LEAP Solutions, LLC

Summer Sprouts braved the possible rain yesterday at Coffee Creek and ended up having a fun music class with Miss Kirsten of . They danced with egg shakers and scarves, played freeze dance and sang songs in different languages!

Special thanks to Miss Cassie for co-hosting this weeks' Summer Sprouts class!

There is still fun to be had this summer! Sign up here to join the remaining classes: https://leapsolutionsllc.squarespace.com/scribblesprouts

There are many fun ways to practice taking deep breaths- this is a great proactive way to teach breathing skills for regulation when kids are overwhelmed...check these out!

When was the last time you really noticed your breath? 🌬️
Most of us move through the day without slowing down enough to feel it—but taking a moment to tune into breathing can help calm the body and clear the mind.

The same is true for kids 💛
When children learn to pause and notice their breath, it can support self-regulation, focus, and emotional awareness.

The good news? Practicing mindful breathing doesn’t have to be boring! There are so many fun, playful ways to help kids explore what mindful breathing feels like.

Here are a few of our favorite kid-friendly breathing tools!

We also created the perfect handout with calming breathing techniques and visuals that we would love to give you! Drop a 😘 below if you would like to grab it!

LEAP Solutions offers: Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA)

An FBA is a process used to understand why a child is engaging in challenging behaviors. Through observations, interviews, and data collection, we identify triggers, patterns, and the purpose the behavior serves for the child. This information helps create effective strategies to reduce problem behaviors and teach more appropriate skills.

An FBA may be a service that is recommended to, or requested by, families. The goal of an FBA is not to diagnose a child, although an FBA can be part of a diagnostic evaluation in some cases. The goal is to find the "why" for your child's behaviors so that we can offer the most relevant recommendations.

Benefits:

💡 Recognizing hidden triggers such as anxiety, sensory sensitivities, fatigue, hunger, transitions, academic frustration, or social demands
💡 Understanding behavior as communication, especially when children lack the skills to express their needs, emotions, or frustrations effectively
💡 Identifying patterns that may not have been obvious, such as behaviors occurring only at certain times, with specific people, or during particular activities
💡 Discovering unintentional reinforcement, where well-meaning responses from adults may accidentally maintain the behavior
💡 Seeing strengths and skill deficits more clearly, helping families understand that some behaviors stem from lagging skills rather than defiance.
💡 Reducing blame and frustration by providing objective information about why behaviors occur
💡 Learning practical strategies that are tailored to their child's specific needs rather than relying on trial and error

Many families leave an FBA feeling empowered because they have a clearer understanding of their child's behavior and a concrete plan for how to support positive change at home, school, and in the community.

You can call us at 219-786-1582 or email us at [email protected] to inquire more about this service.

Be a scientist with your child! Explore how sunshine helps things grow by planting seeds together. Even in a small space, you can plant flowers or herbs. Watch and wonder together as your child sees the seeds you planted start to grow each day!

LEAP Solutions: What do we do here?

Let's start with Consultations and Evaluations

Some people are looking for a diagnostic evaluation and some people just aren't sure what is going on but they know they want to help their child and get some kind of guidance and support. This is the main reason we exist :)

We serve families and children from 0-18yrs.
*Call to inquire about evaluations needed for college accommodations.

We always start with an initial consultation no matter the concern. This 75 minute intake allows for clinical interviewing, observations and screening assessments. As a result of that session, an action plan will be discussed for next steps. Those next steps may include:
⭐️No follow up; some simple recommendations or referrals to relevant providers may be all you need (i.e., speech, OT, behavior therapy, etc.).
⭐️Summary of the session documenting your visit and a list of relevant resources and recommendations.
⭐️A follow up session to focus solely on the 'next steps' pieces of the puzzle which may be further discussing school based services and processes, more specifically honing in on the recommendations, etc.
⭐️A diagnostic evaluation; our evaluations are tailored to your concerns and based on clinical impressions. This means we will not automatically conduct an evaluation if we do not feel it is necessary and/or we will focus the evaluation on relevant and potential diagnoses and not 'the kitchen sink'.

Diagnostic evaluations may be done to explore any of the following:
⭐️Learning Disabilities (often identified as "dyslexia")
⭐️Cognitive Delays (AKA Intellectual Disabilities)
⭐️Developmental Delays
⭐️ADHD
⭐️Autism
⭐️Mood disorders such as Anxiety, Depression and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
⭐️Behavior disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder

An evaluation with us provides you not only with a diagnosis, but also school-based eligibility recommendations as well as relevant resources and suggestions based on the findings for both home and school. As a school psychologist, I am knowledgeable about special education law, evaluation procedures, eligibility criteria, IEP's, etc. In most cases, you will meet with me; in some cases, clients may meet with one of our other school psychologists, Diane or Sarah.

You can check out our services, fees, LEAPS & Bounds groups, and our team bios here: https://leapsolutionsllc.squarespace.com/

Our goal is to provide you with the information that is most important to helping your child succeed, while also getting you connected to the right resources and providing you with relevant recommendations.

How do you get started? Give us a call at 219-786-1582. You will speak with me (Tonia) and I can answer any questions you may have and either get you scheduled with me or refer you out to another professional if needed. You may also email me at [email protected]. We do not have a waitlist and can typically schedule your initial consultation with 1-3 weeks.

Let us know if you have any questions!

Join our friends at the Westchester Public Library for a Moonlight Movie tomorrow night at Chesterton Park! The Chesterton-Porter Rotary Club will be providing free popcorn! 🍿🎬

Please note that in the event of inclement weather, the movie will be moved to the Baugher Center located at 100 W. Indiana Ave. We will be sure to share any updates.

✨ Welcome to Our New Followers! ✨

We've had many new followers recently, so we wanted to take a moment to reintroduce ourselves.

At LEAP Solutions, we are passionate about supporting children and families from infancy through 12th grade. Our mission is to provide compassionate, evidence-based psychological and educational services that help children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

We specialize in comprehensive evaluations, educational and behavioral support, caregiver guidance, behavior therapy, social skills groups and play-based learning opportunities, and community connections designed to meet each child and family's unique needs.

We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and every caregiver deserves support along the journey. Our goal is not only to provide answers, but also to equip families with practical strategies, resources, and confidence to navigate challenges at home, at school, and beyond.

Whether you're seeking an evaluation, looking for support services, or simply searching for a community that understands, we're honored to be part of your family's journey.

Over the next two weeks we will share more about our specific services and how we can help.

Thank you for being here. We look forward to growing, learning, and celebrating successes together. 💚

HAPPY MONDAY!

Summer Sprouts REMINDER: This week's class is WEDNESDAY, still 10-11, and at Coffee Creek. Our participants will get to hang with Miss Cassie for some music and movement! 🎶🪇 You can still join- sign up here: https://leapsolutionsllc.squarespace.com/scribblesprouts

Bound for Success will meet on Thursday- this week's class will focus on SOCIAL PROBLEM SOLVING (edited/corrected). If you feel your kiddo would benefit from a fun, engaging, small group, social skills experience, sign up here: https://leapsolutionsllc.squarespace.com/bound-for-success

Makenzie is still scheduling new clients for behavior therapy. Inquire by contacting us at 219-786-1582 or [email protected]. Therapy is offered Wednesdays and Thursdays and focuses on positive support techniques for the child and caregivers, coaching and guidance and practical strategies you can use at home. We commonly work with kids exhibiting ADHD symptoms, anxiety, defiance, emotional dysregulation, social skill deficits and more. Let us help!

Have a great week!

Yesterday's Bound for Success group learned about social norms and manners together! Our younger group worked together to play freeze dance, practiced giving compliments and they read The 1,2,3's of Manners story. Our older group played manners Bingo and practiced politely ordering at a restaurant.

Next week's class is about advocacy and confidence! Join us!
https://leapsolutionsllc.squarespace.com/bound-for-success

We completed week 2 of our LEAPS and Bounds groups!
Summer Sprouts had a great time at Bicentennial Park on Monday.
Bounds for Success kiddos learned about social norms and manners.

It's not late to join our groups- you can learn more, see schedules and fees and sign up here: https://leapsolutionsllc.squarespace.com/sign-up

We also held another A-B-C Screening yesterday. These screeners are a great way for us to meet with families and offer clinical and professional suggestions and resources based on your concerns. Our next one will be sometime in the fall. Follows us here and check the webpage for future dates.

Have a great weekend!