Katie, LCSW provides a number of services for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as their families and the professionals who work with them. As a former therapist at TEACCH, she effectively utilizes the principles of Structured Teaching to promote learning of new skills, independence, and happiness.
Katie bases her work on the following core values:
1. Respect for the Dignity and Worth of Every Individual – Each individual with ASD has the right to a happy, meaningful life.
2. Mutual Accommodation – Mutual Accommodation is a TEACCH concept that approaches working with individuals with ASD with a “meet in the middle” approach. The individual with ASD is not expected to completely conform to the “neurotypical world,” but instead, he is taught new skills and provided with supports and accommodations to be as successful and independent as possible.
3. The Culture of Autism concept, developed by Dr. Gary Mesibov and Dr. Victoria Shea.
4. Utilizing Strengths and Interests to Teach New Skills – Each individual with ASD has unique strengths and interests. These assets are helpful when promoting new skill acquisition.
About Katie LCSW
Katie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders, their families, and the professionals who work with them. Katie has been involved in the field of autism for fifteen years, beginning with her participation and leadership in the Best Buddies program at UNC-Chapel Hill and her summer position as a counselor at Camp Royall, the Autism Society’s of North Carolina. Through her graduate school studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, Katie continued to work with Residential Services, Inc., The Arc, and ASNC. After receiving her Master of Social Work degree, Katie began working at the Chapel Hill TEACCH Center as a Psychoeducational Therapist. At TEACCH, Katie further developed and honed her skills with working with individuals with autism and their families, including diagnostic evaluations, individual and family therapy, social skills groups, support groups, school and residential consultation, and training for both parents and professionals. Katie has written columns for Autism Asperger Digest on topics ranging from social skills to behavior to coping with grief and loss. She has conducted trainings and consultation across North Carolina as well as in New York, Alaska, Virginia, Ireland, and Japan. Currently, Katie works with clients who have ASD of all ages and functioning levels. Katie primarily sees clients at her office at the Collaborative Autism Treatment Campus in Durham, North Carolina. If in-home services are indicated, Katie sees clients in their homes as well. Katie also offers a number of groups, and continues to provide training and consultation as well. Katie’s favorite part of working in the field of autism is making a difference in people’s lives, whether it is teaching a young child communication skills, helping a family’s meal time run more smoothly, or giving a teacher a practical and easy to implement strategy that in turn helps her high school students learn some practical life skills. She has expertise in understanding the culture of autism, and can translate the autism world’s behavior to families and professionals in clear, understandable, practical ways.
Individual and Family Therapy
Katie LCSW has experience working with individuals of all ages and functioning levels, as well as with many diverse families. Ms. Brady provides both individual and family psychotherapy to address the following skills and objectives:
- social skills
- communication skills
- behavior management
- play and leisure
- social-emotional regulation
- stress management, relaxation, and coping strategies
- self-awareness and self-advocacy
- organization
- life skills and independence
- and many more!
Katie LCSW meets with clients at her office at the CAT Campus, as well as in clients’ homes. For information regarding policies and procedure, please review the Client-Therapist Agreement Form as well as the FAQs section.
ACCESS – Social and Life Skills
ACCESS is a curriculum-based social and life skills course and/or group for teens and adults with high functioning autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, or other similar social-communication disorders. The curriculum is created by Katie Brady, and includes Social Thinking concepts from Michelle Garcia Winner as well as Structured Teaching strategies from TEACCH.
Life Skills covered include:
- Organization and Time Management
- Cleaning
- Self Care
- Cooking
- Healthy Living
- Coping and Relaxation
- Money Management
- Using Social Media
Social Skills covered include:
- Perspective Taking steps
- Communication steps
- Whole Body Listening
- Small Talk, Initiating Conversation, Ending Conversations
- Communicating via Technology
- Appropriate vs. Inappropriate
ACCESS Course runs periodically throughout the year (summer and winter breaks, year round school breaks) from Monday through Friday from 9am to 1pm each day. ACCESS Course meets at the CAT Campus and the cost is $500 for the week.
ACCESS Group meets on the third Wednesday of the month for four months at the CAT Campus. The group meets from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. At each session, participants learn and practice social skills, create and enjoy a meal, and practice various life skills. The cost of the group is $140 for four sessions (including meals).
Adult Supper Club
The Adult Supper Club is for individuals with high functioning autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, or similar social-communication disorder, aged 23 years old and older. The Adult Supper Club meets on the first Wednesday of the month from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at a restaurant in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, or Durham.
The Adult Supper Club participants learn and practice social and life skills in true contexts. Social skills addressed include conversation, interrupting, etiquette, humor & sarcasm, voice volume, and appropriateness. Life skills include ordering, budgeting, healthy choices, paying, tipping, and more!
The fee is $60 per session (four months attendance) plus the cost of meal and tip.
Awesome Adventurers
Awesome Adventurers is a social skills group for children five to eight years old with high functioning autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, or other similar social – communication disorders.
Awesome Adventurers will use concepts from Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking program, The Incredible Flexible You, as well as structured teaching strategies, social narratives, and other best practices. In this group, participants will receive instruction and support in understanding perspective taking concepts, creating “People Files” to learn about others, and practicing a number of social communication skills such as conversation, group behavior, thinking with our eyes, whole body listening – and more!
Triangle Explorers
Join us in exploring the Triangle on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 7pm to 9pm! Participants will try new activities, plan & organize events, and make friends. Triangle Explorers supports and encourages participants to:
- Get involved in their community by participating in a variety of activities
- Initiate, organize, and communicate with others to successfully plan an outing
- Make and maintain social relationships
Activities may include:
- Hiking
- Game Night
- Bowling
- Sporting Events
- Movies
- Museums
- Volunteering
- And More!
For individuals aged 16-25 years old with HFA or Asperger’s Syndrome. Cost is $80 per four month session, plus cost of outing.
Young Explorers Group
Join us in exploring the Triangle on the 4th Wednesday of the month from 6:30pm to 8:30pm! Participants will try new activities, plan & organize events, and make friends. Triangle Explorers supports and encourages participants to:
Get involved in their community by participating in a variety of activities
Initiate, organize, and communicate with others to successfully plan an outing
Make and maintain social relationships
Activities may include:
Hiking
Game Night
Bowling
Sporting Events
Movies
Museums
Volunteering
And More!
For individuals aged 12-15 years old with HFA or Asperger’s Syndrome.
Rates and Policies
Insurance:
Families with insurance policies are asked to pay in full at the time of the appointment. Katie then provides a receipt that families can use to obtain reimbursement from their insurance company as an “out-of-network” benefit. Katie will be happy to assist families and individuals with this process.
Fees:
Initial Intakes are billed at 135$ for a one hour intake that is conducted in the client’s home. Payment is due at time of service.
In Home Family Therapy, Individual Therapy, and Consultation are billed at $135 per hour. Payment is due at time of service unless other arrangements have been made.
Social Skills Group rates vary by group. Click here for more details on groups!
If individuals and families are experiencing financial hardship, they may request a sliding scale fee or a payment plan.
FAQs
Below are some answers to some frequently asked questions.
1. What is the fee for individual or family therapy?
The fee is $165 for our first 60 minute therapy session which involves informal evaluation and assessment. This fee includes:
Initial phone calls
The first 60 minute session
Initial write up of goals
Review of records and reports
For regular therapy sessions after the first initial appointment, the fee is currently $135 per one 50 minute session. This fee includes:
The 50 minute session
Preparation time and materials for your individual session
Phone calls or emails no longer than 15 minutes
2. Can you do therapy in my home with me / my child?
Katie LCSW will provide therapy in clients’ homes should there be a specific purpose or reason for a home visit. Please contact her for further details.
3. Is there an additional fee for in-home therapy appointments?
For in-home sessions, an additional travel fee of 20$ per session will be charged. An additional travel fee of 40$ per session will be charged for clients who live outside of a 20 mile radius from Katie’s office.
4. Does Katie take insurance?
Currently, Katie does not accept any insurance. However, your therapy sessions may be partially reimbursed through your “out of network” coverage. Since every insurance plan is different, please contact Katie for more information on how to find out what your particular insurance plan will pay for.
5. What if I want to meet with you for longer than 50 minutes?
A session that lasts longer than 50 minutes at the request of the family or client will be billed by 10 minute increments. For instance, a session that lasts 60 minutes will be billed at $162.00.
6. Can you make me a schedule, to do list, some play activities, etc.?
Most likely, yes!
I will provide you with some visual supports or materials throughout the course of our therapy sessions. If there are additional visual supports, tasks, or activities you would like, I would be happy to make those at a rate of 60$ per hour, which can be prorated into 15 minute increments.
7. What does LCSW stand for?
LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Katie earned her Masters in Social Work at UNC Chapel Hill, and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker after passing the National Association of Social Workers Licensing Exam and receiving two years of clinical supervision. Licensure for any Orange County therapist must be reapplied for every two years.
