The College Success Guidance Program was developed by Dr. Jon Thomas and grew out of the lessons learned during his more than 20 years of work with transitioning high school and college students. After successfully reorienting hundreds of students who had failed their first attempt at college, he developed a program that incorporated the overlooked needs that contributed to the initial failure of this special population.

DR. JON THOMAS, LPC

Dr. Thomas holds a Virginia license as "Licensed Professional Counselor", and is also a Certified National Counselor, Certified National Rehabilitation Counselor and Nationally Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist.

After attaining his Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and later his Doctorate in Counseling and Human Development at George Washington University, he continued Post-Doctoral studies in Marriage and Family Therapy at Virginia Tech. Additional training included a two-year Post-Doctoral program in Ericksonian Hypnotherapy and Solution-Focused Therapy at the American Hypnosis Training Academy. In addition, Dr. Thomas has extensive training in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), Psychodrama, and Men's Work.

Prior to entering private practice over fifteen years ago, Dr. Thomas served for five years as Project Director and later Principal Investigator for a School-To-Work Transition Project for young adults with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder. He also spent a year with the National Chapter Multiple Sclerosis Society. This was preceded by seven years in the field of Aging and Rehabilitation.

STAFF

Licensed Therapists

The entire program from Intake through Follow-up functions under the direct supervision of licensed therapists.  Dr. Thomas personally performs the extensive intake Interview/Evaluation and the Training for each student in the program.

College Guides

The College Guide team is comprised mostly of people who have AD/HD and have struggled successfully with the challenges their disability presented in college. The memory of their challenges are sufficiently fresh to relate to beginning college students, yet they have learned these life lessons to the extent that they are now able take time from their successful careers to guide these students down their own path to success.

College Guides participate and assist with the Group Training and take point in assisting students in the development of their Individual College Success Plan. In the course of these activities, the Guides develop strong working relationships with the students, which set a powerful basis for continued contact, as each student works with his/her chosen Guide throughout their first academic year.  During these continuing weekly or twice weekly contacts, the Guides monitor progress, reinforce newly acquired skills and assist with problem solving.

TRAINING LOCATIONS

The Intake Interview is done at the Pineridge Counseling Center in Fairfax, Virginia.

The Group Training sessions and other meetings are held at local colleges and universities in the Greater Washington area.