Two years ago, two Owensboro Public School educators had an idea. Leah Embry, head teacher of The Strive Program and Kevin Thompson, the director of alternative schools both knew there was a demand within the community for meeting with kids in a different setting for therapy. And To the Max Behavior Therapy, LLC was created.
“There is a need for this,” said Thompson, the co-owner and executive director of To the Max. “Both of us are in education and have a passion for helping. We can do this as a company and advocate for kids.”
To the Max’s company overview, according to Facebook, says they “will create person-centered behavior supports using an ABA [Applied Behavior Analysis] therapy approach.” It explains that ABA is “the use of techniques and principles to bring about meaningful and positive change in behavior.”
Thompson said one of the goals is to get to know the families they are serving, hoping to be an extension of the family. They aim to teach coping skills and strategies to their clients and their families so that a level of comfort can be reached.
“Selfishly, it gives us a good feeling [when we] see joy in their lives,” Thompson said.
Embry, who is also a co-owner and the program director said they serve different counties, often traveling to Henderson, Ohio and Muhlenberg counties. They have very little counseling with students from their school, she said.
Providers working for To the Max contract with parents, social workers and those involved with the client’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), if necessary.
All contractors of their services are basically independent, Thompson said, but they must be driven and kid-centered. Thompson and Embry find they are constantly recruiting more employees to offer services due to the growing number of clients.
“Contractors decide how many hours they want to work, how much they want to put on their plate to take on,” Thompson said. And then Thompson and Embry work to make that fit with a client’s needs.
Currently, there are 8 to 10 providers with one who left a career in teaching to go full time with To the Max, working at least 40 hours a week.
“All of [our therapy business] is outside of school hours,” Thompson said.
Thompson said it makes for long days, working two jobs, but both careers are rewarding.
“We try to be an advocate for the family,” Embry said.
She referred to a family who has two teenagers, along with other children. Within this family, the therapists try to find places in the community that will support the teenagers involvement — church programs, after school activities and service opportunities as examples.
“We try to be a resource for the family,” Thompson said. “If the issue is anger, for example, we do anything we can do help [the family] with the behavior. We try to give strategies to cope and gradually decrease the [unwanted] behavior.”
Currently, one of their therapists is working with a 16-year-old client. The therapist is working to help him get his driving permit and secure a job, according to Embry.
According to Thompson, they are selective on how many clients they are providing services because their “number one goal is to provide good service.”
“We are very fortunate and are growing at a steady pace,” Thompson said.
For persons seeking their services, To the Max can be reached through a message on their Facebook page, To the Max Behavior Therapy, LLC or can request contact through a case manager.
