By: Dr. Evisha Ford, LCSW I stumbled upon this photo recently and smiled. Instantly, it brought back warm memories of the most wonderful time of the year. December was a particularly festive month in my family. My birthday is in December, my maternal grandmother’s birthday was on Christmas, both my maternal aunts had December birthdays, …

A calming corner is a designated space in a home or classroom with the purpose of being a safe place for a child to go when they feel their emotions are running too high and they need to regain their emotional and physical control. This helps a child regain self-regulation and attention necessary for participation. …

We have all heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two intense days of shopping and deals, ironically following a day of thanks. But don’t forget the Giving Tuesday, which commenced yesterday. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Giving Tuesday is a day of heightened generosity when people give to their favorite charities. The movement …

Much research has highlighted the potential of gratitude to enhance well-being, improve relationships, and increase our ability to deal with adversity. Broadly speaking, we take gratitude to mean an act of giving back out of acknowledgement for what we have received. This need not involve direct reciprocity, though for many cultures it cannot be separated …

What is a social story? A social story is an individualized short story that is utilized to assist individuals to interpret and understand social situations that they may find challenging or confusing. Social stories can include the norms for behavior in a certain context, the perspectives of others, and specific steps for applying social skills …

The goal of special education transition is to maximize a student’s opportunity for independence.  High-quality transition programs (for young adults ages 18-22) are designed for students who have completed their high school requirements and wish to further develop skills in academics, on-the- job training, independent living, and life skills while obtaining therapeutic services such as …

Did you know that up to 95% of children with autism have sensory differences? Making accommodations for sensory input is so important in helping children with autism reach their goals. Examples of accommodations for hypersensitivity (increased sensitivity): Use light covers, sunglasses, or a hat under fluorescent lights Wear ear plugs or headphones in noisy environments …

AAC is often utilized by children and adults who cannot rely on their speech/voice some or all of the time due to congenital (present from birth) and/or acquired disabilities (e.g., traumatic brain injury). Some of these conditions include autism, genetic syndromes, cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, disease, stroke, or head injury. AAC is multimodal, which means …

Both adults and children thrive when they feel safe, comfortable, and in control, and we can provide that for our students! Even in infancy and toddlerhood, children can recognize familiar activities. They also develop relationships with who they interact with during these activities and gain a sense of confidence and belonging. What is the difference …

Emotional regulation is the process of controlling your emotions and how you respond to them.  Students should:  Take a break  Express anger constructively   Focus on finding a solution   Emotional regulation exercises:  BUBBLE BREATH WITH FORCED EXHALATION  This is a good strategy when students are feeling emotionally dysregulated because it delivers oxygen to the brain, which …