The Story Behind ABC - St. Louis: Why I Believe Every Family Deserves Clear Answers
- Katya Sussman-Dawson
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Welcome!!
Welcome to ABC - St Louis!
Whether you are a parent searching for answers or an educator supporting students, I'm so glad you're here! Below is the story behind how ABC - St Louis was born and why I am so passionate about the work that I do!
My Story
My journey as an educator and school psychologist has been rooted in a deep belief that every child has the potential to succeed.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of supporting students with learning, emotional, and developmental needs in multiple schools . I have sat across from hundreds of families and educators, listening to their worries, celebrating their wins, and walking with them through uncertainty.
As a young child, I struggled with reading, and benefitted from early and intensive reading interventions in second grade that helped me to read at grade level. As a parent, I have sat in a meeting for my child and been told that my child cannot receive supports on their 504 plan that I know are legally appropriate and would help them.
Both my professional and personal experiences have made me the practitioner I am today and are the reason why I feel so passionate about creating ABC- St Louis!
OUR REASON
ABC - St. Louis has been a dream in the making for over a decade. It was born from my many years working with children, families, and school teams as a special education teacher and then as a school psychologist.
After a decade of seeing students struggle year after year with little help, parents frustrated and exhausted just trying to find answers, and school teams having to wait for evaluation results that don't always provide clear recommendations, I am opening ABC - St. Louis to fill a gap in the St. Louis community to help children, families, and schools find the answers, resources, and support they need to ensure that every child has what they need to succeed.
I created ABC - St Louis to provide comprehensive evaluations that help children and adolescents unlock their strengths and reach their full potential. The practice is rooted in the belief that every child deserves to be understood, and every family deserves a partner who will listen, explain, and walk alongside them.
THE ABC DIFFERENCE
At ABC- St. Louis, I want families to feel truly heard, understood, and supported. We pride ourselves on providing families and educators with evaluations that uncover the whole child, highlight strengths, and provide meaningful, practical recommendations.
Our evaluations and services go beyond what most clinics provide. We ensure that
Families and educators are involved partners throughout the entire process.
All evaluations and services are individually crafted to meet the needs of each child, family, and school.
Our evaluators engage in best practices and will travel to the child's school to conduct testing and observations when needed.
Services and communication do not end once the final report is provided, our practitioners are happy to support families and educators by attending meetings, providing additional consultation, answering questions, and talking with school and medical teams.
ABC - St. Louis was created to the the kind of practice that I always wished existed for families!
Looking Ahead
In the months ahead, I'll be sharing resources, insights, and practical strategies on topics like ADHD, learning difficulties, Autism, executive functioning, 504's, giftedness, anxiety, and educational evaluation processes.
My hope is that this blog becomes a trusted space for families and educators to find information, encouragement, resources, and guidance.
