“I am a Licensed Mental Health Clinician and a director of mental health programs in New York and California. Currently working at YAI with schools, government agencies and community organizations throughout the State of CA to address gaps in services for children, teens and adults with intellectual disability and co-occurring mental health challenges.I have seen amazing progress using tried and true techniques grounded in knowledge of psychology, neuropsychology and childhood development.

While Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is prevalent, Post Traumatic Growth describes the positive change occurring in a child, teen or adult after they experience a highly stressful event. Growth through adversity leads to maturity! There is opportunity to grow meeting students where they are. When students are less stressed, they are more capable to help each other learn. Educators are freed from a 1-size-fits-all schedule to developing student' ability to learn in their own zone.

The reason I support the Lead out method is that it brings effective practices and knowledge right into school, to develop the human potential of everyone in school, from students to educators to principals and everyone on the school staff.

I endorse the Lead out method and encourage others to do so as well.

About Sharon Cyrus-Savary:

Sharon Cyrus-Savary, M.S.E.D, LMHC, PhDc. has been the Director of START and Clinical Director of Intensive Individual Transition Service (IITS) at Young Adult Institute (YAI). YAI provides person centered, trauma-informed, culturally/linguistically competent supports to more than 20,000 children, adolescent and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York and California. Her work as clinical director for IITS offers clinical case management with a focus on better quality of life for persons with an Intellectual/Developmental Disability, co=occurring mental health and criminal justice involvement. All children, adolescent, adults and families thrive when they have the right person centered supports that respects their autonomy and provide them with opportunity to live their best lives.

Previously, Ms. Cyrus-Savary was Director of START at Services for the UnderServed (S:US) for 5 years. This organization drives scalable solutions to transform the lives of 35,000 people with disabilities, people in poverty, and families facing homelessness. Providing solutions that contribute to righting societal imbalances. Ms. Cyrus-Savary’s career includes forensic mental health with doctoral training/work experience with patients with severe and persistent mental illness on Rikers Island for over 5 years. She has provided couples and family therapy at Phoenix House for families, as well as men and women with substance use challenges. She also has a private psychotherapy and career counseling practice. In addition, Ms. Cyrus-Savary is an educator, she was an adjunct lecturer at LaGuardia Community College for over 6 years, a Career Counselor at Brooklyn College, as well as a frequent presenter at conferences around the country.”