Beachbrook Therapeutic Nursery School

Beachbrook is an innovative Therapeutic Program founded by Dr.
Joan Prideaux, psychotherapist and educator, in 1988.
Our teaching teams (head teacher and two assistants) are
experienced and trained by Dr. Prideaux to integrate healing
intervention into the developmental learning process of each
child's classroom experience. At Beachbrook, teachers are
considered the primary healing interveners in the life of each
child since they have the maximum opportunity to provide healing
intervention; however, therapists are also an essential part of the
team effort to energize each child's growth potential, and are
essential to each child's developmental process.

To facilitate the evolution of trusting, intimate and meaningful
relationships, each teacher and assistant is given three children
to primarily care and provide for. Young children particularly,
respond well to the intimacy of small grouping, which is similar to
family style living. The primary structure in a child's life at
Beachbrook is the teacher-child relationship. Second to that is
peer grouping, within a safe, secure containing environment.
Teachers, therapists, aides and substitutes are supervised by the
head teacher and Dr. Prideaux in intensive weekly, individual,
teaching team, and school staff meetings. There is a maximum of
nine children in a classroom. Our focus at all times is the whole
child's functioning and not the child's brain alone. The learning of
" being in the world" skills and cognitive skills are integrated into
every facet of our work. Our understanding of a child's behavior
informs our choice of intervention in the moment.

Intervention methods are determined by the behavior presented
in the moment, what it is we want the child to gain, and where the
child is developmentally. Within the matrix of meaningful
relationships and a safe holding environment, interventions may
consist of: mirroring, cognitive intervention, psycho-dynamic,
motivational, holding, problem solving, self-empowering,
behavioral-whatever is determined to be useful in the moment.
However, all interventions must always enable the child to
experience the intervener as allied with the child's needs and on
the side of the child.

Each teacher and her group of three children have their own
consistent living/learning area as well as general area for larger
group activities. The intimacy of this grouping maximizes
opportunities for the deepening of relationships to evolve, and
the working through of conflicts and confusions within a child and
with others. The ever deepening relationships between teacher
and children provides the opportunity for profound and often
inspiring transformations in children - and teachers/therapists.

Children who attend Beachbrook may have severe
emotional/behavioral difficulties, may be developmentally
delayed, unrelated, lack speech, may have PDD (Pervasive
Developmental Disorder/Autism). While all of our children benefit
notably from our work, our special innovation is with children who
have PDD - since we are generally able to form meaningful social
relationships with these children - whose inability to do this is
often their main presenting concern. Through our ways of
working, children with PDD often become significantly more
related and some develop verbal skills of various capabilities. A
few children have graduated Beachbrook without any remaining
signs of autism.

As much as possible, each set of three children are grouped
together for their developmental differences rather than
similarities. Thus, we would avoid placing non verbal children
together, unrelated children together, aggressive, acting - out
children together, withdrawn children together or children with
Pervasive Developmental Disorder,etc. In our experience, the
differences in each child contribute positively to the
developmental growth process of each child. This, we believe,
encourages a healthier and more dynamic diverse learning
environment- while still meeting individual needs.

Parents are invited to participate in weekly Parent Groups led by
Dr. Joan Prideaux. This affords parents the opportunity to
become more skilled in their interactions with their children, and
to have the difficulties of their lives be heard, understood and
empathized with.

Beachbrook's full-time Therapeutic Program is from 8:30 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. and half-time Program from 2:30p.m. to 5:00 p.m., five
days a week.