THE INSPIRATION

Jenny was working with a dysregulated client one day during one of her therapy sessions. He would not sit still, had decreased attention, was unable to follow a simple direction and was jumping from activity to activity.

Jenny thought weight as an intervention tool would be very beneficial to him to help provide increased pressure to his muscles and joints for better body awareness and calming. When presented with a weighted vest, the boy refused to put it on. In an attempt to change his mind, Jenny attached a cape to the back of the vest and gave him weighted wrist and ankle weights. She even printed out a Superman logo to put on the front. Jenny told him to pretend he was Superman for the rest of the session. He immediately put on the vest and the changes Jenny saw in him were huge! He could sit and attend to a tabletop activity for longer periods, he was much more calm and seemed to know where his body was in space.

Jenny saw this idea as a huge opportunity to take the ugly weighted vest and make a fun intervention tool that kids actually would want, seek out and benefit from. Hence how Dress Up to Calm Down was born!