The Brake Shop Clinic strives to increase awareness, understanding, accommodation, and management of 'leaky brake' disorders in the families and communities we serve. We offer support through the lens of "what has happened to you" not "what's wrong with you".

We will also work with your family to eliminate or reduce problem behaviours. Regardless of whether particular problem behaviours are caused by 'leaky brakes' or not, a problem is a problem. We are all in agreement that problem behaviours must be addressed.

To successfully eliminate problem behaviours, two conditions are needed. A person has to have the ability to 'put on the brakes', and a person also has to have the desire to 'put on the brakes'.

Different solutions are necessary for each condition. What works best to improve a person's desire to put on the brakes won't work to improve a person's ability to put on the brakes.

To improve ability (skills), we use evidence-based methods. These treatments may include ERP (Exposure & Response Prevention), CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics), CPS (Collaborative and Proactive Solutions), CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) or various medications.

To improve desire (motivation), we also use evidence-based methods. Cognitive tools are used to influence an individual's readiness to change. Also, positive and negative consequences can be used when necessary to improve motivation and effort (e.g. to engage in treatment).

To teach skills to manage 'leaky brakes' will be our emphasis. More often than not the problems our clients experience come from a lack of skills – not motivation. Also more often than not our families know how to motivate but these methods alone have not been enough.

The Brake Shop supports the use of consequences (especially positive) in the following ways:

  • Consequences as 'road markers'. Individuals with leaky brakes can require a supportive framework ('scaffolding') to keep on track (e.g. consistent structure, visual cueing). Brief and in-the-moment use of consequences can also erect 'road markers' by preventing appealing short-term distractions from getting in the way of the individual's longer-term intentions & goals
  • Natural 'real-world' consequences work better for individuals with leaky brakes and so the Brake Shop endorses these over artificial rewards & punishments
  • Finally, corporal punishment (e.g. spanking) is not supported or recommended within the Brake Shop approach