Tuesday, April 12, 2016

An In S.T.E.P.P.S. Update!

Happy Spring to all our of friends, families, team members, and supporters! We hope this little blog of ours finds you well. We wanted to take a few moments to update you on all the recent happenings over at In S.T.E.P.P.S. 

Last month, Executive Director, Dr. Yvonne Bruinsma was nominated for the Presidential Women of Influence Award. Today, Clinical Director, Dr. Erin McNerney, and Coordinator of Clinical Staff Development, Rachel Zetino, attended the Women of Influence Awards on behalf of Dr. Bruinsma, who was busy attending a national behavior analysis conference. The event highlighted the many strengths and contributions of business women across industries. It was an honor to see Dr. Bruinsma among these many accomplished women!


Dr. Yvonne Bruinsma, Executive Director and Women of Influence Award nominee!
Coordinator of Clinical Staff Development, Rachel Zetino, and Dr. Erin McNerney, Clinical Director, attended the awards in Dr. Bruinsma's honor!

In S.T.E.P.P.S. continues to expand! Our administrative department has been relocated to their very own suite (be sure to stop by and say hi!), and we are using the extra space for clinic rooms! We are so excited about this as it will allow us to better serve our clients by allowing for skill generalization to other environments, team meetings, observations, training, additional social skills groups, and more! If you are interested in moving any of your 1:1 sessions to the office, let us know!


We have several new clinic rooms at our Irvine office!
We even have a two-way mirror!

Our San Diego and Los Angeles locations are really up and running! Huge shout out to our Regional Directors, Nicole Horton and Nicole Floyd, as they have put in an abundance of work to help In S.T.E.P.P.S. reach these communities. If you or someone you know would like more information about our additional locations please email us!


In S.T.E.P.P.S. San Diego! Isn't it beautiful?!
Clinic room in San Diego
Reception area in San Diego

Parent's Night Out (PNO) is becoming increasingly popular every month! We love that this one evening a month allows parents to have some much deserved time off to enjoy a date night, see friends, catch a movie, grab some dinner, or just relax at home. As you may have noticed, we have set a maximum number of attendees on our RSVP list on Evite. This is to ensure that we have enough support staff to guarantee a low child to adult ratio, and to make sure it is a positive experience for all those that attend. Unfortunately, this may mean we have a wait list each month. We hope you understand! Be sure to RSVP early to claim your spot. If you have any questions, email Clinical Supervisor (and PNO organizer), Lindsey Lewis, at LindseyL@instepps.com. Our next scheduled PNO is Friday, April 29 from 6:30-9:30. You can find the answers to FAQ by clicking here


We always end PNO with a dance party!

We have a big presence on Facebook, so be sure to head on over there and check us out. Be sure to "Like" us so you see our daily posts, pictures, and announcements in your news feed!  https://www.facebook.com/In-Stepps-212450818767386/

Thursday, February 25, 2016

A Well Deserved STAR Award!

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child." 

It's that time again! We love the chance to recognize our outstanding therapists and this one is a doozy. This particular therapist is amazing and everyone she works with speaks of her with PRIDE! We wanted to share with you what a STAR this person is .... 



Congratulations, Erin! You are just the greatest and we adore you. Keep up the great work! 

Here are a few things Erin's supervisors had to say about her .... 

Erin is a FANTASTIC therapist!!! She is one of the most creative people I have ever met. She really dedicated herself to her clients and comes up with the most fun activities during sessions. Erin also works very independently and shows great clinical judgment and insight. Keep up the great work, Erin!! – Nicole F.

Erin is an exceptionally creative and resourceful therapist.  She has a great positive energy that she brings to her interactions with clients and coworkers that helps to put everyone involved in a better mood.  She is thoughtful, caring, playful, and professional and a great asset to any team she is on...  All that and she's an Excellent Dancer! – David K.

Erin is an incredibly thoughtful, kind, caring and creative therapist and person.  She is continually creating new, fun ways to play with toys and activities and goes out of her way to pick up or create items that will key in on her client's motivation and help them succeed.  It has been an honor to watch Erin bloom into such a strong therapist.  Erin's demeanor and personality lights up the homes she works in as well as our office.  It is an absolute pleasure to work with Erin and we are extremely lucky to have her as a part of our In STEPPS family! – Nicole H.

Erin is so creative and always finding different & cool activities to do with the kiddos. She can turn any simple regular craft into such a neat contraption of some sort. She even leaves parents scratching their heads thinking, "How did she come up with that?" She's pretty awesome! – Mayra S.

Erin really is an In STEPPS Star! She is creative, hardworking, dependable, and kind. Thank you for all that you do for In STEPPS. You are truly appreciated by us and families that have been lucky enough to work with you!​ –Diane G.

We are so impressed with Erin’s skills! She balances maintenance and acquisition tasks perfectly! She does a great job of embedding a variety of goals during sessions with her clients. Erin is also wonderful at priming and making expectations clear.  I love how Erin sets up opportunities and follows feedback. Erin is SO great! – Rachel Z.

Erin is an asset to the In STEPPS team! Her dedication to the families she works with is clear during every session. Erin takes such pride in her client’s accomplishments; her enthusiasm is contagious! Erin is also extremely “thrifty” and picks up toys and activities for her clients often. She is so creative in finding ways to target goals and maintain motivation during her sessions with these great finds! Erin makes such a huge difference in the life of each family she works with and the kids just adore her. We are so lucky to have someone like Erin on our team. We love you, Erin! – Lindsey L.