Frequently Asked Questions

How can HANDLE® work with so many different conditions – Autism, learning disabilities, and brain injury – and be successful with all of them?

This seems too good to be true, does HANDLE always work?

What exactly is “Gentle Enhancement” and why is it so important?

What are these signs of stress you are talking about?

What does a HANDLE program look like?

Can I bring food to the appointments?

Do I give my child her medication while she is working with you?

Are the Program Reviews every month? What if I get sick and miss an appointment?

What if we have an evaluation and you don’t find anything out of balance, do we get our money back?

How do I convince my 16 year old son to do HANDLE?

What are these activities like? Are they hard to do?

I am an adult, 50+ years old, can HANDLE do anything to help me or is it too late?

How much does HANDLE cost?

More Questions?

HANDLE is a paradigm, a way of looking at conditions and the functional limitations associated with them. It is not a technique that is the same for everyone. It is an approach that individually and uniquely addresses neurodevelopmental irregularities. We view behaviors beyond their labels and diagnosis (including learning, attention, social-emotional reactions, resistance), as communication from the body-brain about how well they are communicating with each other to be able to determine outward functioning. Regardless of how the irregularities manifest (which in turn generates a set of behaviors that are grouped into a diagnosis), the same internal neurodevelopmental systems are involved. A HANDLE program works with these underlying systems. Therefore, HANDLE activities effectively address the root causes of the situation, independent of diagnosis. When the neurodevelopmental systems and functions are regulated and organized, functionality becomes more efficient, easier, more flexible.

Always is an interesting word.  There are several conditions under which HANDLE can be less or not successful. These are:

1. The client does not do their program.  The program can only work if it is done regularly.  We don’t have the HANDLE Police watching over you, it is your program and therefore up to you to make it a priority to do.

2. The client does not adhere to Gentle Enhancement® and ignores signs of stress, overworking the systems they are attempting to strengthen, causing them to move into protective rather than learning mode.

3. The client identifies herself as a person with a disability and is unable or unwilling to shift this self-image to incorporate increased functionality, no matter how desired it is.  Sometimes it is the client’s family or caregivers that hold the client (unconsciously) back from developing new levels of ability for fear of losing their own identity as the “helper.”

Gentle Enhancement® is a foundational concept in HANDLE.  It means that stressed systems shut down -move into protective mode, they do not get stronger and cannot learn as well.  In other words, once the body is stressed it moves into a defensive “Fight or Flight” mode and learning processing slows or stops.  That is why when your child is stressed out doing math homework, they cannot do that last problem, all the information flies out the window, even if they just did 5 problems. So often in our culture we are encouraged to keep at it, no pain no gain, etc.  It actually works the opposite way.  When there is too much stress (pain), there is no gain when it comes to learning, and that includes rewiring the brain. So, in HANDLE we teach the signs of the body’s stress and urge clients to stop an activity at the first indication of stress.  Thus an activity done for 3 seconds when the neurological systems are open and ready for new input is far more helpful than an activity done for 2 minutes; of which 117 seconds are in stress mode.

Learn more about Gentle Enhancement.

The fight or flight response protects us from any threat to safety. For an individual with sensitive systems too much input may be perceived as a threat. That perception may not match what others experience, each person experiences internal stress about different things. A key in HANDLE work is to learn about and accept an individual’s sensitivities and stress points/reactions. Here is a list of observable indicators of stress-related state changes.

• Change in muscle tone

• Pain or discomfort

• Loss of visual focus

• Reddening of the ears

• Change of facial color

• Changed breathing pattern

• Nausea, dizziness, disorientation or other somatic concerns

Each person’s program looks different. However, there are some similarities in the process. These are outlined in the services section of this website.

Yes, of course. It is fine to bring snacks to your appointments.  I ask that you do not bring sugary foods. I am personally very sensitive to onions and garlic. The smells of these can be toxic to me, so I request you do not bring foods with strong smells of onion/garlic into the office. I also request you do not wear scented products such as lotions, deodorants or perfumes. Lastly, this is a no smoking office – including cigarettes, marijuana or CBD products, and vaping.

Although HANDLE is a non-drug approach, I am not medical professional. Do not stop taking medication without the recommendation and guidance from a medical practitioner.  If your child is on medication for ADHD, we request that you check with your doctor and if it will not harm your child to refrain from taking the medication for one day, it would be preferable for you not to give the medication on the day of the appointments, especially the evaluation day.  Bring the meds so if your child needs to take it, you will have it with you. And it is fine if medication is taken, the assessment will still be valid. Please be sure to let me know of any medications the client is taking.

Program Reviews are scheduled every 4-6 weeks.  We have found that this is the most effective way to monitor the maturing systems and keep clients on course in their progress.  Life presents circumstances such as illness or emergencies that occasionally require appointment rescheduling. As long as notice is given 24 hours or more prior to the appointment, accommodations will be made.  Clients that do not reschedule appointments or do not cancel will forfeit that month’s program review.

If we do an evaluation and determine that there is no need for HANDLE services, you will be charged for the evaluation and no more. This is clearly explained in the Information and Agreements package you will receive after our initial free consultation.

Many children (and adults) protect themselves through saying “NO.” If your son is frustrated with the difficulties he is experiencing in school or life in general, he is probably interested in changing something. He might be scared that it won’t work, or that he might not be able to ‘do it,’ and he will be left disappointed and back at square one. There are no guarantees, so I wouldn’t recommend making any promises. What you can say is that you have researched this approach and you think it will help make life easier for him, IF he does it. It will only work if he puts in the effort. Describe the time commitment. Practitioners and teen clients are available to answer questions if your son would like to call the Center. Then you must let it be his choice. If he does not “buy in” to the HANDLE approach, at least to checking it out, then it will not be effective, and the process will be miserable for all of you. Of course, you can commit to him to support him in the process and assist him in any way you can. When we talk, I will share with you how I dealt with this with my 11 year old daughter.

Another activity involves a clapping game that supports both sides of the brain working together, knowing where you are in space and being able to isolate movements (helps with coordination, thinking in an organized way….). Remember, each activity is given to a client in a way that will be most helpful to them including adjusting for developmental levels, cultural appropriateness and ability, and some activities are not given because they are not appropriate for very important reasons. Activities are monitored through client feedback and observation to determine their appropriateness and how to progress the activity program.

The neurological system continues to change throughout the lifespan, this is called neuroplasticity. It is never too late to make changes. They may not happen overnight, and with patience and dedication remarkable integration and balancing can occur at any age.

Please call the Center at (925) 934-3500 to discuss the cost of your specific program needs.

Please schedule a no obligation free consultation and we will address them so you can make an informed decision whether HANDLE is right for you.