Where are you from and where do you currently live and work?
I live and work in Asheville, North Carolina, a beautiful town situated in the Appalachian Mountains. I have a private speech therapy practice that serves children from infants through 12 years, and I also work for F.I.R.S.T., an agency that provides family education and support for children with special needs. They offer The P.L.A.Y. Project in Western North Carolina.
How long have you been working with children [on the spectrum]?
I have been working with children, including children on the spectrum, for the past 18 years.
When did you become a P.L.A.Y. Project Home Consultant and what drew you to The P.L.A.Y. Project model?
Working as a speech therapist with children on the spectrum led me to take my first course on Greenspan’s DIR model in 2002. His ideas about how to work with children on the spectrum resonated with me. I was very fortunate to be introduced to The P.L.A.Y. Project by friends and colleagues who were implementing The P.L.A.Y. Project with F.I.R.S.T. In September of 2011, I completed the four day training and have been doing P.L.A.Y. ever since. I love the way Dr. Solomon has developed The P.L.A.Y. Project! It is very accessible for families and professionals, and it really gives parents and caregivers the tools they need to help their kids.
What do you like most about your work as a Home Consultant?
There is so much that I like about my work as a Home Consultant! I love that we are helping parents understand where their children function on the developmental levels, empowering them to work with their children on the skills necessary to master and move through those levels, and offering support throughout the process. After my training, I was most concerned about coaching parents and was nervous to take on this role. Now, I love it. It is wonderful to be in the moment with a parent and child and to see what happens when you make a suggestion. I like helping parents understand how to incorporate the P.L.A.Y. methods and techniques into their everyday routines and activities.
What has been one of your most memorable moments as a Home Consultant?
I have had so many memorable experiences in my work as a Home Consultant, but I think watching a four year old girl turn into, as Dr. Solomon would say, a monster has been my favorite. When we started P.L.A.Y. she preferred to be in her dark room with her TV and iPad. Her parents worked hard to establish engagement in sensory motor games, and initially, they had to make all the overtures. By the middle of the Project she was seeking out her parents for sensory motor play. Her appetite for these interactions was immense. She turned from a girl who wanted to spend her time alone to a little girl who became upset when her parents had to end a game. It was physically exhausting work for her parents but by our tenth visit she was using some functional words. It was a wonderful process to watch.
What is one of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned as a Home Consultant?
The P.L.A.Y. Project has reinforced for me that having a solid foundation is important for success. P.L.A.Y. emphasizes the need for robust fundamental skills and helps kids find success at higher levels because a solid foundation has been laid. I also value that The P.L.A.Y. Project reinforces that kids really learn when they’re having fun.
What do you do for fun/what makes you smile?
My family likes watching the TV show “Chopped” and have started doing our own version at home. We give our five and ten year old a carefully selected basket of ingredients, and they create a dish that we then eat and enjoy(?). It is a lot of fun watching them be creative and come up with a way to use all of the ingredients.