Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle MacAlpine.
Michelle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was in graduate school studying Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience when my son developed autism.
The Neuroscience courses I was taking at the time helped me understand my son’s behaviors and why he wasn’t developing language or play skills, while a local speech pathologist taught me that children don’t develop language if an auditory processing disorder prevents them from understanding the meaning of what people say.
I began working with severely delayed children and eventually was able to identify 10 stages of play development and create techniques to help children develop through these stages.
By focusing on helping children understand play and language instead of trying to manipulate their behavior, the autistic behaviors disappeared and language and play developed.
This year my son, who had been severely autistic at 3, graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas, and he had never needed any accommodations.
Although I no longer work with severely delayed children, I continue to specialize in helping children, teens and adults who are experiencing problems in cognitive or academic areas due to a sensory processing disorder.
Modern clinical neuroscience has given us the tools to effectively treat nearly all developmental and cognitive disorders, and I have spent the past 22 years teaching parents and professionals how to do this.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road was incredibly hard! In the beginning, I was breaking new ground; there was only the basic neuroscience of how brains learn and develop to guide me.
Since insurance would not cover the cost of treatment, I often had to treat patients without charge so that parents would let me work with their children. Parents often lost interest and left therapy when a more exciting therapy came along or someone promised to “fix” their child with a pill, exercise treatment, or diet.
Cognitive therapy is hard work and takes a long time, and few were willing to go the distance. For those that did, the results were worth everything. For me, my son’s recovery made all the work worthwhile.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Brain Training Associates – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I specialize in treating the cognitive effects of sensory processing disorders. This involves providing information and strategies that stimulate impaired areas of the brain to rewire networks so that normal developement can proceed.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Just continuing to help any and all who come to see me.
Pricing:
- AMA sets therapy prices for all therapists at $140/hr.
Contact Info:
- Address: Brain Training Associates Inc.
2301 Ohio Dr., suite 235
Plano, TX 75093 - Website: Www.braintraining.com
- Phone: 972-964-8510
- Email: braintrain@aol.com
- Facebook: Brain Training Associates Inc
- Twitter: @DrMacAlpine
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
