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From the Executive Director
Dear friends,
I am often asked, “What is the difference between ABA (Applied behavioral analysis) and DIRFloortime. Both of these terms refer to treatment approaches, often used for children with autism. Here at PCDA we use only DIRFloortime. There are many significant differences and I would like to highlight some of them each month in our newsletter. To start, we can contrast the differences in the understanding of motivation of behavior. The ABA approach is based on the idea that a child is motivated by the consequence of their behavior, typically receiving a reward or not receiving attention or a desired reward. In DIRFloortime, we view a child’s behavior to be primarily motivated by the feelings aroused during an interaction and by forming a warm relationship with another person. DIR is founded on the idea that children (and all of us) derive pleasure from sharing in a trusting relationship with another person who knows us, cares for us, and us for them. Building from this foundation, a child learns to communicate, tolerate uncomfortable feelings, and advance to higher levels of empathy, cooperation, and ethical thinking. Using the DIRFloortime framework, we do not focus on consequences or rewards but rather on building warm relationships. More about the differences, next month. Any parent who is interested in learning more is invited to attend our Orientation to Floortime class (a vendored program). I hope you will join us for one of the many PCDA events this month!
Thank you,
Diane Cullinane, M.D.
Executive Director |
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Please join our efforts for children;
click on the flowers to donate today
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Upcoming Events
Community Events – Visit the PCDA booth!
- May 19: Community Education Conference
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A BIG Thank You to everyone who came to our
Creative Arts Benefit Concert!
Thank you to all our performers and guests!
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PCDA Music Therapy Teaching Tour
Our Creative Arts Team is gearing up to present DIR and Music Therapy at the World Congress of Music Therapy and also provide training to families with limited resources in Japan and Taiwan. For a small donation, you can request a song from these musicians/ therapists and they will post for you on Youtube with a dedication! It is the Perfect Mother's Day gift!
To donate, please visit out crowdfunding page at: https://www.generosity.com/volunteer-fundraising/pcda-music-therapy-teaching-tour--2
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Thank you to our sponsors, vendors, and guests who came to our annual Move-A-Thon event on May 6th . Rain or shine, we had a blast providing fun activities for all ages and abilities!
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Thank you to our Move-A-Thon Leadership Sponsor
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Two New Social Skills Programs
Fun and Friends*
A Social Skills group for 3-4 year olds
PCDA is now offering Social Skills playgroup for 3-4 year olds!
Friday mornings from 9am – 10:30am at PCDA.
Parents are encouraged to join the fun with their little ones.
Socials Skills Group now in Baldwin Park!*
PCDA is happy to announce their collaboration with the City of Baldwin Park Department of Recreation and Community Services. Social Skills Groups are now being offered at the Teri G. Muse Family Service Center.
*Both programs are vendored by the regional center
For more information, please contact Jennifer Avendano at 626-793-7350 x222
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PCDA Parents' Meeting
Calling all Parents!
Please come to the 1st Annual PCDA Parents’ Meeting on
Saturday, June 17, 2:30pm – 4:00pm.
Meet other parents, learn about PCDA plans and events, learn about ways to volunteer, give us your ideas, and WIN raffle prizes! Please RSVP by calling or email to reception1@pcdateam.org *Child care available*
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In the Spotlight: Gabriel
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Gabriel has been an active Floortime participant with his Mom and Dad for over five years. When he started at PCDA, he faced great challenges in communicating with very little use of spoken language, and what language he had consisted mainly of immediate echolalia, where he would repeat the word he had just heard with little comprehension and no spontaneous use. His frustrations led to frequent tantrums and aggressive behaviors. In Floortime sessions with Dr. Brandt Chamberlain, both parents have focused on emotional attunement, as they become fully present to gain a deep understanding of Gabriel’s feelings, then communicate this understanding back to him with calm confidence. This is the basis of their ongoing emotional reciprocity with Gabriel, which enables him to co-regulate with them and manage his strong feelings, substantially reducing the frequency and severity of his meltdowns. Recently Gabriel’s spontaneous use of language has been increasing, as he has also renewed his involvement in speech therapy, and has begun 1:1 instruction in martial arts, helping him manage both his emotions and his movements. Developing mutual enjoyment through Floortime activities such as jigsaw puzzles, playing with musical instruments and microphones, and pretend play, Gabriel and his parents have developed a mutual ease and flow in their relationships, deepening the sense of trust and affirmation and building a strong and supportive family. |
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In the Spotlight: Ryuji Yoneyma
Psychology & Counseling Services is pleased to announce that we have been joined by a new Marriage and Family Therapy Intern, Ryuji Yoneyama, M.S. Ryuji earned his Master’s degree at California State University, Northridge, and has worked as an MFT Trainee at a Family Counseling Clinic providing individual, family, and group therapy for adults, teens, and children. He created and co-facilitated a leadership group for teen boys. He also has experience providing behavioral support for children with autism in families’ homes. As an Aikido instructor, Ryuji helped children build motor planning and self-regulation of emotions in a context of interpersonal respect. Please help us welcome Ryuji to the PCDA Team!
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Congratulations Taylor Thatcher for being
DI of the Month!
Taylor came to PCDA as a volunteer during her undergrad and supported with various social skills events and groups. She completed her B.A. in Psychology from the University of La Verne. We are pleased to have Taylor part of PCDA. Taylor continues to grow her in role as a DI and is a delight to work with alongside her clients and families. We are honored to award her with DI of the Month.
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NOW HIRING Child Development Interventionists
A child development interventionist supports a child through play-based intervention in programs in the clinic and in the home and community settings.
For more information, visit: http://www.pcdateam.org/career-opportunities/
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HELP US GET FUNDING FOR ALL AUTISM TREATMENT!
The DIR/Floortime Coalition has a new bill--Senator Anthony Portantino's SB 399 will require insurance funding for the most appropriate treatment approach for each patient with autism!
We need you to add your name to our sample letter. We must show that parents, professionals, and organizations are behind this bill.
Please click here to add your name: http://www.dirfloortimecoc.com/news--updates.html
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FREE SEMINAR ON SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY
On April 24th, PCDA along with Leadership Pasadena, Ability First, and Villa Esperanza had a safety seminar with Chief Sanchez and the Pasadena Fire and Police Department. More than 70 guests were in attendance to learn tips on how to engage and interact safely between community workers and people with disabilities.
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Book of the Month:
Hug
by Jez Alborough
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Bobo needs a hug. But his friends don't seem to understand. "Hug," he implores, time and again. Time and again his puzzled pals—from the smallest chameleon to the tallest giraffe—shrug and cuddle with their jungle mothers. As the lonely chimp's plea escalates, his friends grow concerned. Can the elephants lead Bobo to his heart's desire? |
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Nutrient of the Month:
Vitamin B12!
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Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is one of many B-vitamins that plays an important role in helping the body’s cells receive oxygen and produce energy. It also acts as an antioxidant, preventing damage to healthy cells. Many foods are good sources of riboflavin, including whole grains, almonds, spinach, cucumber, wild rice, mushrooms, milk, eggs, and broccoli.
Spinach grows year round in sunny California. Try adding it to soups, pastas, smoothies, salads, sauces and dips. Try these kid approved spinach lasagna roll-ups with your family! |
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Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
Ingredients
- 8 traditional lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
- 1 egg
- 1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 4 cups fresh spinach (loosely packed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Seasonings you enjoy (ex: black pepper, basil, oregano, garlic, onion powder, etc.)
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Cook lasagna noodles. Drain and immediately lay them on a non-stick baking sheet.
- In large bowl, combine the egg, seasonings, ricotta cheese, and parmesan cheese to make the cheese filling. In a separate bowl, combine the spinach and olive oil.
- To prepare lasagna roll-ups, spread each lasagna noodle with 2 tablespoons of cheese filling. Top with a handful of spinach [about ¼ cup per roll-up].
- Roll up each noodle starting at one end, leaving all rolls on the baking sheet. Repeat until all noodles have been filled and rolled.
- Pour ¼ cup of marinara sauce over each roll-up and top with ¼ cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 375, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
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We are honored to have your support – thank you,
April 2017 Donors!
Matthew Kitagawa
David Creed
Gayla Espinoza
Suzanne and Martin Ross
Madeline Savegh
Gloria and Paul Kilian
Ryuichi Nakayama
Edmundo Sutro
Ellen and Jeffrey Wong
Preetha Sundareswaran
Maria Frias
Ella Huang
Yoshiko Uemura
Marlene & Robert Evans
Susan Avila
Glen Kawahara
Lourdes Lopez
Wendy Ogata
Diane and Bill Cullinane
Benjamin Robbins
Sandra Russell
Susan Ziegler
Karen Borman
Lydia Jang
Mark Welches
Linda Blake
Denise Davis
Huntington Hospital
Greta and Peter Mandell
Stacy Harmon
Laura and Matthew Lynch
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Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. Support your PCDA by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com. To learn more please click here.
Click here to visit our wish list to
make an in-kind donation.
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PCDA is committed to providing children with developmental challenges and their families with the best possible child development programs. Your donations will help us continue our commitment in leadership in service and professional education. PCDA is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Please learn more about the ways that you can support our efforts.
For further information, please contact Franci Levine-Grater at (626) 793-7350 ext. 289. |
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PCDA improves the lives of children and young adults who have autism or other developmental challenges, through leadership in family-centered, multidisciplinary services and professional training.
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