Using an Environmental Scan to Anticipate and Care for Your Needs
An environmental scan is a tool and practice that can help us anticipate what might be challenging about a particular environment so that we can feel prepared and well-resourced. I originally learned the concept of an environmental scan from Valerie Paradiz, Ph.D’s workbook The Integrated Self-Advocacy Curriculum. In this post, I’ll explain the whats and hows of an environmental scan and provide a recent example of using the environmental scan in my own life.
There are two situations in which an environmental scan might be useful: First, we can practice an environmental scan to prepare for new environments or situations. In this case, you might need to do some research or ask questions to learn more about the environment. Second, we might practice an environmental scan to become better resourced for navigating familiar but challenging environments (like the grocery store or your workplace). In this case, you can think back to past experiences in the environment or practice the environmental scan while you’re in the environment.
While it is impossible to prepare for every aspect of an environment, an environmental scan can help us feel more prepared than we might feel otherwise. When we prepare for as much as we can, we can be more equipped to navigate the unexpected situations that arise. It’s important to note that some environments are simply not accessible depending on your needs. There is only so much help that preparing, resourcing, and reflecting can realistically offer. Being unable to exist in a particular environment is not a personal failing, but rather, evidence of social inaccessibility.
So what is an environmental scan? An environmental scan is a process of taking stock of various details about a particular environment. In order to get the most out of an environmental scan, it can be helpful to have a sense of what details impact you/your nervous system, whether in a supportive or distressing fashion. Many of us don’t have a clear sense of which details of an environment are important to pay attention to because we have spent so much time dissociating from our bodies and pushing aside our needs. You will learn more about yourself as you practice environmental scans and encounter environments mindfully. Below, I’ve outlined some aspects of environments that might be important to consider when you’re getting started:
Aspects to Consider in Your Environmental Scan
Auditory Aspects:
Does this environment have a lot of background noise? Is it completely silent? Do you have misophonia that is being triggered? Are there sudden loud noises? How is the volume of the auditory stimuli? How many different forms of auditory stimuli are there in this environment? Is the auditory stimulation in this environment different depending on the day or time of day?
Visual Aspects:
How is the lighting in this environment (too bright or too dim)? How is the angle of the light impacting you? Is this particular type of light distracting or challenging? Is there too much or too little visual stimulation in this environment? Is the environment too cluttered or too empty?
Olfactory Aspects:
Are there strong smells in this environment? Are the scents in this environment challenging or distracting?
Tactile Aspects:
Is touch from other people (handshakes, hugs, etc.) a norm in this environment? What things/surfaces will you need to interact with? How is the temperature in this place? What clothing do you wear in this environment?
Oral Aspects:
Is food/eating part of this environment? Will you encounter challenging textures/tastes or combinations of food? Will you encounter challenges with utensils/plates/etc.? Might you experience oral understimulation in this environment?
Vestibular & Proprioceptive Aspects:
How are the seating arrangements for you? Do you need to sit when you’re expected to stand in this environment? Or, do you need to move when you’re expected to be more still/seated in this environment? Can you stim or fidget as needed in this environment? Is the physical space too small? Do you need physical pressure on your body to feel content in this environment? What will you need to navigate in order to access the environment (stairs, incline, elevator, etc.)?
Social Aspects:
How many people will be in this environment? Will there be strangers, people you know, or both? How masked/unmasked are you with the people in this environment? Will you be expected to participate in small talk or to talk about a particular topic? Are there any challenging social dynamics in this environment?
Structural Aspects:
Is the environment highly organized (seating arrangements, clear directions & structure)? Or, is this environment informal with unclear expectations/structure/directions? How familiar are you with this type of environment? How are you expected to participate in this environment? Is participation mandatory or voluntary?
Personal/Inner Aspects:
How are you feeling in your body before you enter this environment (any pain, fatigue, hunger/thirst, etc.)? What is your mood like before entering this environment? How many spoons do you have and how many spoons will it take to navigate this environment? What executive functioning tasks might be required in this environment? Is there any relevant history with this environment that might be impactful? Is there anything you need to do before entering this environment, or any aftercare that might be supportive?
Reflection:
As you review each aspect of the environment, consider how the stimuli identified might impact you. If there are any aspects that might be challenging, you can prepare yourself by knowing what to expect ahead of time (increasing predictability) and identifying tools for self-support. As you practice and learn more about yourself, you’ll get a better sense of what you need to include in your own environmental scan and what resources help you when particular aspects of an environment are present. After using the environmental scan and navigating the specified environment, it can be useful to reflect on what was helpful and what might be needed in the future, then tweak your personal environmental scan accordingly.
Personal Example
I recently practiced an environmental scan in my own life before attending a bonfire at the beach:
Auditory Aspects:
There might be multiple people speaking/conversations occurring at the same time which is highly overwhelming for me and makes it difficult for me to engage in conversation. I can’t think of a way to prevent this from happening, so hopefully knowing that it’s a possibility will be helpful. If I feel comfortable enough, I can ask people to repeat themselves as needed or be honest about my auditory processing challenges.
Visual Aspects:
I expect the visual aspects of the environment (ocean, stars, flames) to be a pleasant, supportive resource. I can focus on these if I feel anxious or overwhelmed.
Olfactory Aspects:
While I enjoy the smell of bonfire smoke, it might become overpowering if it is going directly toward me. If this happens, I can move to a different spot, get distance from the fire, or turn away from the fire.
Tactile Aspects:
I often feel too hot or too cold so I’ll make sure to bring layers of clothing that I can add or remove. I’m usually fine with sand, but if I’m already feeling overwhelmed, the sand might become challenging for me to deal with. There are a lot of small pieces of driftwood on this particular beach that I hate stepping on. I’m going to wear closed-toe shoes.
Oral Aspects:
I heard there would be pizza at the bonfire but I don’t like eating around people I don’t know. If someone asks why I’m not eating, I can say that I already ate before the bonfire.
Vestibular & Proprioceptive Aspects:
There will probably be a combination of sitting and standing. I don’t like sitting. I’ll stand as much as I can so I can sway from side to side. I don’t care if people notice me swaying a lot. I’ll have Linus (my dog) with me, so if I feel like I’m not getting enough movement I can excuse myself to take him for a little walk on the beach. I can ask Jesse (my partner) for a hug if I need pressure.
Social Aspects:
The occasion for the bonfire is Jesse’s friend’s birthday. I don’t know their friend well and definitely will not know any of the other people there. I have no idea how many people to expect, but I imagine there will be group and one-on-one conversations. If someone engages me in a conversation I’ll do my best to navigate the conversation. I can look at the fire or at Linus if eye contact is feeling uncomfortable.
Content and Structural Aspects:
I’ve been to bonfires in the past so I have a good idea of what to expect. I imagine people sitting/standing around the fire, talking. These kinds of gatherings don’t usually have a clear end time. I’ll talk to Jesse about how long we want to stay and come up with a signal to discreetly let them know if I need to leave.
Personal/Inner Aspects:
At this moment, I feel hot so I’m going to bring my ice pack with me in the car for the drive there. I’m also going to bring my water bottle because sometimes when I’m feeling socially anxious my mouth gets really dry. A part of me is feeling too tired to go, but it’s too hot at home and it will be cooler near the ocean. Some insecurities might come up about how I am socially, but I feel pretty secure today so I don’t think I’ll end up feeling too bad about myself. If I feel bad after, I’ll write in my journal and talk about it in therapy next week. After the bonfire I’ll come home and watch new episodes of the shows I’ve been watching to decompress.
Reflection:
I found the environmental scan to be a useful practice for preparing myself for the bonfire. I had underestimated how entrancing the fire was going to be. I spent a long time by myself, standing, swaying, and staring at the fire which might have seemed strange to others, but that’s okay. It was also hard to engage in conversations because I was so distracted by the fire. Next time I use an environmental scan, I want to remember that visual stimuli can be highly distracting for me, making it hard to engage socially.
The smoke from the fire was going straight in my face for a while which was really stressful. I didn’t move my seat because I wanted to stay next to Jesse and I felt awkward about moving for some reason. Even though the smoke was overwhelming, it was definitely helpful to think of that possibility ahead of time so I felt less caught off guard by it.
I hope that the environmental scan can be a supportive practice for helping you navigate both familiar and unfamiliar environments with less overwhelm. I also hope that this practice can help you to learn more about yourself and your needs. If you’d like support in these areas, I’d be glad to guide you through this practice and help you find resources and tools that work for you.
Lou is a queer, autistic, multiply neurodivergent therapist in California.
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