TCS: Therapy and Counseling Services

TCS: Therapy and Counseling Services Autistic led, neurodiversity-affirming pediatric and adult occupational, speech, and feeding therapy.

PDA Quick Tip: Giving ChoicesWhen someone with PDA feels like they have no control, anxiety spikes and demand avoidance ...
04/21/2026

PDA Quick Tip: Giving Choices

When someone with PDA feels like they have no control, anxiety spikes and demand avoidance kicks in. One of the most powerful shifts you can make is offering choices.

Instead of: "It's time to brush your teeth."
Try: "Do you want to brush your teeth before or after dinner?"

The key is making sure both options are acceptable to you. It's not about giving unlimited freedom—it's about letting them feel like they have a say in what happens next.

Even small choices matter: which toothbrush, which song plays while they get ready, whether they walk or skip to the bathroom. When someone feels agency, their nervous system calms down and cooperation becomes possible.

Myth vs. Reality:PDA gets misunderstood a lot. Let's bust some myths.Swipe through to see what the science actually says...
04/19/2026

Myth vs. Reality:

PDA gets misunderstood a lot. Let's bust some myths.

Swipe through to see what the science actually says about Pathological Demand Avoidance.

It's time to continue our series celebrating Autism Acceptance Month as well as Occupational Therapy Month. We've talked...
04/18/2026

It's time to continue our series celebrating Autism Acceptance Month as well as Occupational Therapy Month. We've talked about early childhood and school age, but what comes next? Adolescence brings new challenges for autistic teens. Their bodies are changing, their social world is expanding, and the demands of school and life are intensifying. It's also when certain health conditions start to develop or become more symptomatic —like POTS, hypermobility, and other invisible illnesses.

OT during these years means paying attention to what's happening in their body and mind. A good OT notices when a teen is struggling with fatigue, dizziness, or pain that doesn't match what adults expect. We listen when they say something feels off. We help them recognize the connection between their body's signals and what they're experiencing.

Sometimes that recognition leads to answers. Sometimes it just means understanding themselves better and knowing what helps.

Beyond health, OT supports teens in building executive functioning skills that actually matter to them. How do they manage their day? What helps them stay organized? How do they balance school, social life, and self-care in a way that works for their nervous system?

As teens approach adulthood, parents often start thinking about the future. What comes next? What will adult life look like for this particular teen? OT helps families navigate those big questions by focusing on what the teen can do, what support they actually need, and what a meaningful life looks like for them—recognizing that autism looks different for every person.

Through it all, OT is about helping autistic teens build a stronger sense of who they are and what effective support looks like for them.

Quick tip: Collaborative problem-solving builds trust.When something isn't working, invite the child into the solution. ...
04/17/2026

Quick tip: Collaborative problem-solving builds trust.

When something isn't working, invite the child into the solution. "I've noticed that putting on your shoes feels really hard. What's up?" shifts the dynamic from conflict to understanding, safety, and teamwork. Kids with PDA respond when they feel like partners, not opponents. Even at young ages, they often have incredible insight into what feels hard for them, and this is often different than the adult's impression. It takes practice and patience, but truly listening and involving your child in identifying the underlying problem - and ideas for solutions - is typically more successful than trying to impose additional adult "solutions" without their input.

Collaboration over control.

For more details on this approach, check out Dr. Ross Greene's Collaborative and Proactive Solutions model.

The results are in!! With all of YOUR help (and Cinderpuff’s and Oscar’s, of course!), we raised nearly $5,000 in our fi...
04/17/2026

The results are in!! With all of YOUR help (and Cinderpuff’s and Oscar’s, of course!), we raised nearly $5,000 in our first ever Match Madness campaign! We are so appreciative of your support, along with the support of all of the sponsors and of course Partnership for Better Health for organizing and administering the campaign!

We are so excited to share how these funds will help us continue our mission and programs in coming months…stay tuned, and thanks again!

School age is when autistic kids start to understand themselves better. They're learning who they are as learners, how t...
04/15/2026

School age is when autistic kids start to understand themselves better. They're learning who they are as learners, how their nervous system works, and what they need to feel okay in their body and mind.

OT during these years focuses on helping kids understand their sensory profile. Why do certain sounds feel overwhelming? Why do some textures feel wrong? What helps them regulate when they're dysregulated? Understanding these patterns gives autistic kids real power. They're not trying to fit into a world designed for non-autistic brains. They're learning how to work with their own.

As kids move through school, they're also building emotional regulation and executive functioning skills. They're learning to recognize when they need a break, how to ask for what they need, and how to manage the demands of a day that wasn't built with them in mind.

When autistic kids understand themselves, they can navigate the world as their authentic selves.

Quick tip: Low arousal approaches work with PDA, not against it.Instead of pushing through demands, try lowering the pre...
04/14/2026

Quick tip: Low arousal approaches work with PDA, not against it.

Instead of pushing through demands, try lowering the pressure. Make requests indirect ("I wonder if the shoes are by the door?"), offer choices, and give kids time to respond without urgency. When kids feel less controlled, their nervous systems feel safer.

Small shifts in how we ask can make a big difference.

What if the behavior you're seeing isn't defiance, but anxiety?This month's spotlight is on Pathological Demand Avoidanc...
04/12/2026

What if the behavior you're seeing isn't defiance, but anxiety?

This month's spotlight is on Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), an anxiety-driven need to maintain control and avoid perceived demands. It's not something kids choose. It's how their nervous system responds to situations that feel threatening.

PDA affects both children and adults. It's more common than many people realize, especially in autistic and ADHD populations. But because it looks like "difficult behavior" or "not listening," it's often misunderstood. Kids with PDA aren't trying to be difficult. They're trying to feel safe.

What PDA often looks like:
- Anxiety spikes around perceived demands, including small or routine ones, like getting dressed or even eating
- They might do something unprompted but refuse when asked to do it
- Extreme reactions to transitions or changes in routine
- Difficulty with time pressure or urgency
- Resistance is often immediate and intense
- Strong awareness of their anxiety, but struggling to manage it
- Avoidance patterns show up across settings (home, school, therapy)
- They can often do something independently but refuse when an adult directs it

The good news? When we understand what's driving the behavior, everything changes. We can meet kids where they are and help them build the skills and confidence they need.

This month, we're diving deep into PDA. What it is, what it isn't, how to support it, and how we help families navigating it here at TCS.

In addition to the social media fun with Oscar and Cinderpuff last month, we also had lots of fun with them in the clini...
04/11/2026

In addition to the social media fun with Oscar and Cinderpuff last month, we also had lots of fun with them in the clinic! Throughout the whole month, we had a Team Oscar and Team Cinderpuff competition. Everyone got to earn stickers for their team by completing in-session challenges or engaging with socal media (no donations required!). We loved getting the whole TCS community involved in the fun. This week, we celebrated the winning team….Team Oscar!

For Champions Week, we had photo ops, special in-session activities, and more!

Congratulations Team Oscar, and thank you again to everyone for participating in all of the Match Madness festivities! We will have final donations numbers by the end of next week.

Early childhood is when autistic kids are building their foundation for how they experience and interact with the world....
04/09/2026

Early childhood is when autistic kids are building their foundation for how they experience and interact with the world. OT during these years isn't about pushing kids to meet typical milestones or "catching up." It's about understanding each child's sensory needs, supporting their natural curiosity, and helping them develop skills in ways that work for their nervous system.

At Thrive, our inclusive preschool where OT is integrated into the whole day, we see this in action every day. Whether a child needs a quieter space to explore, more time to process sensory input, or movement breaks to regulate, we meet them where they are. We celebrate the ways autistic kids learn and grow, even when it looks different from what people expect.

Early intervention isn't about fixing autism. It's about giving autistic children the support and understanding they need to thrive as themselves.

April is here, and we're celebrating two things that matter deeply to us: Autism Acceptance Month and Occupational Thera...
04/06/2026

April is here, and we're celebrating two things that matter deeply to us: Autism Acceptance Month and Occupational Therapy Month.

At TCS, we believe autism isn't something to fix. It's part of who you are. Occupational therapy helps autistic people thrive exactly as they are, at every stage of life.

This month, we're sharing stories about how OT shows up differently depending on where you are. Early childhood looks different than school age, which looks different than adolescence or adulthood. Sensory exploration, self-understanding, executive function, identity, relationships, work, independence. And the comorbid stuff—ARFID, hypermobility—that often travels alongside autism.

Autistic people have strengths. They also have genuine challenges. OT helps you understand yourself better and participate in life in ways that feel meaningful to you. Not in ways that look "normal." In ways that actually work for you.

We'll be sharing those stories throughout April.

Everyone is hiring SLPs right now. We're hoping to find the one who's been quietly thinking, "I need something that fits...
04/04/2026

Everyone is hiring SLPs right now. We're hoping to find the one who's been quietly thinking, "I need something that fits me better."

If you're a pediatric speech-language pathologist who knows communication is connected to regulation, movement, safety, sensory needs, and the whole person, keep reading.

TCS is an autistic-led, neurodiversity-affirming, trauma-informed clinic in Camp Hill, PA. We support kids and adults who are often turned away elsewhere or expected to fit systems that were never built for them.

Our SLPs don't separate language from the nervous system. They notice when a child needs movement before words, safety before demands, connection before progress. We believe communication grows best when the whole person is supported, not pushed.

If you're looking for a change, and you want to do meaningful work with a team that cares deeply about how therapy feels as much as what it targets, we'd love to connect.

We're hiring a full-time SLP starting this summer. To apply, email tcs@patcs.com with your resume and a brief introduction.

If this sounds like someone you know, we'd love for you to share this post with them.

Address

115 S St Johns Drive
Camp Hill, PA
17011

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+17177614754

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Tomorrows and Yesterdays

Since the early 1900’s, occupational therapy as a field has worked to improve physical, emotional, and mental health so that clients may fully participate in all of life’s activities.

What does this look like? In our pediatric occupational therapy clinic, this takes the shape of helping a child learn how to make a friend, get dressed independently, navigate a loud restaurant without a meltdown, and so much more.

We first recognize each client’s unique obstacles, then guide the client through, over, or around them to live life to the fullest.