As a parent of a child with ASD, working full time, with no nearby family and a husband working long hours, I was unsure how I could fit RDI into our busy lives. I now have another child and life is even busier, but I can not imagine our life without RDI.
It has alleviated the guilt I had of ‘am I doing enough’ and feeling very unqualified to know my own sons needs and the best things to do for him. RDI uses the very limited time I have to best help him and in just over a year, he has changed from a boy who was 'not there', content in his own world, zero eye contact and no visible emotion, to a boy who looks, laughs and enjoys experiences.
He is showing a cheeky side, has amazing receptive language and even toilet trained himself.
Apart from the obvious and constant improvements that we see in Adam, it has been great for me to switch from saying "he can't do that" and shying away from 'usual' activities, to now saying "let's give it a try" and being excited at the thought of what he will achieve. Kathleen has given us back our little boy and I feel that we have a clear path into our future.
Mum of 3yr old boy ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I had previously done ABA therapy with little or no success. My son was having constant meltdowns on a daily basis and not engaging with anyone. I contacted Kath and have not looked back. She gave us the skills to work on with this emotional regulation, flexibility, motivation and communication to name a few. RDI is about getting to the core of the problem not just masking it with a reinforcer. Thank you Kath and thank you RDI.
Kelly.
Mum of 10yr old boy ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I am a mum of a 6 year old boy diagnosed with Autism, I want to personally thank Kathleen and the RDI program. I felt like I was drowning and failing as a mother. The head of Special Education at his school suggested the RDI Program. I rang Kathleen and from the moment I first spoke to her the support I have received has been amazing. No more going to endless appointments, she comes to me. My son can now hold hands when walking in pairs as is required in a class room setting and his meltdowns have decreased significantly. The school has commented on how great the program has been for his coping with every day challenges. I rate this program an 11/10 it is brilliant. I can’t wait to continue this amazing journey
THANK YOU 11 out of 10!
About Kathleen
I am an RDI Program Certified Consultant in Brisbane Queensland, serving families in the Brisbane, Sunshine Coast & Gold Coast areas. I help parents learn to guide their neurologically vulnerable children using the RDI Family Consultation Program, which is a unique, evidence-based training and supervision program. I work one-on-one with parents using the RDI curriculum, meeting regularly in person and I also review the detailed video parents provide, which document the progress in goals for themselves and their child.
After years of experience as an ABA Consultant with families and special education departments, Kathleen has now chosen to devote herself to the developmental side of working with children and families with Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders.
“
Having my own child diagnosed with Autism I decided to embark on an intensive ABA home-based intervention programme. It was during this period I realised there was something missing, something not quite right. My son was used to structure and routine, he knew the answers to a lot of rehearsed questions yet if there were any small changes to this structure or routine, he would have a Meltdown. It was at that moment I knew there was a critical piece of the puzzle missing.
RDI is often described as "the missing piece of the puzzle" in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
My warmth, passion and confidence shine through as I have worked alongside some of Queensland’s leading Autism agencies, schools, and kindergartens. I have been and continue to board member and Director for numerous companies and heads Blue Sky Foundation, a Foundation she founded to help families and individuals with a neurogicial disorder
Registered Provider for rebates from: FaHCSIA AEI Helping Children with Autism
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®) offers treatment programs for individuals and families that face Autism Spectrum Disorders and other developmental difficulties. It is often described as “the missing piece of the puzzle” in the treatment of ASD because instead of focusing on symptoms, our program works to activate the grow-seeking drive essential to remediating the universal impairments associated with ASD.
RDI® currently serves families across 24 countries world wide with certified consultants working with each family.
RDI® programs teach parents how to guide their child to seek out and succeed in truly reciprocal relationships, while addressing key core issues such as motivation, communication, emotional regulation, episodic memory, rapid attention-shifting, self awareness, appraisal, executive functioning, flexible thinking and creative problem solving.
A Developmental Approach
RDI® is a next generation approach to autism and developmental disability intervention that is based on the latest scientific research into the human brain. All brains, including those of people with developmental disabilities, can adapt and learn to function in a “normal” way because the brain is capable of adapting to any challenge; It just needs the right guidance. However, the brain will only grow and adapt if it is challenged to do so.
It’s Not a "Therapy"
RDI® is a significant departure from traditional ASD interventions, and does not simply seek to mask the condition with scripted conversations or rehearsed behaviors. Our model allows for neuro-cognitive changes to occur over time that provide the individual with the skills needed to navigate life’s challenges on their own. By developing this capacity for dynamic thinking, we open the door to the possibility of a greater quality of life that includes: reciprocal communication, genuine friendships, confident, independent living, prolonged relationships and meaningful employment
Parent-Based
RDI® includes an intensive parent training component designed for both parents’ involvement from the beginning and real life coaching that takes place in the home setting with the whole family. The goal isn’t to turn family members into therapists, but rather to guide them to develop new ways of thinking, perceiving and acting to know how to best use their precious time in facilitating the child’s mental growth. The program embraces the premise that every family member is critical to success. A trained RDI Consultant works with each family to develop an individualized set of objectives that may include simplifying the home environment, slowing down the pace of life, balancing the entire family’s schedule and life outside of a special needs diagnosis. The RDI program believes that making lasting, meaningful and lifelong changes begins at home with the child’s parents first, and that the remediation process should take place amidst each family’s unique culture and relationships.
Downloads Remediating Autism Through Relationship
Brains Change Throughout life!
Third Generation Treatment for Autism
Research The Relation between Severity of Autism and Caregiver-Child Interaction: a Study in the Context of RDI
RDI RESEARCH Preliminary validation of a clinical tool and coding schemes to measure parent-child interaction in autism
