Small Business Spotlight: ADL Therapy NJ - Bergen Moms Network

We were recently introduced to ADL Therapy NJ, a neurodivergent and neurotypical affirming practice that incorporates learning new skills through play!  We currently offer in-person small group instruction above Curbside Confections in Park Ridge, NJ, as well as virtual consults for family-centered interventions. We connected with Co-Founders, Alie and Daniella, to learn more about ADL Therapy NJ.

 

Hi Alie and Daniella, tell us about ADL Therapy NJ!

 

We’ve created unique social skills and conversational classes for children 2.5-13 years old that focus on teaching life skills and helping each child build confidence and self-esteem. Our weekly social skills classes have different themes and activities that focus on teaching age-appropriate skills such as: turn-taking, waiting, sharing, identifying emotions, and both basic and more complex conversational skills appropriate to each learner’s age and skill level.

 

What inspired you to start your business?

 

We met in the Fall of 2021 on the Peanut App and instantly hit it off! We realized we lived less than 10 minutes from one another, and our sons were born a month apart. We quickly started spending a lot of time together going to different parks and play places with our toddlers in tow! As our friendship evolved, we both wanted to create something new and different to help children and their entire families. One morning after our boys’ school drop-off, we both looked at each other and said, “It’s now or never. Let’s start something,” and ADL Therapy NJ was born!

 

How is your business different from the rest? And why is it so important?

 

Our goal at ADL is threefold: foremost to help teach new skills to children through play and exploration. Second, to provide support for the whole family unit. And lastly, to create a network of moms and other local businesses to support each other. This desire to establish a supportive and inclusive network of moms (and dads) is what makes us unique! Having a family in today’s world is challenging, and for families who have neurodivergent children, the stress, challenges, and constant worrying can feel insurmountable. Our hope at ADL Therapy NJ is to make it less stressful for every family we encounter. If there is support that we cannot offer, we want to help families find the right person who can provide those much-needed services. We strive to look at the whole child and build each child’s repertoire of skills using the principles of positive reinforcement.

 

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

Our biggest challenge thus far is trying not to bite off more than we can chew! We have big dreams for ADL Therapy NJ and the impact we want to create, but we know we must build a solid foundation to get there! We cannot wait to see how ADL can impact our community in both the little and big moments of families’ lives.

 

What are you looking forward to for the future of your business?

 

We look forward to working with all the children and their families and building a community for these families to help them feel supported. In the fall, we are looking to expand our offering to include creating individualized family-centered interventions to help children and families who need additional support in the home. We will also offer individualized social stories to help our learners cope with difficult situations, such as the first day of school or going to the doctor/dentist, as well as offering sibling support groups.  We are currently creating a Sensory Friendly Halloween event for families of children who are neurodivergent, where the children can trick or treat in a safe space and dress up however, they feel comfortable. We want to create events like these that make lasting memories for families that may have felt like they didn’t have a way to do so.

 

What’s your best piece of advice for moms reading this?

Our advice to moms reading this would be to give yourself a little grace and know you are doing a fantastic job! Being a mom in today’s world is filled with both beautiful and challenging moments, and even though it may be easier to focus on the things we should have done differently, please be kind to yourself and focus on all of the positives. If you feel some of what you have read about our offerings could even remotely help your child, please reach out! We would love to hear from you, and if we cannot assist your child or family, we could certainly point you in the right direction!

 

To learn more about ADL Therapy NJ, follow them on Instagram or visit the website.

 

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