Fw: RDI Program Family Immersion - CATch F.I.R.E.

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RDI Program Family Immersion - CATCh F.I.R.E.!

RDI Program Family Immersion - CATch F.I.R.E.

To read this newsletter online, visit: http://www.rdiconnect.com/archive/

New to the

RDI® Program?

Relationship Development Intervention® Program

Download the Introduction to the RDI Program (32-page Booklet)

Preview the 5-hour " Going to the Heart of Autism " DVD

How to Get Started with the RDI Program

10 " What to Do While You're Waiting " Tips

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01/24/06

In this issue:

• News & Announcements

• Upcoming Live RDI® Events around the World

• New on the Web Site

• DVD Excerpt:

The secret of their success was that from the very beginning, they were

practicing RDI Program principles all throughout the day.

• Research Summary:

Social deficits and interpersonal relationships in autism (1998)

• Dr. Gutstein Quotable

• Feature Article:

Family Immersion

RDI® Program Enhancement (CATCh F.I.R.E.)

• RDI Program Story of the Week

" The RDI way is so much more rewarding! "

• Video Feature of the Week: CATCh F.I.R.E. - Golf with Dad and Playing

Flashlight with Family

• 2-day Intro Workshops

2006:

Kelowna, BC, CANADA

Madison, WI

Winnipeg, Man. CANADA

Indianapolis, IN

Sacramento, CA

New Jersey

Denver, CO

Chicago, IL

Philadelphia, PA

Columbus, OH

Los Angeles, CA

Austin, TX

• 4-day Parent Seminars

2006:

Edmonton, Alberta area

Orange County, CA area FULL

Houston, TX FULL

London, UK area

St. Louis, MI area

ville, FL area

Houston, TX

• Professionals: News and Announcements

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RDIconnect.com

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Dr. Gutstein's &

Dr. Sheely's Chat Calendar

North America:

Tuesdays, 8 pm CST.

For upcoming Chats, please

check the Chat Calendar for any last-minute additions or changes.

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All Chat Transcripts

Chat Index:

Children's Stories

Declarative Language

Distress-Recovery-Comp.

Executive System

Framing/Frameworks

General Topics (Autism)

Getting Started on RDI®

Language Issues

Declarative Language

Master-Apprentice

Memory (EM)

Meta-Functions

Motivation

Productive Uncertainty

Program Tips

RDI® Assessment (RDA)

RDI® Guidelines /Theory

RDI® History/ Research

RDI® Lifestyle

School Issues

Young Adult/Adult Issues

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Quick Links

Archive of Past newsletters

Find a local Consultant

RDI® Video Library

On-line Support Groups

Free downloads

RDI® Research Study Journal Article;

NAS Outcome Study;

RDI® Activity Selector;

and more!

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Online Store

Featured Resources:

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Under the Big Umbrella

Back by popular demand, this 60-page manual was originally designed for

parents of newly diagnosed children, and and is a great tool for anyone wanting

to learn more about the Pervasive Developmental Disorders. More information.

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For those new to the RDI Program:

Going to the Heart of Autism DVD

The most concise overview of the Relationship Development Intervention

Program to date. Over 5 hours of video.

More information.

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If you don't have a DVD Player:

The RDI Program Video

The 3-hour video contains highlights of a live, 2-day presentation by Dr.

Gutstein.

More information.

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Autism/Asperger's - Solving the Relationship Puzzle

Dr. Gutstein's first, ground-breaking book on the RDI Program, opening the

door to lifelong social and emotional growth. More information.

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RDI Program Progress Tracking Form

Indispensable guide to anyone wanting to start an RDI Program. Includes a

detailed listing of all 28 stages. More information.

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THANK YOU:

Many thanks to all those who contributed and helped put the newsletter

together.

EDITOR:

Bev C

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Connections Center

4120 Bellaire Blvd.

Houston, TX 77025

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

feedback@...

©2005 Connections Center

All rights reserved

News & Announcements

DATE CORRECTIONS and REVISIONS for 2-day Workshops:

Winnipeg - March 23-24, 2006

Philadelphia, PA - September 15-16, 2006

Columbus, OH - October 6-7, 2006

Austin, TX - November 17-18, 2006

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NEW RDI Program Support Groups Listed:

Canada - For parents interested in or currently implementing RDI

Programs. Certified Consultants and Consultants in training also welcome.

United Kingdom - A parent-centered group for U.K. parents involved

in, or wanting to learn about, the RDI Program. Certified Consultants also

welcome.

United States:

Florida - A group for Florida parents and professionals who are

interested in sharing experiences and knowledge relating to the RDI Program.

Michigan - Support for families in Michigan who are currently using

the RDI Program or for those families interested in finding out more.

Thanks to all those who have created the many supportive RDI Program

on-line communities. See the website for a complete listing of all the groups.

If your group is not listed on the web site, please let us know.

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We welcome another newly Certified Consultant:

Sterling, VA: Allan Gilbertson, M.A.

There are now 61 Certified Consultants in the United States as well

as 1 Certified Consultant in Australia, 4 in Canada and 1 in Japan.

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Congratulations to a newly Re-Certified Consultant:

New Rochelle, NY: Alisa Dror, M.S., Ed

All RDI® Program Certified Consultants are re-certified annually, by

completing additional requirements for their continuing education in the RDI®

Program.

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Kelowna 2-day Introductory Workshop Waiting List:

If you are on the Kelowna waiting list, and are seriously interested

in starting an RDI Program, consider attending the 4-day Parent Seminar in

Edmonton, January 30-February 2.

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4-day Parent Seminar - Edmonton, Alberta area, CANADA

January 30-February 2, 2006

I thought that this was very enlightening and made sense out of a

subject that has seemed mystifying. I now feel, for the first time, that I have

a real place to start and a path ahead of me. – Nina on (Latham, NY)

To receive your Free Parent Seminar Info-Pak, email us at

parents@... or call call Jill, our Parent Training Coordinator, at

ext. 108. If you are interested in this seminar, we suggest you

register now to hold your space, as almost all of our seminars have waiting

lists.

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RDI® Program Story of the Week

" The RDI way is so much more rewarding! "

" We had such a laugh the other day when we were getting ready for

school. I saw my son Nolan's homework laying out on the counter, so I said

" Hmmmm, funny, there is some homework here without its home. " Read the rest of

the story.

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Featured Resources in our on-line store

NEW! FTP Upload Service

Send your video clip files to the Connections Center through the

convenience of the internet. Our new FTP (file transfer protocol) service is

open to professionals in the supervision process and parents who are clients of

the Connections Center.

Links to more detailed information for Parents and more detailed

information for Professionals about the Secure FTP Upload Service can also be

accessed from our Member Services Page.

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Upcoming Live RDI® Events Around the World:

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Edmonton, Alberta, area (Canada) - Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 2006

4-Day Parent Seminar. A few spaces are still currently available.

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Kelowna, B.C. (Canada) - February 4-5, 2006

2-day Intro to RDI Workshop presented by Dr. Gutstein.

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Tidewater, VA - February 7 and 21, 2006 (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm).

Support Group for families participating in an RDI Program. Contact Certified

Consultant, Tracie Mauch at tlmauch@... or for information.

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Orange, County - February 14-17, 2006

4-day Parent Seminar. This workshop is full.

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ville, FL - February 23, 2006 (6:45 pm to 8:00 pm).

Parent Support Group for families who are implementing the RDI

Program. Meetings are held at Spectrum Therapies of North Florida, Inc., at 340

Third Avenue South, Suite B. Space is limited, so please contact Certified

Consultant, April Choulat at RDIFL@... or .

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Houston, TX - February 27-March 2, 2006

4-day Parent Seminar. This workshop is full.

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Madison, WI - March 4 -5, 2006

2-day Intro to RDI Workshop presented by Dr. Gutstein.

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New on the Web Site:

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Tuesdays, 8 p.m. CST: Live Chats

Dr. Gutstein's Chats:

January 24 Teens

January 31 Memory

February 7 Dyads

February 14 Level 3: Stages 9-14

Dr. Sheely's Chats:

All welcome, especially Beginners, to ask questions and discuss the

RDI® Program with Dr. Sheely.

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Recent Live Chats Posted:

Dr. Sheely's January 17 Chat: Pets, progress report.

Dr. Gutstein's January 17 Chat: Topic: Education, including what RDI

Stage is ideal to start school / academics. Also: RDI Program Research News and

change in terminology from " RDR " to " RCR. "

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Recent discussions on the Message Board

Nanny/psychologist | Research for support | Visual communication

strategies | RDI in Philadelphia | New to RDI | Is 2 too young for RDI? | Will

health insurance cover RDI?

Have a question of your own?

Community Board | Professional Board

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DVD Excerpt

The secret of their success was that from the very beginning, they were

practicing RDI Program principles all throughout the day.

Originally we emphasized working in what we might call a lab environment

that is very minimal, has very little stimulation and distraction. But what we

found was this. Our most successful families spent a few hours in more of a lab

setting when they introduced new objectives or were working on difficult things,

but the secret of their success was that from the very beginning, they were

practicing RDI Program principles all throughout the day. What they learned was

that rather than create an artificial setting where you are just going through a

series of drills or activities, that the activities of daily life–if we slow

down, and if we knew what to emphasize and what to spotlight–were the most

important things of all. So based on this, we really had to do a change in what

we thought of was effective in the RDI Program. And that is part of the process,

the dynamic system that is the RDI Program–we continue to learn and develop and

become more effective.

From Chapter 45, Principle #7: Modify Lifestyle for Family Health

DVD Preview: If you're interested in learning more about the DVD, view the

video preview or see the DVD Release Notes and Unpublished DVD Index which

appeared in recent newsletters. The five-hour Going to the Heart of Autism DVD

can be ordered on-line from our secure, on-line store.

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Research Summary

Responses to the negative emotions of others by autistic, mentally

retarded, and normal children. (1992)

Author: Sigman, M., Kasari, C., Kwon, J.H., Yirmiya, N.

Publication: Child Development, 63, 796-807

Summary: Mentally retarded, typical and autistic children's responses to

adult displays of distress, fear and discomfort were observed. While the

mentally retarded and typical children attended quite a bit to the adults in

these situations, most of the autistic children ignored the adults' emotional

displays.

Read about the Participants, Methods, Results, Conclusion and the Critical

Review.

This summary is just one example of the dozens that are available from our

Research Summary Database.

NOTE: © Copyright 2004. This summary and all others in the Database cannot

be published elsewhere in any form without the written consent of Connections

Center.

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Dr Gutstein Quotable:

The RDI Program does not have to be fun. You can wash dishes, sweep the

floor, do the laundry. Fun is just one piece. Developing competence becomes a

much greater motivation.

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Going to the Heart of Autism

Introducing CATCh F.I.R.E.

Family Immersion

RDI® Program Enhancement

Have you ever wanted more one-on-one training for your RDI Program? To

actually have a Certified Consultant right there as you go about your daily

activities, so you can learn how to do guided participation, scaffolding,

framing, spotlighting, declarative communication, episodic memory, etc. in the

moment? This week we are delighted to introduce just such a new, multi-day

program started by two Certified Consultants. Designed for families wanting an

immersion program to learn how to create their own " RDI Program lifestyle " ,

Maisie Soetantyo and Zevallos, of the C.A.T.Ch Clinic (Comprehensive

Autism Treatment for Children) have just started offering a three to five-day

intensive. It is called, " CATCh F.I.R.E. " – Family Immersion RDI Program

Enhancement. We interviewed Maisie about it this past week.

Maisie, tell us a little about the CATCh F.I.R.E. Program?

We're really excited to offer this new program, because over the years,

we've found one of the biggest challenges for parents once they've learned about

the RDI Program, is how to actually apply all the concepts! We realized many

families could really benefit from more intensive work with a Consultant, so

we've set up our CATCh F.I.R.E. Program to run over 3 to 5 days where we spend

the whole day with the family in a simulated home setting. This provides

everyone in the family with real hands-on experience living the " RDI Program

lifestyle " together, and by the end of the immersion, we want families to leave

feeling very confident about implementing the RDI Program in their own everyday

lives. For families already working with a Certified Consultant, we have

designed our program to support that relationship, and we will be working with

that family's Consultant both before and after the immersion, to help customize

the program and meet the family's unique needs as much as possible. We also want

to make sure that the family enjoys a smooth transition back to their own

Consultant on return.

What happens over the course of the 3-5 days?

Each day, we spend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the family. The first

morning we just observe them as they go through a typical morning routine. Then,

based on this observation and the information we've already received from the

family or their Consultant beforehand, we walk them through a variety of

structured activities. For example, with our first family we did things like:

getting dressed, baking muffins, cleaning the table, doing laundry, taking a

walk, going swimming, playing mini-golf, making sushi, doing bath time, and

reading bedtime stories. Depending on how each of the participants learns best,

we would talk about the activities, model how to do them, or video tape them for

later review, etc. Each evening we assign homework which is videotaped and then

reviewed the next morning and we also spend one-on-one time just with the

parents to discuss strengths, obstacles and modifications.

During the course of the immersion we work with all members of the family

together, including any siblings, relatives and sometimes caregivers, who

attend. The last day is actually our favorite part–this is the day that each

parent gets a half day break, while we work separately with Mom and Dad,

one-on-one with their child. We enjoy working with Dads individually to help

them come up with ideas of particular interest to them, and then help them frame

and scaffold the hobby or activity to include their child. If a family is just

getting started on the RDI Program, or if their child has not had a Relationship

Development Assessment™ (RDA™) within the last 6 months, then the RDA™ would

also be included as part of the 5 days. If an RDA has already been done within

the last 6 months, the immersion is just for 3 days.

Who would the CATCh F.I.R.E. Program be particularly good for?

We see the program being really effective for families just getting

started on the RDI Program, and also for families who may have been working on

an RDI Program for some time, but who are experiencing some roadblocks. For

example: feeling stuck, not knowing how to include their other children, wanting

to get Dad more involved, feeling they are still in " survival mode " or living in

chaos, having difficulty slowing down as a family, not feeling confident they

are doing things right, difficulty integrating their RDI Program into their

lifestyle, frequently running into the same problems, needing to troubleshoot a

particular challenge, wanting a screen-free environment to let go of TV or video

game addictions, or maybe working with a long-distance Consultant who can't do

home visits. I think the immersion would be good for any family who just doesn't

feel they are getting as much out of their RDI Program as they should be.

Are there requirements for participating in the CATCh F.I.R.E. Program?

We ask that both parents have a basic understanding of the RDI Program,

either through attending a 2-Day Introductory Workshop presented by Dr.

Gutstein, or by viewing the Going to the Heart of Autism DVD. We also ask

families fill out an information form, give us written consent to communicate

with their Certified Consultant, and provide us a recent video tape of their

child interacting with family members. If the family is long distance, we would

do two consultations with them on the phone to customize their immersion

program, but if they are local (Sunnyvale, CA area) we could meet them in our

office or even do the two consultations as home visits, beforehand.

So you really want to get to know the family beforehand?

Yes, the more we can get to know the family beforehand, the better! This

way we can really tailor the program to their specific needs and their regular

daily routines. One thing we do is prepare a special " Welcome Kit " for each

family and it is meant to include many of the special supplies they can use

together during their stay. For example, we would provide things like games,

cards, baking mixes, laundry baskets, placemats, pool noodles, a polaroid

camera, books, or sensory items, etc. all specifically chosen based on what the

family has told us. Families are also welcome to take some of the smaller items

home with them, at the end. As well at the end, we give the family video clips

from the immersion so they can use them for review, and also provide a written

report for themselves and their Consultant, which would include observations,

suggested modifications and progress markers for each member of the family.

Where is the CATCh F.I.R.E. Program actually done?

We have made special arrangements to do the CATCh F.I.R.E. Program at the

Extended StayBridge Suites in Sunnyvale, California, which is about 40 miles

from San Francisco and 10 miles from San . The suites are like

fully-equipped apartments, with kitchen plus living and dining areas; and the

hotel includes many amenities like a courtyard BBQ, laundry facilities, outdoor

swimming pool and jacuzzi, mini-golf, enclosed areas for walking, an on-site

sundry shop, nearby supermarket, etc. All screens are removed from the suite the

family stays in, and the hotel has been very accommodating to our working there.

Each family must make their own arrangements with the hotel, but participants

are entitled to special CATCh F.I.R.E. rates.

Any final comments, and how can parents get more information?

We really want to teach the RDI Program lifestyle as a state of mind. You

don't need an elaborate set-up and we just want to help parents feel more

confident that if they know their child, their objective, and how to scaffold,

then they really can be very effective coaches for their child.

For more information about the CATCh F.I.R.E. program, parents or

professionals can email us at catchmaisie@... or call us at (408)

245-2100 to receive a brochure or to ask any questions.

Next Week: One Mom's story of her CATCh F.I.R.E. experience.

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RDI® Program Story of the Week

" The RDI way is so much more rewarding! "

We had such a laugh the other day when we were getting ready for school. I

saw my son Nolan's homework laying out on the counter, so I said " Hmmmmm, funny,

there is some homework here without its home, " to which Nolan (age 9, Stage 3)

replied, without missing a beat, " That's funny (pause) there's a folder in my

room without its vocabulary words. " He then marched right into his room, filled

his folder and packed it into his backpack. Prior to the RDI Program, we would

have been telling him to " hurry up, put your homework in your folder! " again and

again, until we finally did it ourselves, while rushing out the door. The RDI

way is so much more rewarding!

Many thanks to Annette S., Los Angeles, CA for her story.

Do you have a story to share?

If you have a story of a child, teen or adult, please email it to

feedback@... for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

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Video Feature of the Week

Golf with Dad and Playing Flashlight with Family

Certified Consultant Maisie Soetantyo provided this video of a family

during their CATch F.I.R.E. stay and explains the clips: " During the 3-day

immersion, we met with Dad, and came up with three activities that he used to do

in the past and discussed different ways of scaffolding them to include his son.

One of the activities Dad enjoys is playing golf, so we helped Dad scaffold some

mini-golf with his son, focusing on Master-Apprentice, a small zone of

connection, and staying connected before his son left the space.

We asked the family to choose one lifestyle and one family game they could

create with what we provided in their Welcome Kit. So they came up with this

flashlight game as part of their homework on the first night. The focus is of

course on declarative communication, keeping the zone of connection close, and

finding a way to include everyone in the family, including their other 3 year

old child. Each member of the family got a turn with the flashlight, and Mom

used declarative communication nicely throughout.

Over the three days, the parents really gained a lot of confidence as

coaches, and learned how to slow down, focus on regulation, use more declarative

communication, and frame and scaffold effectively. "

Note: If you have any problems viewing the video, please email our Tech

Support at support@....

A SPECIAL THANK YOU:

to all the Parents and Children who have so generously given us their

permission to share their private video clips. Without your huge generosity of

sprit, and compassionate commitment to educating others, we would be unable to

truly communicate and help others learn about the RDI® Program. Your

contributions are invaluable and greatly appreciated. Thank you!

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Upcoming 2-day Introductory Workshops

for Parents & Professionals:

Psychologists: Connections Center is approved by the American

Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists.

Connections Center maintains responsibility for this program. All of our 2-day

and 4-day workshops for professionals are certified for CE credits. Each

participant will receive certification of contact hours attended. 2-day

workshops are certified for 10 CE credits.

Case Managers: Commission for Case Manager Certification, 11 Clock Hours.

Counselors: National Board of Certified Counselors, 11 Clock Hours.

Speech-Language Pathologists: American Speech-Language Hearing

Association, 1 CEU.

2006:

Kelowna, BC Canada (February 4-5, 2006) FULL

Madison, WI (March 4 -5, 2006)

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (CORRECTED DATE: March 23-24, 2006)

NEW! Indianapolis, IN (May 3-4, 2006)

Sacramento, CA (June 9 - 10, 2006)

New Jersey (July 7 - 8, 2006)

Denver, CO (July 28-29, 2006)

Chicago, IL (August 25-26, 2006)

Philadelphia, PA (CORRECTED DATE: September 15-16, 2006)

Columbus, OH (CORRECTED DATE: October 6-7, 2006)

Los Angeles, CA (November 3-4, 2006)

Austin, TX (CORRECTED DATE: November 17-18, 2006)

Group rates available

Email , at Adiska@... for information.

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4-Day Intensive Parent Seminars

" Great training that gives parents knowledge and understanding about

autism and how they can help their children…training that provides information

on developmental delays associated with autism and provides practical, real-life

strategies that give parents direction and solutions to individual problems.” -

Barry s (Colpeper, VA)

Read what other parents have said about the 4-day Parent Seminars on our

web site. Learn effective ways of teaching emotion-sharing, social motivation,

flexibility, creative thinking and executive functioning; design an optimal RDI®

Lifestyle to suit your family; develop customized activities tailored to your

particular child, and much more. Parent Seminars are limited to small groups of

no more than 25 couples. Includes large-group lectures with the very latest

information about RDI®, including new research; small group practice and

discussions, and a one-on-one meeting with a Certified Consultant. You will also

receive the RDI® Program Parent Training Book, which includes all the workshop

slides, the Progress Tracking Forms, Planning Forms, etc.

To receive a complete Parent Seminar Information Package, email us at

parents@RDIconnect or call Jill, our Parent Training Coordinator, at

, ext. 108.

2006 Dates:

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada area: January 30-February 2, 2006

Orange County, CA area: February 14-17, 2006 FULL

Houston, TX: February 27-March 2, 2006 FULL

London, UK area: March 14-17, 2006

St. Louis, MO area: April 10-13, 2006

ville, FL area: May 8-11,2006

Houston, TX: May 30-June 2, 2006

Visit our website for more information

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Professionals: News & Announcements

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Professional News

• Transcripts of all professional chats

(for Registered RDI Professionals only)

• Upcoming topics for Professional Chats:

http://www.rdiconnect.com/chat/default.asp.

• On the Resources Group (for Professionals only): Workspace design;

Valentine's Day ideas; Memory research; ideas for encouraging more non-verbal

communication; language " regression " and much more.

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Professional Certification Information:

Next Seminar Dates for Professional Certification:

Beginning: Register for the May 16-19, 2006 session.

Intermediate: Register for the April 4-7, 2006, session.

Advanced:

April 18-21, 2006

August 29-September 1, 2006

November 28-December 1, 2006

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