Special Needs Counselor

Like the flowers of the field each rare and special in its way. We grow toward the light, embracing our uniqueness in a sea of similarity.

-Anonymous
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Special Needs Counselor for
Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families

 

  • Your adult child has an Intellectual Developmental Disorder (IDD). He/she is experiencing emotional pain and needs someone to talk to.
  • Your adult child wants more friends, but lacks the social skills to make that happen.
  • As a parent of a child with IDD, you may be experiencing grief related to loss of the child you thought you were going to have, but there’s no one who understands.
  • Or you are realizing that having a child with a disability is like running a marathon. Your family will be greatly impacted and will face numerous challenges throughout the lifetime of your child, including issues with education, health, emotional and social well-being. You need guidance, but no one you know has ever had a child with these challenges.
These are just some of the issues that impact those of us with a family member who is disabled. As a special needs counselor I hope to guide you, your adult child, and family members along the journey ahead.  I provide individual and group psychotherapy for your adult child, psychotherapy and coaching for families, and training for support team members. There is life after disability! It’s just a different path than the one you thought you would be taking.
special needs counselor

About Me

I have provided mental health services to hundreds of adults with disabilities, and in many cases, have also had the opportunity to work with their families and caregivers.  I founded several parent groups over the years, the Exceptional Parents group in New Jersey; then the Teen to Adulthood and Next Step groups in Raleigh, NC.  For 20 years, each month, guest speakers volunteered their time to speak with these groups regarding various disability issues, from the effect of disability on the family to Social Security and housing information.

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special needs counselor

Individual & Family Psychotherapy

Therapy works by helping the adult look at his/her thoughts, feelings and behaviors in a supportive environment. I utilize several best practice approaches emphasizing self-determination, positivity and skill development. Having a child with a disability is like running a marathon. Families will face many issues throughout the lifetime of their child with IDD.

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Groups

Group coaching provides the motivation for you to make the change you have been wanting to make, learn skills, share knowledge and receive encouragement. Join a group of parents exploring the next step for their adult child’s transition to adulthood; participate in a skills-building friendship group for adults with mild IDD, Asperger’s or HFA; or join a group learning to connect with their Asperger’s partner. Whatever your goal is, you can achieve it with others who understand.

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Coaching for Parents of a Child/Adult with Special Needs

Whatever your goal is, coaching will help you reconnect with your heart’s desires and vitality, and achieve goals you may have given up on. I use a technique called motivational interviewing to help get you unstuck and get motivated! Coaching takes stock of where you are now and where you want to be.

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Training for Mental Health Professionals

A personal goal of mine has been to attract clinicians to work in this underserved, yet fascinating, clinical specialty. Using an extensive collection of training materials, I am available to train clinicians, parent groups, disability agencies, and any group interested in learning ways to understand and work more effectively with persons with IDD.

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Our son has benefited from the sage advice of Kathy Honeyman over nearly ten years. She has helped him break down problems into smaller parts that are understandable, and develop strategies to help him change behaviors. Kathy has always engaged with him respectfully to help him set goals for himself that have evolved as he has matured into adulthood. We all appreciate her role in his life. Our son knows when he is “stuck”, it’s time to meet with Kathy!

-Parent of adult client

I am so grateful that Kathy moved to North Carolina and provide exceptional services for our families. Kathy is very knowledgeable and she understand the issues we face. Kathy will also provide great options and solutions because....Kathy truly cares for our families. Life would not be the same without you Kathy. Thank you for who you are and all you do!

-Parent of adult client

My 23-year-old daughter has participated in multiple small group sessions with Kathy Honeyman. When the most recent session was over, she told me there is another session beginning in the fall and she wanted to attend.  When I asked why she said, "I like going to see Mrs. Honeyman and my friends." Meeting with a group of peers has helped my daughter to understand that others have some of the same struggles she has.

-Group Participant mother

Our son has worked with Kathy on both an individual and group setting. Because of her work with him, we have seen a great improvement in both his coping and social skills.

-Bryan S.

My meetings with Kathy Honeyman and the group of other participants over the past year have helped me learn how to make and keep friends, socialize with my coworkers, and understand more about personal relationships.

-Ryan A, Raleigh.

Several of the individuals I support have attended counseling sessions with Kathy Honeyman. She is incredibly person centered and works with each individual to address their specific need. I have recommended and will continue to recommend Kathy to individuals, parents and other service providers.

-Ann Chludzinski, QP, Residential Support Services

With over 40 years of experience as a professional in the IDD field, I have not associated with anyone who is more dedicated to the assurance of human rights and dignity than Kathy Honeyman. Because of this she is able to connect to the people she counsels in a very practical and effective way that makes them feel safe and promotes self worth

-Rick Chappell, Executive Director, Residential Support Services of Wake County, Inc.

Kathy Honeyman is an integral part of the ID world. She has many years of experience with working with this population, and this reflects in the services she provides. She has a true understanding of the issues this population faces. She upholds high morals and ethics and truly sees her clients as they are. She empowers individuals, helping to improve their lives and also helps them understand abstract concepts like accountability which helps foster motivation for healthy changes. She uses a whole systems approach and is strength-based in her practice. She also facilitates appropriate social groups on topics important to this population which further elicits motivation for change through peer support and professional guidance. I only wish we had more Kathys in the world!

-Denise Monkovich, QP

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