Our Transdisciplinary Approach
A true transdisciplinary approach is proven to be the most effective method of treating or empowering learning difficulties. At The Morris Center, clients can receive a decades tested and proven transdisciplinary team treatment model that improves a wide range of skills and abilities. Our experienced and licensed professionals, are trained in the brain sciences fields of Speech-Language Pathology, Neuropsychology, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, education and more.
The foundation of a truly transdisciplinary team is they are each trained in each other disciplines’ developmental models. Speech Therapists have a developmental model of receptive and expressive language/speech development. OT’s have a model of the development of sensory motor, regulation, modulation and engagement. The educators have models of reading and spelling development. Psychologists have a model of the development of well functioning mood, behavior, motivation/engagement and more.
Then next level of transdisciplinary training is each discipline learns the other disciplines’ assessments – how they are delivered, what skills they are measuring how Speech assessment are similar and different to OT assessments. What Speech assessments are also dependent upon OT skills too and if there are OT deficits in a child, then their performance on Speech test, may be more reflective of the child’s sensory motor, visual motor or fine motor deficits and not truly a measure of speech skills.
The final level of transdisciplinary team training is the team learns more and more about each disciplines’ treatment or empowerment programs. Thus, facilitating an emersion model of treatment delivery such that when a child or teenager is in an OT session, the OT is also reinforcing the Speech-Language goals. Likewise then, when a child, teenager or adult patient is in Speech-Language training sessions, then the Speech Therapist is also reinforcing OT goals. Overarching, across all disciplines is the team learning to support the psychotherapy or behavior management goals that help drive strong buy-in, engagement, motivation and fully engaged participation in every disciplines’ treatment or empowering training sessions.
Transdisciplinary trained, licensed professionals teams expertly empower the root causes of learning difficulties and maximize improvements across the most skills, the most efficiently too.
What is a Transdisciplinary Approach?
A transdisciplinary approach to treatment integrates expertise and experience from several different and related licensed professionals’ disciplines. Each professional on our transdisciplinary team provides input, data and concepts to maximize the client’s improvement from each area of treatment.
The unique transdisciplinary nature of TMC treatment programs broadens the skill sets of each therapist due to their exposure and interaction with other experts from the other disciplines on the team. This also allows our transdisciplinary team to work together to reinforce and maintain goals not normally monitored or empowered by the less effective interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary models of services.
With a truly transdisciplinary team, the typical boundaries of each professional discipline tend to disappear. Instead, each professional develops a working knowledge of their co-workers’ areas of expertise. Ultimately, the common goal – exceptional transdisciplinary treatment progress – is achieved through the collaborative team.
What are the benefits of the Transdisciplinary Approach?
The Morris Center uses a transdisciplinary assessment and treatment model that first identifies the most likely cause or causes of the learning, academic, language, sensory, mood, motor, memory, attention…. difficulty. Based on the team’s assessment findings, The Morris Center’s team of professionals create an individualized and unique transdisciplinary treatment program (supported by long-term scientific evidence from The Morris Center’s independent Randomized Controlled Trials, NICHD funded research studies).
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This program helps our clients with dyslexia or other difficulties re-enter their schools or work place with improved skills, which are consistent with their expected range of academic and job potential.
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Our transdisciplinary treatment program is fundamentally different from the approach employed by typical learning centers or tutors. These programs typically treat the client’s symptoms or teach individuals to compensate for weaker skills.
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Rarely do these programs or tutors uncover the possible causes of the client’s difficulties.
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The Morris Center transdisciplinary team provides an individualized treatment program that focuses on improving a client’s weaker skills that are most likely contributing to their learning or academic difficulties.
How does The Morris Center utilize the Transdisciplinary Team Approach?
Transdisciplinary Team Members:
- Pediatrician
- Psychiatrist
- Nursing/Nurse Practitioner
- Psychologist/Neuropsychologist
- Occupational Therapist
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Teacher/Special Education
Key Treatment Features Are Based On Neuroscience And Behavioral Treatment Research Findings:
- Intensive (# of hours per day)
- Frequent (# of days per week)
- Specific (clear treatment goals that follow a developmental hierarchy)
- Ongoing data collection of program effects for program self-evaluation
- Selective post-treatment assessment with standardized tests to document treatment gains and aid transition planning back to school or work
Occupational Therapy (OT) provides specific treatments that can assist clients in building new strengths in sensory processing and motor skills, deficits in these occur in approximately 50% of the clients and may be one or a combination of the following:
- Oral-motor and motor planning difficulty
- Fine and gross motor difficulties
- Visual perceptual weaknesses
- Somatosensory deficits (lack of body awareness)
- An over-sensitive sensory system (visual, auditory, smell, touch or taste)
OT works to improve overall strength, balance and coordination, regulation, modulation and more. Attention is also given to handwriting, oral sensory & motor awareness & control and ocular motor skills. This type of treatment helps build stronger sensory and motor skills that in turn lead to better abilities and there is only one way to genuinely empower self-esteem and self-confidence: “true and consistent competence is the #1 builder of self-confidence.”
Our team of professionals discuss treatment options for behavioral management of attention, mood or behavior disorders however we do not prescribe medication. Our team’s role is to provide all the essential information, so that the family, parents or individual can make the most informed choice about treatment(s).
During each therapy hour the client’s attention is monitored and reported. Non-pharmacological measures designed to maximize attention and arousal are integrated into all language and OT sessions. Click here for videos with Dr. Conway explaining more about how The Morris Center’s pioneering work in building and delivering high quality, transdisciplinary team services provided unparalleled outcomes – what other clinics or practitioners or even parents may think are “too good to be true outcomes” and The Morris Center has expertly provided these outcomes again and again for over 39 years! Dr. Conway explains Transdisciplinary Teams at a The Morris Center clinic