DSM V: Informational Guide

May 2013 is the anticipated release date of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual V. Landmark College has issued a simple and straightforward training, highlighting the changes. This is a great read for parents and professionals.
Landmark College: Training on DSM V

Mindful Leadership

This is a great article written by Bill George for the Harvard Business Review. The article is about how being mindful will help you become a better leader.

"The practice of mindful leadership gives you tools to measure and manage your life as you're living it. It teaches you to pay attention to the present moment, recognizing your feelings and emotions and keeping them under control, especially when faced with highly stressful situations. When you are mindful, you're aware of your presence and the ways you impact other people. You're able to both observe and participate in each moment, while recognizing the implications of your actions for the longer term. And that prevents you from slipping into a life that pulls you away from your values."

http://blogs.hbr.org/hbsfaculty/2012/10/mindfulness-helps-you-become-a.html

Strategies for Managing Anger, Anxiety, and Sadness in those on the Autism Spectrum

In the aftermath of the tragedy and with all of the discussions revolving around mental health, I remembered reading this journal article written by Tony Attwood. The article included Dr. Attwood's strategy for managing anger specifically for the Autism Spectrum population. By utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dr. Attwood is able to assist those on the spectrum to become,  "more consciously aware of one’s emotional state, knowing how to respond to the emotion, and becoming more sensitive to how others are feeling." He writes about the "Emotional Toolbox". The tools include physical, relaxation, social, thinking, special interest, and inappropriate. I have included some excerpts from the article and a link for future reference. http://www.cmcgc.com/Media/HANDOUTS/081022/260.pdf

"The Emotional Toolbox: Strategies for Managing Anger,

Anxiety and Sadness" by Tony Attwood Ph.D.

An Emotional Toolbox

From an early age, children will know a toolbox contains a variety of different tools to repair

a machine or fix a household problem. The concept of an Emotional Toolbox, has proved an

extremely successful strategy in the treatment of anxiety and anger in children with

Asperger’s syndrome (Sofronoff et al 2005; Sofronoff et al. 2007). The idea is to identify

different types of ‘tools’ to fix the problems associated with negative emotions, especially

anxiety, anger and sadness. The range of tools can be divided into those that quickly and

constructively release or slowly reduce emotional energy, and those that improve thinking.

The cognitive behaviour therapist works with the child or adult with Asperger’s syndrome,

and the family, to identify different tools that help fix the feeling, as well as some tools that

can make the emotions or consequences worse. Together they use paper and pens during a

brainstorming session in which they draw a toolbox, and depict and write descriptions of

different types of tools and activities that can encourage constructive emotion repair.

In Crisis: Our Mental Health System

This is an article written by a mother in response to the massacre that occurred in Connecticut. I have worked with so many of these kids and often times we run into the same issue, funding. We need to come together as a society and talk more about the crisis in the mental health system. Tragedies such as the one that occurred in Connecticut will continue until something is done. I applaud this mother's courage for speaking out!

Some excepts from the article:

"I pulled up in front of the hospital, frantically waving for one of the clinicians who happened to be standing outside. "Call the police," I said. "Hurry."

Michael was in a full-blown fit by then, screaming and hitting. I hugged him close so he couldn't escape from the car. He bit me several times and repeatedly jabbed his elbows into my rib cage. I'm still stronger than he is, but I won't be for much longer."

----

"No one wants to send a 13-year-old genius who loves Harry Potter and his snuggle animal collection to jail. But our society, with its stigma on mental illness and its broken healthcare system, does not provide us with other options. Then another tortured soul shoots up a fast food restaurant. A mall. A kindergarten classroom. And we wring our hands and say, "Something must be done."

http://gawker.com/5968818/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother

Struggling Teens: New Perspective

This was recently published on the "Struggling Teens" website. Thank you to Lon Woodbury and Woodbury Reports! DR. JESSICA ROMEYN, PSYD New Perspectives

Posted: Dec 10, 2012, 09:31

Paid Advertisement

Clinical and Educational Consultant
Los Angeles, California
323-362-2934
drjromeyn@gmail.com
www.drjromeyn.com

Dr. Jessica Romeyn is a Clinical and Educational Consultant who specializes in working with adolescents and young adults with emotional and developmental special needs. She works with families and individuals in identifying the correct placements for students in educational settings, residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools, colleges and gap year programs. By visiting the placement beforehand, Dr. Romeyn can ascertain whether the program will meet the needs of the student. Dr. Romeyn's services also include assistance with admission into the program, monitoring progress while enrolled and work with the family for aftercare transition and services.

Dr. Jessica Romeyn attended the University of Southern California and is a member of the Independent Educational Consultant Association (IECA), the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Autism Society of America, the California Psychological Association and the Council of Parent Attorney's and Advocates. Before opening her own practice, Dr. Romeyn was the Director of Residential care at The Help Group.

[This information came from Dr. Jessica Romeyn's website.]

Information and Resource Guide for Transitioning into Adulthood

This is a great resource for families preparing to transition their adolescents into young adults.
http://www.calstat.org/publications/pdfs/Transition_final_08.pdf

Westview School

On November 15, I attended the Professionals Networking Brunch sponsored by Westview School. The invited speaker for the brunch was John Robert Hall author of "Am I Still Autistic? How a Low-Functioning, Slightly Retarded Toddler Became a CEO of a Multi-Million Dollar National Corporation".  I was stuck by his honesty and candor when describing the challenges he faced growing up Autistic.  Now the father of a recently diagnosed boy, John is faced with seeking the appropriate care for his son. I was honored to be apart of the brunch and appreciated the tour of Westview. All of the kids appeared to be enjoying classes and free time. The staff and administration all demonstrate a passion for the kids and are dedicated to offering quality education.
http://westviewschool.com

Vive: Therapeutic Mentoring

Today I had a great meeting with the members of the Vive team spearheaded by Rohini Ross. Vive is a therapeutic mentoring program for young people and their families. All of the Vive coaches have their Masters degrees in a related field, many of whom have private practices. It was great meeting like minded professionals that care deeply about the families they work with and are dedicated to best practices. Over the course of the last couple of years I have heard wonderful things about the program. It was nice to see it in person and I am looking forward to working with them. http://www.vivenow.com

Re-Thinking Autism Conference 2012

November 1, 2012 was the Re-Thinking Autism conference presented by Vista Del Mar. This was the 4th annual conference held at Vista. The conference was very well attended and presented topics such as "viewing autism through a neurobiological lens", harnessing technology, and advocacy. The conference ended with a Q &A panel with Dr. Schmidt-Lachner, Peter Bell, and Diana O'Brien. I was moved by the performances of the kids from the Vista Inspire- Miracle Project. The Miracle Project is an awesome program directed by Elaine Hall. http://www.vistadelmar.org/miracletheatre/

At the end of the conference I was able to speak with Diana O'Brien about her new app, Impact Everyday. I believe it will truly revolutionize the way we coordinate services and assist with communication. https://impacteverydayapp.com. 

Another wonderful resource for professionals is the "Saturdays at the Center". I did not know that Vista offers a monthly series with CEU opportunities. The next one is 12/8 and will be presented by Katherine Gould, discussing, "A Method for Treating Children Diagnosed with Asperger's Disorder".

For more information; http://www.vistadelmar.org/continuingeducationunits/

I was asked to be apart of the Leadership Council and am looking forward to our first meeting. Stay tuned for updates from the council.

IECA Atlanta 2012

The week of November 5- 10, 2012, I had the opportunity to visit Atlanta, Georgia and attended the annual Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) conference. The weather was beautiful and the colors of the leaves were changing into a deep red. Something I still appreciate given my upbringing in Southern California. The IECA event was exciting, overwhelming, and exhausting. This was the first IECA conference I had attended as a consultant. I had been to a previous IECA in Carolina several years ago as an exhibitor. The day before the conference commenced I was able to visit 3 local programs. The 3 programs were unique and serve young adults and that are challenged by sobriety and developmental disabilities. I appreciated the thoughtfulness of the programs and was impressed by the positive evidenced based outcomes.

• Skyland Trail is a non-profit, community-based residential and day mental health treatment facility for adults with serious mental illness. http://www.skylandtrail.org
• Talbott Recovery, "functions primarily as an alcohol recovery center, drug abuse treatment center, and addiction rehab center for young adults, professionals in the healing fields, and general adults in need of treatment. "https://www.talbottcampus.com
• Hope Homes Inc. is a long-term residential program designed to bridge the gap from early recovery to independent living.http://hopehomesrecovery.org

The conference itself was Wednesday-Saturday. I was able to attend many of the breakout sessions. The most memorable was a panel of directors from some of the most prominent young adult programs. The directors have created an organization, YATA (Young Adult Transition Association). The mission is to "promote young adult residential transitional schools and programs that support issues and practices of common interests and enhance the quality of care of the young adults and their families". Of course this is a topic of interest for me so I was happy to be able to participate in the dialogue. Other conference highlights included attending a beautiful dinner at Brandon Hall sponsored by several programs. The dinner was in support of Saving Teens, a very important program dedicated to assisting children and their families access necessary services despite financial struggles.http://www.savingteens.org

Over the course of the 3 days I had the opportunity to meet with several programs, clinical directors, and other consultants. It was at times a challenge to make it through a room but in the end I believe I was able to make long lasting connections. I am definitely looking forward to the next IECA in Chicago. 

Great article on becoming independent written by an individual with ASD.

Wrong Planet - 10 Steps to Become Independent: Learning the Basics of Essential Life Skills

The Role of a Consultant

I was just reading a report on Lon Woodbury's "Struggling Teens" website http://www.strugglingteens.com/ and was struck by the authors candor. As a new Educational Consultant I am experiencing certain struggles and learning how to interpret the challenges and grow as an individual. The introduction written by Robert Kantar, EC from Vermont, resonated with me. I wanted to share... Thank you, Bob.

Visit by Robert "Bob" Kantar, Educational Consultant
November 16-17, 2010

Far too often, I am humbled by a school visit process in which a consultant, responsible for the placement of a struggling youth, must try to hear, observe and evaluate a particular school to quote "recommend it to a client" or even write a review for a wider audience.

Do we know the student we represent well enough to recommend a placement? What is our rationale for selecting this particular placement over others? For me, equally important, and in some ways more challenging, how do I assure myself that the recommendation will meet the needs of the child, assure the safety of the child and do no harm? It is an awesome responsibility, in many respects the same as that of a parent who rightfully is concerned about their decision to send their child to a program. I have no visions of grandeur or crystal ball which will guarantee anyone that my thoughts are objective, accurate and sound. The child will be sent to a place that I may recommend by a decision of the parents or guardians and neither of us will be present day in and day out to see what happens to their child. A school's state of being is a living process which is constantly in flux and can well be affected by such conditions as the Nation's Economy and personnel changes. No one person that I have met has been able to guarantee me all the knowledge I would need of both the child and the school so that I can provide more than my best advice. After almost 46 years as a consultant and literally hundreds of school visits from colleges to boarding schools to treatment centers across the United States, I still find the task of placement a difficult and very personal challenge. There are no automatic solutions, no boiler plate explanations for each child is, thank God, unique.

Utah Day #5 & 6

On Friday I attended the NATSAP Southern Utah Regional Conference. The conference was held at the beautiful Lava Heights Academy. Lava is welcoming their first 4 residents next week. I was very impressed by the facility and the programs they will be offering, especially the fine arts.

After the conference I stopped by the Sunrise Program. They were in the middle of their parent weekend, so I appreciated their willingness to accommodate me. It was a great experience being able to talk to parents and watch the interactions within and between families. Many of the parents I spoke to had wonderful things to say about the program and staff. I was encouraged to see all of the treatment groups and individualized care many of the girls were receiving. The physical plant was deceiving from the outside. Once inside the building feels very home like with a gorgeous backyard, complete with pool, waterside, fire pit, large grassy area, and sand volleyball court. I appreciate the clinical programming and emphasis on DBT. They work with very challenging and clinically complex, adolescent females. I am looking forward to working with them. http://www.sunrisertc.com/

Day #6: Last Day
After the conference we drove 4 hours to Provo, Utah. Saturday morning we met with Chris Johnstoneaux from the Heritage School. I was overwhelmed by the campus size and layout. The campus looks like a quaint village complete with chapel, horse stables, and large athletic field. We met several of the girls and had a nice talk with one in particular. She was having a difficult day and was spending some quiet time with 2 of the staff. We talked about her stay at Heritage and her desires for the future. I was encouraged to hear that she is planning on being discharged home and will be attending college. (the staff confirmed) The program has an intense behavioral component and is able to take very challenging clients. On the flip side it feels like the program is dedicated to creating lasting relationships with the clients and is clinically supportive. http://www.heritagertc.org/

Right next door to the Heritage School is Scenic View. I was happy to stumble upon this program. The program was established in 1999 by a parent of a child with learning disabilities. The program is a day program but also offers residential options. They serve single adults ages 21+, IQ of 90+, who struggle with learning disabilities, and may have some developmental disabilities. I met some of the residents and they LOVE the program. I was very impressed. http://www.svacademy.org/

Last but certainly not least was Alpine Academy. I was able to meet with one of the families from that program 3 hours before my flight departed from Salt Lake City. Alpine operates on the Family Teaching Model approach. I was able to meet with the girls from the Oak Ridge Home, headed by Derek and Melissa Barney. The girls were great!! Many of them had been there for several months and were getting ready for discharge. They talked about their clinical struggles and how the program has challenged them and ultimately helped them. I am not sure the model is for everyone but it certainly has worked for these young women. They gave me a tour of the facilities and grounds,  and introduced me to the horses. Alpine is getting ready to open their new multi purpose building, complete with a rock wall, full size basketball court, stage for performances, dance room, state of the art workout facility, locker rooms, and racquet ball court. The girls are very excited about using the new room. The clinical facility was in a home like setting and all of the classrooms were very well appointed. The family teachers were warm but offered structure and stability. I am excited to work with this program in the future. http://www.alpineacademy.org/

Thank you to all of the programs for a jam packed, thought provoking, whirlwind of a tour. Total of 6 days, 985 miles driven, and a total of 16 programs seen. Huge thank you to Nathan Meng from the CARE schools for helping to organize my adventure. Looking forward to IECA Atlanta then off to Arizona and Texas for adventures #3 & 4, then NATSAP in Irvine, CA.

Here are some pictures from days 5 & 6:

Entrance to Heritage

Heritage Horses and Barn

Heritage Athletic Building

Heritage Bedroom

Scenic View Program

Entrance to Alpine Academy

One of the Alpine Homes where the girls reside

Alpine's new dance studio

Alpine's new workout facility

an Alpine resident

Beautiful UTAH! Thank you.

Using outcome tools to improve efficiency of treatment

On Friday we attended the NATSAP Regional Conference in Southern Utah. The conference was held at the new Lava Heights. 

The conference was very informative. I enjoyed meeting admissions directors from several programs and especially enjoyed meeting the CEO of Outcome Tools, Mike Petree (https://outcometools.com/site/). I attended a breakout session presented by John Nielson from Heritage School. John presented on "Improving Clinical Practice using Outcome Studies". We discussed the use of the Youth Outcome Questionnaire to assist with treatment planning and session facilitation.  I think it is imperative that treatment facilities utilize measures that appropriately track progress in order to maximize growth potential. Many facilities I am finding do not track progress, or track at the beginning and end. By utilizing measures throughout, the treatment team is able to effectively tailor programs to the individual. The end result being a more efficient program, minimizing lengths of stay. As a new Educational Consultant some of the questions I have been asking programs are; What types of outcome studies are you using? The frequency and schedule of use? Are the measures published? I think if more consultants require programs to track the progress of their clients the accountablility factor will increase. Side note: as a clinician I understand that many times the measures will point to an increase in behaviors, everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt and understanding that the clients are in need of treatment. Bottom line; when I ask how my client is doing I would like to know based on evidence not subjective experiences. Check out some of the studies currently being conducted at http://natsap.org/research/research-at-natsap-programs/. 

Utah Day #4: CARE Schools

Today we meet with the representatives from the CARE Schools. First program was Red Rock Academy, then off to Falcon Ridge, ending the day at Lava Heights. All programs use the "PPC"- Positive Peer Culture model for their clinical model.
Falcon Ridge has an incredible equine program and is an "EAGALA" Training site (http://www.eagala.org/). The equine staff put us through an exercise of building a horse halter by tying knots with climbing rope. The end result is very cool.
Lava Heights welcomed us with music, mask making, ballroom dancing classes, and a lovely dinner. The open house was very impressive. The new buildings are all built with sensory friendly materials, and state of the art technology. They are welcoming their first 4 clients next week.

Thank you to all of the clinicians, clients, and horses for making us feel at home. Getting ready for the NASTAP Southern Utah Regional Conference.
http://www.careschools.org/

One of Red Rock's many bridges and water features

Beautiful campus located by Zion National Park

Falcon girls participating in Equine exercise

Falcon Ridge main building.

Lava Heights main building- Notice the giant Labyrinth  in the center

Utah Day #3

Lots of driving today (5 hours)! We started in Provo, went to Mt. Pleasant and ended in Toquerville. We visited 3 very different programs. First up was Wasatch Academy, college prep boarding school. We had a great tour by the student ambassador and met several teachers and students. What a beautiful campus!! The program is very well rounded with an exceptional drama/ fine arts program including video game development, sound studio, film and media lab. They have sports, AP classes, dorm parents, rock climbing, and all of the luxuries of the Utah landscape. It was a great visit. http://www.wasatchacademy.org/
Second up was Mt. Pleasant Academy. Very small, new program that specializes in the treatment of male clients that are struggling with sexual addiction. Met with Jim Lewis and was impressed with his clinical skills. http://www.mtpleasantacademy.com/

Last but not least was Ashcreek Ranch Academy. Very new program with great staff, beautiful grounds, strong equine program, and a very exciting upcoming program with an emphasis on equine veterinarian care. We had a great visit and blessed with a beautiful sunset. http://ashcreekranchacademy.com/

Overall, great day!

Wasatch Academy

Wasatch Academy Soccer Field

Warm welcome from Wasatch!

More Wasatch. Beautiful campus!

Mt. Pleasant Academy Log Cabin

Ashcreek Ranch Academy 

Ashcreek companion having fun in the lake on grounds

Incredible Sunset. Great end to a long day!

Utah Day #1

Landed at 10:30am, got the rental car, and off we went. Had a nice visit with Solstice and Copper Hills. Nice start to the adventure.

Utah Day #2

Very busy day today. We visited Discovery- Ranch, Academy, Connections, and New Haven. Thanks to all of the staff and clients for making us feel at home!

Discovery Academy

Discovery Connections

Discovery Ranch

New Haven

New vimeo uploaded from Plum Village, Thay's introduction to mindfulness and inner peace. This video includes a guided sitting meditation and chanting. I had the opportunity to meet Thay last year and it changed my perspective on so many things. Enjoy!

Thich Nhat Hanh: Mindfulness and Inner Peace

Utah Tour Extravaganza!

Heading to Utah next week for a whirlwind tour of therapeutic placements for adolescents and adults. I have connected with Nathan Meng from C.A.R.E. schools and am excited for the adventure. If you are an EC and are interested in joining the adventure please let me know, the more the merrier.

http://www.careschools.org/

New Social Skills Programming: The Social Lab

Getting ready to launch, The Social Lab. Stay tuned for upcoming events.


THE SOCIAL LAB™ - A PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL SKILLS GROUP THAT BRINGS INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER IN THE COMMUNITY TO ASSIST WITH GENERALIZING LEARNED INTERNVENTIONS AND BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: COMMUNITY SERVICE, LOCAL AND DISTANCE TRAVELING AND LOCAL ATTRACTIONS. SPACE IS LIMITED AND DETERMINED BY EVENT. PLEASE CHECK THE BLOG FOR UPCOMING EVENTS.

Bullying: American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

This is a great article on bullying, including warning signs.

http://www.aacap.org/cs/Bullying.ResourceCenter