Brochure

David G. Nelson, MS, LPC

1970 Cliff Valley Way, Suite 107

Atlanta, GA 30329

404-295-0073

Dave Nelson offers counseling, training and intervention services to families of young children with challenges in relating and communicating, including children with autistic spectrum disorders. His philosophy is based in large part on the work of noted child development expert Dr. Stanley Greenspan, whose recent books include Building Healthy Minds and The Child With Special Needs.

Our Approach

Reciprocal social interaction--two-way communication--is central to development, including the areas of language, play skills, peer play, and cognitive skills. Effective reciprocal social interaction relies on a set of skills that most of us take for granted: looking at others, communicating nonverbally, initiating and responding to play overtures, getting someone's attention before communicating, and responding to questions and comments with related answers. These are all elements of what Dr. Stanley Greenspan calls "opening and closing circles of communication." This social connection enables us to learn from others, to develop relationships, and to become participating members of a family and community.

Children with developmental challenges often process information in ways that are different from typically developing children. Among other things, these children can have highly selective, repetitive, or unusual interests, as well as a narrow range of motivation. In a relationship-based approach, the adult works to establish social engagement--to rapidly open and close many circles of communication--by using these interests as a starting point. The adult builds upon these natural motivations to develop engagement, relatedness, and intentional two-way communication.

Stanley Greenspan's recent research shows that a child-centered, floor-time approach can improve attention and engagement in toddlers, reduce irritability, improve self-regulation, and foster a child's ability to move up the developmental ladder. This approach translates into a therapy that is respectful and nonjudgmental, and at the same time is comprehensive, intense, and effective. You can also find additional information about relationship-based intervention on the Internet at www.mindspring.com/~dgn.

"[The goal is to] mobilize and support the developmental processes . . . that are so vital to healthy development--sharing attention, self regulation, engaging with the child, two-way communication, emotional ideas, and emotional thinking.

"[Y]ou already possess the abilities needed to help your child. The key is knowing how to harness them."

--Dr. Stanley Greenspan

Guiding Principles

A multi-disciplinary, intensive approach built around a relationship-based intervention (i.e., floor-time) and geared towards the appropriate developmental level and a child's individual differences is the most effective way to address the needs of children with challenges in relating and communicating.
Parents represent a child's best opportunity for effective intervention and advocacy. Their attempts to understand fully and accept emotionally their relationship with their child are essential to the intervention process, and should be actively encouraged and supported.
Professionals and parents should evaluate therapy and school programs in light of their ability to:
Foster the core developmental capacities, including engagement; shared attention; intentional two-way communication; and emotional thinking.
Plan an intervention program that accounts for and takes advantage of the individual differences of a child, including sensory reactivity and defensiveness; food and environmental sensitivity; and learning style.

Background

Dave Nelson

A former teacher of business communication, Dave is a parent of an adolescent boy who was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) at age three. Based on his experience using a developmental, individual-difference, relationship-based approach with his own son, he changed careers to work with children facing developmental challenges and their families. Dave has worked with families for over eight years helping them to learn floor-time, to put together effective home therapy programs, and to integrate their children into appropriate school programs. Dave has an M.S. degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University's College of Education. He is licensed as a Professional Counselor (LPC) by the state of Georgia. He is affiliated with Florrtime Atlanta, a group of developmental professionals committed to helping parents and children.

Services

Parent Counseling. The issues parents face in coming to terms with a child who has developmental or other difficulties can be challenging. Helping parents understand their situation and approach it as effectively as possible for the whole family is a central focus of my counseling work. I also periodically hold group counseling sessions.
Parent Training. Everything from a simple two-hour introduction to "floor-time" to comprehensive help learning how to strengthen your interaction with your child to support in setting up and running a home therapy program for children with significant challenges. I also work with schools and other organizations to present parenting workshops.
Children's Therapy. Using Stanley Greenspan's Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based Approach (floor-time), I will work with your child of any age and level of development to strengthen his or her engagement, two-way interaction, and emotional growth. With all children, I generally prefer to work in conjunction with parents to facilitate the growth of everyone involved. Regarding some older children whom I may work with individually, parents should recognize that though they are entitled by law to receive complete disclosure, we may decide together that it is in the best interest of the child to keep details of some sessions confidential. Conditions that I address include developmental disorders, attention and impulsivity issues, and other emotional adjustment problems or behavioral concerns.