NMT Certification Ensures Brain Science is a Focus at PEP
In November Positive Education Program reached a new milestone: a new group of eight staff achieved Phase I certification in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT). That brings the total number of clinicians with Phase I NMT certification at PEP to 26. In addition, 5 of these individuals have also achieved Phase II NMT certification. As the only agency in the region to realize this level of certification, these credentials set PEP apart.
Why it Matters
The Neurosequential Model was founded by Dr. Bruce Perry and is a brain- and neurodevelopmentally-oriented framework that isn’t an intervention, but a way of intervention. The framework goes beyond traditional strategies when dealing with challenging behaviors, focusing on what it calls the three Rs: regulate, relate, and reason. NMT studies the relationship between trauma and specific areas of the brain and works on rebuilding those areas with targeted interventions to help children heal. At PEP, you will see evidence of it everywhere. You can also see the striking difference it makes when working with children who have experienced trauma.
The New Graduates
For 13 months, PEP’s new cohort of eight students put in hours of work each week to complete the NMT certification. In addition to weekly meetings with the cohort, the group was required to complete an extensive reading list, attend more than 30 hours of web-based training and learn to complete various sets of metrics. PEP staff earning the Phase I NMT certification this November represent all of PEP’s program areas and include:
- Sandra Alheit, director, PEP Assist
- Jared Cramer, clinical supervisor, PEP Prentiss (not pictured)
- Traci Dickerson, consultant/trainer, PEP Early Childhood Plus
- Ashley Riekofski, clinical supervisor, PEP Phoenix
- Tremaine Woodley, clinical associate, PEP Chesnutt
- April Shepherd, consultant/trainer, Early Childhood Plus
- Taya Neuman, consultant specialist/trainer, PEP Assist,
- David Walters, care coordinator supervisor, PEP Connections
“I’m grateful for this training opportunity. I was already familiar with the concepts of the Neurosequential Model because I am certified in the Neurosequential Model of Education, but adding the therapeutic piece really opened my eyes,” said Sandra Alheit, director, PEP Assist. “It truly helped me see the ecology of the whole child. For kids who are in crisis, NMTTM brings everyone together that the young person needs. It’s amazing what can happen for our young people and families when we use this approach.”
What’s Next for NMT Certification at PEP?
PEP’s director of clinical programming and evaluation, Mary Bonamer spearheads the NMT trainings and hopes to begin a new cohort of students in 2025 in collaboration with Jim Flynn, PEP’s director of Early Childhood Plus.
“In our work it is critical to understand trauma and how it impacts development,” said Bonamer. “Many of the young people we serve are struggling to cope because of their difficult life experiences. The depth of NMT expertise at PEP gives me a lot of hope. It ensures we have the tools and strategies we need to help them begin to heal and begin to thrive.”
To learn more about NMT certification at PEP contact Mary Bonamer at 216-361-7760 ext. 104 or via email.