Where Journey Started
Journey began therapy at Cornerstone in February of 2015, and she only attended therapy for two hours per day, three days per week. She gradually worked up to attending therapy full time after one year with Cornerstone. When Journey began attending the center, she was nonverbal and not able to request desired items or activities, and she did not show any interest in interacting with her peers. Upon entry, she learned to use American Sign Language (ASL) paired with emerging vocals to makes requests. She engaged in frequent maladaptive behaviors that served as her main form of communication.
How Journey Improved
After receiving ABA therapy, Journey now communicates her wants and needs more effectively and can spontaneously requesting desired items using two-to-three word phrases with different parts of speech; her articulation has also greatly improved, making it easier for her to work with novel therapists and to interact with her peers. Journey can also politely ask to remove an aversive stimulus, which serves as a functional replacement behavior to decrease problem behaviors. Journey has worked in our transition classroom for the last six months, gaining the ability to work more independently and to work alongside her peers. She has worked on gaining the social skills necessary to be successful in a school setting and looks forward to playing with her friends.
“We are so proud of all of Journey’s hard work in her time at Cornerstone, and we will miss her smile and her spunky personality,” said Hailey Guidi, MA, BCBA.
Journey will begin kindergarten this year, and we know she will do great at her new school!
View Journey’s graduation slideshow below:
