In this presentation, Diane Gould, Founder of PDANA, will address effective ways to support individuals who exhibit behaviors of concern at home and school. It will challenge commonly used practices and ways of thinking about behavior. The presentation will highlight the reality that most of our instincts are wrong.

We have a lot of power to support others emotionally and behaviorally if we fight our punitive natures and support individuals through kindness, environmental modifications, collaboration, and co-regulation. The crisis intervention practices used in schools and agencies escalate behaviors of concern instead of making them better. Diane has been a social worker for over 35 years and feels that this background has helped her to support clients more than her training in behavior change. Her work with complex clients has taught her it is most effective to do the opposite of what she has been taught.