Ellen works with families in various capacities,
having served them primarily as parent advisor and parent trainer since
1970. She personally and directly assists those individual families who
desire different levels of consultation with a Certified Auditory-Verbal
Therapist.
Here are some ways that she has assisted families:
1. Parents desire to provide the A-V approach for their child but do not
have access to a local Cert. AVT, so Ellen goes to their home for
several days of intensive parental training and demonstration of A-V
therapy with their child. For some families, a one-time one-week
consultation followed up by ongoing e-mail exchanges is all that is
needed. For other families, a quarterly or annual one-week consultation
is requested. For still other families, videotapes of parent-child
interactions are periodically sent to Ellen for monitoring purposes and
to ensure good progress.
2. Parents already have a local auditory-based therapist for their
child, but they have some concerns about their child's progress or would
like a second opinion. Upon request, Ellen spends anywhere from a
half-day to several days with the family and child. As a result of her
fact-finding mission, Ellen ascertains the situation and develops
recommendations, all of which is presented in a follow-up written report
for the family. Ongoing e-mail exchanges between parents and Ellen serve
to ensure that the child continues to make good progress.
3. Parents already have an A-V child but a social or academic situation
is of concern to the family. Upon request, Ellen revisits the setting,
e.g., the child's school. As a result of her objectivity and interviews
with all involved professionals, parents, and child, Ellen develops a
written plan of action designed to improve the setting for the child,
which is shared with all involved parties.
For those who would like some type of family consultation, please do not
hesitate to contact Ellen A. Rhoades, Ed.S., Cert. AVT at
ellenrhoades@comcast.net
Here is what one parent wrote:
Dear Ellen,
Thank you so much for your support over the last two years. I couldn't
have made it without you. As I listened to my son rattling on and on
about his day at preschool, I could hardly believe it has only been
two short years since your visit here. Thank you so much for being our
saving angel and taking us under your wings. We know too well that we
would not have made this happen without your wonderful training and
mentoring. Your constant encouragement and rigorous lessons have kept
us on the right path and have been our saving grace much more than you
could ever know. You have an incredible love for the welfare of deaf
children to spend so much energy on helping them while getting so
little in return; I thank God that you do. If there is ever anything
that we can to do help you reach out to other families in need, please
let me know. They may contact me at
AVMOMOF3@MSN.com.
Sincerely,
Chris Wilsey
(mom of Liam the Conqueror)
