NESCA is currently accepting Therapy and Executive Function Coaching clients from middle school-age through adulthood with Therapist/Executive Function Coach/Parent Coach Carly Loureiro, MSW, LCSW. Carly specializes in the ASD population and also sees individuals who are highly anxious, depressed, or suffer with low self-esteem. She also offers parent coaching and family sessions when needed. For more information or to schedule appointments, please complete our Intake Form.

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career counseling

19

Career Counseling at NESCA

By | NESCA Notes 2021

By: Tabitha Monahan, M.A., CRC
NESCA Transition Specialist/Counselor

Career Counseling is a fluid process that typically occurs throughout a person’s lifetime. It begins when children are young and learning about different jobs that their family members have and what they see on television. As children get older, more pieces get added to that initial exploration.

What does Career Counseling through NESCA look like? It can be broken down into three distinct categories. Still, students and young adults frequently jump back and forth between the categories several times throughout the process. Today’s blog focuses on discussing these categories in a little more detail.

Who am I?

Each case begins with an initial interview with the client to learn more about them, their interests, goals for the future, and goals they wish to achieve in counseling. Often formal assessment measures are given to discover the client’s areas of interest and aptitude. We will then explore those results and connect them to their stated goal. Sometimes the results align well with the person’s initially stated goal; frequently, this is an eye-opening experience. Depending on the client’s needs and goals, additional formal and informal exploration activities will be completed to allow the client to build further understanding about who they are as a learner, worker, and what motivates them.

Exploration

Career Counseling at NESCA is a data-driven process. Whether the data is from formal or informal measures, the client is guided through and assisted in understanding who they are and how that can connect to a happy and successful career. At this stage, clients will be assisted in exploring careers of interest that they have identified and learn about the careers in more detail, such as learning education requirements, typical job tasks, and how their strengths and areas of challenge will affect their potential success in the identified jobs. Additional skills worked on will include writing resumes and cover letters, interview preparation, and identifying possible reasonable accommodations and disclosure. If appropriate, informational interviews and job shadowing opportunities will be explored.

Moving forward

Once a client has learned the type of work they would like and understands foundational work skills, the next step they will take with the career counselor is to start the job search. In a systematic fashion, clients will be supported in finding available openings, applying for specific jobs, customizing cover letters and resumes for individual jobs, and pre-interview preparation. Additionally, goal setting, time and task management, and other employment success skills are explored during this process.

Continued success

Once a client has successfully been hired for a position, many continue their work with a career counselor. Typically, sessions decrease after a person becomes employed, but it is recommended that follow-up meetings occur at 1-week, 1-month, and 3-months post-employment to check in and problem solve any areas of concern that arise. Clients are encouraged to reach out before these times if an issue occurs to assist in finding a solution before the problem affects their employment.

Who is a good fit for Career Counseling at NESCA?

  • High school students who are not sure of what they want to do after high school and have a hard time developing their vision for their future (whether in creating their IEP vision or in general).
  • High school or college students who do not know what major to pick as they do not know the type of work they want to do after college.
  • Recent college graduates who need support in their job search and interview preparation.
  • Young adults who are looking to figure out their next employment steps or have had difficulty remaining employed once hired.

While the above is a general idea of what a Career Counseling client can expect, each person’s journey through the process is unique. For an in-depth conversation on how Career Counseling at NESCA may support you or your child in meeting their career goals, please fill out our intake form or call our main office at 617.658.9800. Services are currently being offered remotely, with limited in-person services starting this fall.

 

About the Author

Tabitha Monahan, M.A., CRC, is an experienced transition evaluator and vocational counselor. While she is well-versed in supporting a wide range of transition-aged youth, she is especially passionate and knowledgeable in helping clients and their families navigate the complex systems of adult services and benefits as well as medical and mental health systems. She is further adept in working individually with students of all abilities to empower self-advocacy and goal achievement.

 

To schedule an appointment with one of NESCA’s expert transition specialists or neuropsychologists, please complete our online intake form. 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton and Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

19

Career Counseling at NESCA

By | NESCA Notes 2021

By: Tabitha Monahan, M.A., CRC
NESCA Transition Specialist/Counselor

Career Counseling is a fluid process that typically occurs throughout a person’s lifetime. It begins when children are young and learning about different jobs that their family members have and what they see on television. As children get older, more pieces get added to that initial exploration.

What does Career Counseling through NESCA look like? It can be broken down into three distinct categories. Still, students and young adults frequently jump back and forth between the categories several times throughout the process. Today’s blog focuses on discussing these categories in a little more detail.

Who am I?

Each case begins with an initial interview with the client to learn more about them, their interests, goals for the future, and goals they wish to achieve in counseling. Often formal assessment measures are given to discover the client’s areas of interest and aptitude. We will then explore those results and connect them to their stated goal. Sometimes the results align well with the person’s initially stated goal; frequently, this is an eye-opening experience. Depending on the client’s needs and goals, additional formal and informal exploration activities will be completed to allow the client to build further understanding about who they are as a learner, worker, and what motivates them.

Exploration

Career Counseling at NESCA is a data-driven process. Whether the data is from formal or informal measures, the client is guided through and assisted in understanding who they are and how that can connect to a happy and successful career. At this stage, clients will be assisted in exploring careers of interest that they have identified and learn about the careers in more detail, such as learning education requirements, typical job tasks, and how their strengths and areas of challenge will affect their potential success in the identified jobs. Additional skills worked on will include writing resumes and cover letters, interview preparation, and identifying possible reasonable accommodations and disclosure. If appropriate, informational interviews and job shadowing opportunities will be explored.

Moving forward

Once a client has learned the type of work they would like and understands foundational work skills, the next step they will take with the career counselor is to start the job search. In a systematic fashion, clients will be supported in finding available openings, applying for specific jobs, customizing cover letters and resumes for individual jobs, and pre-interview preparation. Additionally, goal setting, time and task management, and other employment success skills are explored during this process.

Continued success

Once a client has successfully been hired for a position, many continue their work with a career counselor. Typically, sessions decrease after a person becomes employed, but it is recommended that follow-up meetings occur at 1-week, 1-month, and 3-months post-employment to check in and problem solve any areas of concern that arise. Clients are encouraged to reach out before these times if an issue occurs to assist in finding a solution before the problem affects their employment.

Who is a good fit for Career Counseling at NESCA?

  • High school students who are not sure of what they want to do after high school and have a hard time developing their vision for their future (whether in creating their IEP vision or in general).
  • High school or college students who do not know what major to pick as they do not know the type of work they want to do after college.
  • Recent college graduates who need support in their job search and interview preparation.
  • Young adults who are looking to figure out their next employment steps or have had difficulty remaining employed once hired.

While the above is a general idea of what a Career Counseling client can expect, each person’s journey through the process is unique. For an in-depth conversation on how Career Counseling at NESCA may support you or your child in meeting their career goals, please fill out our intake form or call our main office at 617.658.9800. Services are currently being offered remotely, with limited in-person services starting this fall.

 

About the Author

Tabitha Monahan, M.A., CRC, is an experienced transition evaluator and vocational counselor. While she is well-versed in supporting a wide range of transition-aged youth, she is especially passionate and knowledgeable in helping clients and their families navigate the complex systems of adult services and benefits as well as medical and mental health systems. She is further adept in working individually with students of all abilities to empower self-advocacy and goal achievement.

 

To schedule an appointment with one of NESCA’s expert transition specialists or neuropsychologists, please complete our online intake form. 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton and Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

18

The Joys of Career Counseling

By | NESCA Notes 2021

By: Tabitha Monahan, M.A., CRC
NESCA Transition Specialist/Counselor

One of my favorite parts of being a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor is career counseling. In an ideal world, work is not just a paycheck. It’s another way for people to find joy and connect to the world and their community in a way that makes sense for them. Whether it is being a young person creating a lemonade stand, going around town to shovel people’s driveways, or getting that first real feel of a work environment and learning the social dynamics of having coworkers and a boss, those early jobs can help a person figure out what they don’t want to do and bring them closer to finding that right job. There is nothing more rewarding than when I get that email from one of my career counseling clients that they rocked their interview and were offered the job.

I’m looking forward to spending the next few months talking about career counseling and the career search process for individuals with disabilities. Career counseling and exploration are a vital part of every teenager and young adult’s life. This is especially true for students with disabilities who are struggling to figure out their next steps. As NESCA’s Director of Transition Services Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS, wrote in her last blog, employment in the high school years is an evidence-based method of having better postsecondary outcomes in both college and the workforce.

Career exploration is nothing new. But exploration starts a lot earlier than we think. We have all seen pictures of the first and last day of school that include a board with the student’s favorite color and what they want to do when they grow up. The answers to those questions change over time. If I had the job that I wanted when I was in 5th grade, I would be a zoologist right now! My future dislike of biology notwithstanding, I love the career that I ended up choosing. Still, it is not a career I ever would have thought of when I went off to college.

As we go back to a different world than before the pandemic, we will have to relook at what career exploration means. By the nature of the pandemic, there were lost opportunities for students and young adults to have looked at and tried different careers. So, what can we do instead? One of the best silver linings to come out of the pandemic is the number of YouTube videos and free resources that became available. If a student has never heard of or seen a career, how can they know if they like it or not? So, whether your child is 10, 18, or 25, if they are looking for a new job or a new area to find joy, the first place to start is exploration.

Throughout my summer blog series, I look forward to sharing more about career exploration with the following topics:

  • Career Counseling Services at NESCA
  • Interest Inventories and the benefit of informal career assessments
  • The benefit of informational and practice interviews

 

About the Author

Tabitha Monahan, M.A., CRC, is an experienced transition evaluator and vocational counselor. While she is well-versed in supporting a wide range of transition-aged youth, she is especially passionate and knowledgeable in helping clients and their families navigate the complex systems of adult services and benefits as well as medical and mental health systems. She is further adept in working individually with students of all abilities to empower self-advocacy and goal achievement.

 

To schedule an appointment with one of NESCA’s expert transition specialists or neuropsychologists, please complete our online intake form. 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton and Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

0

Interview with Dina DiGregorio Karlon, NESCA North Transition Specialist

By | NESCA Notes 2019

By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS
Director of Transition Services, NESCA

 

What are Transition Services?

Transition means the process of moving from one life stage to another. In context to NESCA, we are referring to the transition from high school to post-secondary life, and we specialize in working with nontraditional students who often have had accommodations or special education services. While the prospect of leaving high school is exciting, it can be overwhelming as well. The prospect of figuring out what you want to do with your life causes some level of anxiety in all of us; transition services helps to relieve this anxiety by working with individuals in setting short and long term goals and participating in guidance and psychoeducation related to college and/or employment.

How did you get interested in this field?

Helping people understand their strengths and weaknesses while exploring their vision for adulthood is my passion. Upon reflection, I believe that I have always been a transition specialist, long before there was a name for this work. Having worked with adolescents and young adults for more than 25 years, I understand the demands and expectations placed on them and how that can be daunting. Helping people to recognize that their path may be different than they expected is very rewarding, and I do not take that responsibility lightly.

What do you like about your job?

I particularly enjoy working with adolescents and families through the college process; while the process is not difficult to understand, it is time-consuming and can often feel overwhelming. I enjoy assisting students and helping them to accomplish new tasks. I love to help people identify their strengths and use those to minimize and overcome their challenges. Being able to assist people in setting their own personal goals and achieve them is very gratifying to me. Getting to know new people, teaching important skills, presenting a different perspective, piecing together a plan; these are all things I love about the work I do.

Do you have a specialty? What do you specialize in?

I specialize in both college and career counseling. I am experienced in working with high school students as well as young adults.

What do you enjoy about your job?

I particularly enjoy working with adolescents and families through the college process; while the process is not difficult to understand, it is time-consuming and can often feel overwhelming. I enjoy assisting students and helping them to accomplish new tasks. I love to help people identify their strengths and use those to minimize and overcome their challenges. Being able to assist people in setting their own personal goals and achieve them is very gratifying to me. Getting to know new people, teaching important skills, presenting a different perspective, piecing together a plan; these are all things I love about the work I do.

What brought you to NESCA?

My experience as a school counselor and a vocational rehabilitation counselor have given me a unique skill set and provide me with the experience needed to do transition planning for students who are college bound and also students or adults who are seeking employment or support with career exploration. My passion for working with adolescents and helping them maneuver the challenges of early adulthood matches the philosophy of NESCA and I am eager to work as part of a team of specialists providing this support to young people.

What are you most looking forward to about working full-time at NESCA?

I am excited to work with adolescents to help them with the journey into adulthood. The variety of clients and their needs at NESCA is a real draw for me. Whether my work takes me to teaching a teenager how to do laundry, practicing interviewing for a first job or new school, or identifying a college list, it all sounds challenging and rewarding to me.

Who are your favorite students/clients to work with?

I have a lot of expertise in working with all kinds of students. I have worked with students who have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADD/ADHD, mental health disorders, and other profiles. With the myriad of clients I worked with at Vocational Rehabilitation, I have developed a solid understanding of many diagnoses and disabilities and how clients’ lives are impacted by the related challenges. I have often worked with students who face multiple barriers; seeing those students work through their challenges and develop resiliency is professionally rewarding.

What advice do you have for parents or young adults who are not sure if they need a transition specialist?

Working with a transition specialist can be very helpful for parents to understand what their children’s strengths and weaknesses are in relation to adult-readiness. Are they ready for a 4-year college? Do they need a gap year? What would that look like? Do they know how to interview for a job? Do they need help getting a job? Do they know what kind of job fits their skills? Do they know to self-advocate? Do they know how to access resources?

Teenagers will often not work with their parents to do goal setting and transition planning, so having a transition expert to work with can often help. Working with a transition specialist can also be a great step toward a student taking ownership of their future planning and a parent releasing some control and responsibility. Most teenagers or young adults would benefit from doing transition planning; but it is a highly personal family decision as to whether to work with a transition specialist.

If you are not sure if you need a transition specialist, you can always come in for a consultation appointment. This is a one-hour meeting that helps a family determine if this is the right time to work with a transition specialist and what type of transition service may be best. For example, does the family need assessment and a report for an IEP process or just help with appropriate college planning? Talking things through with a transition expert can be extremely helpful for knowing what is needed and when.

We are very excited to announce that as of February 1, 2019, Ms. Karlon is working as a full-time staff member delivering assessment services in the state of New Hampshire and college and career coaching services to clients throughout New England! NESCA is thrilled to be able to offer these expanded transition services in our New Hampshire Office in addition to the services we already offer in Newton, MA.

To schedule an appointment with Dina DiGregorio Karlon in Londonderry, please complete our online intake form: https://nesca-newton.com/intake-form/  The address of NESCA-North is 75 Gilcreast Rd #305, Londonderry, NH 03053.

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.