Programs & Services (New – in development)

This group will run for 8 weeks with two BCBAs as facilitators, mediating the discussions on various topics. The aims include youths socializing, learning about how to identify friends and skills to maintain friendships while providing a platform to build social skills, and using technology to do it!

This series is recommended for families who have recently received a diagnosis for their child. In the midst of receiving a diagnosis, families will navigate through a lot of information and make decisions about next steps. This series offers 3 workshops, along with 3, 1:1, 30-minute consultations with a BCBA-D. Workshop 1 will provide an overview of various services recommended to families with a child with ASD. Workshop 2 will provide an overview of Autism and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and why ABA is well suited to address ASD. If seeking ABA based services, this information is key for knowing what to look for in providers and how caregiver involvement is key to helping children reach their full potential. Workshop 3 will review things to do as you wait for service that will aid in developing skills and routines in the home to maximize learning from the get-go. The initial consultation is aimed at gathering information that will be pertinent to focusing the workshops on the audience attending, with follow up consultations occurring after Workshop 3 which will focus on implementing ABA strategies in the home with coaching from a BCBA-D.

This workshop aims to outline strategies on reducing transition related problem behaviours. We will review how to establish positive rapport, specific steps to cue your child of upcoming changes, ways to prevent and deescalate behaviours and deciding when the advance notice is viable with the aim of reducing problem behaviours as a whole.

The More Than Words Program was designed for parents of children on the autism spectrum and with other social communication difficulties. Addressing the unique needs of these children, the program provides parents with the tools, strategies and support they need to help their children reach their full communication potential.

More Than Words does this by empowering parents to help your child reach the following three goals:
1. Improved social communication and back-and-forth interactions
2. Improved play skills
3. Improved imitation skills

As a parent and/or caregiver, here are some of the valuable things that are learned when attending the More Than Words Program:
-What motivates your child to communicate
-How to use your knowledge about your child to set appropriate and realistic goals
-How to make interactions with your child last longer
-Tips for using pictures and print to help your child’s understanding
-Strategies for how to talk so that your child understands you
-Strategies for developing your child’s play skills
-Ways to help your child make friends

Program Components
-Informative and personal classes for small groups of parents
-A Hanen Certified speech-language pathologist who leads the program and has received special training from The Hanen Centre
-A pre-program consultation for you and your child with your speech-language pathologist
-Individual video feedback sessions of you interacting with your child, so you can “see” what is helping and what else you can do
-Individual video feedback of your child playing with another child so you can “see” how you help their interaction

The early years are especially crucial for verbal children on the autism spectrum because they still face special communication challenges. Often, these children find it difficult to:
- Have conversations with others
- Play with children their own age
- Talk about things that interest someone else
- Change a routine without becoming frustrated

If you’ve noticed more than one of these difficulties in your child, the TalkAbility Program can help. Specifically designed for parents of verbal children ages 3-7 years and up with social communication difficulties, the TalkAbility Program teaches parents practical ways to help their child learn people skills.

By “people skills”, we mean the ability to “tune in” to the thoughts and feelings of others by paying attention to non-verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, eye gaze, and tone of voice. The ability to consider other points of view and to have empathy for others is essential for successful conversations and for making friends. Children with social communication difficulties require extra help to develop these skills.

When you take the TalkAbility Program, you’ll learn:
- How your child carries on conversation and the next steps to take to help him have back-and-forth conversations
- How to encourage your child to pay attention to the social messages people send non-verbally
- How to talk so your child can tune in to what others are thinking ; help them appreciate another person<s feelings and point of view
- How to help your child tell stories and play imaginatively
- How to help your child make friends

Program Components
- Informative and personal classes for small groups of parents
- A Hanen Certified speech-language pathologist who leads the program and has received special training from The Hanen Centre
- A pre-program consultation for you and your child with your speech-language pathologist
- Individual video feedback sessions of you interacting with your child, so you can “see” what is helping and what else you can do
- Individual video feedback of your child playing with another child so you can “see” how you help their interaction

Individualized targeted 3 session consultation to work on a specific goal. These may include: functional skills such as toileting, eating, hygeine; communication goals (i.e., functional communication); identifying alternatives to disruptive behaviour, etc.

This skills group will aim to teach preschool and kindergarten learners prosocial skills for transitioning into the demands of a school setting. Learners will focus on school readiness skills, play skills, as well as self-awareness skills. This social skills group will provide learners with an opportunity to explore and practice social skills such as asking for help, greeting peers, turn taking, asking peers to play, and joining in on other peers’ play. Through a variety of facilitated activities, this group will also help learners identify and practice skills needed for managing their emotions and learning to cooperate with other peers.

This skills group will aim to teach school aged learners’ important social skill for engaging in social play and social interactions, building friendships with peers, as well as managing emotions in challenging social settings. Learners will have the opportunity to identify their social strengths as well as an opportunity to practice play skills, language skills, self-regulation skills and school readiness skills. This social skills group will provide a variety of facilitated activities that will encourage learners to connect with peers, enhance their self-awareness skills and practice problem solving and cooperation skills.

The RUBI Parent Training for Disruptive Behaviours is intended to equip parents with a variety of techniques and tools that can help minimize disruptive behaviours and increase desired behaviours. It provides families with a wealth of information that can assist in their day-to-day planning for their child by including teaching opportunities for play skills, daily living skills as well as opportunities to apply behaviour management skills for encouraging desired behaviours.

The Think Good Feel Good program uses a cognitive behavioural approach to explore and test thoughts as well as learn alternative cognitive and behavioural skills. The program helps learners explore their thoughts and feelings and understand the impact these have on their actions. The goal of the program is to gain greater control over what happens in our lives while increasing overall happiness.

Sensory Yoga classes consist of yoga postures, breathing techniques and relaxation. Classes are held for children with sensory differences. Programs are adaptable to individual needs. Benefits include improved balance, coordination and strength. Learn practical tools to help manage stress and create a calm and focused mind. Learn in a safe and enjoyable environment with an occupational therapist certified to deliver sensory yoga.

Sensory Survival Course is designed to equip caregivers to better understand their child’s sensory differences and to learn strategies for how they can best support their child’s sensory differences.

Mealtimes can be full of stress and overwhelm for families with a picky eater, Rachel and Julie provide a team perspective (OT and SLP) to provide caregivers with an understanding of why children may be “picky eaters” and how parents can support their child to become more open to trying and exploring new foods. Make mealtimes fun again by learning tips for gradually increasing your child’s interest in new or less-preferred foods.

This caregiver workshop is designed to give caregivers a better understanding of what fine motor skills are expected for their child, why fine motor skills are important, and simple tips for supporting fine motor skills at home. It includes a quick consultation phone call of up to 30 minutes to discuss how the strategies can be implemented and/or individualized.

Children with ASD commonly face challenges with eating a healthy range of foods for many reasons. Come and learn more about why your child might be struggling with food and strategies to support healthy eating habits and a wider food variety. For further guidance and support, an individualized follow-up session may also be scheduled during the week following the presentation.

Parents of children with ASD will learn how to use visuals to support the learning and understanding of new concepts. Parents will learn how visuals can fit into existing daily interactions and routines and how they can be phased out over time. Parents will also learn how to use visuals to break big skills down into small steps, to make it easier to learn new concepts/skills.

This one-hour presentation offers strategies to support children and youth who experience ASD and anxiety.  

Educational sessions for caregivers wanting to learn more about ASD and social skills. Over the course of these four 1 hour sessions, caregivers will learn about why social language is important, what the key components of social language are, and how to help your child learn about neurotypical communication. Each session will discuss a different topic and will build on the previous one. If you are unable to attend all 4 sessions, you are still welcome to attend.

The Next Step (8-12 year olds) will review emotions and zones and focus on the identification of moving through the zones. Strategies to increase ability to self-calm, increase alertness, and increase awareness of potential triggers.

GJCC Focused Consultative ABA services (using the techniques and strategies of Applied Behaviour Analysis – ABA) can help individuals learn new skills, cope with, and tolerate different situations, and decrease some challenging behaviours. Individualized plans will include 1 goal, which is then broken into smaller steps through teaching strategies. Some examples are:
- Improving social skills, taking turns
- Following instructions, transitioning between activities, following a schedule
- Learning to care for personal needs, like: getting dressed, teeth brushing, basic daily self care

You will guide the process. Together, we will talk about your needs, goals, and what you and your child/youth need support with. Do not worry; we will help give clinical recommendations if you do not know where to start.

When you have selected the goal, we will observe and assess your child/youth to see his/her current strengths and needs. Our clinical team will create an individualized 10-week plan for your child/youth based on your goals. Your child/youth will be working 1-1 with a Behavioural Therapist to deliver the plan with the Clinical Supervision of the BCBA.  There are also opportunities for caregiver mediated coaching throughout the 8 weeks of sessions. All services can be delivered virtually or in-person, as determined in collaboration with your child/youth’s Behaviour Clinician (BCBA).  These goals can happen in a variety of environments based on needs and consents.

Children’s Friendship Training is an evidence based interactive program delivered in module sessions in which children and families develop and practice social skills necessary to initiate and maintain meaningful peer relationships.  Caregiver’s attend sessions at the same time as their children/youth.

Through ten modules, children will learn to make phone calls, host play-dates, maintain play, share in the interests of others’, and respond appropriately to bullying/teasing. During these sessions caregivers will learn how to support their children in the exciting new world of social opportunities. 

Facilitators will complete a pre-screening tool with families expressing an interest in participating.

Register for 1 session or all 11, as each session will be different interactive fun activities. Sibshops is an opportunity for the siblings of children with ASD to meet other siblings in a relaxed, recreational setting. In a fun and relaxing atmosphere, facilitators will provide opportunities to discuss common joys and concerns, how to handle commonly experienced situations, and a venue to learn more about the implication of their siblings’ special needs.

We are pleased to offer drop-in clinics to access a 50-minute consultation session with Dr. Price. This service would be appropriate for caregivers of children of any age or adolescents who wish to have an individual consultation themselves. Clients will be able to schedule a time during one of the clinic days, where they are able to discuss any current mental health concerns, learning basic strategies that can be implemented at home and in the community, and to receive recommendations to plan for next steps.

The Resilience Builder Program (Alvord, Zucker, & Grados, 2011) is designed to support children, aged 9 to 12 years, to bounce back from stress by developing resilience and protective factors, such as self- awareness, self-regulation, flexible thinking, and social competence. This virtual caregiver group intends to provide program material and psychoeducation regarding the above topics for caregivers to didactically support the needs of their child(ren) at home. All materials will be provided.