“There are no guarantees in life, except that everyone faces struggles. This is how we learn (and grow). Some face struggles from the moment they are born. They are the most special of all people, requiring the most care and compassion and reminding us that love is the sole purpose of life.”– Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
These are our Hidden Angels – teaching all of us life’s most valuable lessons.
The Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation hosts the 8th Annual International Conference on Multi Sensory Environments
September 27, 2010, Birmingham, Alabama The 8th Annual ISNA Conference on Multi Sensory Environments (MSE) will take place in Birmingham, Alabama at the Sheraton Hotel and Convention Center, October 1-3, 2010. Hosted by the Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation (CDHAF), this is the first time this groundbreaking conference, with presentations by more than 35 international MSE researchers and practitioners devoted to enriching the lives of individuals with Alzheimer’s and developmental disabilities such as Autism, and Cerebral Palsy will be held in the USA.
Sandra Fornes, Executive Director of CDHAF commented “We are pleased to have this opportunity to provide this resource to the community of professionals, practitioners, caregivers, parents and individuals with special needs. Educational forums such as this one are a compliment to our donations of facilities which to date have enriched the lives of over 4,000 individuals.”
The topics of this year’s MSE conference will include how multi sensory stimulation that is produced in sufficient frequency, intensity, and duration increases brain arousal leading to a more organized brain that permits increased functional activity and learning – a phenomenon related to brain plasticity.
There will be a number of distinguished speakers including Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor who is a Harvard-trained neuro-anatomist. At age 37, Dr. Taylor experienced a rare form of stroke, and chronicled this experience in her recent New York bestselling book “My Stroke of Insight, A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey”. Dr. Taylor has been recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people.
Other distinguished speakers will include David Dobbs, foremost expert on epigenetics and author of “the Orchid Hypothesis”; Ad Verheul, co-founder of the snoezelen concept and author of “Snoezelen Homemade”; Gillian Hotz, Ph.D., Miami Jackson Pediatric Brain Trauma Center; Christopher Giza, M.D., University of UCLA and senior researcher around enriched environments, neurology and brain plasticity; Jason Staal, Ph.D., a director of Beth Israel Medical Center’s Snoezelen Behavior Therapy Research program and professor of psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Paul Pagliano, author of “Multisensory Environments”, “Using a Multisensory Environment” and Professor at James Cook University (Australia); Krista Mertens, Ph.D., a distinguished International professor in MSE and rehabilitation; Lesley Collier, Ph.D., an expert in using MSE with people with severe Dementia; Kim Ward, Ph.D. an expert in MSE and Autism; Linda Messbauer, a pioneer in MSE and professional MSE trainer; and many more exciting speakers discussing the benefits of MSE for people with emotional and intellectual challenges.
About the Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation (CDHAF)
The Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation’s mission is to enrich the lives of people with disabilities through the use of Multi Sensory Environments. To date the Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation has funded and built 30 Multi Sensory Environments enriching the lives of over 4000 individuals throughout North America.
For more information about the Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation please call (305) 458-9335 or email sfornes@cdhaf.org or visit us on the web at www.cdhaf.org.
About Multi Sensory Environments (MSE)
A Multi Sensory Environment is a dedicated space or room where sensory stimulation can be controlled (intensified or reduced), presented in isolation or combination, packaged for active or passive interaction, and matched to fit the perceived motivation, interests, leisure, relaxation, therapeutic and/or educational needs of the user. Multi Sensory Environments are designed with two goals in mind: to promote intellectual activity and to encourage relaxation.
To learn more about Multi Sensory Environments please go to the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q37rftjGb0o.
About International Snoezelen Association (ISNA)
The International Snoezelen Association (ISNA) has been organizing this conference around the world since its inception in 2001. ISNA is headquartered in Denmark and fosters practice and research around the use of Multi Sensory Environments in education, recreation and treatment related to conditions such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Alzheimer’s. Last year, when held in Denmark, over 400 participants from around the world attended this conference.
Contact:
Sandra Fornes
Executive Director, Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation
P.O. Box 977, Gadsden, AL 35902
Phone: 205-313-9168
Cell: 305-458-9335
sfornes@cdhaf.org
