Our Model

Amy Ota is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the Round Rock, TX area. She holds a Master's degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University. She is committed to mental health and wellness. She believes that no matter what diagnosis we may be labeled with or what life circumstances we are given, we have the choice of how to respond to it.

There are many maladaptive ways to respond, but there are also many adaptive ways to respond. For some reason, the maladaptive ways are usually easier to come by. I am not interested in what's easy. I am interested in what leads to overall wellness and balance. I am keenly aware of the cycles we experience in life and how seemingly minor setbacks can have a major impact at times. My goal is not to remove the pain or the struggle you might experience. My goal is to be with you while you experience that pain and struggle, to support you through it, and to help you discover that you are not only able to survive it, but to thrive. I aim to move forward with you as you navigate the steps following a set-back or a change.

"Back to normal" is not a phrase she uses. There is simply no such thing. "Forward toward balance" is more like it! Balance is not a specific destination or stopping point. It is elusive and we need tools and strategies in order to maintain it once it is achieved. The tools and strategies provide us with security and comfort in knowing we can re-establish balance if and when we need to.

Michael Ota has been an educator (both general and special education), behavioral analyst, editor, author, and consultant for over 20 years. Having experience in secondary and college-level classrooms and behavioral clinics from Pre-K-12, his current pursuits are on behavioral intervention in both the educational and community settings.

I believe that disabilities should be re-stated as all-abilities and that cognitive differences are really a result of neurodiversity. Individuals with ASD, for instance in my ancedotal experience, have less success and more challenging behaviors when we as parents, educators, and therapists try to change what comes naturally to them. A good example is telling someone to "look me in the eye." This may not be possible especially for those on the spectrum due to how their brains process visual and auditory information. If we approach therapies with social validity in mind (that is, tackle issues when they are dysfunctional for the individual rather than pleasing or neurotypical for the caregivers), then we can find a better balance of the needs/wants of those individuals with social/cultural/familial norms. So rather than telling them to "look me in the eye," we should find a compromise like "look at the person" in social situations. This respects and balances the neurodiversity of the individual with the social norms of the community.

A unique mix of training and graduate education in technology integration and autism spectrum disorders affords him the tools in providing innovative solutions to challenging situations while allowing for practical, successful implementation. Michael has a personal connection with his pursuits, as well, having followed his wife, Amy Ota, in her footsteps into the field and caring for a child with ASD.

Michael is currently pursuing a PhD in School Improvement, focusing on research for systemic oppression and injustice for individuals w/ autism.