Center of Excellence: development, collaboration and emotions for neurodivergent children
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Center of Excellence for Neurodivergent Children, a pilot project carried out in collaboration between the Association of Robotics, Educational Technologies and Applied Sciences "ARTESA", Sara Octomed Clinic and ASM Smartclinic Clinic.
Our goal is to create a safe and stimulating environment for neurodivergent children, especially those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), combining educational robotics and person-centered psychotherapy.
For us, the stakes are not just about completing a project or completing an activity. It's about creating a space where children can learn to collaborate, express their emotions, and build meaning together.Marius Lumpan, Founding Member - Romanian Association of Person-Centered Psychotherapy
The center is based on a collaboration between three complementary entities:
The ARTESA Association brings expertise in robotics and educational programming, building creative challenges and structures for hands-on learning.
Sara Octomed and ASM Smartclinic offer psychotherapeutic support and counseling, creating a safe environment focused on the emotional needs of children.
Together, we will integrate the principles of Lego-Based Therapy, the values of robotics competitions for children, and person-centered therapy, so that each child is the author of their own learning process.
We aim to apply the kids do the work principle: we create the structure, the kids do the work, and we track socio-emotional and collaborative progress.Marius Lumpan, Founding Member - Romanian Association of Person-Centered Psychotherapy
The program is aimed at children between 6 and 15 years old, with a focus on neurodivergence/TSA. Some teams may come from special education. The groups will be small and homogeneous in terms of work pace, but diverse in skills: some will build and test, others will document or narrate the technical process of the project.
Children's progress will not only be assessed through technical achievements, but also through socio-emotional indicators.
Progress is not just what the children built, but how they asked for a piece, how they repaired tensions, and how they bounced back after a small setback.Marius Lumpan, Founding Member - Romanian Association of Person-Centered Psychotherapy
Through this pilot project, we aim to create a safe, stimulating and meaningful environment where children can learn to collaborate, manage emotions and become authors of their own experiences.
This is an innovative initiative, where educational robotics, LEGO, and psychotherapy complement each other, demonstrating that emotional support and STEM education can go hand in hand for the development of neurodivergent children.