Congratulations, Kelli
Kelli Rippon has recently obtained Certification as an ESDM Therapist. This represents a high level of skill, work and dedication on Kelli’s part. Once therapists qualify to undertake the Advanced Workshop, they then must undertake an assessment process that takes approximately a year. Kelli obtained very high scores on her assessment and her new certification will no doubt go on to assist many young children with ASD in the future. Congratulations, Kelli!
ABIA Conference 2015
Coming from a country where ABA and Early intervention is still in its infancy, attending the ABIA Conference in Melbourne 2015 was definitely something of an event for me. It was fascinating for me to be able to see that above the wonderful work we do at Best Start Clinic, there is a broader community which is made up of adults with an ASD, parents, therapists and the those who are advocating and driving the awareness of ASD and Early Intervention support in Australia.
Being lucky enough to attend both days of the conference, Friday’s Master Class on Prompting by Dr John McEachin provided us with a detailed analysis of the types of prompting we have to use at our disposal as a therapist working in the ABA and ESDM field. Old knowledge was reinforced and new knowledge was added.
The following day, the main conference took place where parents and therapists from around Melbourne and Australia gathered to come together and gain as much knowledge as possible in one day, and what a lot of information there was. The conference boasting international speakers such as Dr Mitchell Taubman who focused his talk on the effective building of social skills across the autism spectrum, and Dr Peter Gerhardt who had an insightful talk about the inclusion of teenagers and adults into the community and quality of life. Apart from the main speakers the conference broke into three different streams that one could choose from each focusing on different areas such as home, school or community. 
With my broader interests being in the therapist/school shadow area I chose the school stream. Listening to experiences and advice of others who are in the field was interesting and beneficial.
I’m sure that each and everyone of the staff took something away from their time at the conference whether it be on skill update, new knowledge, or the understanding of how and what we are working towards with our little ones at Best Start today.
A massive congratulations to Caroline who was one of the speakers at the conference this year who presented “EIBI (ESDM) outcomes: An Australian cohort” which focused on the progress, effectiveness and outcomes of using the ESDM. She did Best Start Clinic proud as one of the speakers and presented beautifully! Well done!
Psychology Services - Geelong
The full range of psychology services will be available at Best Start Clinic – Geelong from Friday 13th of March 2015.
Psychology services in Geelong will have a specific focus on the following areas:
- Individual Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) psychology sessions for children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) Parent Training Model
- Sibling support
- Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) program supervision and support
- Counselling services for children and adolescents
- Assessment services
- Academic Achievement
- Adaptive Behaviour
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Anxiety
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Cognitive Assessments
- Depression
- Giftedness
- Intellectual Disability
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder and associated behavioural disorders
- School Readiness
- School Services
- Consultation
- Classroom observations
- Participation in formulation of Behavioural Intervention Plans
- Functional Behavioural Analysis
- In-class assistance and support
- Care team meetings
- Training workshops
Services at Best Start Clinic Geelong will be provided by Best Start Psychologist Brodie Sheehan. Brodie is fully registered Psychologist and hold full membership with the Australian Psychological Society (APS). She brings extensive experience in early intervention, particularly working with children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Brodie has extended experience as an ABA therapist and program supervisor, and became a certified therapist in the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) in 2012. Brodie is also passionate about providing support and education to parents and families, in an effort to increase their confidence and resilience in managing their child’s ASD, and supporting their ongoing development. She believes that is important to empower parents, and family members by educating them through the Parent Training Model provided by Best Start Clinic. Through this model, parents learn the principals of the ESDM and are coached by Brodie in implementing the ESDM techniques in their daily lives.
To indicate your interest, please Contact Us.
ESDM Parent Coaching
Parental involvement is critical in any Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) program. Best Start Clinic provides an incredibly unique and exciting opportunity for parents to learn and implement the techniques of the ESDM with their child.
The Parent Coaching model provides a supportive, hands-on intervention approach with parents, focusing predominantly on parents interacting with their child in a manner that builds their child’s skills in all developmental domains.
In this model, the therapist serves as a parent coach and a support person who assists parents to learn and successfully implement ESDM strategies, allowing both parents and children to reach their goals.
Parents are encouraged to read the parent training manual entitled, The Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism: Promoting Language, Learning, and Engagement; which provides a platform for the ongoing teaching and learning process between the therapists and parents.
The manual describes a developmental, naturalistic, and relationship-based approach for fostering children’s initiative and engagement, whilst scaffolding their communication and interaction though the use of ESDM techniques. The parent manual provides a guide for parents to use everyday activities to help their child connect, communicate, and learn, making it an essential tool for any parent embarking on an ESDM program. The parent manual offers a simple approach with useful tips and hands-on strategies that can be integrated fluently into daily activities and play with their child.
The Parent Coaching model provided by Best Start Clinic offers parents a space to explore, evaluate and address their ongoing goals for their child, with an individualised program tailored to the needs of each parent or family. Parents and therapists work collaboratively in an ongoing manner to develop and implement treatment plans and goals for their own learning, as well addressing the needs of the child.
In addition to providing training and support to parents, the Parent Coaching model can also incorporate sibling support for the siblings of children with ASD. It is often difficult for siblings of children with ASD to understand the diagnosis, and many siblings have difficulty coping with it, and interacting with their sibling with ASD. Hence, where required the Parent Coaching model can work directly with siblings in the same manner as parents, in order to teach them effective ways of engaging and interacting with their siblings with ASD.
Parents will not only learn how to engage their child to foster the development of communication and play, but they will also learn specific instructional techniques of the ESDM in order to increase their child’s development in all developmental domains.
The Parent Coaching model will equip parents with the skills and tools to confidently and effectively implement ESDM techniques with their child on a daily basis, subsequently increasing and maximising the teaching and learning opportunities for their child.
To indicate your interest, please Contact Us.
04/12/2014 - Enquiries for Geelong now open.
If you are interested in our services and live in the Geelong area we would love to hear from you. Best Start will be establishing a Geelong based office in 2015, offering psychology and autism services, such as behaviour support, the Early Start Denver Model and Applied Behaviour Analysis program management. To indicate your interest, please Contact Us.
31/10/2014 - Congratulations, Casey Same.
Congratulations to therapist Casey Same, who has recently achieved Certification as an ESDM therapist from the MIND Institute, at UC Davis, California. Casey holds an Honours degree in Psychology and over the past 12 months has worked to gain Certification as an ESDM therapist after training with ESDM Apprentice Trainer Caroline de Fina and ESDM Expert Trainer Cynthia Zierhut when she visited from the US in 2013. The Certification process involves rigorous assessment across a therapist’s skills in ESDM assessment, goal development, therapy application and clinical decision making. As Casey is now certified her role in 2015 will involve increased responsibilities across the ESDM programs. Please join us in Congratulating Casey on this wonderful achievement.
31/10/2014 - Congratulations, Jose.
Congratulations to psychologist, Dr Jose Molina Toledo, who has recently achieved Certification as an ESDM therapist from the MIND Institute, at UC Davis, California. Jose has had a very busy and productive 12 months. Whilst undertaking the rigorous process of certification as an ESDM Therapist, Jose has also completed his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and was conferred to the degree in October of this year. Always one to continuously improve his skills, Jose is now undertaking training to practice as a psychology Supervisor. Please join us in Congratulating Jose in his wonderful achievements of 2014.