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Main Office
Northeast Clinic
3260 Eagle Park Dr. NE 
Suite 117
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Appointment Only
Southwest Clinic
1386 Baldwin St. 
Jenison, MI 49428

(616) 530-2224

Main Office
Northeast Clinic
3260 Eagle Park Dr. NE 
Suite 117
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Appointment Only
Southwest Clinic
1388 Baldwin St. 
Suite B
Jenison, MI 49428
(616) 530-2224

DIRect Connections

DIR/Floortime based
developmental therapy

DIRect Connections is based on Greenspan’s DIR/Floortime model to address a wide variety of developmental delays including, but not limited to:

  • Speech / Language delays
  • Sensory Integration difficulties
  • Global / Pervasive Developmental Delays
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (including Aspergers and PDD-NOS)
  • Cognitive Impairments
  • ADHD and attention difficulties
  • Emotional disorders
  • Behavioral difficulties
  • Social and Relationship problems
  • Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)
  • Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND)

DIRect Connections is a play-based therapeutic intervention adjusted to the child/young person’s age and needs.

DIRect Connections assessments cover the many areas of development:

  • Cognitive Skills
  • Expressive Language
  • Receptive Language
  • Fine Motor
  • Gross Motor
  • Self-help Skills
  • Social Emotional Functioning
  • Behavior
  • Sensory Processing

What is involved?

  • Parent Consultation
  • Initial Evaluation
  • Follow-up to discuss evaluation report and therapy plan
  • Therapy Services
    • 2-3 hours per week is typical
    • involves direct therapy and parent coaching
  • Ongoing feedback and evaluations to respond to child’s development

DIRect Connections Therapy involves:

  • Floortime play-based approach to promote development, learn functional skills, build relationship capacity and address any emotional, social, behavioral, learning and relationship difficulties.
  • DIR/Floortime focuses on creating meaningful interactions with children by building on natural interests, offering motivational encouragement with others to strengthen a child’s areas of weakness.

How do we start?

    • We will review existing child records (provided by parents or guardians)
    • With parents (and child if appropriate) we will discuss the child’s strengths, needs and concerns.

What is DIR/Floortime?

  • DIR stands for Developmental, Individual-difference Relationship-based and is an intervention approach used with children on the autism spectrum (ADD), and with other developmental challenges. DIR is the theory, Floortime is the play-based therapy practices.
  • DIR/Floortime was developed by Stanley Greenspan and stands out as an intervention that takes the child’s lead as the focus, using existing strengths and interests to promote growth.  In this way the child develops the functional and relationship skills that may be lacking.
  • DIR/Floortime therapy focuses on helping parents help their child through coaching and modeling, enhancing a child’s growth and aiding generalization of positive functioning abilities within the clinic, home, school and other environments.
  • Parents like DIR/Floortime because it puts fewer restrictions on children, but focuses on respecting the child’s perspective.  It is also less robotic and more direct than strict behavioral interventions.  Children learn to express themselves through meaningful interactions.

Click here for a news report from CBC National on the amazing effects of the DIR/Floortime therapy found by York University neuroscientists.

EnCourage Institute for Teaching and Learning

Our Mission is to provide expert instruction to all students, helping them grow into successful life-long learners.
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