"I am a strong advocate for the use of gentle teaching and other non-intrusive approaches to working with persons with challenging behaviors.  As persons with challenging behaviors are transitioned from MPC to community based services, we have seen the greatest positive changes in behavior in settings where there is a culture of gentleness.  It is my hope that the entire CMHSP service system receives appropriate training based on non-intrusive, non-restraint, person-friendly approaches to dealing with challenging behaviors."

                                                                             --Bill Allen, Community Transition Leader, Mt. Pleasant Center, DCH

"Gentle Teaching has provided me with the tools I need to be able to assist people with disabilities to achieve their goals and dreams. I've learned how powerful words and presence can be and when used in a positive way how they can help change someone's life for the better. Gentle Teaching has also helped me grow as a person and it's something I've integrated into my everyday life.”                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                       --Kyle Pogue, Training participant

"I have talked with 4 of the 6 six people that attended and they are on top of the world and can’t wait for the next opportunity to participate in training with you.  I haven’t felt that level of excitement from people in some time.  The four can’t say enough about how good the training was and each have their own story from the 3 days.  Thanks for your efforts.  I am more hopeful then ever that we can bring a cultural shift here,  even though the resistance has been significant.  Even in these days of doom and gloom from the economy I remain optimistic that within a few years we can approximate your accomplishments to change they manner in which we interact with those were are privileged to support."

                                                                     --Ed LaFramboise, Developmental Disabilities Services Director, NECMH

“I think Gentle Teaching works because we are a human culture and it validates every individual’s humanity!  It offers professionals, educators, and parents alike, the tools to provide an environment where every person can reach their utmost potential.  As an educator, an advocate, a business professional, and a Gentle Teaching practitioner and a mentor, I marvel at how Gentle Teaching transforms the dubious to the exceptional by offering the hope, love, encouragement, and strength essential to building interdependence and solidarity.  I am pleased to live in a state that understands Gentle Teaching’s bottom-line impact in the lives of everyone who embraces it.  I think Gentle Teaching is unmatched by any other strategies, interventions, philosophies, or techniques because it is fundamental to our human nature.  We are all much stronger, courageous, triumphant, and exceptional when we are gentle humans”.

                                                                                                         --Lee Magryta, Program Participant

“I now know that the most severely challenged people in our community have the most to teach us and when they take our hands, they’ve touched our hearts forever. When these people feel safe enough to reach out, to try something new with you, to allow you to touch or hug them, you know you are, indeed, a Gentle Teacher.”

                                                                                                                                      --Anonymous Training Participant

“What I appreciated most about the MORC Gentle Teaching training is the emphasis on introspective self-examination. Although we have been teaching non-abusive psychological and physical interventions for many years, the addition of gentle teaching will allow us to intentionally focus our efforts on creating safe, valued, engaging relationships with people who depend on us for care.”                                                                                                         

                                                                       --Luke Reynolds, LMSW, Support Coordination Manager, Muskegon CMH

“The training has helped us remember that people and relationships are more important than any given task that needs to be accomplished.   The MORC trainers and mentors were a great help to us...and ultimately to the people we serve.”

                                                                                                    --Mary Zmolek, MA, LLP, Psychologist, Muskegon County

“Thank you for opening the hearts and minds of caregivers and teaching us how to use the magic of our touch, our smiles, our voices, and imaginations.”

                                                                                                                                              --Anonymous Training Participant