Counseling

Addressing important issues for people with ID/DD

A Conversation with Dr. Temple Grandin

Topic: Challenging Behaviors, Counseling, Self-Advocacy, Staff Training
Format: Video, Q&A
Population: ASD
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

Our recent conversation with Dr. Temple Grandin centers around the sensory issues and the need to develop a person's area of strength.

Coping Training

A Lesson Plan from YAI's Coping Training Video

Topic: Staff Training, Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) sometimes have emotional difficulties and have trouble coping with life\'s daily problems. This unit is designed to be used with the video of the same name. This manual includes a few clips from the video showing actual footage of staff discussing problems with a person with IDD. The full training DVD is available for purchase in the YAI Training Store.

Counseling Challenges with Jon Gold

Expert Tips & Challenges

Topic: Counseling
Format: Tips and Challenges
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

The concept of therapist/patient confidentiality can be challenging for people with developmental disabilities. They may be reluctant to share relevant information about their lives fearing that the therapist may "get them in trouble." Expert Jon Gold explores this challenge along with tips for creating a successful therapeutic relationship.

Counseling in an Employment Program

Topic: Staff Training, Supported Employment, Counseling
Format: Handout/Review Sheet
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning)

This is a quick, one-page document with tips for how to effectively counsel individuals in an employment program.

Cultivating Signature Strengths

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling, Challenging Behaviors, Self-Advocacy
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult, Young Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

Cultivating Signature Strengths begins by introducing the learners to the concept of resiliency, the ability to bounce back from life\'s challenges. Using a simple tool, this lesson helps each individual examine his/her strengths and find ways to incorporate them more often into each day.

Death & Dying

Helping Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities to Cope with Significant Loss

Topic: Staff Training, Counseling, Aging
Format: PowerPoint/Presentation
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: All

This guide will help staff support grieving adults in their program in a number of significant ways.

Dual Diagnosis Problem Solving Tips by Residential Psychologist Abby Baker Lynch

Expert Tips & Challenges

Topic: Counseling, Challenging Behaviors
Format: Tips and Challenges
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

Abby Baker-Lynch, MA, Regional Psychology Consultant, at YAI Networkand Mental Health Therapist, at YAI's Article 16 Clinic, shares some of her "tips and challenges" regarding problem solving. Abby works as an Applied Behavioral Science Specialist for an Independent Residential Alternative (IRA), curriculum development consultant, and has been a staff trainer for the last 25 years. Abby\'s clinical expertise is in the area of dual diagnosis with people with Intellectual Disabilities.

Emotion-Focused Coping

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

In this lesson, participants learn that knowing how to handle their emotions will make them happier and more resilient. Through engaging activities and games, participants learn to distinguish between situations they can manage through problem solving skills and those that require emotional focused coping. Attendees learn and participate 4 emotion focused coping strategies.

Feeling Good About Ourselves

A Lesson Plan from "Ready...Set...Work!"

Topic: Supported Employment, Counseling, Self-Advocacy
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

"Feeling Good" curriculum contains lesson plans and consumer worksheets for helping consumers build and project confidence.

Feelings

A Lesson Plan From Social-Sexual Skills In the City

Topic: Healthy Lifestyles, Relationships and Sexuality, Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult, Young Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

This lesson plan is filled with engaging activities that will help people with intellectual disabilities identify feelings and respond to them appropriately. They will learn to identify their own emotions and meet their needs with more consideration and better results.

Food for Thought: What Food May Mean To People With Disabilities

An Article by Dave Hingsburger

Topic: Healthy Lifestyles, Counseling
Format: Newsletter
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

Understanding what meaning food holds for people with disabilities is critically important when trying to teach about nutrition and health. Dave Hingsburger does a wonderful job of helping staff to realize how our consumers think about food and gives excellent insights on how we might change the way we work with people in terms of using reinforcement and teaching healthy eating habits.

Forgiveness

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

In the lesson, Forgiveness, participants learn that people who are able to forgive are happier and more resilient.

GREAT

A Coping Curriculum

Topic: Counseling
Format: Manual
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult, Senior
Levels of Disability: Moderate, Mild (high functioning), Severe

This curriculum written by Ellen M. Keller, Psy.D., teaches people with ID/DD how to identify and cope with core emotions. It's filled with engaging games including Emotions Bingo, How to Be Great and Emotions Jeopardy. Exercises and activities include how to engage in acts of kindness, gratitude and relaxation exercises.

Grief: When You are at a Loss After a Loss

Vita Community Living Services -The Direct Support Worker NewsletterVolume 1: Issue 5

Topic: Counseling, Staff Training
Format: Handout/Review Sheet, Newsletter
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

Everyone needs the opportunity to take leave of and morn the passing of loved ones. The attempt to protect people with disabilities from grieving is a compassionate but mistaken gesture. Amanda Gee and Dave Hingsburger share valuable guidelines for supporting people with developmental disabilities through their individual ways of grieving

Kindness

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Healthy Lifestyles, Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

In this engaging lesson, participants learn that people who practice kindness are happier and more resilient (better able to bounce back). After viewing the movie "Pay it Forward," participants discuss how kind deeds make them feel and how they can be increased in everyday life.

Mindfulness

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling, Healthy Lifestyles
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult, Young Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

In this lesson, participants learn that people who are aware of and in control of their state of mind are happier and more resilient. Using a series of sensory meditations, participants learn how to focus in on their daily experience. Participants are then introduced to the use of meditative relaxation exercises as an important coping skill.

Nurturing Social Relationships

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling, Healthy Lifestyles, Relationships and Sexuality
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

In Nurturing Social Relationships, participants learn that people who have strong relationships are happier and more resilient.

Optimism and Positive Thinking

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling, Challenging Behaviors
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

In this lesson, participants learn that people who are optimistic are happier and better able to bounce back from difficulties.

Problem Solving

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Challenging Behaviors, Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

In this lesson, participants learn that people who have good problem solving skills are happier and more resilient (better able to bounce back). Activities allow them to learn the steps involved and gain experience in problem solving.

Relaxation Techniques

Topic: Challenging Behaviors, Self-Advocacy, Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

Are you relaxed yet? This lesson plan takes you step-by-step through the process of leading a relaxation group seated in chairs.

Rights of the Dying

Managing End of Life Care:Processing & Planning

Topic: Aging, Counseling
Format: PowerPoint/Presentation
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

This staff training discusses the historical perspective of grieving, commonly held myths and the right for knowledge. It includes many activities for moving staff through a personal exploration of feelings of loss and death to prepare them for the difficult and critical task of supporting others.

Savoring Life's Joys

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling, Healthy Lifestyles
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

In this lesson, participants learn that people who are able to savor life\'s joys are happier and more resilient. Through engaging activities participants learn strategies for savoring life, including reminiscing about the past, being in the moment and anticipating the the future.

Self-Management

Relaxation Techniques

Topic: Counseling, Self-Advocacy, Teaching Techniques
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

Often people with IDD have not learned how to relax when dealing with sadness, anxiety, anger and other emotions that cause stress. This training program teaches several relaxation techniques.

Setting Goals

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

In this lesson, your group will learn that people who set goals for themselves are happier and more resilient (better able
to bounce back). Using the included activities, group participants learn how having a goal improves their likelihood of being successful. Use the planning sheets to help your group develop a personal plan for coping and set goals for themselves.

Showing Gratitude

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult, Young Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

In this lesson, participants learn that people who feel and express gratitude are happier and more resilient.

Taking Care of Mind, Body & Soul

From "The Art of Bouncing Back"

Topic: Healthy Lifestyles, Counseling
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

In this lesson participants learn that people who take good care of themselves are happier and more resilient. Using activities, members explore different ways to look after their minds (using positive thinking), their bodies (diet / exercise / sleep), and their souls (practicing religion, using meditation/prayer, laughing every day).

Understanding Grief and Loss

Managing End of Life Care:Processing & Planning

Topic: Aging, Counseling
Format: PowerPoint/Presentation
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

People with intellectual disabilities experience grief in much the same way that other people do. However, various cognitive and emotional factors can impact their ability to understand and cope with loss. This in-depth training explores ways that staff can support the grieving process.