Services
Families and Individuals
Early Learners
EARLY START DENVER MODEL
The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is an evidence-based comprehensive, developmental, and behavioral model that focuses on naturalistic teaching that occurs within authentic relationships. It supports children 12 months-48 months with a developmental curriculum and specific teaching strategies. It is the model that Thrive uses when implementing ABA services for our youngest learners to cultivate motivation, meaning, and supportive care. We do so because our primary goal is to bring children into positive reciprocal interactions that lend themselves to shared enjoyment, trust, and learning.
When we practice ESDM, we focus on the core features of the model:
Parent partnerships
Interdisciplinary
Relationship based
Developmental framework
ABA Teaching principles
What does this mean?
Our ABA services look and feel different because we are using ESDM as a naturalistic way to teach and support children to thrive. We play and discover meaningful social games as the foundation for teaching. We connect through authentic social interaction and develop reciprocal relationships. We pay attention to child interests and explore their motivations. We build moments to communicate and share enjoyment together. We incorporate evidence-based learning strategies that are effective and support meaningful change tied to shared values.
Our history with the Early Start Denver Model
At Thrive, we believe and are highly skilled in the Early Start Denver Model. One of the founders of Thrive, Diane Osaki, began her work on the original Denver Model with Dr. Sally Rogers at JFK Partners, here in Denver, more then 20 years ago. After learning from Sally and seeing the incredible effects of the model, she continued sharing her knowledge and developing expertise in ESDM with her colleagues at Thrive.
Thrive is one of the few clinics in the USA that have multiple ESDM Certified therapists. We now have two certified trainers on staff and six certified therapists, with additional staff in training. We value our role training others nationally and internationally, as well as being a training site for those eager to learn with us.
INFANT INTERVENTION: THRIVE FROM THE START
Play-based coaching for infants and their families
For parents concerned about their infant’s development, Thrive offers gentle, play-based support and family coaching. We work with you to use everyday moments—like play, mealtime, and diaper changes—to help your baby learn and grow from the very beginning.
School-Age & Beyond
Thrive offers support for school-age children in and out of the classroom. In schools, our team works side-by-side with students and staff to promote learning, strengthen peer relationships, build independence, and support behavior and executive functioning throughout the day. We conduct classroom observations, develop individualized strategies, and provide teacher coaching.
We believe that the most effective therapy for this age group happens through strong collaboration with the people who matter most in a child’s daily life. That’s why we focus on empowering parents, teachers, and caregivers—not just therapists—to implement meaningful strategies and strengthen their relationships with our clients.
Beyond the classroom, we partner with families, siblings, and community members—like schools, faith communities, and camps—to provide consistent support in every setting where your child lives, learns, and plays. Every goal is personalized to support a child’s daily life, confidence, and connections at their current age and stage. As your child grows, our approach grows with them.
Play and Therapy Groups
We offer group therapy in the afternoons. Kids club groups meet weekly and are often with same-age peers, who share related interests, and could benefit from similar areas of growth. Clubs are small groups of 2-5 children with a low adult: child ratio. Individuals receive focused support as they navigate purposeful interactions and co-construct activities with their peers. As guides, we promote individuals to engage in their interests, share their ideas, and navigate natural social problem solving to build authentic peer relationships.
Parent Coaching Series
Thrive offers a 12-week individualized parent coaching series for parents of at-risk early childhood and elementary school-age learners.
Our coaching services focus on priorities identified by each family as well as foundational developmental and behavioral knowledge. We provide effective support for families who are waiting for a formal diagnosis, for other services to become available, or are simply working through specific concerns for their child. As part of our lifelong-learning philosophy, our goal is for parents to come out of the series with renewed self-efficacy and confidence in their child’s developmental journey.
Thrive parent coaching offers timely access to high-quality clinical resources to improve social interactions, communication, challenging behavior patterns, and more. All coaching series are provided 1:1 with a Thrive Senior Consultant or Specialist in Naturalistic Developmental Behavior Intervention.