The Key Principles of a DIR-FCD Classroom

Lynn Abelson is a speech-language pathologist and DIR model Program Manager at The Phoenix Center, a private, not for profit school in Nutley, New Jersey. This school serves students ages 5-21 with autism and other developmental disabilities. Lynn leads staff in integrating the DIR model approach into the classroom and community, with a focus on developing innovative programming in vocational training. Lynn also provides private DIR model-based intervention to children and their families, tutors professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of the DIR model, co-chairs the DIR/Floortime model Coalition of New Jersey, and served as a training leader at the ICDL Institute. Additionally, Lynn is an Affiliate Faculty member of the Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health at Montclair State University and an Adjunct Professor in its Developmental Models of Autism Intervention graduate certificate program. Lynn is DIR model certified in speech-language pathology and occupational therapy and PROMPT® (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) certified. In 2013, Lynn was awarded the Related Service Provider of the Year by NAPSEC (National Association of Private Special Education Centers).

Linda Cervenka is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and works primarily with children and adolescence with autistic spectrum and related disorders utilizing DIR and development language models. She has a private practice in LaGrange, Illinois. Linda is also co-founder of Soaring Eagle Academy, an Illinois State Board of Education approved school serving students 5 through 21 years of age with autism and related disorders. Within the academy, Linda serves as an Expert Clinician, supporting staff and students in learning and growing within the DIR and Developmental Language Model. Linda received her Bachelor’s Degree from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, IL and her Master’s Degree in Communicative Disorders from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has worked for 30 years with children with special needs, in home based and clinic based therapeutic services and public and private schools providing consultation, training and support for children and families. Linda is a Senior Faculty member of Profectum and has presented nationally on the topic of developmental approaches to intervention for children.

Celebrate the Children’s founder, Monica G. Osgood, is an experienced behavioral consultant and therapist who specializes in using developmental approaches to support children with autism and other differences in relating and communicating. She is also the Founder and Director of the Developmental Center for Children and Families and Executive Director and a founding member of the Profectum Foundation. Monica has worked in homes, therapy centers, and private and public school settings for over 20 years. Some of her experience has included assessment and the development of intervention programs, curriculum and IEP development, and parent and professional training. In 1998, Monica created the first public school program with the Developmental Individual Relationship-based (DIR model) approach as the core philosophy. ​In 2000, she was the first educator to join the senior faculty of the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning(ICDL) to provide interdisciplinary training in the DIR model. During her time with ICDL, Monica served as faculty for all of their yearly training institutes, spoke at many of their conferences and had the opportunity to work closely and collaborate with Drs. Greenspan and Wieder to further develop the DIR model in school settings. ​In 2004, she collaborated with Lauren Blaszak to open a state-approved, DIR model school for children ages 3-21 in Denville, New Jersey, now serving over 70 school districts and 130 families. Additional accomplishments include, many speaking engagements at conferences and participation in television, radio and newspaper interviews across the USA, Wales, Ireland and Amsterdam. Monica has appeared on Welsh Channel 4 and BBC1 documentaries, sharing the DIR model approach with British parents and professionals. Monica and the Celebrate the Children school were featured in a TIME Magazine cover story in May of 2006. ​She serves on the Advisory Board for 3LPlace and the National Advisory Council for The Centers for Exceptional Children​. Monica also serves on the Economic Development Advisory Council and the Sustainable Economic Development Plan Steering Committee for her local Town Council. Finally, she collaborated with twice Grammy nominated children’s artists Dan Myers and Brady Rymer on an album and music video celebrating diversity in children with all abilities released April 2011. https://www.monicaosgood.com/

Michele is a licensed speech and language pathologist, who works primarily with children diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. She has been in private practice since 1997 and worked in an early childhood school setting prior to that. Michele consults in many public school districts in Illinois and is one of three founders of a private school (Soaring Eagle Academy) for children with special needs that uses developmental language intervention and incorporates DIR® into its academic programming. Soaring Eagle Academy provides integrated programming to meet each child’s unique needs. Michele supports the curriculum development and implementation at Soaring Eagle Academy. Michele is a trainer and faculty for Profectum, an organization that uses the DIR® model as a framework for supporting children and families. Michele has a master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois (1995). She also holds an undergraduate degree in communicative disorders from University of the Pacific in Stockton, California (1993). Michele is also a mother of three children and has learned the most about development and language acquisition through her interactions and experience as a parent.

Susan Smith-Foley, OTD, MPA, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist who specializes in family-centered and school-based O.T. / DIR-FCD services. She is passionate about supporting the integration of the DIR-FCD Model into public schools including working with multi-disciplinary teams and primary caregivers. Susan completed a post-professional doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy (OTD) at The University of Kansas Medical Center in December 2018. She is the founder and owner of Avon Occupational Therapy, Inc. located in Avon, NJ. Susan is an Associate Faculty member of Profectum Academy and a member of its International O.T. Working Group.

Christine DeLoughry-Lama is an occupational therapist and DIR® team member at The Phoenix Center (TPC), a not-for-profit school in Nutley, New Jersey. The center serves students age 5-21 with autism and other developmental differences. Christine also provides therapy at a private practice, Fun That Counts Kids, in Little Falls. Christine was voted the Service Provider of the Year at The Phoenix Center in 2014. She completed the Profectum Academy Educators Certificate Program in 2016. Christine is certified in Therapeutic Listening and Handwriting without Tears. In addition to her 13 years at TPC, Christine previously worked in early intervention, preschool and school-based public schools for 12 years.