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Interview with Erin Gibbons, NESCA Pediatric Neuropsychologist

By | NESCA Notes 2018

 

By:
Ashlee Cooper
Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, NESCA

 

What is neuropsychology? How did you get interested in this field?

My first introduction to neuropsychology was as a college student when I took coursework in neuroscience and cognition and found it to be fascinating. However, when I started graduate school, I was initially intimidated by neuropsychology courses as I feared they would be too “medical” or focused on research. I specialized in pediatric psychology, but always assumed I would become a therapist. It was not until I took an internship with a pediatric neuropsychologist that I really understood the field and fell in love with this work.

Although the field of neuropsychology is extensive, what we do at NESCA is focus on its practical applications. An evaluation is comprised of a set of tests that seek to assess students’ skills in a variety of areas such as intelligence, memory, organization, learning/academics, and social skills. The data being generated by those tests are then considered within the context of the student’s developmental history and current challenges. Ultimately, the goal is to provide parents with a complete picture of their child’s learning profile – helping to understand where their child might excel and where he or she might struggle. Moreover, recommendations will be provided in an effort to help each student meet his or her innate potential and to experience success.

What do you like about your job?

I love the opportunity to work with many different children and families from across the state and, in some cases, from other countries. Families place a lot of trust in me by sharing very difficult stories about their children’s struggles and I feel privileged to be a member of their team. For me, the most impactful part of the evaluation is often the parent feedback session when I explain the results of the testing and lay out my recommendations. Through this process, I hope to provide parents with an understanding of their child’s learning profile in a way that helps them establish a road map for the next several years. 

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

At NESCA, we see a wide variety of students presenting with all types of issues. My caseload is always varied and never boring! That said, I tend to see younger clients and have extensive training in evaluating children under 5 years of age. I also enjoy working with students who have developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders or intellectual impairments. I often evaluate students who are considered “difficult to test”; for example, those who are nonverbal, have vision impairments, or significant motor delays. 

What brought you to NESCA?

After completing my doctorate, I spent two years working in a hospital setting. Although I learned an extraordinary amount during my time there, I had very little opportunity to interact with parents as they were typically followed by their child’s physician. I really wanted to work in a place where I could see an evaluation through from start to finish, and working at NESCA allows me to do this. I also appreciate the opportunity to observe students in settings outside of the office and work closely with teachers and other providers. Through the entire process, I get to know each student very well, and I am also able to establish a meaningful relationship with their parents.

What do you enjoy about working at NESCA?

NESCA has a wonderful work culture that is extremely collaborative, supportive, and enriching. Everyone truly enjoys each other’s company and we often have social gatherings to celebrate milestones such as weddings, graduations, and births. Aside from that, our director Dr. Ann Helmus is committed to having all clinicians stay up to date on current research and treatment in the field of neuropsychology. Every other week, we have outside professionals provide staff training, allowing us to learn about local resources, which we can then share with our clients. We also frequently share new information with one another as we attend conferences or read new articles.

What do you think sets NESCA apart? Why should a parent bring their child here when there are so many other neuropsychologists in Massachusetts and New Hampshire?

Every clinician at NESCA is extraordinarily dedicated to providing the best care to their clients. We have case conferences every week during which clinicians discuss challenging cases and seek input from our colleagues. With each new presentation, it is clear that the clinician has genuine compassion for the child and family and is striving to help in every way possible.

Further, our evaluations are remarkably in depth, and we often ask students to return for additional appointments if we feel that we need more information to help round out our understanding of a particular case. Every clinician conducts school or community observations on a regular basis as well; these are often essential in order to see how a student is functioning on a daily basis since test scores do not always tell the “whole story.” Along with these very detailed evaluations, the reports that are provided by NESCA clinicians are outstanding. I have the opportunity to read many, many neuropsychological reports, and I can honestly say that I believe NESCA reports are the best. They describe the student as a whole, including both strengths and weaknesses. Recommendations are consistently specific, detailed, and thoughtful. I often hear parents say that after reading the report, they have a better understanding of their own child.

What advice do you have for parents who are not sure if a neuropsychological evaluation is needed for their child?

The best first step is to have a consult with one of our clinicians. These one-hour appointments give parents the opportunity to describe their concerns and seek advice on next steps. While a neuropsychological evaluation might be necessary in order to answer their specific questions and address their concerns, this is not always the case. Having the chance to talk things out with an expert can be extremely helpful in terms of creating the most sensible plan.

 

 

We are very excited to announce that on October 1, 2018, NESCA will open a bright new, satellite office in Plainville, MA! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Erin Gibbons in Plainville, please complete our online intake form: https://nesca-newton.com/intake-form/  The address of NESCA-Plainville is 60 Man Mar Drive, Suite 8, Plainville, MA 02762.

 

 

About the Author: 

As Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, Ashlee oversees marketing campaigns and develops community relationships through various programming activities – all of which expand NESCA’s well-respected reputation in New England. Ashlee brings a wide range of marketing, design and communications experience in the social service and non-profit industry. She lives in Newton with her husband and their beloved dog, Winnie. In her free time, she enjoys doing yoga, watching documentaries and promoting her and her husband’s housewares startup.

Get in touch with Ashlee with any questions you may have about NESCA’s programs and events at acooper@nesca-newton.com. She looks forward to hearing from you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

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Social Creativity and ASD – Challenging the assumption that autistic people are not social

By | NESCA Notes 2018

Photo from the documentary, Autism: The Musical (2007)

By: Rebecca Girard, LICSW, CAS
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

The New York Times recently published an opinion piece titled, How to Meet Autistic People Halfway, an article that challenges the common belief that people on the autism spectrum are avoidant of social interaction and do not desire social connections. The authors, Vikram K. Jaswal and Nameera Akhtar are psychologists and researchers who study the social lives of people on the autism spectrum. They assert that while core deficits of autism may make social interaction more challenging, it does not mean people on the spectrum do not desire meaningful social connection. For years, many in the ASD community and their allies in the neurodiversity rights movement have attempted to combat this anti-social stereotype, but the notion stubbornly persists. Counter-narratives of the autistic social experience often reflect autistic people as extremely emotionally sensitive, hyper-aware of the feeling states of others, and indeed motivated to experience social success in the form of friendships and social acceptance. Additionally, an increasing number of people believe those on the spectrum may actually display more creative and interesting ways to connect and choose to describe autistic individuals as “socially creative” rather than having “social deficits”.

If we then acknowledge the desire to connect is present, how can we best facilitate social learning and promote social success? First, we can acknowledge that a person on the spectrum will have a myriad of ASD-related challenges that will likely make socializing difficult. These include trouble reading and interpreting social cues (eye contact, body language, facial expressions), attending to and managing sensory challenges during interaction, and repetitive and inflexible thinking (getting “stuck”, echolalia), all of which can lead to preemptive social rejection by peers and a lack of social opportunities to practice and improve upon their social interaction skills. These challenges require multi-disciplinary supports, including (but not limited to) occupational therapy, speech therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Second, we can provide positive social learning interventions that address and ameliorate the impact of these factors, while providing opportunities to explore and understand the social world.

A popular method of intervention is that of “social knowledge”, or didactic social skills training. This entails imparting concrete social skills, in the effort to explicitly teach what a person may not know about socializing. Think – programming a social computer with many algorithms; if a person does A, you do B. While this may be great at teaching the basics, it often does not adequately prepare ASD individuals for the unpredictability and fluidity of everyday interactions. Another approach is that of “social performance”, a dynamic method of encouraging social pragmatic development by providing semi-structured socialization opportunities in small group settings with immediate, in vivo feedback on what’s working or not. Think – flexing a social muscle. Drama-based social pragmatic groups are gaining in popularity as a method for not only promoting social connections but as a fun way to create an encouraging and supportive space to finds one’s own intrinsically motivating social style.

But enhancing individual social skills and providing adequate social opportunities is admittedly a one-sided approach. Equally important is challenging the stigma and bias that plague the ASD community. We need to be allies to this community by promoting greater acceptance of a wide-range of social styles and approaches to social engagement. To honor the neurodiversity mission, which “rejects the idea that autism should be cured, advocating instead for celebrating autistic forms of communication and self-expression, and for promoting support systems that allow autistic people to live as autistic people.” (What is Neurodiversity? [Website]. (2011).  National Symposium on Neurodiversity at Syracuse University)

As a therapist who has worked with ASD individuals across the lifespan since 2004, I know firsthand that autistic people feel the same loneliness and isolation when chronically socially disconnected, and feel the same anxiety and unease when experiencing social rejection. I have also had the pleasure of witnessing individuals find their own distinctive social style and the joy of connecting with others who appreciate what is different as interesting and exceptional, rather than off-putting or strange. The autistic people in my life, both professionally and personally, have challenged me to rethink narrow and strictly defined social expectations, and have made all my relationships richer as a result. Autistic people are often credited with “out of the box” thinking and innovation, which can be applied to their social lives as well, as they are uninhibited by social convention. For example, Asperger’s are Us are the first all-autistic sketch comedy troupe, and their performances reflect their original and offbeat sense of humor, as well as their deep connection to one another as friends. A great example of what is possible.

The New York Times article said it best in its conclusion, “improving the social lives of autistic people will require putting aside assumptions about how social interest is expressed and recognizing that it can be shown in unexpected ways.” As parents, professionals, and allies, let’s commit to challenging this very basic and long-held assumption and appreciate and embrace the unique and creative ways autistic people chose to engage the world around them.

 

About the Author: 

Rebecca Girard, LICSW, CAS is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in neurodivergent issues, sexual trauma, and international social work. She has worked primarily with children, adolescents, adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families for over a decade. Ms. Girard is highly experienced in using Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) as well as Socio-dramatic Affective Relational Intervention (SDARI), in addition to a number of other modalities. She provides enhanced psychotherapy to children with ASD at NESCA as well as to provide therapeutic support to youth with a range of mood, anxiety, social and behavioral challenges. Her approach is child-centered, strengths-based, creative and compassionate.

Reach out if you would like to work with Rebecca: Email rgirard@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9825

 

 

 

 

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.

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