David Pitonyak received his PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Urban Services Program and is currently the Director of Imagine, Blacksburg, VA (www.dimagine.com). Dr. Pitonyak provides consultation and training for individuals, families and professionals throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, England, and the Republic of Ireland. The largest part of his work involves meeting individuals who are said to exhibit “difficult behaviors”. Most of these individuals exhibit difficult behaviors because they are misunderstood and/or because they are living lives that don’t make sense. Often they are lonely, or powerless, or without joy. Often they are devalued by others, or they lack the kinds of educational experiences that most of us take for granted. Too often their troubling behaviors are the result of an illness, or even a delayed response to traumatic events. You might say their behaviors are “messages” which can tell us important things about their lives. Learning to listen to an individual’s difficult behaviors is the first step in helping the individual to find a new (and healthier) story.
Presentation(s):
Strategies for Helping People to Connect to Enduring, Positive Relationships