Classes and Programs in NYC

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    Kaiser’s Room

    Founding Director Stephane Duret introduces us to Kaiser's Room, a non-profit organization formed to inspire and support the development of children on the Autism Spectrum and related developmental delays through the performing arts.

Cooking with Jessica

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    Pear Bread Recipe

    Jessica makes pear bread that is gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free and corn-free. Click on the "Read" tab for the recipe.

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    Gluten-Free Almond Butter Cookies

    Jessica makes gluten-free, casein-free, and refined sugar-free almond butter cookies per a viewer's request! These are a delicious and healthier alternative to peanut butter cookies! Click on READ for the recipe.

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    Breakfast Bars

    Jessica makes protein bars that are free of nuts, gluten, casein and refined sugar.  For the recipe and a link to the manual bag sealer, click on the "Read" tab.

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    Quinoa Tortillas

    Jessica makes whole grain quinoa tortillas with soaked quinoa and green split peas. They are free of gluten, casein, soy, corn, and rice. For the recipe, click on the "Read" tab at the bottom of the viewer.

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    Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Jessica bakes gluten-free/casein-free/soy-free/corn-free/egg-free/nut-free chocolate chip cookies. For the recipe click on the "Read" tab under the viewer.

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    Brown Rice Tortillas

    Jessica makes sprouted brown rice and amaranth tortillas as an alternative to corn tortillas. Click on READ for the recipe.

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    Whole Grain Millet & Buckwheat Pancakes

    Jessica makes gluten-free whole grain pancakes from millet and buckwheat groats. For the recipe click on the "Read" menu.

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    Dairy & Sugar Free Fudge

    Jessica makes fudge that is free of sugar and dairy and packed with a lot of nutrition. Yummy enough for kids and adults alike! Click on "READ" for the recipe.

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    Chocolate Coconut Truffles (Dairy-Free)

    Jessica makes dairy-free and refined sugar-free chocolate coconut truffles that everyone can feel good about! For recipe click on the "Read" menu below the viewer.

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    “Lemony Peach” Gluten-Free Muffins

    Jessica makes gluten-free, casein-free, egg-free and nut-free breakfast muffins. Click on READ for the recipe.

Diet & Biomedical

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    Sugar Alternatives

    All about the many natural and healthier alternatives to sugar and artificial sweeteners. Click on the "Read" tab for links to these substitutes.

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    Healthy Oils

    Jessica shares the benefits of swapping out highly refined and processed cooking oils with healthier alternatives.

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    Bone Broth

    Jessica shows us how to make bone broth - a healing and nourishing food for the gut and part of the GAPS diet. Click on the "Read" tab for more info and recipe.

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    Sauerkraut

    Certified Fermentationist Cheryl Paswater describes the benefits of consuming sauerkraut, a lacto-fermented food which is recommended in the GAPS and Body Ecology Diets for helping to heal leaky gut syndrome. Click on Part 2 to watch Cheryl make the sauerkraut. For the recipe and an article on fermentation, click on the READ menu at the bottom of the viewer.

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    Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives

    Learn the "pros and cons" of dairy-free milk alternatives, both packaged and homemade. Holistic Health Coach Jessica Van Kipp shows us how to make fresh almond milk. Click on "Read" for the recipe.

Homeschooling

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    Cottage Class

    Manisha Snoyer introduces us to Cottage Class, a sharing economy marketplace for childhood education. She shares with us her experience with families of special needs children looking for learning environments within the homeschooling community in New York.

Local Caregivers/Therapists

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    Stephen on the Son-Rise Program

    Stephen has experience working in many home-based Son-Rise Programs in the NYC area. He shares some of what he has learned and how he continues to use those skills in his current work with kids as a play therapist and "manny."

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    Grow Your Village with Melody of Autism

    Faith Clarke, mother of a teenager with Autism, shares how the experience with her son helped her create a positive, loving and accepting team of caregivers and led her to start Melody of Autism in order to support other families.

Parents' Stories

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    Rachelle’s Story – How Going Dairy-Free Helped Her Boys

    Rachelle shares how a dairy elimination trial resulted in remarkable improvements in her two boys' physical and behavioral symptoms. Their constipation, vomiting, congestion and rashes are gone. Their mood and behavior significantly improved. CLICK ON PART 2 TO WATCH THE REST OF HER INTERVIEW.

Sensory Integration

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    Stress and The Sensory System

    Rita talks about how stress affects the sensory system and how feeling relaxed will help a child become more self-regulated. Click on Part 2 to watch Rita share a parent's story that illustrates how letting go of judgments is one very effective way to becoming more relaxed.

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    Diane on MNRI for her son

    Diane shares how MNRI (primitive reflex integration therapy) has helped her son. Please watch Part 2 for the rest of Diane's interview in which she shares how MNRI is an integrative approach not just for her son but the entire family. Click on the READ tab for the link to the MNRI website.

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    How To Help A Child With Handwriting

    Rita Gendelman (OTR/L) answers an occupational therapy grad student's question at Touro College during one of her lectures.

About

Welcome! I am a parent of a child on the autism spectrum who wants to share the story of his remarkable transformation in the hope that it can inspire other parents to help their kids.  I created Core Needs NYC primarily for parents who find themselves on this journey and want to dig deeper into the world of healing modalities as they realize that autism and related disorders are treatable.

Through my personal experience with my son and what worked best for him, I came to understand that learning and growth happen when we support our children’s and our own physical, emotional and spiritual needs – our “core needs” – through ways that address issues in our bodies, minds and hearts at a foundational level.  As a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach I believe a holistic approach that includes a healthy bio-individual diet and lifestyle is an integral and crucial part of a child’s overall treatment protocol.

There is a growing number of professionals in multiple fields now helping families like ours by supporting and implementing many lesser-known but effective treatment options to help our kids be the best they can be, but it is ultimately up to us parents to decide which ones we wish to try. I think you will see over time that what works for one child does not work for another, but the fact remains that it works for many and for this reason it is important that parents have access to this information as early as possible.

When your child receives a diagnosis it can feel like the end of the world, but the truth is there is so much you can do to improve your child’s quality of life and the well being of your family as a whole. There is also a village out there of therapists, caregivers, and many more from a wide array of professions who wish to be of service to families like ours and are providing new ways to meet the needs of our kids. We hope to introduce you to some of them here and encourage you to move forward after a diagnosis not from a place of fear, but from a place of love and hope.

 

  • Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,
  • Listen to the DON’TS
  • Listen to the SHOULDN’TS
  • The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS
  • Listen to the NEVER HAVES
  • Then listen close to me-
  • Anything can happen, child,
  • ANYTHING can be.
  • ~Shel Silverstein