Frequently Asked Questions
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What does the program involve?
The program involves the individual and a parent or support person working one-on-one with a licensed Davis Autism Approach Facilitator/Coach.
The initial steps of the program are designed to bring about individuation, a harmonization of perceptions, and a beginning sense of personal identity. After individuation has occurred, each session is designed around a series of ‘life concepts’; each concept is explained and modeled in plastalina clay.
The concept is then explored in a ‘real world’ environment; this can include the immediate environment or specifically designed excursions.
The individual will also be guided through a series of non- invasive, gentle exercises, in order to provide the ability to maintain focus and reduce anxiety.
What changes will we see and how long will they take?
These are some of the most common positive changes experienced by our clients, and which have also been confirmed through independent research:
Improved wellbeing
Experience a sense of empowerment as you navigate life with greater self-awareness, the ability to create boundaries and manage stress, with less anxiety and overwhelm.
Increased sense of safety
Enjoy the freedom to feel safe, equipped with greater understanding and tools that will help you better manage yourself, reducing sensory overload symptoms and meltdowns.
Strengthened relationships
Become well-equipped to navigate the intricacies of daily interactions and relationships without the need to rote learn behaviors or social skills.
Enhanced resilience
Increase your flexibility of thinking, capacity to cope with change and willingness to try new things.
Taking control of your life
Learn how to effortlessly create change and order, and take responsibility for your life. Gain a sense of control and mastery – transforming confusion and chaos into clarity and certainty.
These changes can take time as the person spends more time in an oriented state and deepen their understanding of how the world works.
Do I have to do any work during or after the program?
We would encourage the family to be involved as much as possible and get to know the concepts for themselves during the program; this way they can be integrated faster and more effectively into the home environment.
There are no drilling or repetitive exercises to be completed at home; we only ask that the concepts are discussed and integrated in a fun, interactive way.
Can anyone do the program, and at what age do you start?
In order to participate in and benefit from the Davis Autism Approach, an individual must have these abilities:
- The individual must have the ability to understand and comply with instructions from the Facilitator or support person.
- The individual must be able to make something (a clay model) that can represent “self”.
The Early Years versions of the Davis Autism Approach and Davis Concepts for Life have a minimum age of 3 ½ years. This is because we don’t want to take a child through concepts that they are not developmentally ready to receive. The full Davis Autism and Concepts for Life programmes have a minimum age of 8 years. There is no upper age limit.
The Facilitator will evaluate the abilities of the individual during the first phase of the program. Davis providers are trained in specific techniques geared toward establishing rapport and a sense of trust, and thus can evaluate any individual who appears to have at least some receptive language ability (The ability to understand and respond to some verbal instructions).
If the individual is not able to meet the above criteria, the Facilitator will not continue to work with the individual.
In some cases, the Facilitator may be able to provide the parent or other support person with some tools that can be used at home to help prepare the individual for the program at a later time.
Where do you work from; will you come to my house?
Generally, Margot works from her home office; however, she is willing to travel and can also work online.
How will the programme affect the rest of the family?
We have found that, in many cases, the family benefits themselves from the concepts. These concepts are ‘life concepts’, so they can be integrated and explored throughout daily life, minimizing any disruption to family routines.
One family took all of their children through the programme and found it greatly reduced their daughter’s ADHD behaviours.
Is there a possibility that my child/dependent adult will regress?
Because the concepts are designed to set a foundation for future learning, we find that individuals continue to progress building more understanding of the world through life’s experiences.
We have had only one case where, due to ‘mental retardation’, the individual‘s progress after the program was minimal.
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Does it help with reading and writing?
It has been found that orientation and exploring the concepts alone can improve academic skills.
However, after the programme, should the individual wish to address specific reading, writing or maths skills, your Facilitator can continue to work on these skills through specifically tailored Davis Mastery programs.
To find more look at the dyslexia tab.
What are the hours and how long does it take?
There is no set time for delivery or completion of the three phases of the Davis Autism Approach Program.
The time will depend on the needs, motivation and stamina of the individual, as well as the schedule and available time of the Davis Facilitator or support person working with the individual.
Times have been varied, ranging from mornings only, to full days; from one day a week, to full week blocks; to working several 5-day weeks continuously until the program is completed.
One gift that many individuals with autism or Asperger’s share is the ability to hyper focus, so in some cases the client may be ready and willing to work very intensively and may also progress extremely rapidly.
On the other hand, it is quite possible that the individual may only be able to work in very brief sessions, and progress that may take a matter of hours for one person may take days or weeks for another.
As a general rule, we suggest one day per concept, so on average it will take a minimum of 30 days.
What is the cost of the program?
The initial 30-hour block is $5,175 including GST and also covers the materials.
Thereafter time is allocated in 10-hour blocks at a cost of $1,840 including GST.
Can I talk to anyone who has completed the program?
Yes, Margot can put you in touch with past and present clients and their families.
Does the program address behaviour - anxiety, rigid thought, etc?
Although these areas are not specifically addressed, we have experienced marked improvements in these areas.
This is due to the concepts providing a framework to enable the individual to retain previous experiences and in turn transfer them to new similar situations.
My child/dependent adult is on medication, will this affect how you work with them?
We ask that you disclose any medications to your Facilitator, who will discuss how they could affect the effectiveness of the program.
We have found that some medications prolong the time taken for individuation to occur and to grasp some of the concepts.
In such cases, the program may take a little longer.
My child/dependent adult has very limited language; can you still work with them?
Some facilitators have worked very successfully with individuals with limited language.
As long as there is sufficient understanding in order to comply with instructions, we can begin. We have found that language can improve during individuation.
A device to assist these individuals called the NOIT (Natural Orientation Inducing Tool) is now available.
Also, in these situations, we have found the Facilitator coaching the parent to be an effective option. In addition, we can also start with our Stepping Stones programme, which is the beginning steps of the Davis Autism Approach.
Please contact Margot to find out more information on this programme or the NOIT.
What qualifications do the Davis Autism Approach Facilitators have?
Margot is a parent of children who have struggled in traditional education systems due to ‘learning differences’.
She is an experienced Davis Correction Facilitator who underwent rigorous training to be licensed and certified.