Individual and/or small group executive function skill coaching for kids, teens, and adults. 

Each of our brains are different. Some brains are especially good at sports. Others are good at remembering or understanding numbers. Some are good at staying calm in tricky situations, while some others are good at keeping things neat and organized.

Executive functions are skills that emerge in young childhood, and develop at varying rates through young adulthood. They include: self-understanding or awareness of strengths and weaknesses, organizational skills, time management, emotional control, behavioral control, flexibility of mind, attention, concentration, memory, initiative, and persistence.

For children and adolescents 
As children get older, they are expected to gain increased independence in their executive function skills. This can be challenging for everyone involved, and sometimes it makes sense to seek outside supports.

• What if you’re constantly getting in trouble for blurting out the answers in class?
• What if you do your homework every night? But then, you forget to turn it in?
• What if you procrastinate on projects or papers because you don’t know how to start? Or if, once you start them, you run out of time?
• What if you wish you had more friends, but it seems like you’re always making someone mad?

For adults
Teens grow into young adults, and young adults grow into actual grown-ups. Executive functions are essential for success.

• What if you have every intention of being on time for work, but somehow you lose track of time? Every. Time.
• What if you keep meaning to pay your rent, but then forget? Again.
• What if you sit at work, fidgeting and uncomfortable with the challenging task of sitting still all day long?
• What if you are paralyzed by the demands of planning and organizing your own life, let alone your families’?

Our coaching model starts with administration of our criterion reference tool(s) that assesses a client’s executive function skills in order to guide us in treatment. In planning treatment, we keep our eye on the “big picture”, and focus on the functional, real-life concerns that are impacting a client’s success (i.e. planning and writing a research paper, developing an organization system, cleaning out a backpack, keeping a calendar, etc). Our treatment does not stop when the clinical hour is over. Instead, we provide on-going coaching during the in between times so that we can ensure growth and carry over of skills.

Individual and/or small group social communication skill coaching for kids, teens, and adults.

We are highly trained and experienced in Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking™ assessment and concepts, and use our knowledge to guide treatment. Through social communication coaching, our client’s learn to work more effectively in groups, and gain an understanding of the roles we each play in another’s life.

We offer several opportunities for clients to share in group activities with matched peers. Small group social coaching is provided through a “standing”, weekly appointment, and typically co-treated by multiple clinicians. Groups run on a semester basis, and meet for 1-hour each week. Focus is determined based on client need and interests. 

Social cognition is involved whenever we are in the presence of another person even if we are not directly interacting with that person. Good social skills are expected at home, work, school and the community. Social communication includes aspects of both verbal and non-verbal communication, and can be challenging for all of us, at times, but especially so for those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Non-Verbal Learning Disability, or Attention Deficit. Commonly, individuals with social communication skill challenges present with strong use of vocabulary and grammar, but struggle to apply their knowledge within a social context.

For example:

• They may not understand different tones of voice, or struggle to understand sarcasm and humor.
• They may have a difficult time making new friends or building strong social relationships.
• They may produce lengthy and confusing narratives or stories with limited awareness that their listener has stopped listening.
• They may struggle in getting, or holding a job because of their challenges in understanding unspoken social expectations.

Occupational Therapists help maximize functional independence and participation in all activities across all environments: home, school, and community.

At Through the Trees, our Occupational Therapist(s) specialize in a variety of clinical areas, to include:

• Attention Deficit Disorders
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Non Verbal Learning Disabilities
• Sensory Processing Challenges
• Fine & Gross Motor Coordination Disorders
• Visual-Motor and Visual-Perception Skills
• Learning Disabilities
• Developmental Delays
• Executive Skill Weaknesses
• Other Psychological and Neurological Conditions

Our OT(s) are well equipped to address challenges that may be seen at home, in the classroom, or out in the community. These may include:

• Difficulty paying attention in class
• Difficulty in completing daily tasks, like getting ready for school
• Avoidance of playground activities
• Frequent tripping or falling, decreased balance, or ‘clumsiness’
• Difficulty engaging with same-age friends and family
• A need to be constantly moving
• Difficulty with sleep or feeding patterns (being a picky or messy eater)
• Sensitivity to clothing, textures, or temperatures
• Frustration with new activities, changes in routines, or transitions
• Poor self-regulation or difficulty in managing the expected activity level for different tasks or situations
• Limited independence with self-care and self-help tasks
• Excessive sensory seeking behaviors, or sensory sensitivity and avoidance

Family Education and Support
With so many of our schools “going remote” right now, we find ourselves faced with problems we never knew existed. We are available to consult with families and schools in order to create the best learning environments for students  –  including strategies to help keep things running smoothly when they’re learning remotely. 

We look forward to hosting parent support groups (via Zoom) to discuss any number of topics, to include the following (as well as others not mentioned):

• How to Know When You’re Helping Too Much
• Pandemic Screen-Time Limits
• How to Move Past Homework Tantrums
• Strategies for Social and Behavioral Success