About Walter
An award-winning, bilingual child professional with over 25 years of experience, I help kids, teens, and young adults with special needs build upon their strengths to master the challenges they face.
By fostering collaboration among kids, parents, siblings, and other key family members I help families gain the skills they need to create win-win solutions and live more happily.
Parenting under the best of circumstances can be difficult. Parenting a child with special needs presents its own set of challenges and rewards, and requires extra measures of patience, understanding, flexibility, and problem-solving. I have a special interest in helping parents better understand their children so they can find more effective, collaborative ways of parenting that foster cooperation and result in increased contentment for the whole family.
Using the therapeutic techniques that best meet your family's needs, I work closely with you to help you achieve the positive changes you seek in your child and your family.
By fostering collaboration among kids, parents, siblings, and other key family members I help families gain the skills they need to create win-win solutions and live more happily.
Parenting under the best of circumstances can be difficult. Parenting a child with special needs presents its own set of challenges and rewards, and requires extra measures of patience, understanding, flexibility, and problem-solving. I have a special interest in helping parents better understand their children so they can find more effective, collaborative ways of parenting that foster cooperation and result in increased contentment for the whole family.
Using the therapeutic techniques that best meet your family's needs, I work closely with you to help you achieve the positive changes you seek in your child and your family.
Experience |
Clinical Social Worker: Child, Adolescent, and Family Therapist in private practice since 2008.
Clinical Social Work Intern at Child and Adolescent Outpatient Mental Health Services of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services from 2007 - 2008. Special Educator with Montgomery County Public Schools since 1989. I currently teach Autism Resource Services at Silver Spring International Middle School. |
Education |
Master of Social Work: Clinical Social Work - University of Maryland, Baltimore - 2008
Master of Education: Special Education - American University, Washington, DC - 1989 Bachelor of Arts: Psychology - University of the District of Columbia - 1987 |
Awards
|
Lillian Black Award for Student Advocacy - by virtue of nomination and vote by my colleagues at Silver Spring International Middle School - June 2016
Featured Certified Autism Specialist - International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards - February 2016 www.certifiedautismspecialist.com/category/featured-cas/page/2/ Certified Autism Specialist - International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards - 2015 National Board Certification: Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood - 2014 Honorable Mention Educator - MCCPTA Special Needs Executive Committee - 2012 Outstanding Service - MCCPTA Special Needs Executive Committee (awarded to Autism Resource Services at Silver Spring International Middle School, co-created and co-led by Walter) - 2012 Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities - Who's Who Among Students - 2008 Student Scholarship (competitive, merit-based) - Maryland Society for Clinical Social Work - 2007 Outstanding Educator - MCCPTA Special Needs Executive Committee - 2002 Master's Fellow, Graduate Fellow - American University, Washington DC - 1988 Summa Cum Laude - University of the District of Columbia - 1987 |
