We’re looking forward to another great conference with Autism One. Please see their website for more information - I couldn’t get the photos to upload this morning!

jan10-autism-one12

http://www.autismone.org/category/categories/conferences/2009-chicago-conference-page

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/health/2009/12/07/chetry.childs.brain.cnn.html

I thought this was an informative and articulate study and explanation on children with autism’s brain function.  The more we understand, the better we are.

Have a great day everyone!!!!

Britt Collins, MS, ORT/L will be speaking on OT in the HOME and OT in the SCHOOL on December 4th, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

http://www.fhautism.com/Conferences/LittleRockSensoryConferenceDetails/tabid/192/Default.aspx

Also headlinging the conference is Carol Kranowitz, author of “The Out of Sync Child.”

Britt will be presenting at 1pm and again at 3pm.

All our best,

Jackie and Britt

For the month of September, our friend Dayna, has offered 100% of sales to benefit Special Needs United, our non-profit organization.  Thank you so much for your support!  Please check out her website and pick some wonderful smelling delights - I know I’ll be there:)

Hi there - we’ve got a special Autism One Radio show airing tomorrow, June 5th, 2009 on autismone.org.  Dr. Angela N. Hissong and Britt Collins, M.S., OTR/L talk about Moms!  How they need their own time, how to do this, how insurance can help, and then they go over resources, tips and suggestions.  I know I sure enjoyed the show and I was the one asking questions:)

Here’s a list of Dr. Angela N. Hissong’s recommended resources:

1. Ban Breathnach, S. Simple Abundance Series. http://www.simpleabundance.com/
2. Bateson, M. C. (1990). Composing a life. New York: Penguin Publishing.
3. Belenky, M.F., Clinchy, B.M, Goldenberger, N.R., & Tarule, J.M. (1986). Women’s ways of knowing: The development of self, voice, and mind. New York: Perseus Books.
4. de Marneffe, D. (2004). Maternal desire. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
5. Domar, A. (2000). Self-nurture. Learning to care for yourself as effectively as you care for everyone else. New York: Penguin Putnam Publishing.
6. Hasselkus, B.R. (2002). The meaning of everyday occupation. Thorofare: Slack.
7. Louden, Jen. Comfort Queen Series http://www.comfortqueen.com/
8. Morrow-Lindbergh, A. (1955). Gift from the sea. New York: Pantheon. ://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5232208
9. Ruddick, S. (1989). Maternal thinking. Boston: Beacon Press.
10. SARK Series http://www.planetsark.com/index.htm

Dr. Angela N. Hissong, OTR/L, CAPS  BIO and current information:

Dr. Angela N. Hissong is a community-based occupational therapist and faculty in the occupational therapy programs at Pennsylvania State University & Chatham University. She received a doctoral degree from Pennsylvania State University in adult education with an emphasis on feminist studies and women’s wellness. Prior to her doctoral studies, she earned a baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy from the Medical College of Virginia. She also holds a baccalaureate degree in biology focusing on health sciences and a master’s degree in special education from Shippensburg University.

Dr. Hissong sincerely attempts to facilitate ways of knowing & learning in the areas of everyday living issues for children and youth, rural women’s health and well-being, and agriculture-related disabilities. Her primary areas of research and evidence-based practice involve gleaning a better understanding of the occupational performance, challenges, and adaptations of children and youth, mothers living in rural communities, and farmers with disabilities. She resides on a small farm in south central PA with her husband, two sons, and a host of animals.

Occupational Therapy - Living Life to Its Fullest

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

http://www.ma.psu.edu/ota

Mont Alto Program

Healthcare Education Specialist

AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians

http://aee.cas.psu.edu/agrab/Agrability.html

University Park

Hi everyone - Britt and I are up on facebook.  Still figuring out how to do some of the applications - but so far it’s pretty fun and I’ve already started meeting some cool parents.

You can find us at:

Jackie Linder Olson  and Britt E. Collins - our page is under www.TRPwellness.com  not to be confused with the website - it’s an actual Facebook page! 

Become a fan of our www.TRPwellness page on Facebook and join our discussion boards and keep up on what we have going on.  It’s a great place to meet other parents and professionals.

See you there!

Hi all, a big thank you to First Magazine for including me and my son in their Vision Board Article this month.  Joyce Schwarz wrote a beautiful book, “The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life,” that I got to be a part of.  It’s a helpful book on setting goals in the visual format rather than a list.  Many people have done this from Walt Disney to Coolio.  For me, it’s a visual reminder on what I’d like to accomplish.  Anyhow, the book is featured in First Magazine March 2009 issue and I’m in the article. 

What I’d like to add that the article didn’t have enough room for is this:

I put two very important things on my vision board.  1. I find the perfect and right therapist for my son.  and 2.  I find the perfect and right school for my son.  Those two things did not magically happen because I put them up on a vision board.  I went through two therapist before finding Britt Collins, MS, OTR/L.  The first I fired because I got a call that she was pushing my son in a stroller while shopping!  She wasn’t doing any therapy.  The second, I fired because I picked up my son and he had gone number two in his diaper and she didn’t change him.  I know it’s not her responsibility, but at least call me to come do it instead of proceeding to let him sit there in his own feces.  THEN I found Britt - who has become a very close family friend and business partner as well as therapist for my son.  So eventually I did find the perfect and right therapist - but it was not magic.  Although I’d like to think fate!

Secondly, the perfect and right school.  We had a number of issues with our school district for two years.  At one point, both my husband and I were standing on the school they had picked for our son and we both cried.  It was horrible.  We went to two private special needs schools that were wonderful - but the first only went to one age group and the second only went to pre-k - so after that we faught one last time with our district and then decided to move.  We looked in several areas before finding the school that we wanted our son to go to - and then we found a place to live in that district.  So we took pretty drastic measures to find the perfect and right school for our son.  Again, not magic, but it eventually worked out. 

So my point is.  I do love vision boards.  They work for me in the effect that they keep me focused and they keep my eye on the prize.  My son is doing well and is being mainstreamed, but it’s not strictly due to a beautiful board, it’s due to four years of intensive therapy, intervention, supplements, education, and an amazing group of support from friends and family!  It’s literally taken a village.

Without my boards, I don’t know if I would have followed through as much as I did.  I also don’t know if I would have been led into forming the company and producing the DVDs.  I think when you have a vision - the sky is the limit. 

I do hope both the book and article help others the way it has helped me.  But I wanted to add my ten cents!   Joyce’s book is available in book stores as well as on Amazon.com  http://www.amazon.com/Vision-Board-Secret-Extraordinary-Life/dp/0061579084/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236961485&sr=8-1

THANK YOU, Jackie