By: Ann Helmus, Ph.D.
Founder and Director
Clinical Neuropsychologist
NESCA was founded on the idea that a thorough evaluation reflecting careful analysis of information gathered from history, observations, and testing data is crucial in formulating a comprehensive, individualized plan for supporting a child to realize their potential. Increasingly, NESCA is expanding its intervention services, which allows for a higher level of integration between the evaluator and treater. Clearly recognizing the benefit of psychopharmacological intervention for many children and adolescents, at NESCA, we focus on the powerful benefits of many non-medication approaches.
Our experience, supported by research, is
that significant improvements in functioning result from psychoeducation, direct
teaching of strategies to parents and students, and intervention at the
physical level. Psychoeducation refers to the process of educating clients and their
parents about the nature of challenges such as anxiety or ADHD. Beyond gaining a thorough understanding of the
challenges faced by a client, parents, teachers, and students need strategies
for managing problematic symptoms and behaviors. Teaching and helping parents
and students practice these strategies often yields huge changes in
functioning. Finally, the mind and body
are interconnected and intervening at the physical level is often more
straight-forward for many of our clients, leading to impressive changes in
cognitive and emotional functioning.
NESCA offers the following therapeutic
interventions:
CBT is an evidence-based therapy that
focuses on identifying and changing thoughts patterns and behaviors that are
interfering with functioning. Of note,
we have a therapist who is highly experienced in psychotherapeutic intervention
with children and adolescents who are on the autism spectrum, including the use
of the Sidekicks app developed by the Affinity Project.
ACT uses approaches such as mindfulness
and behavioral change strategies to help clients increase flexibility and reach
goals.
Many children require more
frequent meetings in order to master the strategies that are being taught for
behavioral/emotional regulation or social functioning. NESCA’s intensive
out-patient therapy programs generally involve three weekly sessions of direct
service for the child followed by brief parent guidance meetings.
NESCA offers a group for
school age children with ADHD and their parents. Children meet in one group
while their parents meet concurrently in another group, both led by experienced
psychologists. Starting in 2018, NESCA
will be offering drama-based therapy groups based on the Spotlight model
developed at the Northeast Arc and researched by the Social Competence and
Treatment Lab at Stony Brook University.
This intensive program was
developed to address school refusal through both home-based and center-based
psychotherapy, parent guidance and school consultation.
Many clients struggle to
generalize strategies that they have learned in therapy to daily living. NESCA
has highly skilled coaches that work with adolescents and young adults in the
community to practice skills and strategies.
Adolescents with developmental
challenges, learning disabilities, and psychiatric issues often need support in
planning for “life after high school”. Our veteran transition specialists work
with adolescents and their parents to identify strengths, formulate realistic
goals and a plan for reaching goals over their high school years.
Individual or small group
interventions in our yoga studio to build self-awareness and the ability to use
breath and movement to address symptoms of anxiety and enhance attention.
These ancient treatments can
be highly effective for treating anxiety, ADHD, and other childhood
conditions.
Further information about
all of these interventions are available on our website. If you are wondering
whether one of these approaches may be helpful for your child, please contact
me at: ahelmus@nesca-newton.com.
About the Author:
NESCA Founder/Director Ann Helmus, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist who has been practicing for almost 20 years. In 1996, she jointly founded the Children's Evaluation Center (CEC) in Newton, Massachusetts, serving as co-director there for almost ten years. During that time, CEC emerged as a leading regional center for the diagnosis and remediation of both learning disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Helmus specializes in the evaluation of children with learning disabilities, attention and executive function deficits and primary neurological disorders. In addition to assessing children, she also provides consultation and training to both public and private school systems. She frequently makes presentations to groups of parents, particularly on the topics of non-verbal learning disability and executive functioning.
About the Author:
NESCA Founder/Director Ann Helmus, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist who has been practicing for almost 20 years. In 1996, she jointly founded the Children's Evaluation Center (CEC) in Newton, Massachusetts, serving as co-director there for almost ten years. During that time, CEC emerged as a leading regional center for the diagnosis and remediation of both learning disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Helmus specializes in the evaluation of children with learning disabilities, attention and executive function deficits and primary neurological disorders. In addition to assessing children, she also provides consultation and training to both public and private school systems. She frequently makes presentations to groups of parents, particularly on the topics of non-verbal learning disability and executive functioning.
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