The Response to a Need
SensoryWorks™ was founded when Talitha (Stormy Hill) and her mother, Dr. Maryann Rosenthal, started working together with adults with mental health and substance abuse disorders. It quickly became evident to them that teaching the skills of self-regulation to this dual-diagnosis population was a must. Talitha (Stormy) had clinical experience using multi-sensory rooms, which are widely used in the treatment of autism-spectrum disorders and which have lately been used in the inpatient psychiatric setting. Their use in residential dual-diagnosis treatment centers, though, was surprisingly almost non-existent. The combining of these two worlds was a natural fit. Sensory rooms, Talitha (Stormy) and Dr. Rosenthal realized, would be the perfect environment for teaching the skills of self-regulation. After building their first SensoryWorks™ multi-sensory room and launching the LifeSki11s™ program, the data proved their innovative treatment pairing to be highly effective.
About Talitha (Stormy)
Talitha (Stormy Hill), MD, OTR/L (No MD licensure in UT)
Founder/Therapist
Talitha (Stormy) has worked for seven years in the field of mental health as occupational therapist, and over nine years in sensory processing. Her diverse background includes working in school-based settings‚ sensory integration clinics/private practices‚ hospital setting with complex medical conditions‚ mental health clinics for children‚ residential treatment centers for adolescents‚ and residential treatment centers for substance abuse rehabilitation. Talitha (Stormy) was elected as one of the Woman to Watch for Utah Business Magazine in 2014 for her work in this area. Her recent research study was also chosen as a semi-finalist for funding innovative social change within Utah Community Foundation. A main focus for Talitha (Stormy) is to provide design and implementation of sensory rooms‚ staff training and education‚ and life skills program design for substance abuse/dual diagnosis treatment centers. She has a BA from Duke University‚ her medical doctorate from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine‚ and her MS in Occupational Therapy from University of Southern California with an emphasis in pediatrics and sensory integration.
About Maryann
Maryann Rosenthal, Ph.D
Co-Founder/Clinical and Consulting Psychologist
Dr. Maryann Rosenthal has specialized in the treatment of addiction and mental health for more than 30 years. She has a unique background and career working in both the business and clinical sectors of health care with extensive experience in the field of chemical dependency and mental health, as well as the assessment, education, and management of chronic pain and addiction. An internationally known speaker and author of Be A Parent, Not A Pushover, Dr. Rosenthal has consulted throughout America, Australia, Europe, and Asia on substance abuse, mental health issues, family dynamics and life achievement issues. She has been published in numerous magazines and has collaborated on many books.
Maryann was Executive Director at Recovery Ways from 2010 to 2016. She currently consults throughout the US helping treatment centers achieve their financial and clinical goals for continued excellence in the field of behavioral health.
