How can a behavioral strategist help?

• Identifying the why: Helping caregivers and those around the child to identify the function and reason for why behaviours are occurring.

• Reducing difficult behaviours: Identifying effective strategies to reduce behaviours such as meltdowns, tantrums, aggression, refusal, shutdown and avoidance behaviours.

• Building skills and capacity: Identifying effective and practical strategies to develop the child’s skills in areas such as transitions, daily tasks, ability to effectively communicate wants and needs, social skills, play skills, regulation, personal hygiene tasks and many other areas.

• Support: Supporting those around the child to navigate behaviours and effectively apply strategies in daily life.

• Connection: Connecting families with additional supports and services where appropriate.

How do I know if my child may benefit from working with a behavioral strategist?

Your child may benefit from behavioural support if they are having difficulty in any of the following areas:

• Effectively communicating wants and needs

• Following verbal instructions

• Following daily routine

• Transitions

• Rigidity

• Hyperactivity

• Impulsivity

• Regular tantrums or meltdowns

• Aggression towards self or others

• Emotional regulation

• Physical regulation

• Difficulty staying on task

• Social interactions and friendships

• Anxiety

• Limited or rigid play

• Joint attention

• Personal hygiene tasks 

• Meal times

• Bed time

How do I know if my family may benefit from working with a behavioral strategist?

Your family could find behavioral support beneficial if you can relate to any of the statements listed below:

• You are feeling like you don’t have effective tools or strategies to manage your child’s behaviors or big emotions

• Many of the “typical” tools and strategies recommended to change behavior are not working

• You are feeling overwhelmed/stressed/burnt out

• Family members are not on the same page regarding how to address behaviors or skill deficits that are presenting

• Your child presents with difficulties in the areas listed above

• You would like to learn tools and strategies to help support your child’s development. For example, you would like to learn how to foster skills in areas such as personal hygiene, life skills, social skills, emotional regulation, communication etc

• You have an idea of what you need to do but feel overwhelmed and would like support with breaking things down and prioritizing

How do I decide what service option is best for our family and my child?

We can discuss what service option is the best fit for your child and family during our initial consult. What service option is best-suited for your child will depend on the goals that are identified, child engagement and parent capacity.

How often do sessions occur and how long do they last?

Sessions typically last between 1-2hrs and can occur on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. Services are tailored to the child and families needs. Therefore, we can discuss if sessions are required more or less often and for longer or shorter periods. Factors that will influence session frequency and duration include the child’s age and capacity, family availability, and if services are covered by funding or not. I am happy to discuss questions around this during our initial consult.

Where do sessions take place?

Sessions will typically occur in the home setting. If goals are community-based, sessions can be conducted in the community to target these areas.

Are your services only for children that have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis?

No, the tools and strategies used can be beneficial for almost all children. It is common for me to work with families whose child doesn’t have a diagnosis and in many cases, a developmental delay may not be a concern. In these situations, parents are wanting some tips and strategies to address common behaviors that are often hard to manaage. I also work with individuals with a variety of diagnoses in addition to Autism (ASD), including but not limited to, ADHD, ADD, FAS, Down Syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, CP and Language Disorders. A major focus of my services is skill-building and developing underlying skills. As a result, this means a wide range of children can benefit from this support and the strategies implemented. If you are unsure if behavioral support is a good fit for your child or family please don’t hesitate to contact me and we can discuss your situation further.

Are your services covered by benefits?

Families who have Austim funding can use this funding for my services. For private insurance or work benefits, you will need to enquire with your insurance company regarding coverage.

How are payments made?

For families using Autsim funding, services will be billed directly to Autsim Services. For families using private services, an invoice will be sent and payment can be made via e-transfer.

Do you offer a sliding scale?

If cost is a barrier to your family accessing services please reach out and we can discuss options

Still have questions or want to book an initial consult? Send me a message below: