Can you say Ashley whisperer?

"Let me just say that today has been one of the most wonderful days in a very long time with Ashley. Debbie, you have no idea (or I should say you have every idea) what this means to us. This has given us a whole new perspective on our approach, and has given Ashley the structure that she must crave. She is really doing everything that we set up yesterday on the goals chart, and says that it feels really good to be doing it.

I'm all for the Playful Engagement. It really changed my way of thinking about my approach with her. She and I have laughed so much today, and through laughter, she got to see what it was like for me to get frustrated with a hole-punch and go into the yellow zone.

We're really so grateful for your help and I know that you were put on our path just when we needed you the most. I've never seen Ashley open up like she did yesterday. I was so proud of her because she was able to talk about some really serious stuff and stick with us through it. We've seen so many different people for advice and have never accomplished so much in one day as we did with your help. A true gift." Amy H.

"Once again, thank you thank you thank you for the weekend and all of your tips and suggestions. I have a feeling this token system may just work. He was excited about doing it tonight. He actually got 15 tokens today (probably could've given him 16) but he was so excited about doing better, that I guess I left room to grow. We had a really big one with listening and obeying the first time so I kind of drew the line with 15. Plus it puts it right out in front of me of how well he really can and IS doing. I need it as much as he does!!" Beth D.

"We’ve always been able to give our daughter a great deal of love and nurture, but we needed some help in increasing the structure due to her Sensory Processing Disorder issues and frequent meltdowns. Debra helped give us insight and we learned new ways to add structure while keeping an engaging, playful atmosphere. We can already see improvements in our child's ability to self-regulate and it's only been a few days since we started our home program." Randall H.

"The biggest blessing from getting to know Debbie and the ministry of PACT is the fact that there is someone else who understands our journey. There's someone who knows how we feel and can give us trusted advice on how to respond. She and Alan have traveled a journey very similar to ours and can share what they have learned. And when I've tried her suggestions, they work! We have been greatly encouraged on our journey by being educated and encouraged by PACT."  Lynn and Larry L.

"Debbie was a life saver and gave me so much practical "how to" information on how to handle my daughter. I adopted my daughter as a single mom from Irkusk, Russia when she was 18 months old.  By the time she was 3 1/2, I started noticing some odd behaviors that were classic symptoms of reactive attachment disorder.  I didn't have a clue as to how to handle her, and discovered Debbie.  She came to my home, talked with my daughter and me, evaluated my daughter, and then gave me some proven strategies that have been developed by foreign adoption experts. She explained that working with our kids is a marathon, not a sprint, and that we had to be patient and consistent in order for our children's behavior to change. Debbie was also a wonderful source of comfort...there were days that I just couldn't stand it anymore, and Debbie always was there, with a smile and a hug, and words of wisdom to help me through the day.

Living with children like ours is like no other parenting challenge. Debbie is such a valuable resource for us because SHE GETS IT. She has a son that was afflicted with some of the same problems our kiddos are facing. She's walked the walk. She's been in our shoes.I don't know about you, but finding a doctor or mental health professional that truly, honestly understands our kids is next to impossible. I can't even begin to tell you all the money I spent on psychologists and psychiatrists that assured me they had worked with kids adopted from eastern European countries and were "qualified" to help my daughter. Well, they didn't have a clue.

It's imperative that we work with someone that has experienced what we're going through. That's why I heartily recommend Debbie. She's lived in our world. She's probably experienced every challenge we have. If anyone can help you, it's Debbie. Good luck and God bless you and your family."   Emily F.