Parents Approve of Autism Journeys

It is my pleasure to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of Kate Andersen and the experienced staff at Autism Journeys. The programs offered by this first-rate treatment center have made all the practical difference in Greyson’s life. Greyson is a four-year old little boy who has made tremendous progress as a result of the research-based practices employed by the therapists at Autism Journeys. We chose this treatment program because of the superior interventions and social skills treatments that are used. We see the advantages of a multi-faceted approach in which intensive intervention with ABA, PLAY, RDI, PECS, Sensory Integration, and Social Communication Strategies have been implemented. We recognize the benefits of a center that offers a complete package: the occupational therapist, licensed clinical therapist, music therapist, speech-language pathologist, and primary service provider work in tandem to ensure the implementation of a seamless and fully integrated plan where all members of the team are privy to information about the methods used to assist Greyson.

We have worked with the staff at Autism Journeys for nearly two years. Research supports what we have experienced: early intervention and intensive therapy can result in dramatic improvements in cognitive, behavioral, and academic performance in children with autism spectrum disorder.

As a result of our involvement with Autism Journeys, Greyson has increased his interactions with peers and adults. He has learned techniques for self regulation when he gets over stimulated. He tolerates new experiences and has increased his fields of interest. He will make attempts to get dressed by him self, finger paint, go down slides with other children playing nearby, jump on a trampoline, initiate a conversation with another child at the park, and ask his sister about her interests rather than being fully engrossed in his own (remarkable feats for our son). He has improved his ability to recognize and label emotions (a particular weakness in kids with autism). His gross and fine motor skills have improved significantly. He can participate in a preschool setting with neurotypical peers. He has support in that setting from his primary therapist at Autism Journeys.

His improvements have had a significant impact on the whole family. We can go to a restaurant or movie without major tantrums. In the past, we have come home from family vacations in the middle of the night because Greyson was overwhelmed by new surroundings. Recently, we were able to stay over night and enjoy a family getaway. We were able to enjoy a Christmas performance with the audience clapping.

Autism Journeys has made our family’s journey with autism one that extends beyond mere survival. This journey can be very isolating and lonely. With the help of professionals at Autism Journeys, we now have hope and the ability to thrive as we live with this challenging, yet remarkable condition.

Sincerely,
Diana Bass
Mother to and cheerleader for Greyson

Five years ago this spring my wife Alysia and I learned the exciting and much anticipated news that she was expecting our 2nd child. However our excitement was quickly overshadowed with worry and stress when the Dr. informed us that our 2nd child was to be accompanied by our 3rd and 4th child as well. We were going to have Triplets boys! Through much prayer and with the support of Family and Friends Alysia survived a long 33 week pregnancy and delivered three healthy baby Boys on November 15, 2005.

Although we had braced ourselves for everything one could imagine with three infants boys, nothing could have prepared us for our next challenge. As the boys began to grow and progress we noticed that our son J.D. was not progressing along with the others. The other boys, Paxton and Will, had begun to babble and play games. They would show excitement when you entered the room. J.D. on the other hand sat content watching the toys on his bouncy chair spin round and round. It was a challenge to get J.D. to make eye contact with us let alone acknowledge that we were in the room. We knew that something was wrong. At the age of 2, J.D. was diagnosed with autism.

Immediately we started doing our research. What is autism? What can we expect? How do we treat it? Can we afford it? Out of all the different answers and opinions we were given there was one consistent theme that seemed to resonate in the autism community, and that is that early intervention and extensive therapy will be key to giving our son a fighting chance of normalcy.

After one year of therapy through a private school for autism we were not seeing the results in J.D. that we had hoped for. We were frustrated and wondering if we would ever have a relationship with our son, or at least hear him say the words "Mom" or "Dad". It was about this time that we were referred to Kate Andersen and Autism Journeys. They explained to us that they believed that each child with autism is a unique child with his our hers individual strengths and weaknesses, and should be treated as such. This was a breath of fresh air for us. For a whole year we had watched as J.D. had received treatment that was very “by the book” in a group setting where therapist were far outnumbered by children. Now were we were being told that J.D. could receive “one on one” treatment, group therapy and even home visits. Essentially what Autism Journeys told us is that J.D.’s responses would dictate what type of treatment was best suited for him. J.D. has now been with Autism Journeys for nearly one year. In this short year we have seen him make leaps and bounds from where he was. It is manifest in the way he now plays monsters with his brothers and big sister as they run around the house screaming (a relationship they did not have before). Or in the way he now sits at the dinner table and will even fold his arms during prayer. But by far the biggest accomplishment in my mind is having J.D. greet me at the door when I return from work, look me in the eye and say “Hi Daddy”.

I firmly believe that had it not been for us making the change one year ago to Autism Journeys, we would not be seeing the progress in our son that we do now. Their approach to individualizing J.D.’s treatment and their support for our family has been an answer to our prayers. We are in no way out of the woods with J.D. but at least we are now on the right path.

Mark & Alysia Weidner

My name is Megan and I am writing in behalf of my son, Mason. Mason is a beautiful little boy and was developing perfectly and ahead of schedule when he started to regress at eighteen months. When Mason was 21 months old he was diagnosed with autism. It felt as though our hearts had been shattered. The doctors also said his only chance at having a functional life would be to start an intense treatment plan right away.

We looked at every facility in Utah and could not find the right fit. Other programs seemed to have a “one size fits all” policy and that is not what Mason needed. He had specific problems that we needed to work on, but in a lot of other areas he excelled where other children struggled. When we found Autism Journeys we knew we had found the right place. They individualized Mason’s treatment plan to fit him exactly.

The difference has been profound. When we first started therapy Mason would not respond to his name, would not even notice if I was in the room, and was non-verbal. He now responds when I call him, he follows directions (most of the time, he is two after all), he is expanding his vocabulary daily, and he loves to play with his family. My favorite thing is that I feel like I am getting my son back.

What I have loved about Autism Journeys is that there is a “team” approach. All of his services are under one roof and they all work together. There is also a very strong emphasis on quality vs. quantity. We are not doing therapy all day every day, but we are doing the right therapy at the right time in the right way. Mason’s team is also very family oriented. They help our whole family learn how to cope and how to work better as a team. They provide a lot of teaching and instruction so we are able to provide therapy at home as well. Autism Journeys provides hope and they get great results.

Sincerely, Megan

I will never forget the day that autism entered our lives and seemingly changed them forever. July 22, 2008 my sweet 2 year old son Boston was diagnosed with PDD-NOS on the autism spectrum. I will never forget the moment the psychologist uttered those words. All of the dreams that you have for a child seemed to go down the drain. Dreams of going to watch him play sports, dating and going to dances in High School, hanging out with friends, just being in a regular classroom and someday hopefully getting married and having children of his own. All of those dreams seemed frozen.

Provided with little information of where to seek help from the doctor I began scouring the internet and going through the small list of therapists I was provided with. I placed him on a list for pre-school in the only government funded program to treat autism in our county. The wait would be two years. Everything I read about said the earlier the problem is treated the better. I had to start helping my son now, irregardless of whether we had the money or not.

I found a private therapist who began doing some ABA style therapy with my son. He did start to make some progress, but it was clear to me that Boston needed a more individualized program. I kept sending him to this therapist for 6 months, feeling there was no where else to turn. I received little to no feed back on how Boston was doing in these sessions. I wasn't allowed to observe the therapy at all and was given zero advice on what I should be doing with Boston at home.

In February of 2009 a new memory became emblazoned in my mind. This was the day we met Kate Andersen and her team at Autism Journeys. From the first moment we met Kate I had new found hope in helping Boston to reach his full potential.

When Boston first started his IDP at Autism Journeys he was only saying one word labels. He seemed stuck in this language phase prior to his therapy at Autism Journeys. 9 months later he is nearly up to age appropriate language. He uses full sentences and constantly asks me questions. His eye contact is excellent. His pre-tend play seems absolutely normal and appropriate. He easily transitions and is re-directed if needed. My husband and I often comment how you would never know he was on the autism spectrum. I have stopped telling people upon first meeting them of Boston's disorder because it's no longer an obvious problem. Boston has smoothly integrated into typical classroom settings and is as well behaved as any other 3 year old at home.

The best part about Autism Journeys is the support they give outside their walls. Support that I couldn't find anywhere else. They have come to our home and to Boston's classes to observe him, realizing that there may be unique needs in these situations. They are always there to council me, answer my questions, and give me support. It feels like we are part of a family. I journal everyday how Boston is doing and we set up specific goals that are individualized to him and his personal progression. After every session they tell me what he did well, what he needs to work on, and what I can be doing with him at home so the therapy continues. I get monthly reviews in addition to his session trackers and we also meet as a team quarterly to re-asses how he is coming along and to set up new goals.

I know that the therapy Boston has received at Autism Journeys has changed his life forever, and ours. He is learning how to deal with his challenges and we are learning to tackle his deficits while exemplifying his strengths. I feel so blessed to have the staff of Autism Journeys in our lives and so does Boston. He loves his therapists and he has built meaningful relationships with them. He gets excited to go every time and has no idea he is doing "therapy."

I have seen firsthand how the high quality individual therapy at Autism Journeys makes a difference. Thanks to Autism Journeys, Boston's future is now very bright. Autism Journeys has made me realize that Boston can do anything. I am so proud to be his mom and so excited to see where life will take him.

Sincerely,
Carly Young
Boston's Mom

To Our Dear Friends at Autism Journeys,

We just wanted to thank you for helping us on our journey this last year. Words can't express our deep love and appreciation for your help. It is amazing to think about where we were a year ago. The changes that have taken place in our son are incredible. When we first came to your center a year ago we felt completely overwhelmed and alone. Our son had been diagnosed a year and half earlier and in that time we had been to many professionals. Every time I left one of these appointments I would have a huge headache. I constantly felt that my head was in a cloud and I was not able to even think clearly. I remember after leaving my son's first appointment at the center and not having a headache or feeling like my head was in a cloud. I knew then that I was at the right place. You have given us one of the greatest gifts which are the tools to help our son live a happy and fulfilling life. Finding your center has been a huge blessing in our lives. The level of love and dedication that you have shown to not only our son but to the rest of our family is amazing. Thank you for giving us the hope of a bright future which is something we only dreamed about before. We look forward to continuing this journey with you and want you to know that you will always be part of our family.

Lots of Love,

The Payne Family

WOW! Where do I begin? First of all this is the only place my son, Cameron, is comfortable with me dropping him off and then picking him up when he’s done. He feels so comfortable here and accepted! He absolutely loves Morgan and the others and looks forward to seeing them each week. They have also helped my husband and me tremendously! We have learned so much ourselves. It’s so nice to know that you now have some in your corner helping you fight for your son’s rights. And, you have someone to go to when you are the one that needs some advice and encouragement. We love that everything is completely tailored to what Cameron needs and that they have his best interest at heart!! They have definitely been a huge answer to our prayers and become a part of our family too!! We so appreciate all you guys do!!!!

Linda Zabriskie

Autism Journeys has been a wonderful experience and opportunity for our son. We are so relieved to have found them after years of searching for the right help and therapists that could understand and work with our son's difficulties. We heard "he can't" for so long, it was empowering to find someone who could tell him "You can". We appreciate Autism Journeys for their work in teaching social skills, having occupational and speech therapists within the company and the mentoring they provide for us as parents as we work with the school system and provide a better home environment.

Autism Journeys has been able to create a group that teaches social skills with children in his own age group. His therapists can focus on his personal needs and create an environment for him to learn and implement was he has studied. He is consistently improving in his ability to show and accept emotion in himself and others, initiate and continue conversation, and express his opinion. It takes baby steps, but his therapists are consistent and are able to work together to make the best progress.

At Autism Journeys, his therapists will not only look at the issues, but what causes them in the first place. The therapists that our son works with weekly are able to identify breakdowns and bring in qualified specialized therapists when needed to help our son improve. Our son will spend time with a speech or occupational therapist and have the therapy carry over and implemented in the other structured settings our son is involved in.It is nice to finally have an occupational and speech therapist that understands what a child on the spectrum truly needs.

Autism Journeys has been such a benefit when it comes to being our advocate. We struggled with the school system our son is involved with for years not knowing what to do but feeling our son was not getting the education he deserved and was capable of. Autism Journeys met with his teacher, observed in the classroom and went to our IEP. They existed as a quiet soundboard until they saw breakdowns. Then they would help improve the situation by showing the correct way to approach an unacceptable situation. We now have an IEP in place that is effective and pushes our son to his full potential.

Autism Journeys creates a positive environment that gives our son the skills he needs and the confidence to succeed at the goals set for him. Every aspect of our son's therapy addressed under one roof. The therapists work together as a team to make his time there the most successful it can be. We as a family can see such an improvement in our son and enjoy seeing the strides he is making. Autism Journeys has changed our lives.

Ruthanne Romriell