FAQ

Is it true that HANDLE works mostly with small children? Is your program suitable for adults too?

About half of my clients are adults. Since the program is designed specifically for the individual, I can create a program that can be done with or without the support of a helper, as needed.

The nervous system continues to change throughout our lives. This is called neuroplasticity. It is never too late to make changes. With patience and dedication remarkable integration and balancing can occur at any age. 

What are the conditions you work with?

• Autism Spectrum Disorders including Asperger’s Syndrome
• Developmental delays
• Sensory integration dysfunction
• Attention problems and hyperactivity, possibly diagnosed as ADD and ADHD
• Learning disabilities including dyslexia
• Stroke residual effects
• Traumatic brain injury
• Seizure disorders
• Balance and coordination issues
• Cerebral palsy
• Parkinson’s disease
• Tourette's Syndrome
• Bipolar disorder
• Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Difficulty with transitions
• Perplexing behaviors
• Challenges with eye teaming and tracking
• Other Behaviors that limit function

Do parents stay in the session during the evaluation of a child?

The evaluation session is an excellent opportunity to see what challenges your child is facing. In every session there needs to be at least one parent or caregiver. I strongly recommend, however, that any parent or caregiver who will be working at home with the child be present during the second session, in which I explain my findings and teach the activities.

What are your hours?

I can offer appointments during the day, as well as some evenings and the occasional weekend.

Can I bring food to the appointments? 

Yes. I recommend that you bring food, but please don’t bring anything sugary. A small refrigerator is available.

Anything I need to know about what not to bring to the appointments?

Please don’t wear perfumes, don’t bring pets, as I try to maintain the environment of HANDLE By the Bay gentle on the senses of visitors with hypersensitivities. And please don’t bring any small children that need attention (other than the client, of course).

Should my child take medication when coming in for sessions? 

Do not stop taking medication without the recommendation and guidance from a medical practitioner. If the client is on medication for ADHD or ADD, or using other medications that impact his or her behavior and ability to focus on tasks, we request that you check with your doctor and find out if it’s possible to do without the medication for one day. If so, it would be preferable not to use the medication on the day of the appointments, especially on the day of the evaluation, as I am interested in what I can learn from observed behaviors. Bring the meds with you so if needed they can be used.

Please be sure to let me know of any medications that are taken regularly.

Does HANDLE always “work”? 

There are several conditions under which HANDLE is less successful. These are:

• The client (and helpers, if applicable) does not adhere to the principle of Gentle Enhancement™ by ignoring signs of stress and overworking the systems that need to be strengthened
• The activities are not done
• The client (or his family) is very resistant to change

What exactly is Gentle Enhancement^TM and why is it so important? 

Gentle Enhancement is the foundational concept in the HANDLE paradigm. It is based on the understanding that "stressed systems don’t get stronger, they shut down.” In other words, once the body is stressed it moves into a defensive fight or flight mode and the process of learning stops. Therefore, HANDLE practitioners teach the signs of the body's stress and urge clients to stop an activity at the first indication of stress.  An activity performed for a few seconds when the neurological systems are open and ready for new input is far more helpful than an activity performed longer, when the client is stressed.  

How is the HANDLE program different from other programs?

The HANDLE program addresses the basic building blocks of sensory input, sensory processing, and motor output upon which all learning depends. These systems and the neuronal links among them are strengthened. What sets HANDLE apart from other holistic approaches is the principle of Gentle Enhancement, which is applied to all life tasks.Unlike some of the modalities you may have tried, HANDLE is drug-free.

Does insurance pay for this?

Some insurance companies are realizing that our non-medical, home based program creates great gains at a lower cost overall. However, there are still limitations on many policies. We strongly recommend medical savings accounts and/or flex plans. Some health insurance companies cover the evaluation session. HANDLE By the Bay requires up-front payment and will provide documentation for your insurer if you seek reimbursement.

Do you accept payment with a credit card?

Yes.

Will the HANDLE program help with social issues?

Social interaction is one of the most complex of human activities. Vision, audition, body-in-space, coordination, attention shifting, and processing verbal and nonverbal communication are all vital to true relationship development. By strengthening these subsystems, as well as working on motivation and social skills, clients can become much more at ease in social settings.

I live far away from you. Can you work with me anyway?

I see clients at my office in San Francisco , in Santa Rosa (at the clients' homes) and in the area of Washington DC. There may be a HANDLE practitioner closer to you. Check the HANDLE Institute’s website, at http://www.handle.org/services/services-providers.html

If you don’t find anyone in your area, let’s talk anyway. There are a couple of ways to make this work, but both require that the practitioner and client meet to get the program started.

• You can come here for a short visit, which will allow us to meet for an evaluation session, a second session in which I explain my findings and teach you an individualized program of activities (both these meetings can be done on the same day), and then we will meet again a few days later, to review the activities and answer questions.
• I can come over to where you are and do the same, but I will need to travel with my equipment so I will charge more. This often works better logistically if several people are interested in sessions and share the cost, or if you bring together a group of friends and organize a weekend introductory workshop. We can talk about that
• In both cases, the follow-up sessions can be done in a couple of ways:
  • You, or I, will travel periodically so that we can meet in person. Often clients have chosen to travel once a month.
  • If that’s impossible, we can work from a distance, through correspondence and exchange of video clips or the use of a webcam.

Spending 25 minutes a day doing a daily program with my child is too difficult for me.  Can you help me anyway?

            Sure. If you can bring your child to my office a few times a week (and pay me for my time), I’ll go over the daily activities with him or her.

I have other questions. How can I reach you? 

Call me or email me (information is on the Contact Us page). I'll answer as soon as I can.