Immersion Program   

Remove Barriers to Employment

The Immersion Skills Training Program addresses barriers impacting brain injured clients and clients with cognitive disabilities as they work towards increased independence and gainful employment.  The program focuses on development of a positive self-concept and successful workplace integration.  Each client is responsible for designing a contract of individual goals to address the particular personal and cognitive issues most affecting his/her functional abilities.

The Immersion Learning Model involves practicing cognitive skills to improve behavior deficits.

Our Learning methods are centered on:

Remediation: focusing on improving skills that have been lost or impaired.

Compensation: learning to use different ways to achieve desired goals.

Skills Training services are a minimum of 2 months (but may be longer term) meeting 5 days per week, Monday through Friday, for 5 hours each day.  This design offers intense individualized training, providing the maximum amount of learning opportunities for Immersion clients in the shortest period.  The following list includes a brief description of each module, as well as, ongoing curriculum.

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Basic Components

Self Insight - Promotes understanding of self and the changes present after brain injury.

• Understanding Brain Injury
• Identifying and Controlling Emotions
• Stress and Anger Management
• Exploring self-concept
• Developing a realistic picture of strengths and weaknesses

Communication - Promotes development of appropriate communication skills for community and work setting.

• Communicating effectively one-on-one and in group settings
• Learning effective listening skills
• Use of assertive skills. Differentiating between assertiveness and aggressiveness communication styles
• Reading body language and using body language cues when communicating
• Dealing with Conflict
• Review positive and negative methods of communicating

Realistic Goal Setting and Decision Making - Promotes a sense of control in attainment of individual goals.

• Realistic Goal Development Methodology
• Developing and Implementing Action Plans based upon identified barriers/goals
• Developing Problem Solving skills
• Organization and Time Management

Workplace Integration - Promotes successful integration into a community setting workplace.

• Disability in the workplace - Review of the ADA
• Making a good work first impression, looking at dress and self presentation
• Organization and Time Management
• Examining the worker role
• Projection - How the group sees you; how you think the groups sees you
• Communication Skills to use on the job with peers and supervisors
• Asking for reasonable accommodation

In addition to the above, ongoing areas covered in Immersion include:

• Strategies for Memory Enhancement
• Daily Check In
• Note taking
• Adaptive Technology
• Daily Planner/Journal Utilization
• Other activities and strategies as appropriate