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Birthday Celebration
Mother and Daughter
Couple Working Together
Young Parents
Three Generations
Father and Son
Kids Playing on the Couch
Brothers Playing
Playing Music for Baby
Playing Card
Playing with Toys
Communicating Through Signs_edited
adult group
Image by eberhard 🖐 grossgasteiger

FAMILY MEMBERS

My approach and services are intended to be different.

My approach is built on the foundation of consciousness, self-reflection, curiosity, wilingness and understanding. It is anchored in the idea of community and collaboration,

and the belief that we have to ability to create change if we want it.

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My services are meant to dig deeper into your situation and untangle your experience, in order to identify your authentic intentions and true needs, along with those of your family member. Doing this, then facilitates the process of tailoring my support to what you need, finding actionable strategies and implementing realistic solutions that work towards creating the reailty that you desire.

 

No matter the age of your family member, nor whether they have a diagnosis or not, here are some examples of situations that you may be experiencing right now:​

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  • you aren't sure how to meet the complex needs of your loved one

  • your family member does have a specific diagnosis and you don't have a lot of information about it

  • you feel like you are missing something because you are not seeing progress or change

  • you have been trying various things for a long time but nothing seems to work

  • you feel overwhelmed

  • you have ideas but are unsure where to start with addressing certain situations or maybe you are out of ideas and need some new ones

  • you are meeting difficulties and you aren't sure why

  • you are facing specific issues that you aren't sure how to deal with

  • you have tried to use the recommendations that have been given to you by professionals but they just don't seem to work in your everyday life or you need help understanding the recommendations

  • you are having trouble balancing your own needs with the needs of your family member

  • you aren't sure what to do when your family member is exhibiting inappropriate or undesirable behaviour

  • you feel lost in trying to navigate the available supports and services, such as the public health system.​

If you are experiencing something that is not listed here, don't hesitate to contact me to find out if I can help.

Family Services

ACCOMPANIMENT SERVICES

My accompaniment services are based on a coaching model and always begin with working directly with you to understand your priorities and to determine your needs, through a complete needs assessment. 

Together, we reflect on your personal goals as well as your goals for your loved one,

and compare those intentions to what you are currenting experiencing in your day to day life.​

TThe completion of this process is what allows me to provide specifically tailored recommendations that are meant to accompany you in making the changes that you are ready to make.

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​My recommendations will support you in the way that you need it most, such as:

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  • clarifying your own and your family member's needs

  • determining a plan for exactly how to address the things that you want to change

  • breaking through overwhelm

  • ​seeking new information and ideas

  • how to approach crisis situations and difficult behaviour

  • where to start if your family member has just received a diagnosis

  • what resources are available

  • understanding your family member's diagnosis and their neurodiverse mind

  • how to apply professional recommendations into your everyday life

  • what you can do differently or beyond what is already being done

  • researching services, programs, policies, laws, resources etc.

  • how to promote and/or maintain independence

  • and more……

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If you would like to discuss your situation and learn more about my approach and my process, you can book a free thirty minute phone or virtual consultation, by following the link below.

"Coaching is a process that aims to improve performance and focuses on the ‘here and now’ rather than on the distant past or future.

While there are many different models of coaching, here we are not considering the ‘coach as expert’ but, instead, the coach as a facilitator of learning.

There is a huge difference between teaching someone and helping them to learn. In coaching, fundamentally, the coach is helping the individual to improve their own performance: in other words, helping them to learn.

Good coaches believe that the individual always has the answer to their own problems but understands that they may need help to find the answer."

                                                                    Definition from: www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/coaching.html

There are many ways that I provide accompaniment following a needs assessment, both in regards to session format as well as the strategies and techniques used.

Your tailored service can include both in person and online sessions, each with specific purposes and goals. Sessions may implicate you, the individual requiring extra support,

or even other family members, based entirely on your personal situation.​​​​

RESOURCES AND INFORMATION

Following a needs assessment, I may recommend that you look into specific resources or seek other information.

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Some examples of possible recommendations include:

  • reading material, videos, podcasts or other resources about a specific topic, such as:

    • proposed perspective shifting

    • various theories related to your situation

    • a suspected or given diagnosis

  • suggested use of various techniques and/or visuals to enhance and support your family member's communication

  • suggested consultation of another professional, such as Speech Language Pathologist or Occupational Therapist

  • suggested changes in your structures, schedules, or routines in order to improve your situation​

  • suggestion of a step by step process to address a difficult behaviour

Family: In Person Sessions

IN PERSON SESSIONS

Following a needs assessment, I may recommend that we address your or your family member's needs with in person sessions.

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Some examples of types of support and interventions that can be encompassed with in person sessions include:

  • observation and feedback using real examples in your day to day life, in various environments if applicable

  • practice and trial of tools, methods and strategies in the context/environment in various areas

  • support for integrating behaviour strategies into your environment effectively, respectfully and naturally

  • social skills programing, together or separately, with your family member

  • creation of, along with modeling of, the use of personalized visuals to enhance your family memer's communication

  • how to ensure teaching skills, and not only compliance

  • gaining and maintaining joint attention of your loved one instead of prompted responses

  • joint deconstruction and reconstruction of your current structure, schedules, and routines in order to make changes to improve your situation

  • guidance and modeling for applying the suggestions of another professional, such as Speech Language Pathologist or Occupational Therapist, into your everyday life

  • building and applying a step by step intervention to address emotional regulation, and/or a difficult behaviour/situation

Family: Online Sessions

ONLINE SESSIONS

Following a needs assessment, I may recommend that we address your or your family member's needs with online sessions.

 

Some examples of types of support and interventions that can be encompassed with online sessions include:

  • discussion around understanding and defining family member/professional roles and responsibilities, and setting boundaries between the roles

  • video or live observations of your day to day life, including various environments if applicable

  • feedback sessions regarding application of tools, methods, and strategies, as well as general and specific information based on observations and/or in person sessions

  • discussion of concepts and theories, and their related applications where necessary

  • refreshers of previously discussed information, techniques, tips or recommendations as necessary

  • proposed perspective shifting

  • real-life examples related to your situation

  • opportunities for open discussion

  • analysis of the evolving situation, and joint brainstorming to create/modify interventions

  • brainstorming ideas for integrating behaviour strategies into your environment effectively, respectfully and naturally

  • joint deconstruction and reconstruction of your current structure, schedules, and routines in order to make changes to improve your situation on your own​

  • building and applying a step by step intervention to address a difficult behaviour/situation

Family: Other services

OTHER SERVICES FOR PARENTS

PERSONAL CONSULTATIONS

 

Personal consultations are available online for family members in any location on an as-needed basis, without requiring a needs assessment.

 

Some examples of types of support and discussion subjects that can be addressed during personal consultations include:

  • analysis of a specific situation, and joint brainstorming to create an intervention plan that you feel able to realistically apply on your own

  • discussion of concepts and theories, and their related applications where necessary

  • joint deconstruction of another professional's recommendations and real-life examples related to your situation

  • opportunities for open discussion about the situation that you are in

  • joint deconstruction and reconstruction of your current structure, schedules, and routines in order to make changes to improve your situation on your own​

  • building and applying a step by step intervention to address a diffcult behaviour/situation

  • explanation of different public and private support systems (ie. CLSC, schools etc.), and suggestions for navigating them in order to meet you and your family member's needs

FAMILY TRAININGS

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I have created four training series that are available to family members each tailored to a specfic need.

They are designed to equip and empower you with information and tools that increase your confidence and efficacy in meeting the needs of your loved one.

RESOURCE SERVICE

 

Providing care for a family member requires energy at every turn, not only for providing direct care to your loved one but also to seek information and remain up to date on resources. Not to mention the energy required to take care of oneself, and to focus on your work and your personal goals and relationships.

My individualized support offers you assistance on an as needed basis, as a means to help you maintain your energy for the most important tasks. Allow me to alleviate some of your responsibilities by doing the research for you.

COMPANION SERVICE

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My companion service offers accompaniment during outings, shopping, appointments, or any other setting when a second pair of eyes and hands would be beneficial.

AUTISM ACCEPTANCE

 

I feel strongly that one of the biggest hurdles for people with autism and their families, is society's knowledge, or lack thereof, of autism. I offer presentations and workshops for youth, teens, adults, schools, communities and workplaces that provide information to help create autism awareness, that through continued discussion will shift to autism acceptance and inclusion.

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