KNOWLEDGE CENTER
Are you on a quest to learn?
Let’s see what we can find for you.
Be informed. Be nourished by nuggets of truth including current science.
We integrate information in a way that both informs and supports your well-being during those times when life demands your deepest and most thoughtful attention.
The Learning Center
How to Choose the Right Consultant for Your Child’s Educational and Therapeutic Needs
Most parents who find their way to an educational or therapeutic consultant have already been through a lot. You have probably sat through more meetings than you can count. You have read blogs and books and asked friends and therapists for recommendations. And you are still not sure you are…
What Makes a Good Parent Coach (And How to Know When You Have Found One)
A mother once told me she had been through three coaches before she found one who actually helped. The first gave her a checklist. The second gave her advice she had already tried. The third made her feel like she was doing everything wrong. By the time she reached out…
What Is Peer Support and Why It Matters for Special Needs Parents
A few years ago, a mother sat in my office and said something I have never forgotten. “I have a wonderful therapist,” she told me. “She is kind and she listens. But she has never been where I am. When I describe what it is like to be woken up…
The Best Boarding Schools for Autism and How We Help You Find Them
In this guide we'll explore how to choose the right educational environment for your autistic child and how we can help you during this difficult life decision.
Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and Autism
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is gaining attention within the autism community, sparking discussions about whether it is becoming "the new autism." In this guide, Elaine Morgan offers advice on what to look for, and how to help your child if they have PDA.
A Guide to Navigating Puberty when you are autistic.
Puberty can be a testing time for any child, but for Autistic children it can be particularly challenging. In this guide, Elaine Morgan will cover the key challenges faced by autistic children during puberty, along with expert tips and advice to help you navigate your child or loved one through…
Parent Coaching
Special Needs Parent Coaching, dedicated to the wellbeing of mothers with complicated children and dependent adults. These amazing women can find greater ease in the midst of difficult days, both now and for years to come.
How an Autism Residential School Helps Students with Autism
Autism boarding schools support students in the classroom and socially while teaching skills necessary for college and launching to independence.
How Do Mental Health Residential Schools Help Teens
Students attend residential school to get help with academics, autism, mental health, and college readiness so they can reach their potential in life.
Parent Coaching: Because Life Isn’t Linear
Parents are at risk of losing their own inner compass. Our parent coaching helps special needs parents find help as a parent of autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression or Failure to Launch.
Parent Support: Educational and Therapeutic Planning for Autism
We often hear the term whole child or the whole person. But what does that really mean? I once heard it said that treating the whole child means connecting all the dots in a person’s life. It reflects big-picture thinking about the trajectory of development within a holistic life picture.…
Understanding the Four Types of Parent Coaching: Which is Right for Me?
Parent Coaching for special needs parents on a quest to live their best life. Supportive one-to-one and small groups so you can handle what life throws at you.
Creating A Healthy Lifestyle in the New Year for Autism Parents
A new year can represent hope for families. New Year’s Resolutions. Creating intentions. Manifesting. Coaching creates space for a healthy lifestyle of action and success.The future might feel bright with possibility. A new year often feels like a turning point and opportunity for a fresh start. What would you like…
Tips to Thrive as a Parent of Autism
Support, not advice. Coaching for what matters to you as a parent. For #warrior moms still advocating for their child and for those who are parenting an adult with autism or other needs. Parents of special needs children and struggling young adults value support, not someone giving impossible advice that…
Support for Parenting an Adult With Autism
Parenting a child with autism or Asperger can be difficult. Parenting an adult with Autism brings a different set of challenges than when parenting a student. Parent support and a specialized type of parent coaching can help. Many parents are familiar with being the #warrior mom or #mamabear when advocating…
The Importance of Parent Support for Autism
Parents of students and adults with Autism need support that is fit for the age of their loved one with Autism and Asperger. Parent Coaching for Autism and a Parent Support Specialist in neurodiversity can help.Parents of Autism have access to many resources that were not available in the past.…
Help for Pathological Demand Avoidance
There is hope...There is hope for families with an Asperger or Autism student when there is an ongoing pattern of inflexibility or resistance referred to as Pathological Demand Avoidance or PDA. As neurodiversity specialists and Certified Autism Professionals, Educational Planners at Morgan Guidance Service understand Autism, Asperger’s, ADHD, LD, and…
Patient Advocacy with Coaching for Wellbeing
Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. Mental Health and Well-being are possible with a patient advocate and a compassionate Duke-trained health and wellness coach.No one wants poor health or a life without purpose. It is so difficult to sustain years of emotional duress, chronic illness, or even…
Help for Parents of Autism: Calm the Nervous System
Parents of Autism report parent trauma, hypervigilance, or walking on eggshells due to their child’s behaviors related to Autism and Asperger’s. Safe and Sound Protocol, SSP intervention, calms parent and student nervous systems.What parent has not been caught in a battle of wills with an emotionally dysregulated child or teen…
How A Therapeutic Residential School Can Help With PDA: Pathological Demand Avoidance
A diagnosis of Autism or Asperger’s with PDA can be a challenge for families. There is hope. Specialized schools can help with developing the needed skills so the individual can reach their potential and thrive, even with PDA.What Is PDA:Depending on where you live and the information you follow, PDA…
Understanding ASD Terminology: What Does Autism Mean & How Boarding Schools and Colleges Can Help
What do the words Autism and neurodivergent mean? How can specialized schools, boarding schools for Autism, and college support programs help with Autism and Asperger\'s? Learn common terminology related to Autism and neurodivergence. Educational services for special needs have changed over time. Likewise, so has vocabulary and meaning of words…
The Benefits of Asperger’s and Autism Schools
Asperger’s and Autism schools support students who struggle with traditional approaches to education and learning. Vital life skills can be mastered in specialized settings. Growth is enhanced. Social connections are nurtured. There is support for learning differences and deficits in executive functioning. You’re fully aware the classrooms your loved one…
How a Mental Health Advocate Can Support Your Loved One
Your loved one is struggling with their mental health, has complex needs, or needs help navigating the mental health system. As their parent, caregiver, or guardian, there is only so much you know or can do. This is when a mental health advocate can be of assistance. Unlike what one…
How Special Needs Consulting Services Aid Young Adults on the Spectrum
Young adults with Autism and Asperger\'s can often present as immature in comparison to their peers of the same age. Many struggle with social relationships, and this can be due to difficulty understanding the nuances of typical social interaction. They are often still developing in all domains and social development…
Therapeutic Boarding Schools: Empowering Adolescents with ADHD to Thrive
When one has ADHD, either inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive type, everyday life can be a challenge. It can be hard to control one’s impulses when it comes to acting or speaking. This can also include staying focused on schoolwork, managing friendships, or participating in activities. ADHD can be a challenge. It…
How Private Schools for Autism Foster Growth and Development
There are specialized schools and residential treatment centers for students with Autism, Asperger’s, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. They strive to empower struggling teens to gain the necessary skills and develop independence for a productive life. Your teen has Asperger’s or Autism and you have noticed that in typical school environments,…
Understanding Diagnostic Criteria for Autism
Diagnosed with Autism? A person must meet certain criteria in two main areas: social communication and interaction, and restrictive and repetitive behaviors. Understanding the diagnostic criteria is important to finding the right help for Autism. Autism is a complex developmental disorder that affects social interaction, communication, and behavior. Understanding the…
When Is It Time to Ask for Support from a Mental Health Patient Advocate?
A Mental Health Patient Advocate understands the struggles. A Mental Health Patient Navigator works for the client, offering support. Need an objective perspective and want to learn about options for help? A Mental Health Patient Advocate listens. You are not alone. Mental health is just as important as physical health,…
Help for Autism & Asperger
Understanding Asperger’s and Autism is critical for parents. A developmental perspective is key to finding help for Autism behaviors, Autism schools and transition to independence for young adults with Autism after high school. Today, we’ll share our developmental perspective and what is at the core of how we conceptualize and…
Everything You Need to Know About Career Counseling
How to find a job you love. Students and adults define their purpose with Career Counseling which helps them make big life decisions about vocational training, college major, and future career directions. Discover your passion with Career Coaching. Maybe you’re a high school student or the parent of a high…
Understanding the Role of a Mental Health Patient Advocate
A mental health patient advocate can make a positive difference in mental health treatment. You don’t have to be alone when you or a loved one is in a treatment program or struggling at home with anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia. Learn how mental health patient advocacy can help. What is…
A Comprehensive Overview of Creating An Individualized Transition Plan
Parents find relief with a Therapeutic Consultant and Transition Specialist who helps with Transition Planning, a formal process in Special Education IDEA, or a GAP year plan including college alternatives. Includes both traditional students and those with a diagnosed disability. What you can look forward to with this blog: What…
3 Reasons Parents Turn To An Educational Consultant for Troubled Youth
Every family has struggles and every family will sometimes need help to navigate challenging circumstances. For families with troubled youth, one often unknown source for help can be an educational consultant. Why do families work with an educational consultant? Here are a few reasons that parents choose to work with…
3 Reasons Therapists Refer Troubled Teens to Educational Consultants
Community-based mental health care providers are often the first resource for families. Parents of an explosive child, dysregulated tween, or troubled teen routinely find their way to trusted school counselors, social skills groups, local therapists, behavior specialists, school psychologists, and psychiatrists. A common question is, “Why do therapists refer troubled…
5 Benefits Of Private Autism School
The number of American school children enrolled in special education for autism has doubled in the last decade. As a parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), you understand both the unique challenges your child faces on a daily basis, and how the sheer overwhelming nature of instructing…
50 Most Common Concerns for Parents, Teens, & Young Adults
Parents call Morgan Guidance educational consultants with many common concerns. These concerns are identified along a continuum of need from mild to moderate to severe. Our consultants are qualified to engage a family in early intervention and emerging concerns. We plan with parents when situations are worsening. In crisis, we…
A Parent’s Guide To Helping Children With Autism
For parents of a child recently diagnosed with autism, knowing where to go for help after an autism diagnosis can seem confusing. Luckily, helping children with autism is what Morgan Guidance is all about.Today, we’ll share what you should know about autism spectrum disorder, answering questions like, “what is Asperger’s…
Communities Rally for Troubled Teens
Do you know how to assist a teen experiencing a mental health need? Morgan Guidance facilitates classes and collaborates with the National Council for Behavioral Health. Our goal is to make mental health first aid as familiar as CPR. The Washington Post had this to say on the topic of…
Easy Tips for Improving Conversation with Therapists or Psychiatrists
One recent afternoon, the parent of a successful yet anxious high school junior asked me, “What do I say to the psychiatrist about my son?” What followed was an hour of coaching the teen as he prepared for his new patient visit.Understanding Symptoms and Signs It’s clarifying to consider and…
Finding Answers for Problems Can Be Hard Work
Are you a parent seeking answers for a child, teen or young adult? Or a professional who assists young people in difficult days? You have come to the right place. Since 2014, we have offered career counseling, educational planning, therapeutic placement consulting, support groups, and community education. We focus on…
How an Educational Consultant Fits Into the Counseling Process
Counseling When families are struggling with school difficulties, hard emotions, or challenging behaviors, they need help. Unfortunately, there can be a lack of clarity in the counseling process designed to provide that assistance. Navigating the maze of increased services, specialized schools, therapeutic schools, or treatment programs can feel confusing and…
How to Find the Right School for Autism & Asperger’s
Are you a parent of an autistic child looking for an effective solution to your child’s educational, social, emotional, or cognitive needs? If so, a boarding school for autism spectrum disorder (or Asperger’s boarding school) may be able to help. An autism boarding school is often the right solution for…
How to Support Students with Autism in the Classroom
Supporting students with autism in the classroom doesn’t have to be a battle. With the tried and true tactics from parents of autistic children and professionals who work with them every day, you can learn how to support students with autism to help guide them through their most successful school…
More than an IEP: Planning for Special Education Needs Beyond the Classroom and How an Educational Consultant Can Assist
Many special education students with a 504 Plan or an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) have needs that must be met beyond the classroom. It is common for students to face numerous challenges in one or more areas including school, learning, social, emotions, or behavioral challenges. Within those categories are a…
Is Career Counseling Worth It?
Maybe you’re the parent of a high school student who has yet to identify their passion, or you’re a college student unsure if the career path you’ve projected for yourself is actually what you were meant to do. Or perhaps you’ve been part of the working world for years, only…
Key Facts on the Value of Wilderness Therapy
Why is wilderness therapy so valuable? As an educational consultant, parents and family-serving professionals often ask me to explain wilderness therapy, otherwise referred to as outdoor behavioral healthcare. It’s a great question and especially timely as we head toward summer (or in any season for that matter). Wilderness therapy or…
Taking a Gap Year During College
There’s no doubt that the transition from high school to college is a stressful one. So when students consider taking a gap year during college, it can often be a good idea for several reasons. Today, we’ll discuss what a gap year is, the pros and cons of taking a…
What is a Residential Treatment Center for Youth?
Is a Residential Treatment Center right for your child? When it comes to your child’s health and wellbeing, you’ll do anything to keep them on the path towards a safe, healthy, and successful future. But when it seems you’ve done all you can, it can be hard to know what…
What Professionals Need to Know About an Independent Educational Consultant
Educational consulting is an important resource not only for families but for the professionals who serve them. If you are a professional, it is important to have a working knowledge of the skill set required of an independent educational consultant and vet the approach and experience of a consultant you…
What to Do With an Out-of-Control Teenager
No one knows your teen better than you. So when their behavior seems to go from “normal teen angst” to destructive to themselves or others, you find yourself wondering what to do. Luckily, there are plenty of resources as well as out-of-control teenager programs out there to help get your…
Why Troubled Youth and Military Schools Don’t Mix
For many parents struggling with a defiant adolescent, military school for troubled youth can seem like the best option for getting them back on a safe and successful path in life. The unfortunate truth, however, is quite the opposite. According to the Marine Military Academy of Texas, the widely accepted…
Wilderness Therapy: A Summer Intervention for Teens and Young Adults
In the last 20 years, wilderness therapy programs for young adults have become a popular intervention method for children from ages ten and up. Today, we’ll discuss what wilderness programs for troubled young adults are, if they’re safe, and how your struggling teen could benefit from attending one.Wilderness Therapy for…
A Proven Path for Unsurpassed Wellness
Do you have a plan for when life comes at you? We all need a path for wellness.. A WRAP, or a Wellness Recovery Action Plan, is useful when navigating the everyday challenges of life. WRAP is a strengths-based model that helps people suffering from mental illness or trauma to…
How to Identify the Right Gap Year Program
Also known as a “sabbatical year,” a gap year is when students take a year off from schooling to deepen their practical, professional, or personal awareness. There are several pros and cons to taking a gap year during college or after high school, as well as gap year programs designed…
Four Autism Awareness Christmas & Holiday Tips for a Happier Holiday Season
For many, the holidays are a time of excitement, anticipation, and happiness. But for families of an individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the holidays can prove quite stressful, especially when travel or a change in routine is involved. This is why autism awareness at Christmas (and any other holiday)…
What is an Educational Consultant?
Maybe you’ve spoken to your child’s doctor, teacher, therapist, or conducted some research on your own about when therapeutic treatment is needed and came across our educational consulting services. Regardless of how you came to ask, “what is an educational consultant?”, we’re glad you’re here. Today, we’ll explain what educational…
What is a Therapeutic Boarding School?
If you’re like many parents we speak with, you’re probably wondering “what is a therapeutic boarding school, and should I consider one for my child?” Therapeutic boarding schools are alternative schools that specialize in educating and helping troubled teens and adolescents with a wide range of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive…
Let's Connect
Interested in learning about your options and gaining clarity around your family member's needs? Get in touch for a free, no strings consultation to understand how we can help.