Tailored support and strategies for embracing human diversity.
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SCHOOLS
My approach and services are intended to be different.
My approach and services are built on the foundation of consciousness, self-reflection, curiosity, wilingness and understanding. They are anchored in the idea of community and collaboration,
and the belief that we have to ability to create change if we want it.
Educational settings are seeing an increase in students engaging in challenging behaviour that hinders their integration into classrooms, and leaves school teams stumped as to how to intervene. Sometimes these challenges can be an unknown and unexpected puzzle, or sometimes they can be related to a known diagnosis, disability, condition or label.
Despite your expertise, you may experience difficulties in relation to communicating with non functionally speaking or non speaking individuals, challenging behaviour, understanding autistic and neurodiverse thinking or other manifestations of various disabilities. Perhaps you are meeting obstacles in applying your methods within your current environment and reality or meeting success and providing belonging for the student(s) that you are supporting.
Why work with me?
No matter the age of your student(s), 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 don't know where to start when you suspect or receive a diagnosis for a student
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you feel overwhelmed and unable to take action
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you are struggling to clarify your neurodiverse student’s needs
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it feels impossible to approach crisis situations and difficult behaviour
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you find it hard to understand some of the behaviour of your neurodiverse students
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you can't find a realistic way to apply the techniques and strategies you want to in the everyday routines
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you are meeting challenges in working with the multi-disciplinary team to meet the combined needs of individuals and classes
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you aren't clear on how to apply professional recommendations into your everyday reality
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you are seeking new information and ideas for your toolbox
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you can't see what can be done to help beyond what is already being done
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you wish you had time to research services, programs, policies, laws, resources etc.
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you would love to be able to focus more on promoting and/or maintaining independence of your students.
There are a variety of opportunities, supports, and services available,
each meeting a different need.
ACCOMPANIMENT
My accompaniment services are based on a coaching model and are available for individual staff or teams.
They are designed to support you in better understanding the needs of the students you are supporting, clarifying your approach, and integrating practical strategies that are realistic within your context.
Every accompaniment process begins with taking the time to understand your priorities, your goals, and the specific situation you are navigating. Together, we reflect on what is currently working, where challenges are arising, and how to adapt your professional skills to better communicate, respond to, and support diverse needs.
Through this collaborative process, I provide personalized recommendations and guidance based on the unique situation, allowing you to move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
Accompaniment packages can be adapted based on your needs and may include:
• observations, interviews, and review of relevant documentation
• clarification of needs and development of hypotheses
• functional behaviour assessments
• personalized training for involved staff or teams
• step-by-step intervention plans and recommendations
• real-time modeling, coaching, and guided interventions
• support with implementing strategies in everyday situations
• referrals to other professionals or services, when applicable
Whether you are looking for support to better understand a specific situation, develop an intervention plan, or receive ongoing guidance while applying strategies in real time, accompaniment can be tailored to meet your needs.
"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
SITUATIONAL CONSULTATIONS
Situational consultations are available in person and online for school staff looking for ideas and support for how to make changes in specific situations, including dealing with aggressive behaviour,
lack of progress/change, changes in behaviour, inappropriate behaviour, teaching specific skills etc.
This service provides an opportunity for individual staff or teams to discuss specific situations that they are experiencing, with guidance and insight from my years of personal and professional experience. The goal is to brainstorm out of the box ideas to address the situation, make changes, modify interventions, and improve the overall situation.
COMMUNITY OF PRACTISE CONSULTATIONS
Community of practise consultations are available in person and online for school staff looking for opportunities to discuss effectively meeting individual student needs, meeting staff needs, using the staff as effectively as possible, clarifying roles of staff, rethinking classroom schedules and/or activities
and/or programs in complex situations.
This service provides an opportunity for teams to discuss situations in which they are experiencing challenges, with guidance and insight from my years of personal and professional experience. The goal is to brainstorm outside of the box ideas, in order to actively make changes in the day to day, and more effectively meet the ongoing needs in complex situations.
WORKSHOPS AND LEARNING
Each environment is unique.
The people you support, the resources available to you and the role you play
all influence how support is provided.
My interactive workshops are designed to encourage professionals to explore current knowledge together, reflect on real situations and discuss practical ways of supporting the individuals in their care within their own environments.
Workshops may be taken individually, as one of the suggested training series, or combined into a personalized training package for your team. They can be offered to staff members or adapted for the parents, family, caregivers, professionals and community members you serve, allowing the learning experience to reflect the unique needs of each environment and audience.
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.
My contribution to addressing this, is through offering presentations for youth, teens, and adults that provide information to help create autism awareness, that through continued discussion will shift to autism acceptance and inclusion. All learning sessions are available to the school staff, students and school community (parents, guardians etc.)
I also offer a space here on my website in which people can share their personal stories in relation to autism.
If you are staff member who works with autistic students, don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to share your story.
RESOURCE SERVICE
Providing direct care to students requires energy at every turn, not only for the everyday activities 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 not only on your work but also your personal goals and relationships.
My individualized support offers you assistance in finding social and alternative educational programs, residences and housing, job training, transportation training, leisure activities, protocols, procedure and laws relevant to your situation, available resources for your needs, and more.
I can also assist you with the paperwork required to gain access to resources.