Hi Jill,
We used an RDI consultant briefly a couple of years ago. We ended up with someone relatively close by and that we could pay through some funding we get from the state autism waiver here in Wisconsin. It was so-so. If I could do it over and was choosing based purely on who was best, I'd search through the providers list on the RDI site, contact and talk with the narrowed down choices, and go with the person who both impressed me most and with whom I felt the most rapport. It's a very intimate relationship. They train their consultants extensively, so I think you get knowledgable people, but when you have to share your personal experiences with and receive feedback from someone to that extent it can get old fast if the relationship isn't easy. As far as questions, they follow such a strict protocal that, in theory, what they do shouldn't vary that much consultant to consultant. I think it would have been helpful to ask about how many clients they'd worked with and for stories of progress. I also would pose a specific scenerio that you're struggling with with your child and ask how they would approach addressing that. The more easily, thoroughly, and coherently a person can answer that kind of question, the more depth of understanding and more effective they are likely to be in consulting with you. There was a woman who had a website and was in the central west somewhere that I just loved. She had all these helpful articles she'd written to help explain core deficits and philosophies on her website for free. She was so passionate about helping. So kind. I think she did phone/video consults. So, depending on your circumstances, something like that might be an option. I could try to track the website down if you want. Hope that helps! Good luck.
PS-have you heard of SonRise? We found it more manageable for our son. I really liked RDI activities and was helped being aware of the concepts, so don't mean to discourage you, but just wanted to share that option, too.

@A MyAutismTeam Member - thanks for the great advice. I have heard of SonRise but my son is 16 now and I don't want to completely change our approach. He learns well with ABA but the relational component is missing. RDI has many elements in common with ABA so I figured it wouldn't be too hard for everyone to adjust. Thanks for the good advice. It's just in time. I talk to the first consultant today!

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