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Counseling & Child Development Services

When a family enters John Tracy Center, our licensed counseling and child development team provides counseling, support, and resources to parents and their families. Often parents have just learned that their infant or child has a hearing loss, and are overwhelmed by the news and perceived implications for their child's future. We understand that the diagnosis of hearing loss in a child may precipitate significant changes and challenges in the life of a family.

Pulling from our expertise in the areas of marriage and family counseling and child development, we practice an approach that is family-centered and oriented toward the whole child. Some of the professional services that we provide include:

  • Support groups, to facilitate parents' connections and the processing of feelings;
  • Individualized consultations that emphasize counseling, child development, recommendations, and resources;
  • Developmental screenings of children that are oriented toward the whole child, with recommendations and referrals for intervention, as well as individualized developmental plans;
  • A movement program that targets the development of gross motor, vestibular, proprioceptive, and bilateral coordination skills, all areas to be watched closely in children with hearing loss.

Parent Support Group Services

JTC's Parent Support Groups allow parents of children with hearing loss to share the resources, triumphs, challenges, and feelings that are unique to families with hearing loss. During their journey, parents slowly gain a sense of self-confidence and hope for the future of their children, as they mentor and encourage each other in group. Our Parent Support Groups meet weekly September-May, for families enrolled in JTC's Parent Infant and Friday Family School services. They meet monthly for parents enrolled in Ross Auditory-Verbal Preschool. During the multi-week International Summer Sessions, the support groups take place several times each week. Support groups are held in English and Spanish. Only adults participate.