Person-Focused Consultation is a unique service provided in the individual’s home by an experienced, degreed professional who will develop and implement positive, proactive, and evidenced-based strategies.  The primary outcome is to improve the individual’s overall quality of life across all their environments.  Household members and caregivers will receive education, coaching, and encouragement (cheerleading) on various individualized strategies to promote more positive interactions between the individual and supporting family. This service focuses on making changes to the person’s home environment to increase healthy skills, reduce problem situations, and promote more positive interactions with others.

 Positive support strategies may include, but are not limited to:

• Incentive procedures

• Clarifying expectations

• Adaptive measures

• Visual routines/schedules

• Transition schedules

• Community Integration

• Communication plans

• Teaching strategies

• Skill enhancements

Individual Therapy is facilitated by a Masters’ level professional with Missouri State licensure in counseling (LPC) or social work (LMSW, LCSW) with extensive experience with individuals with developmental disabilities. This service provides interpersonal counseling for individuals struggling with issues related to anger, fear, anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma. This services also provides adjustment counseling to individuals struggling with elevated stress related to life changes.

Therapy issues include

• Anxiety

• Loneliness

• Depression

• Anger Management

• Isolation

• Trauma

• Grief

• Social Learning

• Relationship Challenges

• Bully Prevention

 Individual Therapy is also available for parents/natural caregivers of individuals being served by Northland Connections who experience their own behavioral-emotional challenges which directly interfere with providing sound care for their family member with a developmental disability.

The specific course of treatment varies from individual to individual.  In general, new therapy clients start at one session per week for up to 12 weeks.  After this, clients typically titrate to every other week for up to an additional 12-16 weeks.