Tag

COMMUNITY-BASED SKILLS COACHING

Dec 16
7

Enjoying the Holidays with Sensory Needs

By | NESCA Notes 2018, NESCA Notes 2019

 

By: Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L 
NESCA Occupational Therapist; Community-based Skills Coach

School vacation! Bright lights! Snow! Holiday cards on the wall! Bells a’ringing!

For many of us, the holiday season is an exciting, family-filled occasion that brings people together to celebrate yearly traditions. However, for some with sensory needs, the season can be over-stimulating, anxiety producing and difficult to navigate successfully. Even children who love the spirit of the season can quickly become saturated with the onslaught of visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory input. Here are some tips to consider as we head into holiday mode!

  1. Make Your Home a Safe Space – Consider reducing decorations, holding off on moving furniture and choosing a select few holiday cards from friends and family to display. With everything from daily routines to the look of familiar neighborhood streets changing throughout the month, maintaining consistency within a child’s home can help offer a much needed respite from the visual clutter. While these changes may seem minor, visual clutter causes some children’s eyes to continuously scan the room, move from place to place and constantly work to perceive all of the information. This is exhausting!
  2. Less is Often More – For a child who is easily over-stimulated, opening two presents can be much more exciting and rewarding than 10. One hour visiting family can feel easy, while two hours feels impossible. And a small tree can look beautiful, while a huge tree feels intimidating and scary. Set children up for success by keeping activities manageable.
  3. Have a Designated Sensory Retreat – When venturing out to visit family or friends, preparation is always key. Discussing a sensory plan before arriving and having supports in place can catch stressful situations before they develop. A pre-planned hand signal or code word can save a child from having to explain that their body feels dysregulated and they are overwhelmed. Children may want to take breaks in a quiet bedroom, bring a pop-up tent to hide in, or eat their meal somewhere quiet before a big sit down dinner begins. For adolescents, this sensory retreat may simply be sitting in the car for 10-15 minutes in silence. Give children permission to take what they need.
  4. Enlist the Help of Teachers – Social stories, modified visual routines and exposure to holiday sensory input are all strategies that teachers and therapists in the school setting can help to develop and introduce to a child. Previewing the plan for school vacation can make the week off go much more smoothly.

In a household such as mine, that celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, the month of December is fraught with routine change, decorations and new smells from rarely cooked, homemade meals. Allowing our children with sensory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorder and other sensory needs to prioritize their internal regulation can help make the season fun for everyone!

About the Author:

Dr. Sophie Bellenis is a Licensed Occupational Therapist in Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the developing world. For the past five years her work has primarily been split between children and adolescents on the Autism Spectrum in the United States, and marginalized children in Tanzania, East Africa.

Dr. Bellenis graduated from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, with a focus on pediatrics and international program evaluation. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Dr. Bellenis has worked for the Northshore Education Consortium at the Kevin O’Grady School providing occupational therapy services and also at the Spaulding Cambridge Outpatient Center. She also has extensive experience working at the Northeast ARC Spotlight Program using a drama-based method to teach social skills to children, adolescents, and young adults with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and related social cognitive challenges.

Internationally, Dr. Bellenis has done extensive work with the Tanzanian Children’s Fund providing educational enrichment and support. She has also spent time working with The Plaster House, a post-surgical, pediatric rehabilitation center in Ngaramtoni, Tanzania.

Dr. Bellenis currently works as a school-based occupational therapist for the city of Salem Public Schools and believes that individual sensory needs and visual motor skills must be taken into account to create comprehensive educational programming. Dr. Bellenis joined NESCA in the fall of 2017 to offer community-based skills coaching services as well as social skills coaching as part of NESCA’s transition team.

If you are interested in an Occupational Therapy consultation/ assessment or individualized skill coaching with Dr. Bellenis, please complete NESCA’s online intake form today.

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, 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.

Nov 04
2

10 Everyday Financial Literacy Activities to Build Skills

By | NESCA Notes 2019

By Kathleen Pignone, M.Ed., CRC
Transition Specialist

Financial Literacy is a much-discussed topic in the field of transition planning and life skills acquisition. Basically, we want our teenagers and young adults to have competence or knowledge in this broad area. Who is responsible for teaching this? Schools, parents, other community providers? The simple answer is all of the above.

Here are 10 quick, easy and hopefully engaging ways to support financial literacy and lots of other life skills in teenagers and young adults while juggling all of our other many parental responsibilities.

  • Plan a preferred meal or dessert and make a budget for ingredients – learn cost comparison and cooking
  • Calculate a tip in a restaurant – teach about tipping habits and budgeting; similarly schedule a haircut and pay adding tip calculation – learn multiplication and practice phone skills
  • Provide a menu of chores and determine prices for duration and frequency – help teens be seen as resources to parents by providing a menu of desired activities and a money value associated with each task
  • Help plan for a vacation – pick an activity in the destination and price it out or cost-compare flight options
  • Cost out weekly snacks – make decisions about healthy spending and healthy eating habits
  • Volunteer at school bake sale with your teen – practice making change for cash purchases while helping fundraise and give back to your school community
  • Purchase birthday card and/or birthday present – model how to budget and cost out how much for a DIY card and birthday present versus buying both from a store
  • Figure out how much it will cost to fill a gas tank – determine how far can you get on one tank of gas versus an hourly salary for entry level competitive job
  • Bus fare or uber fare comparison – great conversation about wants versus needs!
  • Play an online financial game with your teenager, such as Financial Soccer by Visa or Plan It Prom App – learn together how much it costs to attend a prom (and subsequently plan for the expenses) or play a fun game where both parents and teen can learn together

All of these activities teach saving, budgeting, financial goals, wise use of credit, cost comparison and other key executive functioning skills. Hopefully this will make spending time with your teen enjoyable and educational.

About the Author:

Kathleen Pignone, M.Ed. CRC is a deeply knowledgeable and experienced transition specialist. Prior to her tenure at NESCA, Ms. Pignone was the Career Development Director at Bay Cove Academy for 15 years, providing students with classroom and real-world employment skills training, community job placement and on the job employment-training. She has also worked at Massachusetts Department of Secondary and Elementary Education and privately as a vocational rehabilitation consultant. As a certified rehabilitation counselor, Ms. Pignone brings unique expertise carrying out vocational assessment and employment planning for adolescents and young adults as well as supporting local school programs. In addition to fortifying NESCA’s premier transition assessment services, Ms. Pignone engages in person-centered planning with teens and young adults, consultation and training for parents, providers and schools, and community-based coaching services.

 

To book a transition assessment or consultation with Kathleen or one of NESCA’s expert neuropsychologists and consultants, please complete NESCA’s online intake form. 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, 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.

Dec 10
6

Enjoying the Holidays with Sensory Needs

By | NESCA Notes 2018

 

By: Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L 
NESCA Occupational Therapist; Community-Based Skills Coach

School vacation! Bright lights! Snow! Holiday cards on the wall! Bells a’ringing!

For many of us, the holiday season is an exciting, family filled occasion that brings people together to celebrate yearly traditions.  However, for some of our children with sensory needs, the season can be over-stimulating, anxiety producing, and difficult to navigate successfully.  Even children who love the spirit of the season can quickly become saturated with the onslaught of visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory input.  Here are some tips to consider as we head into December!

  1. Make Your Home a Safe Space – Consider reducing decorations, holding off on moving furniture, and choosing a select few holiday cards from friends and family to display. With everything from daily routines to the look of familiar neighborhood streets changing throughout the month, maintaining consistency within a child’s home can help offer a much needed respite from the visual clutter. While these changes may seem minor, visual clutter causes some children’s eyes to continuously scan the room, move from place to place, and constantly work to perceive all of the information. This is exhausting!
  2. Less is often More – For a child who is easily over-stimulated, opening two presents can be much more exciting and rewarding than ten. One hour visiting family can feel easy, while two hours feels impossible. And a small tree can look beautiful, while a huge tree feels intimidating and scary. Set children up for success by keeping activities manageable.
  3. Have a Designated Sensory Retreat – When venturing out to visit family or friends, preparation is always key. Discussing a sensory plan before arriving and having supports in place can catch stressful situations before they develop. A pre-planned hand signal or code word can save a child from having to explain that their body feels dysregulated and they are overwhelmed. Children may want to take breaks in a quiet bedroom, bring a popup tent to hide in, or eat their meal somewhere quiet before a big sit down dinner begins. For adolescents, this sensory retreat may simply be sitting in the car for 10-15 minutes in silence.  Give children permission to take what they need.
  4. Enlist the Help of Teachers – Social stories, modified visual routines, and exposure to holiday sensory input are all strategies that teachers and therapists in the school setting can help to develop and introduce to a child. Previewing the plan for school vacation can make the week off go much more smoothly.

In a household such as mine, that celebrates both Christmas and Hanukah, the month of December is fraught with routine change, decorations, and new smells from rarely cooked, homemade meals.  Allowing our children with sensory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and other sensory needs to prioritize their internal regulation can help make the season fun for everyone!

 

About the Author:

Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L  is a Licensed Occupational Therapist in Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the developing world. For the past five years her work has primarily been split between children and adolescents on the Autism Spectrum in the United States, and marginalized children in Tanzania, East Africa.

Dr. Bellenis graduated from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, with a focus on pediatrics and international program evaluation. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Dr. Bellenis has worked for the Northshore Education Consortium at the Kevin O’Grady School providing occupational therapy services and also at the Spaulding Cambridge Outpatient Center. She also has extensive experience working at the Northeast ARC Spotlight Program using a drama-based method to teach social skills to children, adolescents, and young adults with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and related social cognitive challenges.

Internationally, Dr. Bellenis has done extensive work with the Tanzanian Children’s Fund providing educational enrichment and support. She has also spent time working with The Plaster House, a post-surgical, pediatric rehabilitation center in Ngaramtoni, Tanzania.

Dr. Bellenis currently works as a school-based occupational therapist for the city of Salem Public Schools and believes that individual sensory needs and visual motor skills must be taken into account to create comprehensive educational programming. Dr. Bellenis joined NESCA in the fall of 2017 to offer community-based skills coaching services as well as social skills coaching as part of NESCA’s transition team.

 

If you are interested in a consultation or individualized skill coaching with Dr. Bellenis, please complete NESCA’s online intake form today.

 

 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, 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.

 

Apr 09
4

The Role of Pediatric Occupational Therapy

By | NESCA Notes 2018

By: Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist; Community-Based Skills Coach

In order to fully understand the role that occupational therapy can play in pediatric health and wellbeing, it is first important to understand the term “occupation.”  The World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) defines occupations as, “the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families, and in communities that occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life.”  As we know, these activities look different at every age, and our routines, habits, and responsibilities are continually growing and changing.

During childhood, the development of these skills moves more quickly than any other period of life. For example, a two-year old little girl, Katie, is learning to put on her shirt independently, kick a ball, and sort by color.  Within ten short years, Katie may be getting herself ready for the bus, writing a three-paragraph essay, and learning to play the saxophone.  The transition to adolescence comes with even more new experiences and expectations.

So where does occupational therapy come in?

Occupational therapy focuses on the child, the activity at hand, and the environment around them.  By considering all of these factors, OTs work to determine the correct modifications, adaptations, and strategies that may be necessary for success.

What is the goal?

Due to the fact that occupations are incredibly personalized, the goal of OT is often to simply increase independence and participation in valued activities.  One child may be working on learning to independently tie his shoes, while another may need help developing a morning routine to consistently follow.  These goals are only worth focusing on and problem-solving if they are important to the child and his or her family.

How do we get there?

Consider the child’s strengths and limitations. These may include physical, emotional, cognitive, sensory abilities, and much more.  A child’s particular interests, level of motivation, and understanding of themselves all play a role in their ability to engage in the things that are important to them.

Consider the environment. The environment in which a child lives and grows is physical, spiritual, social, and cultural. It is this individuality that makes it nearly impossible for an environment to be a “good fit for all users.”  Occupational therapists often work to modify the environment, or help individuals understand the role that the environment plays.

Consider the activity itself. The list of childhood occupations is seemingly never-ending.  From brushing your teeth, getting dressed, and doing chores, to maintaining friendships, navigating the digital world, and learning to take the bus, these skills all require numerous steps and different abilities.  These activities often must be broken down into small steps to determine how to help a child be successful.

My work at NESCA

At NESCA, I am currently working as a community-based skills coach, using occupational therapy to create experiential learning opportunities, and develop functional living skills.  I love having the ability to work with tweens, teens, and young adults in their own environment to collaborate on creating lasting strategies for participation and independence.

Dr. Bellenis works with a small caseload of clients aged 12-26 who have recently participated in neuropsychological evaluation and/or transition assessment at NESCA. If you have questions about working with Dr. Bellenis for Community-Based Skills Coaching, please email Kelley Challen, Director of Transition Services, at kchallen@nesca-newton.com.

 

About the Author:

Dr. Sophie Bellenis is a Licensed Occupational Therapist in Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the developing world. Dr. Bellenisjoined NESCA in the fall of 2017 to offer community-based skills coaching services as well as social skills coaching as part of NESCA’s transition team. Dr. Bellenis graduated from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, with a focus on pediatrics and international program evaluation. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. In addition to her work at NESCA, Dr. Bellenis works as a school-based occupational therapist for the city of Salem Public Schools and believes that individual sensory needs, and visual motor skills must be taken into account to create comprehensive educational programming.

 

 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, 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.

 

Nov 20
0

Community-Based Skills Coaching: What is it? Is it the right intervention for my child?

By | NESCA Notes 2017

By Kathleen Pignone, M.Ed., CRC

Transition Specialist

What is Community-Based Skills Coaching?

Community-Based Skills Coaching is an individualized service delivered by seasoned professionals to support the needs of transition-aged youth and young adults. It is an intensive 1:1 coaching model provided in the young person’s community. It can include any area of need and is tailored to the young person’s age and stage of development.

Community-Based Skills Coaching is empowering to the young person because the coach meets them where they are at emotionally, socially and developmentally. It allows the individual to learn practical living skills across multiple real-life environments. The first step in Community-Based Skills Coaching is an evaluation period where the young person works with the coach to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Through a collaborative process, the coach and young person tailor each session to allow for direct in-vivo teaching. This can include, but is not limited to, independent living skills, career planning and work readiness skills, financial literacy skills, travel skills, social pragmatic skills and self-advocacy skills.

Coaches meet with individuals in their home communities in order to determine how to best problem solve around any barriers or obstacles that the young person may encounter. It allows for the individual to develop and generalize learned and new skills across settings and in real-time. With frequent opportunities to practice skills in authentic environments, the individual begins to develop a level of confidence and automaticity that can only be learned outside of a classroom or office.

Many transition-aged young adults are at a developmental stage of individuating away from parental support. Community-Based Skills Coaching provides an experienced and trained adult to serve as a coach and mentor in order to guide the young person. This coach becomes an important “expert” and a qualified and trusted team member who can support the individual through the lengthy process of transitioning from high school to post-secondary adult life including learning, working, daily living, and community-based leisure activities.

How do I know if this is the right support for my teen, young adult, or myself?

Coaches work with young people aged 12-26 with varying skill levels. Coaches most often work with transition-aged youth who have a diagnosed learning, emotional, and/or developmental disability and transition related skill development needs. However, our coaches are also experienced in working with young people who are struggling with forward progress unrelated to a specific learning or medical diagnosis. Coaching utilizes a strength-based approach and supports youth and young adults to learn about themselves while experiencing life outside of school and home.

The student or young adult drives the process by choosing an area of interest and need. The coach provides guidance and immediate feedback and support to practice and improve upon skill areas. The coach builds rapport with the individual and is able to re-frame and teach in the moment. An inquiry based approach is used to allow the young person autonomy over the mastery of the skill. The coaching can occur weekly or more often, if necessary. Feedback to parents and designated team members typically occurs on a weekly or monthly basis, often beginning with student input.

To learn more about our Community Coaching at NESCA, please feel free to contact Kathleen Pignone, M.Ed., CRC at (617) 658-9800 or email at kpignone@nesca-newton.com

Who provides coaching at NESCA?

Kathleen Pigone, M.Ed., CRC, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as a Transition Specialist at NESCA. She received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Boston College and her master of education in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Ms. Pignone was the Career Development Director at Bay Cove Academy for 15 years, providing students with classroom and real-world employment skills training, community job placement and on the job employment-training. She supervised the Career Development Program, developed individualized transition plans for students, created innovative programming for tracking and assessing long-term employability and career success for students. She also trained staff in the areas of career development and transition services.

Ms. Pignone joined NESCA in March 2016, bringing her unique expertise supporting vocational assessment and employment planning for adolescents and young adults as well as local school programs. In addition to supporting NESCA’s premier transition assessment services, Ms. Pignone engages in person-centered planning with teens and young adults, consultation and training for parents, providers and schools, and community-based skills coaching.

Dina Karlon, M.A., is a seasoned counselor specialized in transition issues. She has worked in public schools as a guidance counselor, GED program coordinator, career center coordinator, vocational assessment specialist, and school counselor. At NESCA, She offers community-based skills coaching services in New Hampshire as well as postsecondary planning consultation to students and families throughout New England.

In addition to her work at NESCA, Ms. Karlon is a Program Specialist for the New Hampshire Department of Education, specializing in development of employability skills and job readiness skills for at risk youth. She has recent experience as a Rehabilitation Counselor for New Hampshire Voc Rehab, working with students and adults with a range of developmental, learning, and social-emotional disabilities and helping to guide and coach them through transitions toward independence in both college and the working world. Prior to that, Ms. Karlon worked for more than two decades as a school counselor in local high schools.

She has provided transition services including personal, career, and college counseling to hundreds of students and their families and has also worked as an adjunct professor at Nashua Community College teaching both traditional and online classes for nearly 20 years. Ms. Karlon brings extensive experience supporting clients with career and college planning and she is able to shift fluidly with clients along their paths in each of these domains.

Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L, is Licensed Occupational Therapist in Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the developing world. For the past five years her work has primarily been split between children and adolescents with ASD and related profiles in the United States, and marginalized youth in Tanzania, East Africa.

Dr. Bellenis graduated from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, with a focus on pediatrics and international program evaluation. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Dr. Bellenis works as a school-based occupational therapist for the city of Salem Public Schools and believes that individual sensory needs, and visual motor skills must be taken into account to create comprehensive educational programming. She is joining NESCA in order to offer community-based skills coaching services as well as social skills coaching to students and young adults.

Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS, is Director of Transition Services at NESCA and oversees Community-Based Skills Coaching as well as transition assessment, planning, consultation, case management, program development, college supports, trainings, and professional development offerings.

Ms. Challen received her Master’s Degree and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Risk and Prevention Counseling from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Initially trained as a school guidance counselor, she completed her practicum work at Boston Latin School focusing on competitive college counseling. She began facilitating social, life, and career skill development programs for transition-aged youth in 2004.

Prior to joining NESCA, Ms. Challen founded an array of programs for teens and young adults at MGH Aspire, and spent time as Program Director of the Northeast Arc’s Spotlight Program, where she often collaborated with schools to develop in-district social skill and transition programming. She is also co-author of the chapter “Technologies to Support Interventions for Social-Emotional Intelligence, Self-Awareness, Personal Style, and Self-Regulation” for the book Technology Tools for Students with Autism.

While Ms. Challen has special expertise in working with students with Asperger’s Syndrome and related profiles, she provides transition assessment, consultation, planning, and programming support for individuals with a wide range of learning and developmental needs.

Nov 16
5

Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L joins NESCA

By | NESCA Notes 2017

 

 

Dr. Sophie Bellenis is a Licensed Occupational Therapist specializing in pediatric treatment as well as occupational therapy in the developing world. She is joining NESCA in order to offer community-based skills coaching services as well as social skills coaching as part of NESCA’s transition team.

We are pleased to announce the newest member of the NESCA transition team, Dr. Sophie Bellenis!

Meet Dr. Bellenis:

Dr. Sophie Bellenis is a Licensed Occupational Therapist in Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the developing world. For the past five years her work has primarily been split between children and adolescents on the Autism Spectrum in the United States, and marginalized children in Tanzania, East Africa.

Dr. Bellenis graduated from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, with a focus on pediatrics and international program evaluation. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Dr. Bellenis has worked for the Northshore Education Consortium at the Kevin O’Grady School providing occupational therapy services and also at the Spaulding Cambridge Outpatient Center. She also has extensive experience working at the Northeast ARC Spotlight Program using a drama-based method to teach social skills to children, adolescents, and young adults with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and related social cognitive challenges.

Internationally, Dr. Bellenis has done extensive work with the Tanzanian Children’s Fund providing educational enrichment and support. She has also spent time working with The Plaster House, a post-surgical, pediatric rehabilitation center in Ngaramtoni, Tanzania.

Dr. Bellenis currently works as a school-based occupational therapist for the city of Salem Public Schools and believes that individual sensory needs, and visual motor skills must be taken into account to create comprehensive educational programming.

 

If you are interested in a consultation or individualized skill coaching with Dr. Bellenis, please complete NESCA’s intake form today.

 

 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, 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.