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What we can help with...

Behaviour

Management

Does your child have challenging behaviour?

An experienced therapist will initially meet with you to discuss you and your child’s needs. This discussion will take about 1and 1/2 hours and will cover your child's development, strengths and areas of concern.

 

We ask wherever possible that children do not attend this session as we do not like to talk about children in front of them or when they are in another room with a heightened awareness they are being discussed. 

 

If at any time during this initial appointment BCBM becomes aware they are not the best team for you and your family you will be immediately on-referred. Please bring all relevant documents and school reports with you to this initial appointment.

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This process will help to determine the priorities and most helpful options for your situation. Individual therapy, group sessions, parent skills development, family therapy, counselling or further referrals maybe among some of the options suggested.

Trauma

Has your child experienced trauma?

Trauma of any kind can impact behaviour and ability to function effectively. Children and young people are all impacted by trauma differently.

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Illness, accident, crime, local or global natural disasters, grief and loss, family breakdown, relocation, family violence, school or sibling bullying, learning struggles & sibling disability all can cause trauma for children, young people and families.

 

Helping families to work through traumatic experiences and understand the impact on behaviour can be very meaningful.

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Bobbi has a special interest in trauma and seeing families recover and operate to their potential.

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Often trauma related behaviours are very BIG in how they look and can be very overwhleming for those around them. They often appear very angry, disrespectful and deliberate. This can be very confusing for parents, teachers and children alike.

 

Learning to understand that most unhelpful behaviour is based in fear and anxiety helps us to manage our own reactions and then enables to help our kids. 

Anxiety

Is your child very anxious and fearful?

Anxiety can be crippling both for the person suffering and the whole family. A combination of counselling and skills development is usually required to overcome anxiety.

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Working closely with the  person, family, school and care environments is critical to meaningful and sustained outcomes in the area of anxiety.

 

A treatment programme is worked out on an individual basis initially, leading to group skills development where appropriate.

Anxiety

Is your child very anxious and fearful?

Anxiety can be crippling both for the person suffering and the whole family. A combination of counselling and skills development is usually required to overcome anxiety.

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Working closely with the  person, family, school and care environments is critical to meaningful and sustained outcomes in the area of anxiety.

 

A treatment programme is customised or tailored an individual basis initially, leading to group skills development where appropriate.

Anger Management

Is emotional regulation an issue for your child?

Counselling skills are used to help your child understand their emotions and possibly, although not necessarily, to identify the source of the struggle within. Behaviour Therapy will then be supportive of the child or young person in the development of skills to manage emotions from the inside, for themselves.

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Children develop behaviours that help them to manage their lives in one way or another. Some of these behaviours are helpful and other not so. Some children seem to pick up internal self management skills by osmosis along life's journey. Other children seem to require very deliberate and specific skill development.

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When we think about emotions we most usually think of the emotions that impact on others if children struggle to self manage. These include anger, frustration, boredom, loneliness, jealousy and over excitement.

Bullying

Is your child being bullied?

Finding out that your child is suffering bullying can be a hugely traumatic experience for parents. Often our children use behaviours that actually inadvertently attract bullying. These can include shyness, anxiety, fear, lack of friendship making skills, bossiness, lack of self confidence or self esteem, baby or silly talk to name a few.

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Bullying is never okay! There is no excuse for bullying.

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Often there is little as parents that we can do about the 'bullies' in an ongoing manner. However, supporting our children to develop skills that help them to effectively manage their responses and in effect  inoculate them to the impact of bullying, can be very helpful.

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Bobbi can work with you and your child to develop skills to decrease the doing the 'bully magnet' thing. This may take a little time but skill development and confidence building can make a huge difference.

Disability or Illness

Does your child have a disability or illness?

Disability and illness impact on all areas of family life not just the person involved. Siblings often struggle to come to terms with their feelings and wonder if they are normal, bad or have caused the illness in the first place.

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Support and counselling for all of your children involved in such a difficult situation can be provided. Referral to other appropriate support services and groups will be made as appropriate.

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Bobbi has specific experience with Autism, Aspergers, ADD/ADHD, Juvenile Huntingtons Disease, Cordelia De Lang Syndrome, Extra Chromosome disorders, Cancer, SIDS, Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome  and many other conditions.

Spectrum Disorders

Does your child have a spectrum disorder?

There are often very challenging behaviours associated with Spectrum disorders. These can range from only eating certain foods, needing to follow strict routines, focusing on particular interests, avoiding situations, not being able to tolerate light and sounds, explosive emotions and challenging behaviour.

 

Bobbi is able to provide support across a number of settings including home, childcare, school and extended family situations.

 

As each person and situation is so unique it is suggested you call for a phone consult to determine the most helpful path forward in your circumstance.

ADD/ADHD/ODD

Does your child have ADD, ADHD or ODD?

Understanding the behaviours related to these disorders can be very helpful. In understanding the motivation of the behaviour we can respond, rather than react and this can be more helpful for all concerned. 

Kinship & Foster Carer

Are you a Kinship or Foster Carer?

Bobbi herself is a kinship carer for her grandson who is 10. He has additional needs and challenging behaviours.

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Bobbi is well aquainted with the challenges for kinship and foster carers and provides support and advocacy as required. 

 

She has a wealth of knowledge of the 'system' and if she doesnt know the answer, she knows what to ask, how to find out and who to call!

Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome

(PDAS)

What is PADAS?

Pathological demand avoidance  Syndrome (PDAS) is increasingly, but not universally, accepted as a behaviour profile that is seen in some individuals on the autism spectrum.

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People with a demand avoidant profile share difficulties with others on the autism spectrum in social communication, social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests.

 

However, those who present with this particular diagnostic profile are driven to avoid everyday demands and expectations to an extreme extent. This demand avoidant behaviour is rooted in an anxiety-based need to be in control.

 

While the demand avoidant profile has been found to be relatively uncommon, it’s important to recognise and understand the distinct behaviour profile as it has implications for the way a person is best supported.

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Features of a demand avoidant profile

Autism is dimensional and the different profiles affect people in varying ways and to different degrees.

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People with a demand avoidant profile can appear to have better social understanding and communication skills than others on the autism spectrum, and are often able to use this to their advantage. However, they might not really have as good an understanding of social matters as it seems.

 

The distinctive features of a demand avoidant profile include:

 

People with this profile can appear controlling and dominating, especially when they feel anxious.

 

However, they can also be enigmatic and charming when they feel secure and in control. It’s important to acknowledge that these people have a hidden disability.

 

People with a demand avoidant profile are likely to need a lot of support. The earlier the recognition of PDA, the sooner appropriate support can be put in place.

 

See the PDA Society of UK for more information: www.pdasociety.org.uk

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