set aside August 20th for an important event: a day with David Pitonyak

Spectrum’s Personal Supports Network project is pleased to announce that we’ll be hosting a workshop with David Pitonyak, a motivating speaker and leader who has been a great force for change for us and many others who’s focus is on folks with disabilities and their relationships. We are thrilled to have an opportunity to spend some more time with him. On August 20th David will lead a workshop in the greater Vancouver area, place to be determined. 

About David Pitonyak:

David Pitonyak is interested in positive approaches to difficult behaviors. He believes that difficult behaviors are “messages” which can tell us important things about a person and his or her surroundings. Understanding the “meaning” of an individual’s difficult behaviors is the first step in supporting the person (and the person’s supporters) to change. David also believes (to paraphrase Jean Clark), that a “person’s needs are best met by people whose needs are met.” Supporting a person with difficult behaviors begins with an honest assessment of the needs of the person’s supporters. Creating more responsive human services is possible only when we take responsibility for problems of the workplace culture. A healthy organization is an organization that invites all of its members to take an active role in decisionmaking, provides support to each member as defined by the member, and evaluates its success by the degree to which it lives up to its promises. David has consulted with families and professionals throughout the United States, Canada, England, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the Netherlands. He lives in Blacksburg, Virginia with his wife Cyndi . They have two sons, Joe and Sam.

email us at psn@spectrumsociety.org for more information or watch this e-newsletter next month!