The Inside Out Lab

A Summer SEL and Executive Function Program for Neurodivergent Kiddos

The Inside Out Lab is a therapeutic summer program crafted especially for neurodivergent children. Our mission is to nurture emotional intelligence, self-identity, and social connections. We welcome all feelings, celebrate mistakes, and regard neurodiversity as a valuable strength. Each weekly session is self-contained, aligned with both Collaborative Problem Solving®(CPS-TK)* and CASEL frameworks, and focuses on skill development through guided play, movement, and collaboration.

🧠 Group 1: The Bright Explorers (Ages 7–9)

Group 1 COMPLETELY FULL

📅 DATES: July 7–10

TIME: 10am - 1pm

Children will explore who they are — emotionally, socially, and neurologically. Through playful activities and reflective tools, they’ll identify their feelings, recognize personal strengths, and learn how sensory needs affect their daily experiences. They’ll also build foundational self-regulation and practice early friendship skills in a nurturing group setting.

Day 1 (7/7) – Knowing Me (Self-Awareness)

Children will explore their emotions, sensory preferences, and unique strengths through games, storytelling, and body-based activities. They’ll begin building an emotional vocabulary, identifying when they feel calm, curious, frustrated, or overwhelmed — and reflect on what helps them feel safe and confident.

Day 2 (7/8) – Calm in the Chaos (Self-Management)

This day focuses on regulation. Kids will experiment with movement breaks, deep breathing, visuals, and cozy spaces to learn how their body responds to different feelings. Each child will create a visual “regulation toolkit” with strategies they can use in real-world settings.

Day 3 (7/9)– Walking in Their Shoes (Social Awareness)

Through cooperative games, social stories, and perspective-taking activities, participants will build empathy and practice noticing how others may think or feel differently. The group will also explore fairness, turn-taking, and recognizing social cues.

Day 4 (7/10)– Speak Up & Show Up (Relationships + Advocacy)

Children will role-play how to ask for help, set simple boundaries, and repair after misunderstandings. They’ll create “strengths shields” to celebrate who they are and practice expressing needs in a way that feels safe and empowering.

🌊 Group 2: The Rising Navigators (Ages 9–12)

📅 Dates: July 14–17

Time: 10AM - 1PM

Tweens will develop flexible coping strategies to handle stress, conflict, and transitions. They’ll deepen their understanding of emotional and sensory regulation, build empathy and perspective-taking, and strengthen their skills in boundary-setting, problem-solving, and self-advocacy — all within a safe, creative, and collaborative space.

Day 1 (7/14) – Knowing Me (Self-Awareness)

Tweens will dive into emotional literacy and self-understanding, exploring how their brain, body, and emotions interact. Activities include emotion mapping, strength reflection, and identifying personal sensory needs — all framed through a neurodiversity-affirming lens.

Day 2 (7/15) – Calm in the Chaos (Self-Management)

We’ll introduce more complex regulation tools for handling frustration, transitions, and social stress. Participants will create personalized “Regulation & Reset Plans” using visual supports, movement routines, and tools for managing big emotions at school and home.

Day 3 (7/16) – Walking in Their Shoes (Social Awareness)

Through peer scenarios, small group projects, and games that challenge flexible thinking, tweens will strengthen empathy and cognitive flexibility. Focus areas include navigating peer dynamics, noticing non-verbal communication, and building curiosity about others’ perspectives.

Day 4 (7/17) – Speak Up & Show Up (Relationships + Advocacy)

Tweens will practice healthy assertiveness, consent, and boundary-setting. They'll learn how to express needs without apology, reflect on how to repair relationships, and participate in a group celebration of growth, strengths, and teamwork.

Location:

145 W. Main Street, Suite 210

Tustin, CA 92780

Participation Fee:

$400 per child

What’s Included Each Week:

Four 3-hour small-group EF/SEL sessions
30-minute parent Zoom consultation before and after the camp
Weekly tools and visual supports
End-of-week written summary
Optional superbill for HSA/FSA use

We invite all individuals to participate in our classes. HBCC & NDPSS work to connect participants of those who identify as Black, Latinx/Hispanic, Asian, persons of color, LGBTQA+, persons with a physical and/or neurological disability, veterans, etc., to local community support groups here in Orange County for sustainability.

Register and submit payment below

INTERESTED?

Group 1 is Full

Group 2 is still open

Click below if you'd like to be put on the waitlist

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Payment Options

You are paying for a week at "The Inside Out Lab"

$400 per child Group 1 July 7-10 $400 per child Group 2 July 14-17

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Meet Renal

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The Inside Out Lab

For Adults

Parenting with Purpose

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FREE Family Education Support Groups (currently on Zoom)
Weekend Fun Night for Teens
Family Activities
Independent Living Skills Workshops

https://autismresourcemom.org/

info@autismresourcemom.org

Debora Smith

714.501.8735

Support Groups

FREE Wednesday Night Educational Support Groups

In-person

6:30-8:30pm

In-person, In Old Town Tustin

145 W. Main Street, Suite 260 & Suite 210

info@hbcc.us

714.695.1057

Help Me Grow

Connects children and their families to developmental services to enhance the development, behavior and learning of children birth through eight years.

http://www.helpmegrowoc.org/

helpmegrow@hs.uci.edu

1.866.grow.025

The Road Map

The Road Map for parenting, teaching and treating concerning, difficult-to-manage challenging behaviors,

developmental challenges and/or mental health concerns can be overwhelming for parents.

Simply speaking, you know something's wrong, but you don't know why or what to do about it.

You feel stressed, angry, confused, embarrassed, even scared.

You reach out to professionals and find that their language is filled with unfamiliar terms,

and you get advice on approaches that don't work or make matters worse.

Even professionals and educators don't always know what to do beyond a Token Economy

based on behavior charts filled with rewards, consequences and planned ignoring

based on trying to "manage" behavior.

Rewards, consequences and ignoring were NEVER meant to teach complex thinking skills.

The Token Economy approach works for the majority of kids -- 70% -- who have the ability to be thoughtful,

flexible, and intentional with their behaviors; "managing" behaviors doesn't work for kids -- 30% of kids --

who struggle with emotional regulation, flexibility and problem solving.

No matter how consistently you implement a reward system, set boundaries,

and impose consequences, temperatures continue to rise with this 30% of the population.

You find that the standard conventional approach is like pouring gas on a fire when you remind your child of consequences,

or equally stressful, like pouring salt on a wound when they don't get the reward - yet again.

Emotional dysregulation is increasingly recognized as a challenge for many children and teens. No longer considered

just "bad behavior", it's clear that staying in control can be a struggle for parents despite their best intentions.

But what is a parent to do? Expectations still have to be met!

When kids are dysregulated, parents typically become dysregulated, and families are often thrown into chaos.

Parents describe "walking on eggshells" or "feeling held hostage" in their efforts to "manage"

challenging behaviors struggling to find moments of calm.

Parents can spend years frustrated, chasing down services,

being told they are doing the intervention wrong –

instead of being told they are using the WRONG intervention.

You don't want to use a shovel, when you need a wheel right?!

The decade of the brain (1990's) and the new neuroscience confirms an evidence-based,

skill-building, truly trauma-informed, social-emotional,

inclusive approach like what HBCC uses is what is needed.

Nothing can make the impossible possible; however, there are approaches that can make the possible more possible.

Give your child and yourself the equity you deserve!

It helps to know a bit about what factors contribute to the development of good regulation --

that's why Helping the Behaviorally Challenging Child (HBCC) was founded.

As Peer-to-Peer Parent Coaches we take you on a journey to understand what is going on,

what has typically been done about it, why that isn't working to "manage" behavior

and then what can help teach skills to communicate and express feelings,

develop executive function, cognitive flexibility, regulation and social skills.

Wanting answers to resolve the challenging situation in your life is not too much to ask

and it shouldn't be so difficult to find options other than "managing" behaviors

with a system of rewards, consequences and planned ignoring for "undesired" behavior.

If the "behavior modification" approach is NOT working,

it is often blamed on the parent's implementation as the reason why the approach is not working.

Parents hear over and over...

"be consistent"

"follow through with consequences"

"set boundaries"

"let your child know they may not get away with bad behaviors"

"tell them to make good choices"

"just tell your child NO firmly and stick to it"

"use a sticker chart to motivate your child"

These are simplified statements to a complicated concern.

Advising parents to use a behavior management approach expecting

a different result damages the parent/child relationship because

"discipline without relationship leads to rebellion".

HBCC helps with the Road Map that makes a tough parenting easier!

HBCC has grown over a couple of decades and is now composed of multiple

parent professionals and trainers who are committed to helping transform children's lives by deepening

adults understanding of their behaviors and promoting effective interventions

that focus on connection, collaboration, and inclusion.

As Certified parent coaches and trainers,

we are here to help you confidently understand the road you are traveling and what your choices are

to maximize the potential of your child and the entire family.

HBCCs founder has presented this course on Helping the Behaviorally Challenging Child

since 2007 reaching thousands of parents. She was that challenging kid herself!

She and her husband have two boys, 21 months apart, born in 1994 and 1995.

HBCC has learned from each and every family that has participated in the course over

many years and one thing that is predictable across all families:

their challenging child’s behaviors are being misunderstood and it’s time to STOP

blaming parenting as the reason for non-compliance and START

applying what neuroscience knows about lagging skills that leads to challenging behaviors.

If a child could do well, they would do well!

Let HBCC help you on a journey to understanding your challenging child through a

compassionate, collaborative, social emotional learning lens!

HBCC’s curriculum has been fine-tuned across the years in response to parent input to help YOU get results.

HBCC offers Parenting Classes with Parent Coaching to help you navigate the Sea of Options.

HBCC helps with Coaching, Training & Therapy along with

Weekly Wednesday Parent Support to help with implementation to grow,

and community events to learn together and become "changemakers".

HBCC is located in the heart of Old Town Tustin, in the

Heart 4 Kids Coaching, Training & Therapy Building.

More and more parents are asking for trained or certified parent professionals every day,

that understand and have been through similar circumstances.

HBCC helps you become confident to find, navigate and build your team.

If you have made it this far, this information is most likely speaking to YOU!

Parents have little time to take a parenting class, especially when so many parenting classes

have failed them, taking another one can seem like a waste of precious time.

Don't quit before the miracle!

HBCC IS YOUR ANSWER -- glad you found us!

The journey to a healthier happier life begins with YOU taking the first step

and signing up for the HBCC parenting course!

(Week 1) What is getting in the way?

Why do challenging children sometimes struggle to meet day-to-day expectations.

What has typically been done about what is getting in the way?

(Week 2) What are the Five Thinking Skills needed to meet expectations?

What is Collaborative Problem Solving®(CPS)?

(Week 3) What are the unsolved problems behind the behaviors?

What are the 3 options for responding to unmet expectations?

(Week 4) Looks through a truly trauma-informed lens.

How do adults address unsolved problems proactively?

How does this approach reduce challenging behaviors, improve relationships and teach critical skills?

(Week 5) Practice what you've learned through watching videos & roll playing in the class setting.

(Week 6) Wraps up the course with in-depth Q&A's, information on next steps.

Each participant receives a Binder, Handouts and

a Certificate of Completion.

HBCC is proud to be a trailblazer in data collection

to support this innovative approach.

Let us help you:

Reduce meltdowns & defiance

Stop the power struggles

Teach lagging thinking skills, durably

End the chronic noncompliance

Improve communication

Build connection

Next Steps include:

calming your inner critic

executive function for regulation

coaching, training, therapy

6-week in-person Parenting Classes

Wellness Wednesday Nights

Parent Coaching & Mentoring

2-Hour Introductory Overview

On-going workshops

Education Advocacy

Level 1 Essential Foundation Training (18 hours)

Guidance on Advanced Training and/or becoming Certified through Think:Kids

The Collaborative Problem Solving®(CPS) approach is owned and developed by Think:Kids (www.thinkkids.org),

a program based in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital(MGH) in Boston, MA.
Those CPS Certified receive ongoing supervision from T:K and are independent of MGH.
HBCC TAX ID #46-3240447

What is Collaborative Problem Solving®?

Collaborative Problem Solving®(CPS) is an evidence-based approach developed by Think:Kids, a program based in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA.

CPS is a big shift when it comes to understanding your child's challenging behaviors and what to do about it.

CPS is proven to reduce challenging behavior, increase compliance, improve family relationships and help your child build the skills they lack.

www.thinkkids.org

New Possibilities In Parenting

What if behavioral challenges are about something completely different than what you think they are? Mara James of Extraordinary Lives Foundation (ELF) interviews HBCC founder, Debra Ann Afarian on her "Let's Talk Wellness" podcast. Debra Ann shares her powerful story and how it inspired her to help other parents understand and empower their children.

Trainings in Collaborative Problem Solving®

CPS Certified Behavior Coaches

HBCC provides an effective, evidence-based, trainings where you will learn how to partner with a child to identify the triggers for their challenging behavior and work together to produce a game plan for how to handle problems BEFORE they happen.

Take the first step to reduce adult/child power struggles and conflict today by signing up for a class.

Call 714.695.1057 for a FREE consultation with an HBCC Certified CPS® Parent Coach

CPS strengthens relationships and teaches skills!

#HBCC #CuriousNotFurious #PraiseApproximationToTheGoal #IncrementsEveryoneCanHandle #CPSapproach #SkillNotWill #2e #KidsDoWellifTheyCan #ChildBehavior #BehaviorManagement #MentalHealthAwareness #ADHDawareness #ADHDsupport #neurodiversity #SmartAndQuirky #ADHDparenting #DisciplineWithoutRelationshipLeadsToRebellion

#ASDparenting #ASDsupport #ASDawareness #ChallengingBehaviors

Collaborative Problem Solving®(CPS) Overview

Trainings in Collaborative Problem Solving

Collaborative Problem Solving, CPS for short, is an approach to understanding and helping those 3-25 years old with concerning and behavioral challenges who may or may not carry a psychiatric diagnoses such as, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), pathological demand avoidance (PDA), conduct disorder (CD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood disorders (DMDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), etc, or a developmental disability such as, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), down-syndrome, intellectually challenged, etc.

Typically, a child with concerning and challenging behaviors will have a diagnosis or a developmental disability; however, HBCC is not in the business of a diagnosis, HBCC is here to help adults in understand challenging behaviors and help parents, educators, mental health providers and clinicians understand what has conventionally been done about challenging behaviors and what neuroscience has learned to do about them to build skills and break the cycle of stressors causing challenging behaviors.

CPS uses a structured problem-solving process to help adults pursue their expectations while reducing challenging behavior and building helping relationships and thinking skills. Specifically, the CPS approach focuses on teaching the neurocognitive skills that challenging kids lack related to problem solving, flexibility, and frustration tolerance. Unlike traditional models of discipline, this approach avoids the use of power, control, and motivational procedures and instead focuses on teaching at-risk kids the skills they need to succeed. CPS provides a common philosophy, language and process with clear guideposts that can be used across settings. In addition, CPS operationalizes principles of trauma-informed care.

Lagging thinking skills are identified in five primary areas:

Language and Communication Skills
Attention and Working Memory Skills
Emotional and Self-Regulation Skills
Cognitive Flexibility Skills
Social Thinking Skills

Three options to respond to predictable difficulties:

Plan A - Unilateral Imposition of Adult Will
Plan B - Solve the problem collaboratively and proactively
Plan C - Drop or setting aside the expectation (for now)

HBCC provides CPS in English, and we partner with Heart 4 Kids Coaching to provide CPS in Spanish

PHILOSOPHY - KIDS DO WELL IF THEY CAN...

Adult/Child power struggles can leave both parties frustrated, with adults wondering how it could have gone differently. HBCC's CPS/TK trainings are derived from the Collaborative Problem Solving® concepts outlined in the books:

"Treating Explosive Kids" by Greene, PhD & Ablon, PhD
“The Explosive Child” by Greene, PhD
“Lost at School” by Greene, PhD
"The School Discipline Fix" by Ablon, PhD
"Change-able" Ablon, PhD

Trainings are designed for parents, caregivers, educators, and mental health service providers to learn how to effectively support and teach lagging skills to children, teens, & young adults with complex undesired behaviors. Participants in the trainings will receive exposure into the assessment of behaviors to answer the question “what’s getting in the way of this child/teen/young adult meeting the daily demands of life?”

A Certificates of Completion is awarded and, in some trainings, CEUs.

The Parent classes, Support Groups, Parent Coaching and 2-hour Parent Overview are exclusively for parents/caregivers which includes grandparents, stepparents, foster parents - addressing challenging behaviors - all are welcome.

HBCC hosts trainings for Educators, Mental Health Professionals and Service Providers, which are listed under EDUCATORS/CLINICANS menu tab.

TRAINING OBJECTIVES

Consideration of philosophical underpinnings of the Collaborative Problem Solving®(CPS) approach.
Discussions on how traditional approaches to address maladaptive behavior have been ineffective for people with moderate to severe social, emotional, behavioral, and life challenges.
Identify how the Collaborative Problem Solving®(CPS) approach assesses challenges in living.
Begin to see challenging behavior as a by-product of lagging skills vs. willful.
Begin identifying a highly specific list of problems to be solved in living.
Identify key cognitive skills necessary for handling demands that life puts in front of us.
Identify expectations that address the needs of the person based on an accurate Collaborative Problem Solving®(CPS) assessment.
Identify the steps necessary to be effective at Collaborative Problem Solving® and what goals the Collaborative Problem Solving® process accomplishes.
Identify where cognitive skills are taught in the Collaborative Problem Solving® process.

Congratulations! You have most likely completed the HBCC Parenting Class and are now looking for Parent Coaching.

Parent Coaching can take place before taking the parenting class; however, most parent coaching takes place after taking a parent class.

Parent Coaching can help you climb what may seem like an impossible mountain - Take that NEXT STEP or first step... contact me ASAP

info@hbcc.us

714.695.1057

SCHEDULE AVAILABLE

CPS PARENT/CAREGIVER/GRANDPARENT TRAININGS

6-week on-going course (weekday mornings, weeknights, Saturdays)
Parent Overview (2-Hr)
Wellness Wednesday Evening Support Groups
1:1 Parent Behavior Coaching
Group Parent Behavior Coaching

CPS Parent Behavior Educational Advocacy
The Language of Advocacy
Parents and Educators Together as Allies
CPS Role Play
CPS Navigating Services

CPS EDUCATOR/CLINICIAN TRAININGS AT HBCC OR YOUR AGENCY/SCHOOL

Introduction to Collaborative Problem Solving (2-Hr)
CPS Essential Foundations Level I Training (2-Day)
Your FBA is a Fantasy Workshop

Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who complete trainings.

Completion of training qualifies, in some instances, for CEUs.

Optional

Completion of CPS Level 1 Essential Foundation training is a prerequisite for an Advanced Concepts CPS Level 2 training through Think:Kids.
Completion of Level I & Level 2 qualifies as a prerequisite for CPS Certification through Think:Kids.
Once CPS Certified, participants qualify to apply for the Trainer of Trainers certification track.

For more information on Certification/Trainer Track www.thinkkids.org

Pay Coaching Retainer Here

Pay Now

HBCC Parent Support Phone Consultation

If you would like to know more about Coaching or Therapy, contact us to inquire about a FREE consult with one of our Team members.

Coaching Agreement Forms

HBCC Coaching and Financial Agreement (pdf)

Download

Meet Renal

Renal Moodley

Renal has been an Occupational Therapist for nearly 22 years working in a variety of clinical settings with individuals who have diverse neurotypes. She has a Bachelors Degree in Health Science (Occupational Therapy) and a Master's Degree in Health Practice (Rehabilitation) from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. She has also served as OTA adjunct faculty at Stanbridge University in Irvine, CA and as the OTA Academic Fieldwork Coordinator at Pima Medical Institute in Las Vegas. Renal is a Certified ADHD Rehab Service Provider, Certified ASD Clinical Specialist, Certified PDA North America provider, Think:Kids Level 2 Advanced Training in CPS and currently completing her Ayres Sensory Integration certification with the Collaborative for Leadership in Ayres Sensory Integration.

Renal's greatest achievement of course, is being mom to her amazing neurodivergent son born in 2016. It was an extremely steep learning curve to get on board the neurodiverse affirming train and she is so grateful for the opportunity to have learned so much from him and to be able to offer her parenting knowledge, resources and clinical expertise to empower you to be your child's greatest advocate.

Renal has a deep passion and personal experience for understanding how a parents' own neurodivergence impacts their own wellbeing and thus the wellbeing of their family. She knows what it's like to be raising a neurodivergent child in a neurotypical world - she is in the trenches with you in paving the path for a more neurodiverse affirming world for my family and yours.

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Revolutionary Resilience For Educators & Clinicians

Proven Proactive Practices for Educators & Mental Health Providers Serving Youth with Trauma Impacts or Chronic Challenging Behavior Date & Time TBD Simple "self-care" is not sufficient to equip educators & Providers to meet the demands and stressors we all face in today's school/treatment environments... Who should attend? Teachers, Administrators, Ed. Assistants, Front Office Staff Clinicians, Supervisors, Front line/Direct Care Staff What makes this training so valuable? Traditional approaches to "self-care" for educators & providers have been insufficient in many cases to address the emotional, physiological and cognitive depletion that can occur when serving students with significant trauma impacts or chronic challenging behavior on a daily basis Based in the most current HeartMath® Institute research on resilience, coherence and energy managemnt, this training is designed to provide actionable, simple, and time-sensitive strategies that can be done by every educator or mental health provider, and can be supported on a school-wide, district-wide, or agency-wide level Continuing Education: 7 PDU's is provided to each attendee

Helping the Behaviorally Challenging Child (HBCC) is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation whose mission is to enable children experiencing behavioral health challenges to lead more productive and inclusive lives. We work to transform these children's lives by deepening adults’ understanding of their behaviors, and promoting effective interventions that focus on connectedness, collaboration, and inclusion.

145 W. Main Street, Suite 260, Tustin, California 92780