Therapy, Part 2

So today we started back at the STAR Center for therapy. They recommended that we move PJ to group therapy--apparently kids in group therapy improve 25% faster, so I was like, "sign me up!" (Well, sign *her* up, but you know what I mean.) They had a group starting this month, and wanted her in it, but our insurance still hasn't come back with an answer as to whether or not they'll bill STAR in-network or not (we're not staying there if they do), so STAR called the other day and said we could come to therapy until insurance gives an answer, and if they don't agree to the in-network thing, then they just won't charge us for these sessions. How could I turn that down!? So today we started group therapy.

I was a little nervous. First off, our therapist, Heather, isn't running this group, so it would be two new therapists PJ had never met before. Also, the parents don't stay with the kids in group therapy. They take us to the room next door to teach us about working with our kids, which is cool, but I wasn't sure how PJ would take it. We're able to observe the kids through a two-way mirror, but obviously that wasn't going to help her at all.

But wow. PJ was AWESOME. She didn't even blink when I left the room--didn't look for me, didn't ask for me, nothing. I think it helped that they had bubbles already on the table--she knew just what to do with those and dove right in. And, as it turns out, the whole routine that they did was exactly the same as what Heather used to do, so it was all familiar to her. It was so much fun to watch her and see her participating, smiling, and EATING. She engaged with every food they gave her, even green pepper strips and dried peas! She didn't eat them all, but she didn't freak out at any of them, either. That's huge. AND, she chewed with her molars! Woohoo!!!

When they were done we went back to the kids, and I was fully expecting her to do the whole, "Where were you?!" meltdown, but she didn't. She just said, "Mama!" and put her head on my shoulder when I knelt down next to her. She didn't even beg me to get her out of her seat. I was so incredibly proud of her.

So, who knows if we'll be staying here or not. We have a therapist lined up through Developmental Pathways if insurance doesn't come through, and I'm a little concerned with some of the philosophical differences between me and the STAR Center, but even so I'd really like to stay there because PJ seems to really be responding to them. So hey--say a prayer that insurance will decide in our favor, will you? :) Thanks.