This academy focuses on ways to help parents and other support providers of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders* effectively and compassionately handle challenging behaviors and intense emotions so that they can reduce stress and improve both their own overall physical and mental health and the people they support.

*I focus primarily on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and Intellectual Disabilities (ID).

I call my method – The Moving Beyond Meltdowns Approach (MBM). The focus is on prevention and skill building - not on eliminating or fixing problems by traditional behavior management techniques with a focus on contingency manipulation.

The foundation for MBM consists of behavioral approaches —Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) and  Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and relationship-based approaches — DIR/Floortime and Self Reg.

The “Moving Beyond Meltdowns Approach consist of 7 steps:

Step 1 – Take Care of Yourself

Step 2 – Reframe the Behaviors 

Step 3 – Identify Stress Triggers 

Step 4 – Reduce Stress by Implementing Universal Prevention Strategies

Step 5 – Do a Comprehensive Functional Assessment  

Step 6 -- Implement the Intervention

Step 7 – Evaluate the Results

* The ACT intervention will work for many individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (my main interest is in people with ADHD, ASD, FASD, and ID). For individuals with minimal language abilities an approach like Positive Behavior Supports may be more effective instead of ACT.

The Dir/Self-Reg approach underlies both intervention approaches.