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Do you ever notice yourself or your child repetitively humming or mumbling? Tapping feet or repetitively nodding the head? Being drawn to specific smells, textures and scents? These are all some examples of stimming, or Self-Stimulatory Behavior.
When Clara Bauer was diagnosed with severe Anxiety Disorder and misophonia, their father, Boris Bauer, would routinely practice the “5 Senses Countdown” asking Clara to name 5 things they could see, 4 things they could hear, 3 things they could touch, 2 things they could smell, and 1 thing they could taste to help them fight their anxiety and oncoming panic attacks. Melding together this practice of utilizing the senses with some of their natural coping mechanisms, Clara and Boris developed their company “Stimm: Jewelry to Calm Your Mind”, creating jewelry for every auditory, olfactory, gustatory, or tactile need.
“I came across Stimm jewelry during the Fall 2024 and I was so excited to find a company that was offering something really unique: elevated fidgets for grown-ups. I haven’t seen anything like that yet and once Boris and I spoke, I realized how aligned we were on our views on inclusivity and our desire to offer products, or in PlayWell’s case, spaces that are inclusive to help more people feel seen and supported.”, Rita Sverdlova, PlayWell Brooklyn Founder/CEO.
So let’s talk about some of the benefits of Stimm Jewelry!
Sometimes stimming can feel out of our control and often distracting when moving through our day-to-day activities. Because Stimm jewelry is specifically designed to feed our specific sensory needs, whatever they may be,it can give us something tactile to focus on.
“I love the fidget spinning ring, it’s perfect for helping me stay focused during conversations or lectures”, PlayWell Brooklyn Staff Member.
Stimming can, in some cases, draw some unwanted attention to ourselves. So, having the option of wearing a discreet, and even stylish, textured, scented, chiming necklace, bracelet, or ring can be a great option for many of us. That’s why all Stimm jewelry are designed to be chic and minimalistic, combining function and style.
“Most of the fidgets or Sensory tools out there are really geared and marketed towards preschool and elementary school age kids. So, when I found Stimm jewelry, I was really excited because I (personally) love fidgeting, and this was an opportunity to have a “fidget“ that’s also elevated. This was an inclusive product that could help support my own sensory needs and one that I could share with the growing community of adults who are recognizing their own needs or are still learning about their own sensory systems.”, Rita Sverdlova, PlayWell Brooklyn Founder/CEO.
Some coping mechanisms require an outside source, including smelling or needing to hear calming scents and sounds or feeling and fidgeting objects. With Stimm jewelry, you or your child can carry around a small and discreet Aromatherapy Necklace Diffuser filled with a favorite scent or a Stimm Calming Rattle to stimulate the ears with.
“As someone who fidgets a lot with my hands, it can be really distracting because I often get in my head about being perceived for it. Having something like a fidget ring or textured necklace that I can take with me anywhere makes me feel safer … like I can ‘place’ my anxiety into something tangeable”, PlayWell Brooklyn Staff Member.
Carefully curated to appeal to anyone and specifically designed for those with sensory needs, Stimm jewelry is a beautiful and thoughtful gift idea for any loved one.
“Any of these pieces are a great gift for anyone who loves a little (subtle) movement throughout the day!”, PlayWell Parent.
With their shared desire of bringing more awareness and tangible tools to those with sensory needs, Rita Sverdlova and the Bauers have partnered to bring Stimm jewelry to PlayWell Brooklyn. Because it’s not just your child that deserves sensory play, but adults of all abilities, too, could benefit from sensory regulation.
“It’s becoming a much more mainstream topic, and we’re realizing that a lot of us were these kids that were walking around with unaddressed sensory needs because it just wasn’t really a part of the conversation yet and although we’ve grown up, our Sensory systems might still have those same needs. I think it’s such a great product to help destigmatize sensory needs and it helps people feel more comfortable with using items to support their own sensory needs.”, Rita Sverdlova, PlayWell Founder/CEO.
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