Serving Children, Adolescents, and Adults through:

Appropriate for those experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges who would benefit from structured therapeutic support.

I provide individualized therapy for people with developmental disabilities to support emotional well-being, self-understanding, and skill development. Therapy focuses on helping people strengthen independence, improve self-understanding, and develop practical strategies for navigating everyday challenges.

Therapy focuses on skill-building and practical strategies that can be applied in everyday life, rather than relying primarily on traditional talk therapy. Approaches are adapted to each person’s cognitive level, communication style, and learning needs to ensure that strategies are understandable and meaningful.

Common areas addressed include emotional regulation, anger, anxiety, social interaction, sexuality (including safety and abuse prevention), understanding diagnoses, depression, and bereavement.

Caregiver involvement is an important part of therapy. Including the people who care for and support someone helps these skills become part of everyday life.

Appropriate when behavior is interfering with daily functioning at home, in residential settings, or in the community.

Behavior support services focus on understanding the purpose of behavior and developing practical, effective strategies that can be used consistently across settings.

Services may include functional assessment, development of individualized behavior support plans, and ongoing consultation with teams to support effective implementation, drawing on extensive experience within North Carolina’s developmental disability service system.

Work typically involves identifying triggers and patterns, developing proactive supports, and partnering with families and support teams to create clear, consistent approaches to behavior. Emphasis is placed on reducing challenging behavior while increasing independence, communication, and overall quality of life.

Collaboration is a central part of this process. I work closely with caregivers, residential staff, and other professionals to ensure that strategies are realistic, understood, and implemented effectively in everyday environments. Ongoing support includes problem-solving and refining strategies over time to ensure they remain effective as needs change.

Behavior support services are most often provided in collaboration with provider agencies supporting people through North Carolina’s Innovations Waiver.

The goal of these services is to support increased stability, independence, and quality of life, while helping caregivers feel more confident and effective in their roles.

Helpful for families experiencing stress, conflict, or changes related to supporting a loved one with developmental disabilities.

Supporting a family member with a developmental disability can place ongoing emotional and practical demands on the household. These challenges can sometimes lead to tension, as well as feelings of stress, guilt, or uncertainty about the future.

Family therapy focuses on improving communication, strengthening relationships, and creating home environments that better support everyone involved. This may include helping families problem-solve day-to-day challenges, clarify expectations, and develop more effective ways of working together.

Designed for caregivers and professionals seeking practical, real-world strategies to better support people with developmental disabilities.

Training is available for caregivers, including family members, direct support staff, and professionals. Training is tailored to the needs of the individual and the team supporting them, with an emphasis on practical strategies that can be implemented in real-world settings.

Training topics can include, but are not limited to:

Behavior Support & Intervention
• Understanding the function of behavior
• Responding to challenging behavior effectively
• Developing and implementing behavior support plans
• Proactive strategies to reduce escalation

Emotional Regulation & Mental Health
• Supporting emotional regulation
• Addressing anger and frustration
• Recognizing and responding to anxiety and mood-related concerns

Skill Building & Daily Living
• Teaching daily living and independence skills
• Supporting adaptive behavior and functional skill development
• Promoting generalization of skills across settings

Social & Communication Skills
• Supporting positive social interaction
• Enhancing communication and understanding
• Navigating relationships and boundaries

Sexuality & Safety
• Sexuality education
• Personal boundaries and consent
• Abuse prevention and safety awareness

Individualized Supports & Team Consistency
• Adapting supports to cognitive level, communication style, and learning needs
• Building consistency across caregivers and team members
• Supporting effective implementation of strategies in real-world settings

Disability-Specific Topics
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Down Syndrome
• Prader-Willi Syndrome
• Developmental disabilities and aging-related concerns, including dementia

Training can be provided for individuals, small teams, or larger groups, depending on need.

If you’re unsure whether these services would be a good fit, I’m happy to talk through your situation and help you think about next steps.