Continued support for you
Your parent involvement significantly enhances your child's progress but we understand the process can be overwhelming. We offer one-on-one support, providing a space for transparent, vulnerable conversations without judgment.
- Learn more about your child's unique profile to deepen your understanding of actions, behavior and communications styles
- Develop the skills to engage with your child’s play preferences
- Master techniques for calming and mitigating intense emotions, suitable for yourself and your child
- Learn more about your child's forms of responsiveness
- Discover effective ways to stay calm and balanced during your daily activities and routines
Extra support, where and when you need it
We treat every child as one-of-a-kind, offering specialized therapy from experts. Additional therapies are recommended based on an initial assessment by a clinician. These are center-based appointments and depend on location.
Occupational Therapy
OT supports autistic children and adolescents in succeeding with daily activities by enhancing regulation, sensory processing, fine and gross motor skills, as well as planning, play, social-emotional development, and everyday skills.
Each child’s OT goals and therapy program is personalized, reflecting their individuality.
Skills that may be worked on are:
- Functional emotional development
- Internal body awareness (Interoception*)How we perceive what's happening inside our bodies and what that means for our health.
- Motor skills and motor planning
- Postural control
- Regulation (moving from adult co-regulation to self-regulation)
- Sensory modulation
Speech Language Therapy
SLT focuses on improving understanding and communication using a strengths-based approach. Sessions typically target language skills, social problem-solving, and comprehension.
While SLT at PD concentrates on enhancing an individual’s communication skills, our clinicians also help the communication partners of the autistic individual know how to best accommodate and support, their loved ones’ individual’s communication profile. Methods for communicating beyond traditional approaches are included while honoring preferred communication modes.
We believe in improving communication skills—both comprehension and expression—while helping kids become more confident participants, learners, and friends.
Emphasis may include:
- Apraxia*A rare disorder that affects the brain's ability to plan and coordinate speech movements
Source: Childhood apraxia of speech - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - Articulation and phonological challenges
- Auditory and language processing
- Gestalt language processing support
- Language-based learning differences
- Modes of communication that best work for an individual, including AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) programs and devices
- Neurodivergent friendly social pragmatic work
Mental Health Therapy
Mental health is crucial for any individual, and healthy emotions and safety are at the core of optimal development for the whole family. Our model emphasizes building connections and tailoring emotional support to create a safe environment that fosters growth and healing.
This therapy is centered around the science of *neuroplasticity.Your brain’s ability to absorb information and evolve to manage new challenges
Source: What Is Neuroplasticity? How It Works (clevelandclinic.org) When a child feels safe and connected, their brain can develop and improve. Using activities that match their interests helps keep them engaged and supports their growth in social, emotional, and intellectual areas.
Mental health therapy may include other team members such as:
- Individual child/adolescent psychotherapy (both play therapy and talk therapy)
- Parent/child therapy and family psychotherapy
- Parent consultation
- Professional consultation to schools (both early childhood and elementary/high school)
- Psychoeducational therapy
- Social-emotional groups