CAN-DO CAMP 2023

Can Do Replace Top Image

CAN-Do Camp was always a great success. We have updated this program to our new ACCESS Family program. Click here to learn more.

CAN-Do Camp 2023

Optimal ACCESS’ CAN-Do Camp is unique in that it provides a true summer day camp experience for students, ages 5-24, with complex communication and sensory-motor challenges that require a level of specialized support (1:1) not available at other youth camp programs.

Due to the overwhelming success and improved accessibility of our innovative virtual camp model, we will be offering our CAN-DO CAMP [HOME EDITION] again this summer. The benefits of including family members (parents, caregivers, communication/regulation partners) in the camp experience have included: increased understanding of the camper, improved communication, improved confidence and interactions, co-regulation skills, and more! These successes and the feedback shared since our pivot in 2020 deem it worthy of maintaining this unique opportunity for families again this summer.

CAN-Do Camp (HOME EDITION)

CAN-Do CAMP 2023 [HOME EDITION] provides students with autism, and other sensory-motor differences, opportunities for age-appropriate camp experiences, along with the proven therapeutic supports that ACCESS Academy is known for. This camp adds a unique Home Edition Camp Coach that offers individualized support, encouragement, and therapeutic skill-building in the home environment as each family tunes in to CAN-Do Camp, via Zoom!

Each camper will enjoy knowing his/her strengths are the focus, while receiving the supports necessary to experience success. Parents and Caregivers will receive demonstrations and coaching to implement individualized supports with their camper, while participating in exciting theme-based learning each day they attend.

“I had no idea so much support could be provided virtually. All the support for [my child] as he works through a lot of emotions, recovering from trauma, and tries his best to be successful…” -CAN-Do Camp Parent

The Value of Parent / Caregiver Training

Dear Optimal Rhythms,

Last summer, I was pleased to be able to partake in parent training offered by Optimal Rhythms. It helped me to better understand my daughter and how her brain, emotions and body operate. The Family and Caregiver Training sessions that were put on by Optimal Rhythms, in collaboration with Integrative Music Therapy, were informative, educational and much needed for me. I have spent a lot of years drenched in guilt and frustration, mostly because I had professionals tell me what my daughter wasn’t able to do, instead of what she is able to do. My favorite trainings have to do with presuming competence and what that should look like, as well as the explanations of what goes on in the brain of autistic individuals. I also loved how the trainer and our camp coach approached any parent concerns and questions with compassion, understanding and without guilt, which is not something you typically see in other professionals. I am so glad that I got to attend these sessions during CAN-Do Camp with my daughter because I was able to spend time with her, bond with her and learn some new things along the way. I would really love to see these trainings continue for parents because there are none like what Optimal Rhythms offers to us. I have attended a lot of trainings over the years, none of them focus on what I feel is important to help my daughter.

With gratitude,

Angie Brady

An Empowered Parent Gives Thanks for [HOME EDITION] Camp

To Whom It May Concern,

When we first started the journey with Luke it seemed like it was appointment after appointment just hearing over and over again what Luke “has”, what Luke is diagnosed with. I remember just trying to wrap my brain around words like “delay”, “disorder”, “disability”. Once we had this information I spent the better part of a year trying to figure out what to do. We had him in all of the therapies. I just still felt so inadequate to parent him through this journey. I was constantly asking myself “how do I help him through this episode?” “Do I push him through it?” Do I do it for him?” I would ask his doctors. “How do I help him ?” And they would give me generic answers that would leave me with even more questions.

We started music therapy and I immediately saw how effective it was for Luke. We LOVED it. It definitely began to fill a need for Luke, but I was still searching for help for me. I needed someone to give me real time advice with how to help Luke navigate through some of his tough moments. I first heard about the “Can Do Camp” from Luke’s music therapist. To be honest, my first thought was – “something for Luke to go do this summer and I can just drop him off- where do I sign him up!” However, with the pandemic, they had to do things a little differently.