Therapies
Therapeutic Services are designed so that the skills gained at the Aaron Center are applied to an individual’s everyday routines at home, work, and classroom and in the community. The Aaron Center Staff consists of teachers, special educators, recreation therapists, pediatric and adult experienced and licensed physical, occupational, speech therapists, psychologists, counselors, and psychiatrists.
Speech Therapy
Speech and language therapy addresses the communication needs of adults and children. Speech therapists work on language comprehension and pronunciation skills. Alternative communication systems for non-verbal individuals can also be developed through speech therapy.
Feeding therapy skills assess and treat oral motor dysfunctions, taste and texture transition difficulties, and abnormal meal-time behaviors.
Occupational therapy improves the areas of fine motor, visual perception, and cognition through purposeful everyday activities. The areas addressed include hand skills, sensory function, eating, self-care, social skills and play/ leisure skills.
Physical therapy addresses the development of gross motor skills, including rolling, sitting, crawling, and walking as well as balance and coordination. It also helps with rehabilitation of adults with neurological and muscular dysfunction.
Recreational therapy provides services and recreational activities using a variety of techniques, including arts and crafts, sports, games, dance, movement and drama. Recreational Therapy improves reasoning abilities, builds confidence and socialization skills and helps to integrate individuals with diverse abilities into the community by teaching them how to use resources and recreational activities.
Cognitive Therapy involves a collaborative effort between psychotherapist and client to examine and understand negative thought patterns that are related to emotional and behavioral disturbance. Individuals are often able to quickly gain insight into the self-defeating thoughts that cloud their everyday lives. Clients are able to improve their awareness of irrational thought and learn to challenge these core beliefs. Examples of irrational thought patterns include catastrophizing, all or none thinking and overgeneralization. The tendency to perceive events in these and other ways contributes to great emotional distress for many people. These thoughts may also lead to unhealthy behaviors as individuals try to alleviate their discomfort.
Behavior Therapy identifies and reduces unhelpful patterns of functioning. Clients learn techniques that enable them to rid themselves of unwanted habits and establish healthier ways of living. Behavioral strategies like exposure therapies and systematic desensitization are used to treat phobias, obsessive patterns of thinking and compulsive or ritualistic behaviors. Progressive muscle relaxation is taught to help individuals reach their goals by reducing fear, conquer procrastination and lessen physical and mental discomfort.
