Discover RDI® for your family.

“You play the most important role in your child’s mental, self, and neural development. The RDI® program can teach you how to use everyday interactions and routines to guide, nurture and teach your child what he needs to know to fully develop and experience quality of life.”

— Dr. Steven Gutstein

Co-founded by clinical psychologists, Dr. Steven Gutstein and Dr. Rachelle Sheely, Relationship Development Intervention® (RDI®) is a next-generation, research-guided, developmental model that is parent led and facilitated. RDI® Certified Consultants provide parent coaching and education as parents learn to navigate obstacles and guide their children along a path of growth, helping their children with autism or social and communication challenges to meet developmental objectives with the support of ongoing assessment and feedback. Parents guide their children into relational experiences that open the pathway for dynamic psychological, emotional, and social growth.

Learn more about RDI® at rdiconnect.com. Or get a quick overview with this 4 minute video by Certified RDI® Consultant Kathy Darrow.

At The Heart of It

At the heart of it, relationship is a process. Whether it develops naturally without much conscious effort, or is intentionally and mindfully created, relationship is the crucible for our formation as people. Relationship development, like other kinds of growth, happens over time, through our experiences with each other.

RDI® is a process too. 

Through your consultant relationship and a process of coaching, education and support — things like regular Zoom meetings, online education and video exchanges — you’ll find yourself learning to mindfully guide your child, creating experiences for the two of you that lead to progress along your child’s developmental pathway.  You’ll become more and more empowered as you transform your communication style and family life at home through the RDI® principles that support your child’s growth and enhance your guiding relationship with your child.

By learning to carefully construct meaningful guiding experiences with your child over time, you’ll work to build the foundations of reciprocal relationships and dynamic intelligence, including:

  • the ability to learn from the experience of others

  • social coordination

  • flexible thinking and the ability to adapt as circumstances change

  • the ability to put things into context and solve complex problems

  • the ability to use language and non-verbal communication in a reciprocal exchange: to share, express, invite interaction, and coordinate with others

  • the ability to anticipate future possibilities based on past experiences

  • the development of intrinsic motivation and a growth-seeking mindset

These are just a few of the developmental goals that families work toward in their RDI® programs.

Through the RDI® process, obstacles to growth are identified and addressed, and customized objectives are incorporated into real-life activities. Through the crucial guiding relationship, dynamic growth becomes possible.

Click here to learn more about my free training in the introductory principles of RDI®, as well as information about my current availability and monthly rates and services as an RDI® Certified Consultant.