Tag: Springbrook Autism Behavioral

Join Dr. Holmes as she discusses congregational inclusion with Rabbi Steven Rau. Rabbi Rau is the co-author with Stacey Levy of the book Everyone is Welcome: Creating a Culture of Inclusion in Congregational Schools. Dr. Holmes and Rabbi Rau talk through the book which is relevant for every faith in creating an inclusive environment as well as staff training and the importance of role models and building programs around a child’s individual needs. The book is available on Amazon and Behrman House Publishing.

Rabbi Steven H. Rau joined The Temple staff as Director of Lifelong Learning in 2002. He oversees The Temple’s Breman Education Center, Project Connect (youth engagement department), Tamid: A Lifetime of Jewish Learning (adult education), and the Weinberg Early Learning Center. Rau and the educational team have revitalized The Temple’s educational and youth engagement programs, which is one of twenty supplemental educational programs in North America accredited by the Association for Reform Jewish Educators (ARJE) in 2009.

Rabbi Steven Rau was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and received a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communications. During his undergraduate studies, Rabbi Rau attended Tel Aviv University in Israel. He received a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and was ordained in 1998. In 2003, Rau received the coveted title of Reform Jewish Educator from the ARJE. Additionally, he holds a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida. Before moving to Atlanta, Rabbi Rau served as Associate Rabbi and Director of Youth and Education at Congregation Ahavath Chesed in Jacksonville, Florida.

Rabbi Rau is actively involved in the greater Jewish educational world, serving nationally as a member of the ARJE Accreditation Committee, and locally as a board member of Jewish Family and Career Services. Rabbi Rau is co-author of Everyone is Welcome: Creating a Culture of Inclusion in Congregational Schools, published by URJ Press, and was a contributing writer and part of the editorial team of Mishkan Tefilah for Youth and Mishkan HaNefesh for Youth, both published by the Central Conference of American Rabbis. In 2017, Rabbi Rau was honored by the ARJE as Distinguished Educator.

Rabbi Rau and his wife, Julie, have five children – daughters Aviv and Amit, and sons Ohad, Matthew, and Reid, and a sweet Cockapoo named George.

http://www.the-temple.org/

Dr. Holmes shares today points from her most requested seminar topic, “Thriving with Autism!” Families are systems and as educators and professionals working with families with an autistic child, here are some things you need to know to best support the family. Stephanie shares both as a professional and parent things she wishes educators and professionals would have known to best support their child and family.

You can find out more about Dr. Stephanie Holmes at www.counselorstephanieholmes.com or the hopefully new website HolmesASR.com or find her on YouTube under Dr.Stepanie C. Holmes.

Join Dr. Holmes and she interviews Dr. John Chimarusti who shares his story of being “born dead” and left on a table to die covered by a sheet with medical professionals encouraging his parents to “let him go, he will not have a quality of life.” Dr. Chimarusti shares his emotional journey as a person with cerebral palsy and his family’s emotional journey roller coaster navigating the ups and downs of a family life cycle. Dr. Chimarusti is passionate about supporting families with children with various differences and disabilities to instill hope as part of the family’s journey. There is hope for a future and reaching one’s potential, whatever that may be, but each family is on their own journey and medical and clinical professionals can learn to better support the journey instead of focusing on the challenges alone.

Dr. John Chimarusti holds his BS in Psychology, MA in Social Work, and Ph.D. in Family studies. He currently works at Carrie Tingley Hospital as an Outpatient Social Worker, from May 21, 1996, through the present. He has also been an instructor for the University of New Mexico. He is able to be contacted at jchimarusti@salud.unm.edu.

Join Dr. Holmes and author and speaker Jude Morrow to discuss moving beyond “Autism Awareness” to autism acceptance and action and increasing training of neurodiversity.

Jude Morrow presented with communication and social difficulties early in life, which led to the diagnosis of Asperger’s at age 11. Despite having educational challenges, Jude progressed through secondary school and graduated from the University of Ulster with an honor’s degree in social work in 2012. Jude is the author of “Why does daddy always look so sad?” He is the founder of Neurodiversity Training International.

About NTI: The World’s Premier Training, Coaching, and Advocacy Platform Providing CPD Accredited Training For Neurodiverse Individuals, Schools, Employers, Families, And Wider Society. Although we are based in NI, we deliver a range of online learning and we can travel to wherever you are in the world.

Contact us at https://www.neurodiversity-training.com

Join Dr. Holmes as she interviews Rev. Dondra Davis as they discuss accessibility and preparing members of faith communities to welcome and accept people with differences and disabilities.
Rev. Davis is passionate about disability awareness as both a religious leader and a personal experience through her own journey with a physical disability. Dr. Holmes and Rev. Davis will talk about the negative stigmas concerning disability that must be dealt with in the local community to create places of worship and faith communities that are aware, accessible, and accepting but also willing to take action to provide steps toward the inclusion of all members of the disability community.

Rev. Dondra Davis is the Associate Pastor at Kingswood Church in Dunwoody, GA. She has held this position since her graduation from seminary at Emory University in 2018 where she completed a Master of Divinity. She has been on staff at Kingswood Church since 2009, first as the part-time Sports and Fitness Director (2009-2011), then as the part-time Director of Youth Ministry (2011 – present). In addition to her duties with the youth, she is heavily involved with pastoral/congregational care at Kingswood.

Rev. Davis is also a Licensed Professional Counselor. She holds a Master of Science degree in Psychology from Georgia College and she worked as a Case Manager in various Physical Rehabilitation centers for fifteen years. Her role in these facilities was to work with patients and families on adjustment to disability issues as well as being the liaison between the patient/family, insurance, and medical staff. One of her primary roles was to advocate for the patient/family and help guide them through the medical system after their disabling medical condition.

Join Dr. Holmes as she interviews Beth Golik from Key Ministry on creating a place of worship that welcomes every child. Beth offers practical tips for ministry leaders on how to create a welcoming atmosphere for families with children with hidden disabilities such as autism and tools and strategies that are not cost-prohibitive. From the website to the parking lot to the building accessibility, the place of worship is communicating about its willingness and ability to serve families with different needs. Beth will provide insight, tools, and strategies for serving the family and child with special needs.

Beth Golik is the Operations Director for Key Ministry, an organization that provides knowledge, innovation, and experience to the worldwide church as it ministers to and with families of kids with disabilities. She hosts a monthly Disability Ministry Video Roundtable for ministry leaders and has convened a weekly Idea Share with church leaders across the country during the time of COVID-19. Beth also serves as the special needs ministry director at Bay Presbyterian Church in suburban Cleveland. She has a passion for connecting people to resources through networking and relationship building. You can find her and more about Key Ministry at:

www.keyministry.org

Dr. Holmes has as her guest today, Bree, and they will be discussing what a family with a child on the autism spectrum may experience in a place of worship. Bree is a marketing executive for a large organization in the southeast and has practical tips for places of worship to become more knowledgeable and accessible to families with members with autism. Bree grew up in a home with a brother diagnosed in the 1960s as mentally impaired but today with better diagnostics and understanding of autism would be considered on the autism spectrum with cognitive impairment requiring moderate to substantial support. She is the proud mom of a delightful first grader who was diagnosed with Asperger’s/Autism Level 1 the same year as her husband was diagnosed with the same. Bree provides insight behind the scenes to family life in a family system with autism and practical tips for places of worship to become more welcoming and accommodating.