Susan Varsames,
M.A., Ed.
Curriculum
Vitae
§ Undergraduate degree: New
York University: 1983 in Educational Psychology and Special Education
§
Graduate degree: New York University: 1988 in Early Childhood
Special Education
§ Staff
trainer for special education programs/school districts for 30 years
§
School district consultant for special education programs
for 25 years with emphasis on opening classrooms and supporting staff where ABA, Floortime, and TEACCH methodology are utilized
§ Trainer for Applied Behavioral
Analysis for Westchester County Dept. of Health/ Early Intervention Unit as well as several public and private schools including
college courses
§ Program
director for early childhood special education programs for 15 years
§
Consultant and advocate for special education district
committee meetings
§ Team
leader for multi-sensory evaluations for children with special needs
§
Conference presenter in the field of autism, sensory
integration dysfunction, holistic approaches, and intervention for birth-12th grade
§ Member of the Council for
Exceptional Children, Autism Society of America, NY Autism Network, NYSABA, Autism Research Institute, Organization for Autism
Research, and Developmental Delay Resources
§ Author of several articles and publications in the field of educating, advocating for, and providing
services the population with learning disorders including I’ve Just Been Told and Envisioning A Bright
Future, Chapter on Operant Conditioning, ABA, and alternative treatments.
§ Adjunct professor for N.Y Chiropractic
College & Bank Street College of Education teaching Early Childhood Assessment, Understanding the Learner with Autistic
Spectrum Disorders, and Applied Behavior Analysis.
§ Trained in the utilization of NDT and Sensory Integration techniques to enhance language, learning,
and motor skills
§ Trained
in implementing the use of augmentative communication systems including PECS and electronic communication boards
§
Trained in Advanced Listening Therapy for learners with
auditory processing and motor dysfunction through Vital Sounds
§
Trained in DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) Protocols for parent
training and referral purposes and has attended annual conferences
§
Parent Trainer and presenter for monthly school district
meetings/ Special Education PTA meetings
§ Founder and owner of Holistic Learning Center combining nutrition, special education, oral motor speech
therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis, Cranio Sacral Therapy, Reiki, and sensory integration OT for children birth through teens.
§ Board Member for non-profit organizations such as Heartsong, Communities That Care, Foundation for Children
with Autism and Holistic Living Communities
§ Supervisor for Graduate Students and new professionals and mentor for Science Research High School students
§ Cranio Sacral Therapist
for ages 5 through adults: trained at Upledger Institute for both in center treatments and intensive treatments with Dolphin
Assisted Therapy in Grand Bahamas
§ Reiki Level ll certified
§ BioAcousitic Researcher for the use of sound therapy
· Conversational Spanish and
American Sign Language
· References available upon request
Staff Development
and Guest Lecturing
Based out of Westchester County, New York, Susan Varsames,
M.A.,Ed. is a nationally recognized staff development workshop trainer and seminar presenter in the field of Special
Education. Her lecture style is packed with informative research, easy to utilize strategies, practical applications to take
home, innovative consulting strategies for parents and school districts create a strong knowledge base, and saving time
and money as participants are easily able to employ strategies. Topics she covers include:
- Early Childhood Assessment (2 day, 10.5 hour course)
- Applied Behavior Analysis (2 day, 10.5 hour course)
-
Understanding the Learner with Developmental Disorders/Spectrum Disorders (1.5 days, 7 hour course)
- Understanding Sensory Integration and Strategies to use to Improve Classroom and Homework Performance
(3 hour course)
- Constructive Limit Setting/Positive Behavior Management
Strategies (2 hour workshop)
- Maximizing Your Child's Potential (2 hour
workshop)
- Understanding Holistic Approaches to Intervene with Students
with PDD/Autism/ADD/ADHD
(3 hour workshop)
- Combining Nutritional Intervention with Sensory Integration Techniques to Develop Core Skills
(3 hour workshop presented with Nancy Guberti, Certified Holistic Nutritionist)
- Combining the Principals of TEACCH and ABA for Teaching Efficiency and Increased
Learning
(5 hour workshop)
- Assessing Your Child's Play Skills and Creating Home Play Based Activities for Increased Social Reciprocity
and Cognitive-Linguistic Development (2 hour workshop)
- Parents as Partners in Education: Writing IEP's Together for Increased Home Carryover of Goals
(2 hour workshop)
-
Organizing Your Home with Visual Supports for Increased Child Communication and Social Functioning
(2 hour workshop)
- Prioritizing Therapies
and Interventions for Individualized Needs (2 hour workshop)
.....and
many more topics customized to meet the needs of your staff and/or parent group. Call to discuss!
