Randy Dashefsky, MS, CCC-SLP

Biography :

Randy is a licensed, certified speech and language pathologist (CCC-SLP). She completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology – Human Communication Disorders, from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and her master’s degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Vermont, Burlington Vermont. Randy worked for over 35 years for the Washington Elementary School District where she has had extensive experience in the area of autism spectrum disorders. She served on both the Autism Evaluation/Consultation Team and Speech and Language Evaluation Team, as well as working as a speech pathologist and supervisor in pre-school, school age, and junior high school autism programs. She has specialized training the area of communication as it relates to autism via the TEACCH Model, administration of the ADOS, the Picture Exchange Communication System, the STAR program, Social Thinking, Executive Functioning Skills, Emotional Regulation using the Zones of Regulation, Story Grammar, and Alternative and Augmentative Communication – AAC. She has presented inservices to speech therapists in her school district on: The Picture Exchange Communication System, Social Communication, Social Stories, and Social Language Development Scenes.

Practice Philosophy :

As a licensed speech and language pathologist, my primary focus is for students to communicate effectively and to navigate the social world with positive self-esteem and confidence. I like to follow the Social Thinking methodology adapted from Michelle Garcia Winner, which aims to help students improve social competencies through self regulation, social emotional learning, perspective taking and social problem solving. Both individual and group therapy focus on teaching students how to act with expected behaviors in order to be part of the group. I try to help students understand that their communicative behaviors affect what people think of them and subsequently how people will respond. Techniques such as using their social filter, considering what others may be thinking, interpreting non-verbal communication, understanding abstract language, understanding empathy, and using social conversational skills are paramount for effective communication. The overall goal is for students to communicate effectively , make friends, be respected, and lead happy, productive lives.