Félicie Affolter (22 February 1926 – 5 November 2024) was a Swiss psychologist, psychotherapist, speech therapist, and teacher of the deaf.
The basic idea was that sensory interaction in everyday life provides the infant with their first experiences of the world; if these could not be stored sufficiently or effectively, further disorders of perception and language acquisition and other cognitive as well as social performance can result; therapy for these must therefore start again with sensory perception.
If perception is impaired, targeted guiding with the hands and body during everyday events can help to improve the search for information.
These guided interaction experiences promote motor skills, cognitive and emotional performance.
For the treatment of people with dementia, occupational therapist Gudrun Schaade has adapted the Affolter model to the needs of those affected and integrated it into the support concept she has developed.