TCS: Therapy and Counseling Services

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

Small changes can help make your business more accessible. Welcome neurodivergent customers to your business with these ...
12/08/2025

Small changes can help make your business more accessible. Welcome neurodivergent customers to your business with these low-cost tips:

- Use soft, adjustable lighting to reduce sensory overload. If in a rented space with fluorescent lighting, light covers are a cost-effective way to soften lighting.
- Offer texting for ordering (many people find phone calls stressful or inaccessible).
- Provide online or text scheduling so clients can book at their own pace (and again, avoid inaccessible phone calls).
- Consider making a visual menu of service offerings to accommodate individuals who may not be able to communicate verbally.
- Understand that many disabilities are invisible, and train your staff to be patient toward ALL customers.

These changes help everyone feel welcome and supported.

12/06/2025

Mealtimes can be extremely stressful for children who are hesitant eaters. If this is something your family experiences, you’re not alone. So many families struggle with this! In this quick clip, we share practical, neurodiversity-affirming tips you can use today to make meals less stressful for everyone.

What’s your biggest mealtime challenge? Share below or tag a friend who could use some encouragement!

It's time for our first post in our Thriving with Neurodiversity & EDS series! Today's topic: Pacing for Energy Conserva...
12/05/2025

It's time for our first post in our Thriving with Neurodiversity & EDS series! Today's topic: Pacing for Energy Conservation

What is pacing?
Pacing means balancing activity and rest so you don’t run out of energy. It helps prevent crashes and makes daily life more manageable.

Why it matters
People with EDS or chronic fatigue often have limited energy. Doing too much at once can lead to pain or exhaustion.

Simple pacing tips
- Break big tasks into smaller steps
- Take short breaks often—even before you feel tired
- Use timers or reminders to pause and rest
- Prioritize what matters most each day

Listen to your body
Notice early signs of fatigue and stop before you hit your limit. It’s okay to say no or ask for help.

Want more support?
Reach out to schedule an occupational therapy evaluation today! We’re here to help you thrive.

What pacing strategies work best for you? What other topics would you like us to cover? Comment below to let us know!

Tips to make the holidays easier for neurodivergent children: The Power of Routine Amidst Holiday Chaos Throughout Decem...
12/03/2025

Tips to make the holidays easier for neurodivergent children: The Power of Routine Amidst Holiday Chaos

Throughout December we will be sharing a series of tips to support neurodivergent kids, using affirming and trauma-informed principles.

Holidays can bring so much excitement—and so much unpredictability. For neurodivergent kids and those with trauma histories, familiar routines are a safe harbor.
- Try to keep core routines (wake-up, meals, bedtime) as steady as you can, even if other things change.
- Visual schedules or checklists can help your child know what to expect each day.
- Remember: It’s about consistency, not perfection. Small anchors can make a big difference!

What’s one routine your family loves to keep during the holidays? Share below! 👇

What would it mean to finish the year feeling more confident?This holiday season, give yourself or your loved one the gi...
12/02/2025

What would it mean to finish the year feeling more confident?

This holiday season, give yourself or your loved one the gift of progress. We have immediate daytime OT and feeding therapy spots open for kids and adults, just in time for holiday breaks!

Let’s make the most of your remaining 2025 benefits and wrap up the year on a positive note.

Text or call us to schedule.

Share this post if you know someone who could use extra support!

Accessible, affirming social opportunities can change lives. At our Capability Club and Neurodivergent Hangout groups, w...
11/30/2025

Accessible, affirming social opportunities can change lives. At our Capability Club and Neurodivergent Hangout groups, we love getting to witness firsthand the power of low-pressure, accepting social interactions. Everyone deserves a place to connect, grow, and feel truly seen.

Curious if your tween or teen could benefit from a group like this? We still have a few openings in our upcoming sessions! 😊

Introducing a new content series: Tips for thriving with neurodiversity and EDS.Small changes can have a big impact in m...
11/28/2025

Introducing a new content series: Tips for thriving with neurodiversity and EDS.

Small changes can have a big impact in making daily life easier for neruodivergent people living with chronic conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Each week, we’ll share practical tips, from executive functioning hacks to manage brain fog to joint protection strategies to keep your hypermobile joints safe during daily activities. Curious about how these ideas can help you or your family?

Comment below with your questions or let us know what topics you’d love to see in the coming weeks!

“I want to include my selective eater in Thanksgiving without pressuring them. What are some gentle ideas?”Inclusion at ...
11/27/2025

“I want to include my selective eater in Thanksgiving without pressuring them. What are some gentle ideas?”

Inclusion at holiday meals doesn’t have to mean “everyone eats the same thing.” For many selective eaters, especially autistic kids, feeling included is more about being part of the process and the people than about what’s on their fork.

Some low-pressure ideas that respect autonomy:
- Invite them to help with non-eating tasks: setting out napkins, choosing the playlist, arranging a favorite snack on a special plate.
- Offer a “no-pressure tasting plate” only if they’re interested: a small plate with tiny portions of a few foods, with a clear rule that looking, smelling, or touching is enough—no bites required.
- Create a predictable routine: maybe they always have their safe food on the same plate, sit in the same chair, and know exactly when they can take a break.
- Build connection around interests: talk about their favorite topic at the table, let them bring a comfort item, or plan a post-meal activity they can look forward to.

The goal is not to turn Thanksgiving into a feeding therapy session. The goal is to help your child feel safe, respected, and welcomed as they are—whether they eat one food or ten. When kids feel safe and not pressured, curiosity about new foods is much more likely to grow over time.

Have a joyful Thanksgiving holiday!

After the joyful hustle of travel, food, and family time tomorrow…find a few moments of peace with us on Friday afternoo...
11/27/2025

After the joyful hustle of travel, food, and family time tomorrow…find a few moments of peace with us on Friday afternoon. We’re excited to offer this free virtual program to provide a space for finding calm and supporting nervous system regulation. We’ll start with a few minutes of nervous system education then spend the rest of the 30-minute program going through guided regulation activities that you can carry with you into your day and into the holiday season. This is an adult program and is open to anyone. Link ⬇️

Have a great Thanksgiving!

“How do I handle comments from family about my child’s eating at Thanksgiving?”This is such a common and painful experie...
11/25/2025

“How do I handle comments from family about my child’s eating at Thanksgiving?”

This is such a common and painful experience. You’re working so hard to protect your child’s relationship with food, and then a well-meaning relative says, “They’ll eat if they’re hungry enough,” or “In my day, we had to clean our plates.”

From a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming lens, your child’s nervous system and dignity come first. It is okay to set clear boundaries with adults so your child doesn’t become the topic of the table.

You might try simple, rehearsed scripts like:

“We’re focusing on low-pressure, responsive mealtimes. Please don’t comment on what they are or aren’t eating.”
“Their doctor and therapists are on board with our plan. We’re focusing on keeping meals low-pressure.”
“We’re not using ‘one more bite’ at our house. You can help by talking with them about their interests instead of their plate.”

If you know certain comments are likely, it can help to:
- Talk with one or two trusted relatives ahead of time so they can back you up.
- Decide as a family where your child can go for a break if the table feels overwhelming.
- Give yourself permission to step away from the table with your child if needed.

Advocating like this is not overreacting. You’re protecting your child’s long-term relationship with food and with their own body—and that is worth repeating yourself as many times as needed.

Free program to help your nervous system rest, reset, and recharge.If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, you’...
11/23/2025

Free program to help your nervous system rest, reset, and recharge.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, you’re not alone. We are all navigating our own stressors, from upcoming holiday gatherings to chronic pain. What if you had a few simple tools to help your nervous system find calm?

Take a break from the holiday stress this Black Friday for a FREE virtual session: gentle, practical practices designed for all minds and bodies. Great for any adult looking for a moment of calm. Friday, November 28, from 3-3:30 pm.

Everyone is welcome. Reserve your spot now and take a step toward more ease this season.

Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/mo4wZPhZT-Gr47hD2HfpUA? #/registration

“My child only eats a few ‘safe foods’ and refuses Thanksgiving food. What should I do?”You are not failing if your chil...
11/22/2025

“My child only eats a few ‘safe foods’ and refuses Thanksgiving food. What should I do?”

You are not failing if your child’s Thanksgiving plate looks nothing like the picture in a magazine.

For many autistic and otherwise neurodivergent kids, holiday meals are a perfect storm: new smells, new people, noise, changes in routine, and a table full of unfamiliar foods. In that context, clinging to “safe foods” is not stubbornness; it’s a nervous system doing its best to stay regulated.

From a neurodiversity-affirming, responsive feeding perspective, it is absolutely okay to:
- Bring or prepare your child’s familiar foods for the holiday meal
- Let them eat those foods without requiring “just one bite” of everything else
- Separate the goals of connection and nutrition for that one day

If your child can sit near the table, share a joke, help pass a dish, or just be in the next room playing happily while everyone eats, that is still meaningful participation in the holiday.

Over time, trust and safety around food experiences matter far more than whether they tasted the cranberry sauce this year. You are allowed to prioritize your child’s comfort and your relationship over anyone else’s expectations of what Thanksgiving “should” look like.

If you’re in the Camp Hill area and want support from a neurodiversity-affirming, autistic-led team, you can learn more about TCS at patcs.com.

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

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when TCS: Therapy and Counseling Services posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category

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.