Mental health clinicians are often reluctant to treat people who have intellectual 和 developmental differences (IDDs) for fear of doing something that could worsen rather than improve the client’s condition.

在这个 集 of Justice in Action, two JRI clinicians, Dr. 杰奎琳·Kraps, Metrowest区域总监 和 Clinical Director of Outpatient 十大最好的网赌平台, 和贝利·麦库姆斯, Licensed Metal 健康 Counselor 和 Expressive Arts Therapist, talk about the rewards 和 challenges of working with children with a range of differences, from autism spectrum disorder to chromosomal differences, 认知的挑战, 以及创伤性脑损伤.

Dr. Kraps 和 McCombs have helped establish the Developmental Differences Specialty Team to assist other JRI therapists to work effectively with clients with both IDDs 和 mental health needs, 包括复杂创伤.

十大最好的网赌平台 for those individuals have long been siloed because they have been seen as separate 和 distinct. JRI is breaking new ground by having a single provider address the entirety of the client’s service needs.

Treating clients with both complex trauma 和 IDDs draw heavily on a therapist’s creativity, 灵活性, 和观察力, Dr. 克拉普斯和麦库姆说. Sometimes it requires teasing out which problems are caused by trauma 和 which are part of the individual’s developmental difference.

They advise other clinicians to be curious, open, 和 willing to say the wrong thing. If an approach doesn’t work, they can always shift course.  Sometimes a client — especially a non-verbal client — can communicate most successfully by writing, 画, 或者移动他们的身体.

Individuals with IDDs deserve effective treatment for mental health needs, which they are at least as likely to experience as the rest of the community, 他们可以享受积极的, healthier outcomes with the right therapeutic approach. For more information, visit cctgay.com.

A note about language: IDD often st和s for intellectual 和 development disabilities. JRI choses to use the word differences instead of disabilities to be as inclusive as possible, 和 honors that each individual 和 family get to decide how they identify.