Here's what people are saying... |
* Something tells me you have a remarkable Contract in this lifetime, Jon....a soul to encounter...- Caroline Myss PHD, bestselling author of Sacred Contracts, Anatomy of the Spirit
and Why Some People Don't Heal and How They Can.
*Thank you for delivery an excellent lecture on Autism Spectrum Disorders
on September 22, 2008 in the Psychopathology course within the Programs in Occupational Therapy. The students were very impressed
by your clinical and scholarly expertise and passionate commitment to your clients and research. The students gave very positive
feedback about lecture in the discussion that followed and in the course evaluation. Your lecture broadened their understanding
of the breath and depth of mental health practice and sparked their interest in exploring ways occupational therapists can
make a unique contribution to this field. I hope you will lecture again next fall. - Emily
Raphael, MA, MS, OTR, programs in Occupational Therapy, Columbia University
* Thank
you so much for delivering an excellent lecture in my Psychotherapy Course on Autism on Sept 24th, 2007 at Columbia University. The students were very enthusiastic about your presentation, including your collaborative
skills, expert knowledge and passion for your clients. - Emily Raphael, MA, MS, OTR, programs in Occupational Therapy.
* Life's Worc and NYFAC
would like to take this opportunity to thank you for presenting at our conference "Bringing Us Together." Based
on participant feedback, the information was well received. Your time and dedication to the field of Autism is appreciated.
We look forward to collaborating with you in future conferences.- Rosemary Barlone- Schafer, Life's WORC Chair and Andrew
Baumann, NYFAC Conference Chair
* I have observed Jon on several occasions during his Music Therapy
groups at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. Jon is an amazing soul and it shines in his work . He is gentle
with each child he works with, taking special care and interest in each one. He is also clinically skilled, highly perceptive,
and intuitive. The students are overjoyed working with him and I have noticed improvement in their communication, attention
span, sense of self, and motivation in participating actively in their environment- Jennifer
Richman OTR/L - Senior Occupational Therapist for New York State Psychiatric Institiute and contractor for the NYC
Department of Education, specializing in Autism www.jenniferrichman.com/ot.html
* Jon recently completed a 10 week music therapy residency program at our school. The
students here are all classified as having an Autism Spectrum disorder. Many of the students are non-verbal, with little intentional
communication, as well as other typical ASD behaviors. As a first year program, we were not sure that music therapy would
offer the students any beneficial outcomes. We were proved wrong. Jon was able to
bring out the voices of children who had never spoken a word. Amazing! Our students looked forward to his arrival,
many placing their music symbol on their independent schedules without reminders. This, in and of itself from non-verbal,
dependent children is worth speaking of. Others simply smiled and gleamed when they arrived in the morning to see the Music
symbol on their daily schedule. Jon worked closely with classroom teachers, related service providers, assistant principal
and autism coach in a collaborative effort to bring these very special needs children to higher grounds, by way of music.
This collaborative effort proved fruitful.
The music therapy program was a success. We
have asked that Jon return to our organization in September of 2006 because his talent and style brought on positive behaviors
that we want to continue to nurture.
I would recommend Jon to any organization that serves
children with special needs, because he showed us here that music is one of the ways to a child’s heart. Of course,
Jon’s talent should not be limited to special needs children, because regardless of the type of child, I know that Jon’s
Music therapy and teaching abilities would benefit any type of child. -Rosa Amato,
Assistant Principal, The Children’s School P.S. 372K
