Behavioral Consulting
Building your toolbox for balance at home.
Whether your family is facing acute or on-going problem behaviors, we will work together to tailor a program of parent coaching and child-centered strategies that fits YOUR family’s needs.
FAQs about our Behavioral Consulting
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My career began working in a center for Autistic children at Vanderbilt University, where I received vast training on behavioral techniques. I received my Masters with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis and have spent the last 15 years providing in home behavioral therapy and parent coaching for families of students with various needs. I also was the lead behavioral support for 3 years at a school that services children with intensive behavioral needs.
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Parent behavior coaching is an evidence-based methodology to help your child improve behaviors at home. Because parents have a great deal of influence on their young child’s behavior, therapy that focuses on training parents is recommended because children are not developmentally capable of changing their own behavior without their parents’ help.
My coaching model focuses on using a tailored approach to support you in increasing desirable behaviors in your child, reducing instances of misbehavior, improving parent-child interactions, and bringing about a more positive family atmosphere. I draw from various parent behavior training programs that have strong empirical support, along with other methodologies that I have found to be helpful for the specific issues we are working on. I tailor our work to your child and family’s needs, values, and goals.
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Research has shown that it is a “well established” treatment approach for children engaging in disruptive, noncompliant, and/or aggressive behaviors, and it is often recommended as the first line of treatment due to its high level of effectiveness.
Behavioral issues commonly treated with this approach include:
· Aggression
· Anger
· Attentional Issues
· Hyperactivity / Impulsivity
· Defiance
· Noncompliance
· Refusal
· Tantrums
· Parent-child conflict/negative interaction cycles
· Emotional dysregulation
There is also substantial evidence suggesting that this is a helpful treatment for behaviors related to Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in children and teens.
The Process
Initial Consultation
I offer a free phone consultation aimed at determining your needs and goals. After a few initial questions to ensure the right fit, you will lay out your unique situation and we will design a plan that will work for you.
Information Gathering
Once we have determined a few key areas of focus, I gather necessary information to make informed decisions about our next steps. This information can be collected through observations, questionnaires, data sheets, interviews, and more.
Plan Development
Through a structured process, we will work together to create strength-based goals that address the maladaptive behaviors affecting your family. Using evidence-based goal setting and behavior change techniques, we will target small steps that will make a big impact on your family’s wellbeing over time.
Fill Your Toolbox
We will meet weekly to coach you through both new and existing skills that allow effective communication with your child. We will explore and experiment with different strategies to help you set boundaries and create an environment conducive to behavior change. A plan for the week will be developed and sent to you after each session to ensure you are practicing these skills in real time. The more tools you have in your toolbox, the greater the chance of success!
Create Strengths-based Goals
Our goals will focus on what we WANT to see. Whether we are developing a lagging skill or building on the skills already in place, your child will be consistently reinforced for their progress. By replacing unwanted behaviors with more appropriate alternatives, your child will still be getting their needs met - just in more adaptive ways! In turn, you will be creating a positive association between behavior and environment.
Follow Up
Whether you need weekly support or monthly check-ins, I am here to provide you with the tools and strategies needed to be a calm, confident, and dedicated parent to your child.