Our Clients
This page is designed to give potential clients insight into the common profiles of the people that we serve. While some clients do come to us with a diagnosis such as ADHD, ASD, Anxiety, or a Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder, we also have many who do not have a diagnosis. Our focus is on recognizing and utilizing the strengths of the individual while also providing support for the areas of challenge.
Good Candidates for Social Groups or Individual Therapy:
Preschool: Very bright and possibly a self-taught reader, strong language skills but challenges with using their language to interact with peers, struggles to sit still during circle time, easily overwhelmed (overly excited or angered), struggles to initiate or sustain play with peers, often chooses to play alone, challenges with sharing an imagination with others or appears to not know how to play imaginatively with toys
Preschool: Strong desire to be social but misses social cues, sweet temperament when regulated and/or things are going their way, may become withdrawn or have a meltdown when things do not go their way, slower language development, inflexible, difficulty with deviations in routine, sensory sensitivities (picky eater, textures, sounds, smells, etc), literal thinking patterns
School Aged: Mainstream classroom with some support at school, struggles with initiation and reading social cues, feels shy and lacks confidence in social situations, great sense of humor at home and when they feel comfortable, limited eye contact, literal thinking patterns, may find others to play with at recess but stays on the periphery, trouble with balanced conversation, challenges with nonverbal communication (facial expressions, tone of voice, body language)
School Aged: Very bright (above average IQ), better with adults and younger children than with peers, interrupts or blurts out, trouble with balanced conversation (tends to monologue), struggles with losing, challenges with emotional regulation and impulse control, inflexible, strong language abilities, difficulty with perspective taking, wants to engage with others but often gets stuck in prioritizing their desires over the relationship
Adolescent: Anxious or resistant to try new things, uncomfortable in social situations or conversations, flat affect, frequently gives 1-2 word answers during interactions with peers or adults, some self-awareness and desire to learn social skills, immature for their age, struggles with self-advocacy and problem-solving, does not initiate with peers, limited (or no) social interactions outside of structured activities
Adolescent: Excels in one or more academic subjects, desire to build friendships, difficulty connecting with peers, perceives that others are picking on them, strong sense of “right and wrong,” black-and-white thinking, may be argumentative, struggles with self-advocacy and problem-solving, limited perspective taking, challenges with executive functions (impulse control, planning, organization), limited (or no) social interactions outside of structured activities
Good Candidates for Parent Consultation:
Parent
Profile
#1
Your intuition is telling you that something is wrong/different despite teachers and doctors saying that your child is on track developmentally. You may notice meltdowns at home, trouble with self-help skills, lack of interest in conversation (unless it is a preferred topic), or that your child appears to be selfish. You have concerns about your child’s peer relationships as they are not being invited to playdates or birthday parties and your child may be oblivious to this reality.
Parent
Profile
#2
Your family is experiencing an imbalance and you can’t figure out how to change this dynamic. One child is demanding of your attention (either directly or indirectly) and you find yourself left feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. This child may be overly competitive, inflexible, or appear controlling which results in the family trying to keep them satisfied at all times.
Parent
Profile
#3
Your young child is struggling at school with emotional regulation, collaborative play, circle time, personal space, following directions, and/or focus and attention. You feel unsure about what steps to take and how to navigate the services in your community. You feel overwhelmed by the options, cost, and differences between the various professionals and you need support to find the next steps for your child and family.
Parent
Profile
#4
You have heard that providing specific positive praise, setting up clear routines, holding boundaries, using reward charts, and having natural consequences are helpful parenting tools but you don’t feel confident in your current skills and implementation. You want support to get systems in place to create a smoother family environment for everyone.
Parent
Profile
#5
Parenting your child feels confusing and embarrassing at times. Your child appears self-centered, spoiled, bratty, or immature despite your best efforts. You feel alone when around other parents and children because your child doesn’t fit in or you feel judged for their behavior.