ICC-LA Conference "Guidance for Therapeutic Placements for Teens and Young Adults with ASD"

Here are a couple of slides from my presentation today... It was a great day and I enjoyed meeting everyone! Thank you again to Greenhouse Therapy for inviting me to present.

Promises Treatment Center Annual Spring Conference

I am looking forward to presenting at the upcoming Promises Spring Conference. I will be speaking about young adults and potential reasons why they are failing to launch. We will explore the concept of emerging adulthood, heightened risks, and available resources. Thanks again to Promises for this great opportunity. Free CEUs will also be available.
http://www.ebhevents.com/upcoming-events/promises-hosts-spring-annual-ceu/
http://www.prweb.com/releases/promises/young-adult-rehab/prweb11747489.htm

2014 Thinking Positive Panel presented by CIP

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting along with other industry professionals. The night was full of great information and inspiration! CIP: Thinking Positive Event

Addressing the Needs of Young Adults with Learning Differences (High-Functioning Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD)

Insight Into College, Employment and Independence for Young Adults with Learning Differences including High-Functioning Autism, Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD

Featuring panel presentations by several expert guest speakers who work with the Autism and Learning Differences community and young adult transition; offering advice on the key stages of transition to adulthood including: letting go, adjusting to college, finding success in the workplace and achieving independence. 

Professional Endorsement: Thank you Kimball DeLaMare

Kimball DeLaMare

Senior Vice President at InnerChange:

In over thirty years of working with professionals who provide support to families seeking direction on how to make healthy changes individually and collectively it is rare to find one who truly understands sophisticated methods of assessment, the inner workings of behavioral health programs, and the variety of treatment approaches available to assist with such change. Jessica's rich clinical and administrative background coupled with her vast knowledge of programs is impressive. Most importantly, Jessica "gets it" when it comes to the tender emotions we all experience when faced with crises, disappointments, triumphs and loss. I highly recommend Dr. Romeyn

‘TOP 10’ tips for High School Students Getting Ready to Transition to College

NCLD’S ‘TOP 10’ TIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

by Dr. Sheldon H. Horowitz

Director of Professional Services, NCLD

All students, including those with learning disabilities (LD) are faced with a unique set of challenges as they approach the transition from high school to college. It is especially important, however, that students with LD understand their areas of strength and weakness, and manage

their transition to college by planning carefully and lining up the right kinds of services and supports that are essential to their success.

The following is a ‘top 10’ list of ways for students with LD to orchestrate a successful transition to college. And remember: self-insight, self-advocacy, flexibility and perseverance are all important factors in the transition process.

 1. Know your strengths and weaknesses and be able to share them with others.

Talking about your LD in ways that can be understood by professors (and even fellow students) is very important. It’s best to assume that people are not familiar with the challenges posed by LD. Be sure to be specific about the nature of your LD and the accommodations that will help you succeed.

 2. Get to know the college campus and the resources and activities it has to offer.

Knowing your way around campus can make a huge difference, especially at the start of your college career. Whether it’s scoping out the perfect nook in the library, finding the quickest route to the cafeteria, or locating the Student Support Center and the campus health center, having a good sense about where things are in and around campus can save time and avoid confusion later on. And don’t forget to target the laundry room, late night pizza places, and the campus book store while you’re at it.

 3. Identify task demands or situations that could prevent you from achieving success.

Lots of term papers? Long reading assignments? Taking notes during a class lecture? Preparing for quizzes and exams? These are not going away any time soon! Know what to expect in each of your classes, and make a special effort to discover any and all unexpected demands so you’re not surprised and overwhelmed when they arise.

 4. Be proactive, anticipate problems and be prepared with solutions.

Make a wish list of the types of help you will need to be successful, and don’t waste any time putting them in place. For example: if you know that writing essays does not come easily,check out the campus Writing Center (often very helpful, and almost always free of charge!)or get feedback from someone before submitting. You can also ask professors to review your work and provide comments before assigning a grade, allowing you to resubmit with corrections (most professors are more than willing to accommodate this request). If reading is an area of weakness, consider a subscription to Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic or other sources that read texts aloud.

5. Know where to go for help BEFORE you need it.

On campus and off, there are lots of places you can turn to for help-- parents, counselors and therapists, and friends are all possible sources. The key is not to wait until it’s too late and you have to “catch up” with deadlines or use up valuable time figuring out the best source for help.

 6. Keep your emotions in check.

Getting upset or angry at yourself, professors, parents, or friends will drain energy and attention better spent getting work done. Being in a college environment means juggling all kinds of emotions, and there are times when this will seem like a monumental task. Don’t be reluctant to seek help when sorting out you feelings! Everyone needs someone to talk to, and you don’t earn extra points by suffering alone.

 7. Balance school demands and social time, without letting either one be all-consuming.

All work and no play is a prescription for exhaustion and aggravation. All play and no work is a fast road to failure in school (and in life!). Set reasonable goals for yourself, make sure to devote enough time and attention to schoolwork, and rather than “winging it,” try to schedule down time to relax and be with friends.

 8. Don’t forget to eat well and get enough sleep.

An endless array of foods (some better than others) and all kinds of social distractions await you in college. Don’t underestimate the importance of a healthy diet and getting enough rest. Everyone’s internal clock for sleep is different and some people do just fine with less sleep and frequent power naps. Some people enjoy frequent snacks and small meals while others need more substantial meals on a regular basis. Know how you function best, and be thoughtful about building these important activities into your schedule. (And no, this is not a message from your mother!)

 9. Think and plan ahead.

Routines are worth their weight in gold during your college career. Thinks about how you would like to spend your time, whether you prefer classes in the early hours or later in the day, clustered on a few days or spread throughout the week, and do your best to organize your schedule accordingly. Don’t wait until the last minute to speak to professors or submit class requests to avoid being closed out of your top choices. And to paraphrase the poet Robert Burns, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Routines are great, but when they need to be changed, try to rethink your needs and priorities without delay. (And again, don’t hesitate asking for help working out new options).

 10. Don’t assume!

In high school, parents and teachers are monitoring your progress via report cards, reviewing IEP goals and other informal channels of communication. Once you are in college, YOU are the one in charge! If you want something to get done, don’t wait for someone else to do it. And always to follow up to ensure that it happens.

For more information about these and other important topics, visit the Living with LD section of

NCLD’s web site at www.LD.org.

 © 2008 National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication is provided free of charge by NCLD. Wide distribution, with proper citation, is encouraged.

Getting ready for Summer: USA Gap Year Fairs!

US Gap Fair

Los Angeles, CA

City, State: Los Angeles, California

Date: January 16, 2014

Location: Harvard Westlake School

Address: 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA, California 91604

Event Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Presentation Time: 6:00pm - 6:30pm

With over thirty different fairs all over the country starting in January and going through the end of February, the 2014 Gap Year Fairs have something for everyone! Each fair is preceded by a speaker who, as an authority on Gap Years, offers a personal and unique perspective. Speakers are also present as a resource to answer questions you might have on any point of the Gap Year experience; from deciding what program is right for you to how taking a Gap Year affects the college admission process. The fair itself consists of a number of diverse programs each of whom will have representatives and information to help you in your search! Below is a list of the times and dates of all the upcoming fairs, so take a look around!

http://www.usagapyearfairs.org/

Executive Functioning- The Basics

Executive Functioning- The Basics

Executive functioning skills enable students to manage their workload and plan for the future. These skills allow students to break down a task and organize it as well as create a time lime for completion. ……There has been a tremendous amount of information and conversation about executive functioning skills and success. Executive functioning skills are often discussed as the CEO or manager of your thought processes. Here is a quick overview of executive functioning components:

▪   Initiate: start

▪   Plan and Organize: stop, think and plan a strategy

▪   Organize Material: materials available and organized

▪   Inhibit: able to stay on task and avoid distractions

▪   Emotional Control: resilient when frustrated and overwhelmed

▪   Working Memory: able to hold and work on two mental concepts at once

▪   Shift: can move from one activity to another easily

▪   Monitor:  can check work and make changes as needed

While teaching executive functioning skills is important for any student that lacks them, a common complaint I hear from parents is that students aren’t using the skills they are taught. So, what is missing? There is the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”  I have found that executive functioning skills can be taught successfully, but for some students it takes more than teaching the skills to get the students to use them.

Excerpt taken from “What do students with strong Executive Functioning Skills have? Grit!” written by Melissa Mullin PhD from the K&M Center

For the whole article click here http://www.kandmcenter.com/blog/?p=466

An excellent resource- The K & M Center, Santa Monica CA http://www.kandmcenter.com/index.html