral response.

The workshop will focus on developing the skills needed to optimally use sensory stimulation, helping professionals understand how different modes of stimulation can be integrated to improve the relationship with the patient, even in the absence of verbal communication. Basal stimulation is particularly effective for people with severe disabilities, as it allows them to communicate through non-verbal signals, promoting the recognition and respect of their needs and desires.

Participants will explore how visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory stimulation techniques can be used to trigger responses in patients, thereby enhancing the quality of interaction and the therapeutic relationship. The workshop will also provide practical tools for monitoring sensory and affective reactions, with the aim of creating an environment that responds to individual needs and promotes a personalized approach.

 The emphasis will be on exploring practical and theoretical ways to integrate basal stimulation with other therapeutic strategies, aiming to improve quality of life and foster authentic and inclusive communication.

Born in Milan in 1979, she graduated in Pedagogy, with a specialization in Special Pedagogy, at the University of Milan-Bicocca (old system).
From 1998 to 2015, she worked as an educator at ANFFAS Milan, which later became the “A Piccoli Passi” Social Cooperative, supporting adults with intellectual disabilities in residential communities and apartment groups.
In 2015, she moved to Piedmont, starting a new professional career at the Apri le Braccia Foundation, first as an educator and then as coordinator of the residential community and day center.
She has been a widow since 2019 and, despite having returned to live in Milan, she continues to work in Piedmont, where she has chosen to stay for the love of the Foundation, which has become a second family for her, a place of deep affection and belonging.

Where we cultivate herbs, the senses flourish. A Snoezelen project has just started!

 The Apri le Braccia Foundation, active for over thirty years in the province of Novara, welcomes adults with intellectual disabilities in life, work and social paths.

Our Foundation offers numerous workshops: we cultivate medicinal herbs that we transform into herbal teas in the herbal tea workshop, we recover bicycles and promote sustainable mobility in our Recycling workshop, we create works in the art workshop, and we offer catering experiences with our Squisito! food truck. However, despite the wide range of activities, some of our guests remained excluded from all these activities: present but distant, silent observers unable to actively participate, as the proposals were not suitable for their specific skills or modes of expression.

From here, the need to build an alternative space for them emerged strongly, where they could not only be present, but also benefit from it. The Snoezelen room was created as a response to this need: a different way of approaching people who require different approaches, more respectful of their times, their languages and their possibilities.

During the workshop, we will share the stages of this journey, from the dream to its concrete realization, showing how the educational, sensory, and artisanal dimensions can be intertwined. We will also show the first approaches and changes observed in some guests, such as Federica, who in everyday life often shows opposition but who inside the Snoezelen room has shown proactive, participatory and relaxed behavior. We will present short videos of these experiences, accompanied by explanations and reflections on the method adopted.

We will conclude with a small experiential workshop, inspired by our work in herbal tea and designed as an invitation to listen to the sense of smell as a gateway to emotions, memories, and moods. Using anonymous jars containing our herbal teas, we will invite participants to guess the herbs, but above all to tell us what emotions and images they evoke.

Karolína Tvarůžková is a Ph.D. student focusing on supporting women with intellectual disabilities, especially in the areas of sexuality and body awareness. She has extensive experience in social services and works with sensory perception through Snoezelen and Basal stimulation. She is currently training as a sexual counselor and also serves as a consultant for foster families.

The ‘Listen to Yourself’ program as a tool to support and develop the sexuality of women with intellectual disabilities

Sexuality is a natural and integral part of every human being, without exception. However, the sexuality of women with intellectual disabilities remains largely overlooked. The workshop focuses on exploring possibilities for supporting and developing the sexuality of women with intellectual disabilities in residential social care facilities, with a particular focus on strengthening body image, self-awareness, sex education, and social interaction.

The project builds on previous research, including the author’s bachelor’s and master’s theses, which addressed sex education and the use of the Snoezelen method, a form of multisensory stimulation aimed at improving body awareness and creating a safe and supportive space for emotional and physical exploration. Preliminary pilot studies suggest that the Snoezelen environment can significantly support the sexual development of women with intellectual disabilities and Down syndrome by strengthening the body schema, promoting self-expression, and facilitating shared experiences among peers in small groups.