Imagine a childhood dream becoming a powerful force for change. One mother’s journey, fueled by personal experience, led to Trevor’s Place, a therapy center doing things differently. They believe families are key to a child’s success, providing education alongside therapy. How transformative can this approach be?
From a young age, the calling to educate and support others profoundly shaped Emmons’ life path. Unlike many children who envision traditional roles, her childhood play centered entirely around the dynamics of a classroom, complete with neighborhood friends as students and transparency worksheets. This wasn’t merely a game; it was an early manifestation of a deep-seated desire to mentor and facilitate learning, a calling she intrinsically felt and articulated even then, long before life presented her with its most profound challenges.
Emmons’ commitment to education and support would face its true test with the arrival of her son, Trevor. His early years were marked by an arduous journey through countless therapies, medical appointments, and eventually, the onset of seizures at age seven. Despite these formidable obstacles, Trevor’s resilience shone through, allowing him to thrive. His enduring spirit, now at 20 years old, became the unwitting catalyst and foundational inspiration for his mother’s transformative mission, focusing on child development and special needs support.
Even as she navigated the complexities of caring for her son, Emmons continued to pursue her professional aspirations in education. She dedicated herself to teaching in special education classrooms, diligently earning certifications to become a principal, all while actively seeking avenues to amplify her positive impact. The pivotal moment arrived when a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) entered her classroom, illuminating a path that resonated deeply with her personal experiences and professional goals, leading her to become a BCBA herself.
This profound realization culminated in the establishment of Trevor’s Place, a therapy center thoughtfully named after her son. Its core mission is to deliver compassionate, evidence-based services designed to foster comprehensive child development. Under one roof, families can access a crucial array of therapies, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech therapy, and occupational therapy, all while prioritizing the indispensable role of the family unit in each child’s therapeutic journey, offering vital behavioral health resources.
What distinctly sets Trevor’s Place apart from many other providers is its unwavering commitment to parent education and caregiver education, a mandatory component alongside direct therapy for children. This innovative model reframes families not as passive recipients of care, but as active, empowered participants in the therapeutic process. Emmons articulates this philosophy clearly, stating that the ultimate objective is not indefinite reliance on services, but rather equipping parents with the necessary tools for their child to achieve sustained growth and transition out of family therapy effectively.
To further enhance this collaborative approach, Trevor’s Place developed a robust digital platform. This system ingeniously streamlines every aspect of the care continuum, from efficient scheduling and meticulous data collection to the creation of personalized treatment plans, progress notes, and simplified billing. Critically, parents gain access to a dedicated guardian portal, offering real-time tracking of their child’s progress, direct updates from therapists, and seamless communication with their entire care team, a significant improvement over the fragmented communication Emmons herself experienced as a parent.
The implementation of this comprehensive system has proven genuinely transformative for the families it serves. Parents now possess a clear, tangible understanding of their child’s developmental trajectory, encompassing both achievements and ongoing challenges. This clarity empowers them to consistently reinforce therapeutic goals within the home environment, fostering active participation and accelerating their child’s overall development, thereby creating a cohesive and supportive ecosystem for growth.
Strategically located in Killeen, Georgetown, and Harker Heights, Texas, Trevor’s Place extends its specialized services extensively to military families. Recognizing the unique hurdles posed by military life, such as frequent relocations and the inherent uncertainties, the organization is committed to being a steadfast pillar of community care support. Their philosophy emphasizes creating a strong sense of community and connection, aiming to function as an extended family for those navigating both military service and the complexities of special needs care.
The remarkable growth and expanding reach of Trevor’s Place directly mirrors Emmons’ own profound evolution—from a passionate teacher to a devoted mother, from an accomplished principal to a skilled therapist, and ultimately, from a tireless advocate to an impactful entrepreneur. Her personal journey, marked by resilience and a relentless pursuit of better solutions, continues to inspire the organization’s ongoing expansion, promising a brighter future for countless families in need of comprehensive, family-centered care.
