The information contained on this site, blog posts, videos and interviews are for general education purposes and do not constitute professional advice. If you are a provider, it’s important to seek training, continuing education or clinical supervision. If you are a parent, I encourage you to seek direct help from a qualified provider for your child and family. All identifying information, including names and other details, has been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. *The photos used are stock photography models and do not represent specific individuals in any way.
August 10th, 2017
Since his first day of kindergarten, “Justin” had struggled to manage the demands of his new school. When teachers asked him to transition from one activity to the next, he would often fuss, kick or run away. He routinely “overreacted” to simple tasks and activities, and it seemed that no matter how much praise, or […]
January 18th, 2017
Every IEP team should assure that a child has the chance to develop emotional regulation through trusting relationships. Without that opportunity, meaningful learning is impossible.
November 16th, 2016
Rose’s parents and teachers were concerned about how to help her find success in kindergarten. Sometimes she went with the flow but at other times Rose fussed so much that she disrupted the whole class. Then her teachers devised a plan that everyone thought would help. They designated a small, separate section of the classroom […]
June 27th, 2016
A new book, Self-Reg, explodes the myth that if only children tried harder or had enough willpower, they could control all of their challenging behaviors. The reality is much more complicated than that.
June 16th, 2016
Far too often, children with special educational needs experience disruptions in relationships, including frequent changes in aides, teachers and school placements, causing stress.
October 29th, 2015
When professionals automatically equate “nonspeaking” with “low functioning,” they underestimate student’s intellectual capacities, often removing children from inclusive programs to place them in separate special education classes that may not be appropriate or academically sufficient.
February 2nd, 2015
Recently, while waiting in a school office for a meeting to begin, I noticed a little boy at an empty desk, staring out a window. A secretary was busy working as staff came and went, and as I waited, I wondered why this little boy was there. On my way out he was still there, […]
January 8th, 2015
When I met three-year-old “Tim”, he had such difficulty with spoken language and controlling his body that it was difficult to tell how much he could comprehend of the world around him. He couldn’t show his understanding with words—or even with movements. A decade later, he has learned to type on an iPad and uses […]
March 28th, 2014
The second annual Profectum conference was again a huge hit with parents and professionals alike. A touching moment happened when a parent came up after my talk and asked me to repeat something I had said about the inaccuracy of the phrase “non-verbal”. As Liz Torres, neuropsychological researcher, told us, what we can see (or […]
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