Therapy, Assessment, and Consultation
in Salinas, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties
We build new skills that bring peace and success in the home and school.
Our mission is to provide top quality evidence based mental health services specializing in individuals with Autism Spectrum, ADHD, developmental and learning disabilities and their families.
Our vision is to help individuals experience neurodiversity as a difference, not a deficit, and to feel independent, confident and competent in their lives.
We work with children, adults and families to help find solutions and supports to alleviate struggles and support mental health needs. We assess the underlying root cause of these struggles to determine how to build skills in the child, adult and family.
We build skills that will help children, adults, and families in the long term.
New service offered: We are now offering HIPAA compliant tele-therapy.
Are you or someone you know struggling with…
- Frustrations
- Meltdowns
- School or work performance below ability
- Inattention
- Hyperactivity
- Thoughts that seem unusual
- Developmental delay
- Planning and following through
- Motivation
- Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
Have services so far not understood you or your family member and the sources of your frustration? Do you or your family member have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, PDD NOS, ADHD, Communication Disorder, or do you suspect this diagnosis? It doesn’t have to be this way…
Individualized Treatment
One size does not fit all.
Successful therapeutic services must be designed around the child, adult or family. One size does not fit all. We know that real life is messy and cannot be summed up in a diagnostic label. We serve the child, adult, and family as individuals, keeping in mind what we have learned from evidence-based practices.
We develop a personalized plan for your family.
Strategies Include
- Behavioral Techniques
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Play Therapy
- Relationship Development Intervention Based Strategies
- Mental Health and Developmental Assessment
Services Include
- Individual Therapy
- Parent Coaching
- Home and Community Based Coaching by a Trained Interventionist
- Family Plans and Interventions
- Safety Planning
About
Connections: Family and Behavioral Services
Our team has over 25 years providing services to individuals with learning and communication diagnoses, Autism, Asperger’s, developmental diagnoses, executive functioning issues and psychosis. We know the importance of having the right support for the need at hand.
Our team is passionate about supporting individuals, children and families with the most effective treatment possible, including assessment, advocacy, educational consultation, and in-home and in-office therapy. We specialize working with children, teens, adults, with executive functioning issues, and their families to address family relational issues, anxiety and depression.
Program Director
Tricia Lara
LMFT
Staff Therapist
Portia Belo (ASW)
Myriam Chavez (AMFT)
Tatum Davenport (AMFT)
Carmina Gerringer (AMFT)
Jung Hwa Kim (AMFT)
Maria Martinez-Navarro (ASW)
David Rubin (LMFT)
Ericka Sanchez (ASW)
Afshin Bhimani
Norman MacLean
Gloria Martinez
Interventionists
T Anderson
Alexis Hernandez
Kylee McCann
Cristian Romero
Paula Sanchez
Hannah Valverde
Zoe Washington
Administrative Team
Greta Flores
Dei Ow-Bearing