Five Years of Growth
Author: Jillian Spofford
At the time of writing this, I am wrapping up working at The Shoreline Center for 5 incredible years. Throughout this time, I’ve worked with many clients, all extremely different from one another, and I feel lucky to have gotten to know each and every family. While each client we serve is different from any other, the objective is ultimately the same: teaching skills that will aid children in different areas to help enrich their lives.
The center does an amazing job providing a safe and professional environment, ensuring all staff are extremely supported to provide quality therapy. Since I started, I’ve made many friends in my coworkers, who share the same passion to aid our clients day in and out. Not only did we share the same drive, but we also worked well to help one another out in any way possible! For example, we planned out times when clients could meet to run social goals, be available for a conversation/greeting practice with clients, or something as simple as grabbing a thermometer or communication log!
My favorite aspect of work, though, was spending time with our clients. They themselves are truly a joy to work with; we learn from each other every day! I learned how to apply techniques I learned with one client, and use them across the board, while clients are able to take the skills they’ve gained and generalize them across different environments. While in session, we were on the lookout for new behaviors, and relay information/data taken to our awesome BCBAs. This helps the BCBAs create a plan to decrease/increase certain behaviors. Working on making these changes does not always come super quickly to a child, but it is the most amazing thing to see when the time comes! For example, the behavior of screaming/yelling decreases, while asking appropriately for an item increases!
The way in which our clients communicate their wants/needs varies across clients, whether vocally, signing or using their device! It has been truly awesome to hear their voices, see (and learn) their signs, and see them navigate their device (and once again, learn!). I’ve seen many of our clients communicate what they need/want, again, varying from person to person. This may look like independently using a coping skill, saying “break”, or touching a break card.
Helping clients advocate for themselves, and teaching them in ways they can learn is super important to me. It is truly rewarding to see clients take the skills they learn, and apply them in different places with different people. The positive stories, endless gratitude for the progress their child makes, and the quality of therapy the child receives is what made me absolutely sure I was at the right place!
Jillian Spofford, RBT
