Description of Services
The first priority of all services is to establish a trusting relationship with clients, family members and/or caregivers. Please note that we serve individuals on their own but include family and caregivers when applicable. We want to make an emotional connection with our clients so they can get to know us as well as the therapist getting to know them.
Speech Therapy/Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®)
Speech therapy supports individuals to improve their communication and thinking skills using both structured and unstructured interactions with the therapist. We emphasize “back and forth” exchanges instead of putting all the emphasis on “client performance.” This takes the pressure off the client and makes the interactions more natural and less anxiety producing. While we work on improving client’s concentration, comprehension, expression, cognition, and speech skills, this is accomplished through activities and conversation that are at the right level of challenge for the client. In speech therapy we also support problem solving, prioritizing, goal setting, memory and follow through. We give clients feedback about their speech and help them maximize their intelligibility in an informal, non-pressured way. We can also train family members and/or caregivers to engage clients in stimulating activities that will help maximize their speech, communication, and cognitive skills as well as train them to give constructive feedback to clients without making them feel incompetent. Our focus is on supporting individuals to feel good about themselves as they strive to make improvements!
Occupational Therapy
The way an individual accesses their desired life roles may change after a brain injury. Occupational therapy focuses on tasks those living with brain injuries want and need to do in their everyday life. Occupational therapy intervention uses everyday purposeful life activities to promote health, well-being, and energy management necessary for the individual to participate in their previous meaningful life roles. Occupational Therapy also aids in the establishment of new meaningful life roles when previous ones may not be able to be safely performed at a level that satisfies the individual. These may include any meaningful activity that a person wants to accomplish, including activities to care for themselves including, getting dressed, self-feeding, laundry, meal planning and meal preparation. This could also include leisure activities, caring for family, vocational or pre-vocational tasks, volunteering, going to school, and many other life roles. Occupational Therapy treatment tools may include training and education in the establishment and integration of adaptive techniques and strategies, therapeutic activities to improve visual skills, visual perception and visual awareness, exercises to address memory, attention and executive skills functioning, and exercises to address posture, coordination, strength, balance, range of motion and motor planning. Occupational Therapists collaborate with the individual and caregivers to establish appropriate strategies, techniques, schedule/routine building and adaptive equipment necessary to ensure successful engagement in those roles that the individual finds most valuable to them! Occupational Therapy promotes full and safe participation in desired life roles at as independent a level as possible!
Recreational Therapy
Often after a life changing event, individuals are not able to engage in the same types of leisure activities that they could previously. Our recreational therapy services focus on looking at new options for activities (or adapting previous ones) that individuals can enjoy both in the home and outside of the home. It can include exploring drawing, painting, sculpting, craft or building projects, movement activities, cooking, games, playing or listening to music or a new sport. It can involve finding a volunteer job or pre-vocational tasks that could lead to a paying job for those interested. Engaging in leisure and community activities provide mental and physical stimulation. Involvement in community activities also encourages socialization. Finding meaningful activities to do can not only add to quality of life, it can also support progress!
Life Coaching & Mindfulness
Life coaching supports those with brain injuries to implement strategies to reduce stress, improve nutrition and become more independent with activities of daily living. Mindfulness practice can be a component of life coaching and emphasizes coping with emotions in a healthy way. This might involve learning to meditate, implement various calming techniques such as body scans, breath work and yoga as well as focusing on the concept of positivity, an individual’s strengths and what they are grateful for. This can lead to increased energy and strength. Mindfulness can be inspiring, promote creativity, relaxation, feelings of self-love, thankfulness, self-acceptance, self-confidence, and centeredness. Messages of hope, positive self-talk, encouragement, positive mood, kindness, and joy are shared. Furthermore, life coaching can enhance nutrition which might include meal preparation, menu planning and follow through for an individual and their family or caregivers. Independent living skills such as grooming, hygiene, dressing, housekeeping, cooking and organization can also addressed by the life coach.
Case Management Services
Case management can be the backbone of an effective therapy team or can work alone in supporting an individual depending on need. Case management involves coordinating, facilitating, advocating, and educating the client and their family members and/or caregivers as they navigate through the process of coping with a life-changing event or a reduction in abilities. A case manager can advocate for an individual through life transitions such as navigating a new career path, supporting doctor’s appointments, and providing community resources information, It can include support with housing, insurance and transportation needs, help with adaptive equipment and/or provide social inclusion opportunities.
