Preview - Desorgher Method I

The Desorgher Method

Buy 'The Desorgher Method'
as an MS-Word file

The Desorgher Method is a holistic approach to bringing about emotional, spiritual, mental and physical well-being in people suffering under the condition of autism. It grew out of the Professional Parenting model known as ‘the Magic of the Family’, and has been most successfully used for those exhibiting the stresses and conflicts of adapting to a world where their condition is poorly understood and their survival has depended on developing coping strategies which have come to be labelled as ‘problem behaviors’. It can be adapted for uses in many settings and for a wide range of problems and age groups, wherever struggle and survival strategies are standing in the way of relationship, growth, fulfilment, health and happiness.

The Desorgher Method uses the following tools:

Unconditional Love
Ethnomethodology – Teaching individuals with autism how to ‘join the tribe’ by joining theirs
Functional Behavioral Analysis and method of application
Setting the child up for success
Symptom or behavior?
Breaking down behavioral complexes
Meeting the child’s needs (re. Maslow)
Keep it simple – identify what the child likes and dislikes
Re-framing (replacing negative experiences and associations with positive experiences and associations)
Identify problem behavior(s) to be targeted – not working on too many things at once
Limiting unnecessary verbalization to focus on what is important
Role modeling
Describing behaviors
Tracking
Coping skills for the carer – Don’t take it personally
Dealing with guilt overload
Peer Role Models
Overkill
Expectations
Increasing participation
How to achieve compliance – Pre-teaching, rewards and consequences
Schedule
Goals and objectives – Short term, long term
Results

The combined approach

The combination approach of dietary and behavioral therapies are designed to effect powerful changes, and we have to watch intensely, 24 hours a day. As they experience changes to their eyes, ears, sensory experience, physical bodies they may be frightened. Some may feel more capable and able to assume control of their environment and others less capable. As they are ‘waking up’ from the most deeply withdrawn state of autism, how any one individual reacts depends on their circumstances, their attitude, what they experience and how others are responding also to the change. Of course having carers in place who have been through the process themselves or seen others go through the transformation is invaluable. Family members, especially siblings of autists who have experienced this process will be a tremendous asset to us in the future, as well as those who have experience of other transformational therapeutic programs.

Other points to be aware of:

The child’s day is 24 hours long just like everyone else’s. The work does not stop at 5.30.
Every minute the child is involved in acceptable activity is a minute that they are not involved in unacceptable activity.
Control is not self-control. We are teaching self-control.
The word ‘no’ loses its meaning when it is heard 1000 times a day.
Self-injurious behavior is unacceptable. But scratching an itch, pulling a hair from a painful follicle, even beating their face and many other actions which may appear as self-injurious may be the child attempting to deal with their own physical needs.
Aggression is the most serious of the behaviors which can prevent an individual from meeting their potential.
Self defence is not aggression.
Attitude can be changed.
Primal response to stimuli is often involuntary.

The Desorgher Method Buy 'The Desorgher Method' as an MS-Word file The Desorgher Method is a holistic approach to bringing about emotional, spiritual, mental and physical well-being in people suffering under the condition of autism. It grew out of the Professional Parenting model known as ‘the Magic of the Family’, and has been most successfully used for those exhibiting the stresses and conflicts of adapting to a world where their condition is poorly understood and their survival has depended on developing coping strategies which have come to be labelled as ‘problem behaviors’. It can be adapted for uses in many settings and for a wide range of problems and age groups, wherever struggle and survival strategies are standing in the way of relationship, growth, fulfilment, health and happiness. The Desorgher Method uses the following tools: Unconditional Love Ethnomethodology – Teaching individuals with autism how to ‘join the tribe’ by joining theirs Functional Behavioral Analysis and method of application Setting the child up for success Symptom or behavior? Breaking down behavioral complexes Meeting the child’s needs (re. Maslow) Keep it simple – identify what the child likes and dislikes Re-framing (replacing negative experiences and associations with positive experiences and associations) Identify problem behavior(s) to be targeted – not working on too many things at once Limiting unnecessary verbalization to focus on what is important Role modeling Describing behaviors Tracking Coping skills for the carer – Don’t take it personally Dealing with guilt overload Peer Role Models Overkill Expectations Increasing participation How to achieve compliance – Pre-teaching, rewards and consequences Schedule Goals and objectives – Short term, long term Results The combined approach The combination approach of dietary and behavioral therapies are designed to effect powerful changes, and we have to watch intensely, 24 hours a day. As they experience changes to their eyes, ears, sensory experience, physical bodies they may be frightened. Some may feel more capable and able to assume control of their environment and others less capable. As they are ‘waking up’ from the most deeply withdrawn state of autism, how any one individual reacts depends on their circumstances, their attitude, what they experience and how others are responding also to the change. Of course having carers in place who have been through the process themselves or seen others go through the transformation is invaluable. Family members, especially siblings of autists who have experienced this process will be a tremendous asset to us in the future, as well as those who have experience of other transformational therapeutic programs. Other points to be aware of: The child’s day is 24 hours long just like everyone else’s. The work does not stop at 5.30. Every minute the child is involved in acceptable activity is a minute that they are not involved in unacceptable activity. Control is not self-control. We are teaching self-control. The word ‘no’ loses its meaning when it is heard 1000 times a day. Self-injurious behavior is unacceptable. But scratching an itch, pulling a hair from a painful follicle, even beating their face and many other actions which may appear as self-injurious may be the child attempting to deal with their own physical needs. Aggression is the most serious of the behaviors which can prevent an individual from meeting their potential. Self defence is not aggression. Attitude can be changed. Primal response to stimuli is often involuntary.
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