The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals

Rose Griffin

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Join Rose Griffin, a dedicated Speech Therapist and BCBA from ABA SPEECH, as she shares her compassionate approach to supporting the communication needs of autistic individuals. With 20 years of experience, Rose is committed to respecting and understanding the diverse ways autistic people communicate and interact with the world.This podcast is a resource for professionals and parents alike, offering practical strategies that honor each person's unique communication style. Rose covers a wide range of topics, including how to recognize and support autistic communication from an early age, the distinctions between autism and speech differences, and effective, respectful approaches to fostering...

#226: Motherhood, Tech and Autism with Tracey Hawkins

Tracey Hawkins became part of the autism community in 2018 when both of her sons were diagnosed with autism—just seven months apart.When it comes to autism, structure and routine are so important. But as a mother, Tracey couldn't find the right technology to support her family's needs. She knew she couldn’t change the diagnosis, but she could improve the support system around it.So, she created the Thrive App—a tool designed to organize the chaos and connect parents with providers. In her own ho

Apr 29, • 24:01

#225: Assessment and Intervention of Executive Functioning Skills with Stephanie Howard

Stephanie Howard, a BCBA and mother, faced a turning point when her son was diagnosed with ADHD at age five. She realized the same executive functioning tools she used professionally could support both her parenting and her son's development.Executive functioning—skills like planning, impulse control, and focus—is often disrupted in ADHD, autism, and trauma. It’s more than behavior; it’s about how the brain organizes and responds to the world.Stephanie shares, for listeners, the Executive Functi

Apr 22, • 30:30

#224: Using Motivational Interviewing To Support Parents and Professionals with Dr. Monica Gilbert

Bombarding parents or colleagues with information can shut down meaningful dialogue. Instead, Dr. Monica Gilbert shares how we can use Motivational Interviewing (MI) to foster collaboration and encourage change through using the core principles—OARS + I:Open-Ended Questions—Invite Discussion: "How do you see this working for you?"Affirmations—Reinforce strengths: "I see how much you care about this."Reflective Listening—Show understanding by paraphrasing their thoughts.Summarization—Clarify key

Apr 15, • 22:46

#223: Theme-Based Collaborative Groups with Gabriella Cameron & Jennifer Kent

At the ASHA conference in Seattle, I had the opportunity to meet Gabriella Cameron and Jennifer Kent, who presented on their Theme-Based Collaborative Groups within the Endeavour Program at Ivymount, a nonpublic, publicly funded special education environment serving students aged 5–21.Gabriella and Jen’s theme-based groups are embedded within Endeavour, offering structured but flexible learning experiences tailored to each student. Any student who can tolerate working in a group is a candidate,

Apr 8, • 33:24

#222: Late Diagnosis of Autism to New York Times Best-Selling Author with J.D. Barker

JD Barker, New York Times bestselling author, was diagnosed with autism at 22—a late discovery that brought long-overdue clarity to challenges he’d faced since childhood. Early in his career, a stint in anger management led a counselor to suggest autism, prompting JD to begin therapy. There, he worked on basics like making eye contact and organizing his thoughts—skills that helped him better navigate both personal life and the demands of his writing career.He began as a ghostwriter and book doct

Apr 1, • 26:28

#221: The Neurodiversity Playbook with Dr. Matthew Zakreski, PsyD

Dr. Matt Zakreski, PsyD, joins me to explore neurodiversity—a term often used, but not always fully understood. Neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, bipolar disorder, and more, experience measurable differences in how their brains function. It’s not about won’t, but can’t—and that distinction matters.In classrooms, teachers frequently encounter neurodiverse learners, yet most lack proper training to support their unique needs. Dr. Matt addresses this gap throu

Mar 25, • 25:10

#220: All Things Gestalt

​​As professionals, we inevitably face contentious subjects across the field. Today I am sharing a recent example of disagreement met with collaboration. In this case, an SLP determined that a Gestalt Language Processor (GLP) was not yet in the Natural Language Acquisition stage to answer questions. Meanwhile, the BCBA set a goal for the learner to respond to Personal Safety Questions. The team ultimately collaborated to prioritize safety-related questions as a goal important for this specific l

Mar 18, • 24:39

#219: Using Descriptive Praise to Help Transform Behavior with Bailey Payne

Are the learners in your class or therapy room engaging in behaviors that create barriers to learning? What can you do?Bailey Payne, author of Behavior Breakthrough: 12 Skills to Transform Behavior at Home and in the Classroom, offers data-driven, evidence-based strategies to help parents and educators reshape their responses, modify environments, and create lasting change. Her book makes Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) concepts accessible, empowering caregivers and teachers to foster a more pea

Mar 11, • 29:11

#218: Social Skills and Coding with Jessica DeMarco

I’m talking with Jessica DeMarco about outside-of-the-box thinking to promote and teach social skills while enriching students’ lives. Project Social Code is a unique program that uses block coding to help children develop teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills while exploring STEM. Funded by a $2.5 million, five-year grant, it ensures that kids of all abilities, including those with disabilities who are often excluded from traditional STEM programs, have the opportunity to engage,

Mar 4, • 25:41

#217: PDA and Collaboration Over Compliance Dr. Michael C. Selbst and Dr. Jeniffer Cruz

Dr. Michael C. Selbst and Dr. Jennifer Cruz from Behavior Therapy Associates joined me to explore Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), a subtype of autism spectrum characteristics marked by an anxiety-based drive for control. PDA triggers a fight, flight, or freeze response to both explicit and implied demands, making traditional interventions ineffective. Individuals with PDA often have highly sensitive nervous systems and struggle with the removal of control, leading to heightened anxiety.Whil

Feb 25, • 30:39

#216: Support Struggling Readers with Marty Schultz

Are you supporting students struggling with reading? Marty Schultz introduces an incredible learning resource, Buddy Books, which provides access to over a million books to help students build confidence and improve literacy.Designed for students in lower socio-economic districts and those with learning differences like ADHD, autism, or selective mutism, Buddy Books offers a structured yet engaging way to develop reading skills. A student reads a line, then the AI reads a line, creating an inter

Feb 18, • 21:56

#215: SLP/BCBA Collaboration Using Naturalistic Interventions with Dr. Kathleen Edmier and Karen Guerra

At the Marcus Autism Center, Dr. Kathleen Edmier, BCBA, and Karen Guerra, SLP, work together to bridge the gap between their fields, demonstrating the power of collaboration in supporting individuals with autism. Their work showcases how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) can align their approaches to maximize positive outcomes.For professionals looking to collaborate, the key lies in relationship building and mutual respect. Shifting from a multidi

Feb 11, • 29:37

#214: Using Technology To Streamline Therapy Services with Dr. Givona Sandiford

Dr. Givona Sandiford is a friend, colleague, and speech-language pathologist with nearly 20 years of experience and a passion for innovation. As the founder of Melospeech, Dr. Givona is transforming the field by introducing technology-driven tools that help SLPs streamline their workflows, increase efficiency, and even boost their income. Her forward-thinking approach has made her a trailblazer, inspiring professionals to embrace new ways of working while maintaining balance in their lives.On th

Feb 4, • 26:12

#213: The Importance of Soft Skills with DeTerrence Allen

DeTerrence Allen, a dedicated behavior scientist, comes from a family of Board-Certified Behavior Analysts, including his wife. His passion for ABA is rooted in a heartwarming “love story” for the field. A dynamic speaker, DeTerrence recently delivered an inspiring talk on soft skills at the Black Men of Behavior Analysis Conference.So, what are soft skills? DeTerrence highlights critical communication skills rooted in kindness and respect, understanding the function behind your words, and ensur

Jan 28, • 39:12

#212: Restraint and Seclusion in Public School Settings with Dr. Matthew Brodhead

Welcome to the ABA Speech Podcast. We will continue discussing autism and broadening our scope with important topics in the field. I’m joined by Dr. Matthew Brodhead, whose career has been shaped by a passion for understanding human behavior and how we can influence it. His article, Maintaining Professional Relationships in an Interdisciplinary Setting: Strategies for Navigating Nonbehavioral Treatment Recommendations for Individuals with Autism, written 10 years ago, has greatly influenced my w

Jan 21, • 39:01

#211: Functional Communication Training- Getting Started with Dr. Bethjoy Houck

Functional Communication Training (FCT) is a proven strategy to replace problem behaviors with effective communication skills. In her article, Practitioners Guide for Selecting Functional Communication Responses, published in Behavior Analysis in Practice, Dr. Bethjoy Houck offers practical advice to help clinicians implement FCT successfully.FCT focuses on giving learners a way to express their needs that works for them, whether through speech, sign language, cue cards, object exchanges, or eve

Jan 14, • 33:58

#210: Autism Evaluations with Zest Pediatrics with Dr. Michael Perisa

Getting an autism evaluation for a child can be a daunting process, fraught with long waitlists, high out-of-pocket costs, and navigating complicated systems. Every moment matters when it comes to early intervention, and Dr. Michael Perisa of Zest Pediatrics is working to simplify the journey for families.Zest Pediatrics, the first pediatric direct primary care network in the country, offers a membership-based model that removes many of the headaches families face with traditional primary care.

Jan 7, • 17:16

#209: Replay - How To Help Students With Apraxia of Speech with Dr. Edythe Strand

Enjoy this replay of this favorite two-part episode!In part one of my interview with Dr. Edythe Strand. A renowned speech pathologist and former professor at Mayo College, Dr. Strand has led groundbreaking research on developmental, acquired, and progressive apraxia of speech.Dr. Strand explains that apraxia is not a medical diagnosis but a label for a speech-sound disorder impacting the movements required to produce speech. Unlike other speech disorders, apraxia affects programming and planning

Dec 31, 2024 • 59:08

#208: Replay: Executive Functioning with Sara Ward

Enjoy this replay of one of my favorite episodes! Executive functioning skills are essential for all ages, and in this episode, we dive into this critical topic with Sara Ward, an SLP specializing in executive functioning. Sara brings a unique perspective, sharing practical strategies for assessment and intervention that can transform how we support students.Sara simplifies executive functioning for young children as “sequencing” and explains how it evolves into planning across growing windows o

Dec 24, 2024 • 47:13

#207: ASHA 2024 Debrief

Attending ASHA 2024, the largest conference for speech-language pathologists (SLPs), was an incredible experience for networking and professional growth. As the national association for speech therapy, ASHA’s annual event is a hub for innovation, collaboration, and learning.I kicked off the conference by attending an insightful talk by the Speech Production Lab on speech motor chaining, setting a high bar for the days ahead. Later, the reception for CEU providers offered a fun and engaging oppor

Dec 17, 2024 • 18:02

#206: Social Skills Groups Using Dungeons and Dragons and Theater with Rob Harvey

Rob Harvey specializes in cooperative, fun social skills groups, using creative strategies to teach social language in ways that truly resonate. Today, we explore the transformative power of thinking outside the box when it comes to social skills development.Rob’s innovative approach integrates therapy with theater and tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Starting with theater, learners practice social skills by engaging with scripts during rehearsals and performing in front of a

Dec 10, 2024 • 32:41

#205: Adult Settings and Autistic Learners with Dr. Amanda Cash

Dr. Amanda Cash highlights the unique challenges and opportunities of transitioning from school to adult services. In adult settings, the fast-paced, skill-driven structure of school is replaced by a slower, more flexible approach focused on long-term growth. Without the looming deadline of graduation, the emphasis shifts to safety, happiness, and meaningful, lifespan-focused skill-building. Human rights and personal preferences become central, with care providers ensuring that all practices ali

Dec 3, 2024 • 28:51

#204: Telling Your Child About An Autism Diagnosis with Rob Gorski

Rob Gorski, widely known as The Autism Dad, started his blog over a decade ago as a private space to document his family’s journey with autism. Today, it’s evolved into a business, podcast, and vital resource for autism families. Through his work, Rob shares insights on communicating about autism, helping families understand their children, and breaking down stigma.Discussing autism with kids—whether autistic or not—requires sensitivity and simplicity. Autistic brains are wired differently, and

Nov 26, 2024 • 29:53

#203: Early Intervention and Teletherapy with Glory Lichon

Today, we're diving into empowering parents and the magic of early intervention through teletherapy with Glory Lichon, founder of Glow Bright Therapy. Glory’s journey started in school-based therapy, but like many SLPs, she faced burnout. That experience led her to create a teletherapy practice focused on early intervention, where parent involvement takes center stage.Without the barrier of school-based settings, early intervention teletherapy actively involves parents, guiding them through

Nov 19, 2024 • 26:13

#202: Using ABA To Help Others at Scale with Dr. Paul Gavoni

I connected with my guest Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author, Dr. Paul Gavoni, on LinkedIn. His work focuses on creating positive and safe cultures by driving meaningful behavior change. He explains that learner behavior often reflects the actions of adults in their environment, a key idea in Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), an application of the science of ABA.Dr. Gavoni describes OBM as "zooming out" to look at how adult behavior impacts learners. He shares a story

Nov 12, 2024 • 24:00

#201: Raising an Autistic Child with High Support Needs with Eileen Lamb

Today I am joined by Eileen Lamb, founder of the Autism Cafe. I recently shared a video of Eileen’s son, Charlie, that really struck a chord with my audience. It showed how his use of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) had progressed over time, offering a message of hope for others in similar situations.Eileen talks openly about how tough it can be to share your family’s journey online. Her story started when Charlie began showing signs of autism at 18 months. What began as updates

Nov 5, 2024 • 25:07

#200: A Celebration and Special Guest with Patrick Griffin

From taping in my walk-in closet to experiencing incredible growth and change over the last 199 episodes, it's been an amazing journey. Today, as I record this special episode, I’m also celebrating my 16th wedding anniversary—with none other than today's guest, my husband, Patrick Griffin.Seven years ago, I started ABA Speech with two physical products: Action Builder Cards and Double Up. Since then, I’ve branched out, and in recent years, I've focused heavily on this podcast. In this episode, l

Oct 29, 2024 • 24:07

#199: Language Processing and Pseudoscience with Kathleen Oppenheimer

Joining me today is the SLP behind the Instagram account @language_processing, Kathleen Oppenheimer. She caught my attention because she consistently shares excellent information on her page about language processing and the research behind it.Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) is a hot topic these days. Kathleen defines GLP as a hypothesis about how language is acquired, in contrast to Analytic Language Processing (ALP). It’s important to note that these terms are not commonly used outside this

Oct 22, 2024 • 41:52

#198: Using Visual Scene Displays In Therapy with Dr. David McNaughton and Dana Patenaude

Today, I learned about a new tool in therapy and AAC, speaking with guests Dr. David McNaughton and Dana Patenaude, who collaborated on the research article "Using Visual Scene Displays With Young Children: An Evidence-Based Practice Synthesis," published in the Journal of Special Education Technology.Visual Scene Displays (VSDs) are interactive visual representations, such as photos or images, that depict scenes, objects, or events. They allow users to engage with elements within the

Oct 15, 2024 • 31:57

#197: AAC- Factors To Guide Decision Making with Jean Jarrett

Approximately 25–30% of autistic children are minimally verbal, often requiring alternative communication methods like Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Jean Jarrett, SLP-BCBA, joins us to continue highlighting AAC during the month of October. Selecting the right AAC system can be overwhelming due to the many factors involved: communication partners, environments, and caregiver involvement. The process requires input from various disciplines, careful planning, and individualized

Oct 8, 2024 • 26:35

#196: Using AAC To Support Autistic Learners with Chris Bugaj

October is AAC Awareness Month! Today’s guest, Chris Bugaj, is the co-host of the *Talking with Tech* podcast, which explores the world of AAC, inclusive design, and the creators, providers, and users behind these systems. As an SLP, Chris realized early in his career that he had a knack for technology, which led to his role on his district's Assistive Technology Team for Inclusive Learning.During our chat, we discussed the history of early AAC devices, their flaws, and how these limitations imp

Oct 1, 2024 • 48:49

#195: Naturalistic Interventions For Autistic Learners

Are you ready to transform your approach to autism therapy with naturalistic interventions?Introducing my new self-paced CEU course, Naturalistic Interventions for Autistic Learners – Next Steps. This 5-hour course is divided into 7 bite-sized modules covering essential topics like play, social skills, joint attention, parent support, and more!Natural Environment Teaching (NET) is quickly becoming the standard in our field, but how do you get started? Play-based therapy is rich with nuance, and

Sep 24, 2024 • 15:23

#194: The Importance of Data and Decision-Making with Dr. Rick Kubina

Dr. Rick Kubina, a distinguished Professor of Special Education at The Pennsylvania State University, has had a dynamic career, collaborating with prominent figures in the fields of special education and applied behavior analysis (ABA). In our discussion, we delve into a topic that is close to my heart as both a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA): the critical role of data in effective decision-making. Dr. Kubina emphasizes that the foundation of qualit

Sep 17, 2024 • 32:43

#193: From Medical Speech Therapist to Teletherapy- An SLP Journey with Linda Thoresen

Linda Thoresen joins me today for a special Member Spotlight. She is an SLP and a member of ABA Speech Connection, and I first met her in her onboarding meeting. During this conversation, Linda shares about her journey from medical therapy to teletherapy. As a seasoned therapist, Linda has been in the field for 20+ years. We discuss the changes in course work from her training to the present day, as well as the change in working with adults to now school-age and autistic learners. She has a grea

Sep 10, 2024 • 31:19

#192: School-Based BCBAs with Melissa Connor-Santos

There’s been a noticeable shift in the field of behavior analysis, with more BCBAs being hired as full-time employees in public schools. This is a big change from the past, when BCBAs were typically brought in as outside consultants. Schools are now seeing the benefits of having these experts on staff to support students with specialized needs directly in their school environment, rather than sending them out of the district. Today, I spoke with Melissa Connor-Santos, someone I connected with on

Sep 3, 2024 • 43:16

#191: Autism in Girls- A Conversation with Cindy and MC

Today we welcome returning guest, Cindy Watson. Be sure to check out episode 115, where we discuss Early Intervention Speech Therapy. Along with Cindy, we are joined by MC, Cindy’s youngest daughter. MC shares about her story, autism diagnosis, and her perspective as a middle schooler.Cindy shares about MC’s life pre-diagnosis and the concerns she noticed along the way. Labeled often as “the easy kid”, MC shied away from social settings and talking with peers. And her mom fought judgment as a pr

Aug 27, 2024 • 27:18

#190: How An Autism Diagnosis Saved My Life with Paige Layle

I love hearing from Autistic Adults, and Paige Layle has garnered quite a following on TikTok and Instagram, sharing her story and creating resonating content for her viewers traveling similar journeys.Paige’s recently published memoir, But Everyone Feels This Way: How an Autism Diagnosis Saved My Life, has been an opportunity to reach her followers on a deeper level, connect beyond the internet, and create a resource for those that relate to her story. Just two weeks before her 15th birthday, P

Aug 20, 2024 • 26:02

#189: Early Intervention and Autism - Helping Kruz Find His Voice

Lisa is a BCBA and the mom of 3 boys, including Kruz. He is Lisa’s youngest child and has Autism Spectrum Disorder. You may be familiar with their journey as they share it with you through @CruisingWithKruz on Instagram.During our conversation, Lisa dives into the struggles that take place when it comes to advocating for a diagnosis and the other ones that pile on once you do get it! Waitlists can be excruciatingly long, not only for evaluations but for services too. That’s why it’s key to stay

Aug 13, 2024 • 30:14

#188: Parent Training with Dr. Janie Funk

Parents are an important piece of the team. Today I am talking with Dr. Janie Funk about parent training in ABA. Caregiver engagement is imperative to an individual's success. Dr. Janie explains how her team at Behaven Kids supports parents through a strong team of clinicians with great interpersonal skills, a referral network for access to services in collaboration with other providers, and ensuring systems are in place to support caregiver concerns and questions.Parental support is a mand

Aug 6, 2024 • 30:22

#187: An Autism Journey with Susanna Peace Lovell

I always love the opportunity to talk with a parent and hear their story. I feel it really provides an opportunity for learning and growth as a provider. Susanna Peace Lovell, a professional life coach and advocate, joins me to discuss her journey as a parent of a child with autism and her book on the topic, Your True Self is Enough: Lessons Learned on My Journey Parenting a Child with Autism.In her book Your True Self is Enough, Susanna shares her story of being of support and service to parent

Jul 30, 2024 • 33:17

#186: Supervision and Mentorship with Lynn Dudek

“Well, I guess you better figure it out”. Those are words you do NOT want to hear from your CFY supervisor. Supervision in your Clinical Fellowship Year is so important for setting the tone for the rest of your career. Lynn Dudek shares her experience on both sides of the spectrum, from not meeting any of her expectations to exceeding them all. What makes a positive mentor and supervisor? It all comes down to communication and these qualities Lynn lists for us are: being a good communicator, set

Jul 23, 2024 • 34:48

#185: Replay: The Power of Joint Attention

Enjoy this replay from episode 62.Joint attention is closely linked to receptive and expressive language skills, highlighting the power of communication. To build connection before communication, use shared activities like playing with toys, singing songs, and reading books. Even if students aren't fully engaged initially, tracking their baseline data and progressing with goals can lead to impressive transformations and excitement.Toys: Playing with toys in therapy is all about creating interact

Jul 16, 2024 • 33:32

#184: 5 Tips For Dealing With Contentious IEP Meetings

Conflict is part of what we do as a provider in this field. When it comes to helping the most difficult learners, it's no surprise we might find ourselves contentious at IEP meetings, I’ve definitely had my fair share in my 20+ year career. But you CAN get through them with the best interest of the learner at hand. Here are my top 5 tips for navigating contentious IEP meetings:Know the guest list. Who's gonna be there? Lawyers, advocates, etc., you need to know so you can properly prep

Jul 9, 2024 • 14:21

#183: My First Year With AAC

AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. These are communication devices, systems, strategies and tools that replace or support spoken language. We have talked about this many times on the podcast but I am sharing some top tips for AAC that I have learned along the way during my 20+ years! It’s okay to not have all the answers!! Let this be your mantra. Students will be using different devices and software. You can’t know everything, but you can learn.What access do you have to

Jul 2, 2024 • 14:54

#182: My First Year Working in an ABA Setting

Even though I started as a school-based SLP, when I found my way to an ABA setting, I also found my true passion to help all autistic learners find communication. Navigating a non-public program can have challenges and is certainly different than working in a school, so I want to share a few of my own gems of wisdom with you!What I wish I knew: 5 tips for working in an ABA setting:It's a different, challenging, and sometimes intense setting. You are working with children who are traditional

Jun 25, 2024 • 18:52

#181: My First Year as a School-Based Educator

Are you transitioning into a school-based SLP role? Let me share the gems of wisdom I have learned looking back on my first year in a public school setting. I am back with another short episode for my summer series, sharing 5 top tips and strategies as a school-based SLP!The administrative assistant and the custodian are your best friends, go out of your way to be kind and friendly because they can help you SO much!You will NOT have all the answers. It’s okay to ask when you don't know something

Jun 18, 2024 • 16:51

#180: Road to Speech Therapist and BCBA

Welcome to the Summer Series! I’m going to be doing a series of solo shows on topics and questions I get through the summer, packaged up into bite-sized, easy-to-consume episodes for those of you enjoying your summer vacation.Today I am talking all about my journey of becoming a dually certified SLP, BCBA, a unicorn certification of less than 500 people in the entire world! Over my 20+ year career, I’ve gained some wisdom and learned some lessons that I want to share with you.I started my career

Jun 11, 2024 • 23:33

#179: Review of the Huberman Lab Podcast on Autism

The Huberman Lab podcast is a popular podcast hosted by Dr. Huberman aimed at disseminating science to the masses. The podcast focuses on a variety of topics, but BCBA Carrie Susa Woodward joins me to break down the recent episode of the Huberman Lab with Dr. Karen Parker all about autism.Dr. Parker and Dr. Huberman discuss the rising incidences of autism. Are there more autistic people than there were 20 years ago? The answer, yes AND no. There are a variety of factors that have led to more dia

Jun 4, 2024 • 29:57

#178: Compassionate Advocacy with Dr. Annie McLaughlin

Dr. Annie McLaughlin is a special breed of BCBA; she practices as an IEP advocate and trains other professionals to become advocates as well. IEPs can be a contentious environment, tip-toeing around and finding diplomatic approaches to tough conversations. Dr. McLaughlin explains that her philosophy around advocacy is to show us as humans with compassion first.In her advocacy work, Dr. McLaughlin supports families through the lens of ACT (be sure to check out some of our episodes discussing this

May 28, 2024 • 26:59

#177: Going Beyond The Basics of AAC with LingLy Tan and Jane Button

There is always so much people want to know about AAC. Today I talked with BCBAs, LingLy Tan and Jane Button. LingLy is the CEO of AAC software company Linggo, created to build and encourage language beyond simple requests.As I’ve mentioned many times, keeping up with the current research is one of the largest barriers for providers in the field. AAC is one element that is always changing, and it is so necessary to be aware of the latest information. During our conversation, LingLy and Jane shar

May 21, 2024 • 26:43

#176: Summer Social Skills Resources From ABA SPEECH

I love Summer!!Summer should be fun and functional, which is why I want to kick off this season with ABA Speech Summer Social Skills Resources.The Grocery Store Game - “I Bought ___” Fill in the blank game with visual prompts.Modified Uno - Anyone can play Uno, Check out the video model included in my freebie.Modified Connect Four - This is a fun way to practice and enjoy natural turn taking and game completion.Modified Scrabble - This one is for the older learners with letter recognition! For t

May 14, 2024 • 21:21

#175: All About That Gestalt

This Episode features a pre-recorded ASHA Mini Training on Gestalt Language Processing. Gestalt is a hot topic in the speech therapy and ABA worlds, and today I focus on what research is available, what we do not yet know, AND how we can collaborate with teams when we have opposing views, whatever those may be.Gestalt is a multi word chunk that a speaker hears, uses, and stores as a whole before having knowledge or awareness of its internal structure, sometimes referred to as Delayed Echolalia o

May 7, 2024 • 30:45

#174: Supporting Language and Literacy For Children With Complex Communication Needs with Dr. Elizabeth Biggs

In my continued effort to bridge the gap between research and therapy, I had a great discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Biggs, assistant professor of special education. We discuss the power of Literacy in human connection. Even for children with complex communication needs, the need for literacy starts at birth (cue the baby shower gifts of everyone's favorite books), and it never stops!In a study tracking around 40 families through the pandemic school year (20-21), Dr. Biggs and other researche

Apr 30, 2024 • 33:39

#173: The Importance of Compassion As a Provider with Dr. Jessica Rohrer

As I continue to bridge the gap in research to the therapy room, I also see deficits in pre-service training that can make therapy a better experience for both providers and families.Jessica Rohrer, BCBA-D, joins me to discuss her work with soft skills, using tools to measure and build compassion skills in the therapy room. Her research uses the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, a tool primarily used to check compassion in the medical field, as a pre and post measurement on the impact of com

Apr 23, 2024 • 30:23

#172: They Have a Voice, Are We Listening? with Joe Veneziano and Dr. Shannon Shea

The title of Joe Veneziano and Dr. Shannon Shea’s research article, They Have a Voice, Are We Listening?, caught my eye and I had to read it. These two BCBAs met at a Journal Club and connected over the need to shed light on the history and nuance of ABA and Behavior Analysis.With the field growing and opinions of professionals being so diverse, educating incoming BCBAs on the history of behavior analysis is crucial. Their paper examines “indistinguishability” and its implications by defining “i

Apr 16, 2024 • 30:32

#171: SLP Services in an ABA Setting- A conversation with Susan Browning

After 2 decades of working in a clinical long term care setting as an SLP, Susan Browning was looking for something different amidst the pandemic. This change led her to her role in pediatric SLP in an ABA setting.We discuss one of my favorite topics, collaboration. Susan, bursting with positive energy for the field, talks about how she worked to find her niche to collaborate and complement the work of the other providers and BCBAs in the clinic. With the large scope that SLP spans in the field,

Apr 9, 2024 • 24:19

#170: A Conversation with Maura Weis - A Family’s Autism Journey

Maura Weis is the mother of two, a son and a daughter. The Weis family’s autism journey began when their youngest, Hannah, experienced early life difficulties, and then concerns with delays started occurring at 18 months.Maura shares about their early experiences and her pediatrician visits. Even more concerns grew after a move due to her husband’s coaching career. As they worked through tests and possibilities, Hannah began school with an ABA program and received several diagnoses. Maura wrote

Apr 2, 2024 • 22:25

#169: Raising a Child With a Disability with Kelley Coleman

If you walk away with anything from today’s episode, let it be: It will get better. My guest, Kelley Coleman, is a mother of 2 and wrote the book she desperately needed when it came to navigating the extensive list of diagnoses for her youngest son. We discuss her book, Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide To the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports and the daunting overwhelm that comes with a disability diagnosis.Being a parent or caregiver is difficult

Mar 26, 2024 • 27:21

#168: Using Video Modeling with Dr. Teresa Cardon

In the age of smartphones and tablets, video modeling is more accessible than it ever has been before. Dr. Teresa Cardon dives into the research on how effective video modeling is and how to move based on perceived barriers.Video modeling research shows that learners respond faster than with live modeling and you can use it to teach a variety of skills including self help, play, and imitation. Dr. Cardon explains that most barriers providers find for video modeling, time or training, are based o

Mar 19, 2024 • 29:03

#167: The Importance of Public Speaking In Healthcare with Dr. Breanne Hartley

Whether you’re a keynote speaker or you’re attending a small group team meeting, front of the room speaking opportunities are abundant in the autism healthcare field. And they are mutually beneficial. Dr. Breanne Hartley is BCBA-D who is passionate about public speaking. These opportunities create an environment of learning, collaboration, and sharing ideas and thoughts. Public Speaking Strategies for SLPs, BCBAs, and anyone with a front of the room opportunity:Conceptualize any opportunity as a

Mar 12, 2024 • 31:24

#166: What Does An Advocate Do? A Conversation with April Rehrig

Do you hear the word parent advocate and immediately anticipate a contentious IEP meeting with an US vs THEM mentality? It doesn’t have to be that way. April Rehrig is an advocate with over 20 years of experience as a school psychologist, teacher, and parent in the public school system. In our conversations, April explains how her philosophy is about reaching across the table to work together and resolve concerns. She is a virtual advocate working with clients across the country and offering an

Mar 5, 2024 • 31:38

#165: Increasing Comprehension Skills For Autistic Students

When it comes to teaching comprehension to autistic learners, it can be difficult to know where to get started. This is an important skill leading to independent communication, and it’s crucial to have a robust system for teaching the skills. I’m going over some of the foundational skills leading to comprehension. Labeling is a progressional skill that should start with the preferred terms of the learner, then onto more functional beyond the therapy room for their day to day life. Intraverbals a

Feb 27, 2024 • 23:23

#164: Accepting Different Opinions About Autism with Rachel Stotts

*Alexa play Get Along by Kenny Chesney*Rachel Stotts wrote the article, Accepting Different Opinions About Autism in the Nov/Dec issue of ASHA Leader. It is bright positive energy in a space that really needs it. She is an SLP and a mother of 4.  Rachel’s passion for autism is so important professionally and personally, as she has her adult autistic son at home.  Rachel shares her thoughts on the controversy surrounding the autism puzzle piece. For her, autism is a puzzle—figuring out all the ri

Feb 20, 2024 • 32:19

#163: The Importance of Teaching Board Game Play To Young Children With Disabilities with Dr. Erin Barton

Today we’re featuring more accessible research! We’re talking about a topic I am really passionate about; Modified Leisure with play, social skills, and joint attention all mixed in. Dr. Erin Barton explains the research involved in her study, Teaching Board Game Play to Young Children With Disabilities. Her work focused on expanding play research from pretend play to play with peers, with an emphasis on the least amount of adult intervention. Dr. Barton makes an important note that every child

Feb 13, 2024 • 27:52

#162: The AAC Trial Process with Brittany Schmidt

“We have to see learners as a part of their community.” Brittany Schmidt, BCBA-SLP, explains a major point of the AAC Trial process, having the device be effective across all of the learners' environments and communication partners. It’s hard to stay up to date and fully understand AAC when you’re not working with it on a regular basis. In this episode, Brittany shares some specific points and ideas when it comes to finding the right AAC device for a learner and avoiding device abandonment.

Feb 6, 2024 • 39:53

#161: Teaching Children to Respond To Questions About the Past with Stephanie Gonzalez

As a fellow busy SLP-BCBA, I know it's hard to keep up to date with research. That's why I’ve been combing through articles and inviting these researchers in our field on the podcast! I am on a mission to bridge the gap between research and practice. Stephanie Gonzalez is a BCBA doctoral candidate at the University of Florida and the author of the article, Teaching Children to Respond to Questions About the Past: A Preliminary Analysis. While her research into this topic is ongoing, Stephanie an

Jan 30, 2024 • 28:09

#160: School Based BCBAs- A Conversation with Dr. Bruce Tinor

While schools in the past have focused on a consultative model when it comes to BCBAs, it has become a growing trend in the field for schools to hire a district wide BCBA of their own. When you move from a consultant to an actual school employee this opens up a lot of room for dialogue. BCBA, Dr. Bruce Tinor joins me to chime in with this conversation.Dr. Tinor agrees that hiring BCBAs is the right step but just one is not enough. There are certain roles in a school where 1 overseer is enough, b

Jan 23, 2024 • 25:57

#159: Compassionate and Instructional Services- A Discussion With Dr. Erik Jacobson

Joining me from Upstate Caring Partners is Dr. Erik Jacobson. The agency works with a large population of individuals with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Upstate CP is focused on changing lives with compassionate care.During our conversation, Dr. Jacobson discusses how Upstate CP has reflected on their previous caretaking model, evaluating hand over hand crafts and goals that don’t last the lifespan. They have transitioned into an instructional model that builds strong relationshi

Jan 16, 2024 • 26:55

#158: ACT and Our Values with Kate Nasuti

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or training), also known largely as ACT, is a relatively new premise in the field of ABA. Kate Nasuti who has been a BCBA for over a decade and in the field of ABA for 20+ years, joins me to discuss this important topic.Kate shares her experience learning about ACT and how it's benefited her personally, even comparing “ACT Boot Camp” to a yoga retreat. It’s that impactful. She uses this technique now with parents and providers, giving access to this incred

Jan 9, 2024 • 25:04

#157: Replay Episode - The Importance of Comprehension Skills with Dr. Merrill Winston

Replay: Episode 107As SLPs and BCBAs, we are tasked with teaching comprehension to our learners, but do they really understand these skills? Dr. Merrill Winston joined me to discuss not only reading comprehension but comprehension in everyday life and the building block skills to be successful.What is comprehension?Whether you're reading a book or listening to a statement, there are 3 markers for comprehension.Repeat it.Follow the Directions or Instructions within it.Talk about it.Dr. Winst

Jan 2, 2024 • 37:56

#156: Replay Episode - Joint Attention For Toddlers

Replay: Episode 105I love talking about joint attention, but a lot of my ideas and strategies in my courses may feel like they are geared toward older preschool age students. My tips today are for the youngest learners, toddlers age 2 to 3. Joint attention is an important foundational skill and it is never too early to get started with these strategies!3 Ways to Get Started with Joint Attention with Your Toddler TodayBooksBooks are the lifeline for learning and sharing activities and time with o

Dec 26, 2023 • 22:27

#155: What Is Gestalt Language Processing? with Sari Risen

GLP – Gestalt Language Processing, is taking social media by storm. BCBAs and SLPs alike are talking about it… But should it be something we follow and jump into without question? Dually Certified SLP-BCBA Sari Risen joins me to discuss her findings on GLP along with some warnings. So what is GLP? It is basically a distinction against NLA – Natural Language Acquisition, in which NLA individuals learn by developing single words and increasing over time, whereas GLP individuals have longer and lon

Dec 19, 2023 • 27:53

#154: Prompting Strategies with Landon Cowan

It can be hard to stay up to date on research when you’re busy working with clients. That’s why I love being able to take these important topics and break them down into bite-sized chunks! Today, Landon Cowan, a Doctoral Candidate at Marquette University, shares with me his work on the research article, A Decision-Making Tool for Evaluating and Selecting Prompting Strategies. I think sometimes it can be difficult to see the importance of basic ideas, so we break some of these ideas down to their

Dec 12, 2023 • 28:26

#153: Compassionate Care: A Discussion with Dr. Bridget Taylor

“Fell in love with teaching; fell in love with watching him learn." That's a quote from my guest, Dr. Bridget Taylor. She has a long list of accomplishments, among them being a BCBA and Licensed Psychologist. She shares about her journey into the field and something she has noticed changed since conference early in her career in the 90s. At the time, the ABA profession was still growing, and conferences she spoke at were attended more by parents, with this momentum driven by families w

Dec 5, 2023 • 30:58

#152: Early Intervention and Supporting Parents with Dr. Tracy Raulston

Family and parent support and education are so important, especially when it comes to our youngest learners. Today, I am talking with Dr. Tracy Raulston. She is such a bright spot in the field, with so much information to spread and a great project in the works.Dr. Raulston helps me discern the difference between Natural Environment Training and NDBI. When we are working with young learners in early intervention, play-based therapy is so crucial. Dr. Raulston explains how NDBI utilizes developme

Nov 28, 2023 • 27:05

#151: The Journey of Raising an Autistic Child with Profound Autism with Jeannette Passanisi

When Jeannette Passanisi landed on my TikTok For You Page (‘the FYP’ if you’re familiar with the popular social media platform), I knew I had to have her on the show. Jeannette is a mom of 3, with her youngest son, Robbie, being autistic. Jeannette shares his developmental delays, swept aside early on as being the baby of the family; however, she soon realized he was not developing like her older girls and sought advice. Eventually leading to a diagnosis of PDD NOS at age 4. At the time, autism

Nov 21, 2023 • 26:51

#150: Early Intervention and Autism with Dr. Mary Barbera

Here we are at episode 150! I am so happy to be here sharing and disseminating this important information with you every week. To celebrate this milestone, my favorite guest, friend, mentor, and colleague, Dr. Mary Barbera, joins me.If you’re not familiar with her amazing work, she shares her remarkable journey into the autism world. Working as a nurse and starting her family, her world and purpose changed when her oldest son Lucas was diagnosed with autism just before his 3rd birthday. She went

Nov 14, 2023 • 42:50

#149: The Importance Of Ethics With Dr. Linda LeBlanc

Things are bound to happen. Whether you are a new or seasoned provider, you will surely encounter an ethical dilemma. Licensed Clinical Psychologist and BCBA-D, Dr. Linda LeBlanc, is on to talk about the importance of ethics, provider values, and her new book, Ethics: Proactive and Practical Decision Making for Behavior Analysts.For many, your position in the field of ABA is the first professional role where you are officially responsible for the outcome of a vulnerable person. Your personal und

Nov 7, 2023 • 25:25

#148: 5 Mistakes I Have Made Working With Autistic Students

As an SLP - BCBA working in the field for the last two decades, I have certainly made mistakes and learned along the way. Today I am sharing my top 5 mistakes and what I would do differently. Because when we know better, we do better.1. Yes/No Questions – working on this too early is not productive; it is important but requires a much higher level language!2. Not setting specific goals on Joint Attention - Good providers have these opportunities naturally, but it's necessary to set specific

Oct 31, 2023 • 22:25

#147: An Introduction To AAC

Enjoy this free training from my new series, Communication Without Limits. In this presentation, I am providing an introduction to AAC. AAC is a powerful tool that can help learners communicate and find their voice for the very first time. I share a personal story from my career where AAC did just that. What an amazing feeling!I cover important information to support SLPs-BCBAs such as the Communication Bill of Rights, as well as who to turn to for support when it comes to finding devices, progr

Oct 24, 2023 • 34:07

#146: Early Intervention and Project Impact with Anna Dvortcsak and Dr. Brook Ingersoll

My guests today, Anna Dvortsak and Dr. Brook Ingersoll, are the creators of Project ImPACT, an important initiative in the field to provide access for parent coaching and train parents for a collaborative approach to therapy.Project ImPACT is a systemic approach to parent mediated intervention for parents of young children with social communication delays, with or without a diagnosis. This parent coaching teaches parents to work with their children to create relevant skills and goals for their c

Oct 17, 2023 • 20:17

#145: Early Echoic Skills with Dr. Barbara E. Esch

As a member of the field, you have probably heard of and used the VB-MAPP. Today I am talking to Dr. Barbara Esch, who is an experienced contributor to the field as an SLP and BCBA-D, as well as the author of the EESA, a part of the VB-MAPP. Dr. Esch recently released the “New EESA”, the Early Echoic Skills Assessment and Program Planner. She explains the changes and the reasoning behind them. The EESA is not about articulation, as it is primarily focused on Early Speech Learners. This assessmen

Oct 10, 2023 • 40:08

#144: Creating a Positive Work Atmosphere with Dr. Ellie Kazemi

Have you ever been in a position where you’ve only seen your supervisor or administrator when there is conflict? Dr. Ellie Kazemi, behavior analyst and keynote speaker, joins me to discuss the work environment and how to build a positive work atmosphere, whether that’s in an ABA clinic or in a school based setting.What is crucial to a positive atmosphere? Shared values and open communication. These important ideals come up over and over again throughout Dr. Kazemi's and my discussion. In or

Oct 3, 2023 • 27:36

#143: Data Collection For Autistic Learners

How do you know if your therapy is working? Data collection is an important aspect of therapy to analyze goals and student improvement. During my 20 years of public school experience, I once had my data subpoenaed! It might be rare, but it CAN happen, so you want to be prepared.Depending on your student goals and program, the way you collect data may differ. For some students, it may be appropriate to cold probe and collect discontinuous data with other continuous trials may be necessary. I expl

Sep 26, 2023 • 24:07

#142: Service Delivery For Autistic Learners

As we enter the beginning of the school year, I want to go over my 20 years of experience in the field to discuss service delivery models in a school based setting. Our goal is always to support students in the best way possible, and the best way to do this is through an individualized approach to service delivery. Depending on your learners needs, there are a variety of models you can consider. The need for these can depend on goals, age, needs, and the school environment. 1 on 1 in office1 on

Sep 19, 2023 • 29:08

#141: The Autism Connection Membership Is Here

Working in this field, whether as an SLP, BCBA, or both, can be isolating, and meeting CEU requirements can be overwhelming and feel pointless. The Autism Connection CEU Membership is a professional development community to help SLPs and BCBAs make meaningful progress with autistic learners. Those already a part of the community have called it a positive space to learn and grow.What can you expect from the membership?-Every new member will receive 1 on 1 onboarding with me, Rose Griffin.-A path

Sep 12, 2023 • 12:51

#140: Becoming an SLP/BCBA with Ashley Whitaker

Today I am talking to a “unicorn”. Ashley Whitaker is one of the 505 (at the time of this recording) dually certified SLP/BCBAs! Ashley has been in the field for 10 years and shares her path to certification.Ashley started her undergrad with the idea to become a teacher after a lifelong passion for helping kids learn. When her roommate suggested a course in speech, the rest was history. Shortly after her career began, she was exposed to ABA and began her journey to BCBA certification.As prep for

Sep 5, 2023 • 31:22

#139: Autism and Insurance Coverage- A Discussion with Lorri Unumb

My guest today, Lorri Unumb needs no introduction. Lorri is a mother of three, an autism mom, a lawyer, an autism advocate, and an absolute dynamo in the field. Be sure to check out her long list of achievements in the guest bio for this episode!We are talking about something so important and impactful for families everywhere who have an autism diagnosis: insurance. In 2003 when Lorri’s youngest, Ryan, was diagnosed ABA was not a covered treatment even though it was evidence based and crucial to

Aug 29, 2023 • 22:57

#138: Restrictive and Repetitive Behavior with Dr. Jonathan Fernand

Have you ever had a client exhibit behaviors that you just don’t know how to approach? Dr. Jonathan Fernand has had experiences in the field across many settings that aid in his understanding on intervening with restrictive and repetitive behaviors. Restrictive and repetitive behaviors can mean a variety of behaviors, from high order (compulsive and ritualistic) to low order (self injurious and vocal/motor stereotypy). But when do these behaviors warrant intervention?Dr. Fernand reminds us that

Aug 22, 2023 • 46:28

#137: ABA as A Science Of Love and Change with Dr. Shahla Alai-Rosales and Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe

Get ready for an inspiring episode. I chatted with Dr. Shahla Alai-Rosales and Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe, who co-authored the book Responsible and Responsive Parenting in Autism: Between Now and Dreams.This comes from Dr. Alai-Rosales’ extensive professional career and over 4 years of experience in the field, as well as Peggy’s personal experience as an Autism mom. The book binds together responsive parenting into three parts: Learning, Loving, and Connecting.We discuss a philosophy prominent in the b

Aug 15, 2023 • 39:23

#136: Autistic Burnout and Creating Neuro-Affirming Environments with Larissa Minner

Having an autistic adult on the podcast is always an opportunity to learn how we, as practitioners, can do our best for our clients. Joining me today is Larissa Minner, a passionate and experienced disability rights advocate, speaker, and consultant. Burnout is commonly talked about, and I've even done an episode where we talked about professional burnout in the field. Larissa talks about Autistic Burnout and Neurodivergent Burnout and what that looks like for many individuals. Signs and sy

Aug 8, 2023 • 38:38

#135: The Importance of Assent - A Conversation with Dr. Cody Morris

My guest today Dr. Cody Morris is an asset to the field, his goals include improving the practice of BCBAs, by Improving assessment and treatment methodologies regarding problem behavior and addressing organization challenges in delivering services.Today we discuss Assent, its importance, and how to gain Assent even when a client is not yet speaking.  Dr. Morris makes a very important comparison in definitions between Consent and Assent. Consent: the affirmation that an individual who is legally

Aug 1, 2023 • 37:05

#134: Autism Case Study Series - Part 4

Welcome to the fourth and final part of my Autism Case Study Series. I am going back over my last 20 years of experience in public education, non-public programs, and teletherapy working with autistic learners. The last learner I want to talk about is a 3 year old boy that I saw in-home with my private practice, ABA Speech. When I first began services, the child had received an autism diagnosis, was not yet speaking, and was attending ABA services. After two years of working with this child, he

Jul 25, 2023 • 25:06

#133: Autism Case Study Series - Part 3

Welcome to Part 3 of 4 of my Autism Case Study Series. I am going back over my last 20 years of experience in public education, non-public programs, and teletherapy working with autistic learners. Today I am sharing about an elementary learner from a non-public program. He came to me with no communication and unsafe behaviors that were a barrier to his learning, community, and school environment. This student actually brought with him a beautifully set up AAC on his iPad but had zero tools for u

Jul 18, 2023 • 27:33

#132: Autism Case Study Series - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of 4 of my Autism Case Study Series. I am going back over my last 20 years of experience in public education, non-public programs, and teletherapy working with autistic learners. Today I am sharing about an 8-year-old nonverbal learner I worked with in a non-public program. This learner came to me with no way to communicate with the world and various behaviors that were barriers to safety and learning. He really struggled with the learning environment, and I had to be creative.

Jul 11, 2023 • 24:31

#131: Autism Case Study Series - Part 1

Welcome to Part 1 of 4 of my Autism Case Study Series. I am going back over my last 20 years of experience in public education, non-public programs, and teletherapy working with autistic learners. In this case study, I discuss a middle school learner in public education. He had recently come to the country and was completely nonverbal. I first began with AAC to give him a voice and start communication. He did have to shape up his point with OT to make this accessible, but from there we began to

Jul 4, 2023 • 27:52

#130: Tech Tips For Autistic Learners with Joan Green

Technology can feel intimidating, but there are so many tools available on your common devices that you might not even consider using them in therapy. Joan Green is an SLP, assistive technology specialist, and online tech advisor. In this episode, she shares 10 tech tips that anyone can use to utilize technology and enrich your therapy sessions. As SLPs, it's important for us to know and understand the assistive apps and accessibility features available, especially functions that are useful

Jun 27, 2023 • 30:24

#129: How to Build Good Behavior and Self-Esteem in Children with Dr. Hank Schlinger

Dr. Hank Schlinger has an extensive list of impressive and valuable contributions to the field. Today he joins me to discuss his brand new book, How to Build Good Behavior and Self-Esteem in Children. Parenting is so hard and along with it comes responsibility that will span your child’s entire life. Whether your child has an autism diagnosis or not, parenting is parenting. Dr. Schlinger discusses the idea of intentional parenting, in which, as parents, we consistently reinforce and model good b

Jun 20, 2023 • 36:38

#128: Autism and Adoption- A Discussion with Rita Soronen

Rita Soronen is a National Child Welfare Advocate working with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA). She advocates for the abused, neglected, and vulnerable children in the foster care and juvenile justice system. There are 117,000 children in North America freed for adoption and 77% of those children have some sort of medically identified need, including autism. These children belong to a special division of DTFA, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids. This division is an initiative to advocate for

Jun 13, 2023 • 25:03

#127: An Inspiring Autism Journey with Sandy and Ben Hartranft

What a pleasure it was to have Sandy and Ben Hartranft on the show! Sandy is the proud mom of three sons, one of whom is Ben. Ben is 24 years old and was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2.20+ years ago, Sandy knew something was off, limited speech and no response to his name led her to pursue check-ins with her son’s doctors and an official appointment with a developmental pediatrician. Soon, it all came together, and the signs began to make sense with his new-found diagnosis. Ben found supp

Jun 6, 2023 • 28:30

#126: Using an Assent Based Model For Intervention with Liz Lefebre

This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about Assent on the show. But today we’re focusing on what it is. Why is it important? And how do you know if you’re using an Assent Based Model? Liz Lefebre is a precision teacher and BCBA passionate about high quality behavior and educational services.So what is Assent? The goal of an Assent Based Model is a person-centered approach to assessment, intervention, and all other decision-making. In this model, the learner's assent withdrawal from partici

May 30, 2023 • 32:11

#125: The Importance of Occupational Therapy with Dr. Kelle DeBoth Foust

Dr. Kelle DeBoth Foust is one of my best friends; we’ve been friends for over 15 years. She is an Occupational Therapist and an Associate Professor of OT at Cleveland State University. She has a passion for working with children with autism and other developmental disabilities and today she shares her wealth of knowledge with us.What is Occupational Therapy? No, it has nothing to do with helping people find jobs! Dr. DeBoth Foust describes it as therapy to regain the skills necessary for meaning

May 23, 2023 • 32:45

#126: Using an Assent Based Model For Intervention

This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about Assent on the show. But today we’re focusing on what it is? Why is it important? And how do you know if you’re using an Assent Based Model? Liz Lefebre is a precision teacher and BCBA passionate about high quality behavior and educational services.So what is Assent? The goal of an Assent Based Model is a person-centered approach to assessment, intervention, and all other decision-making. In this model, the learner's assent withdrawal for participation

May 23, 2023 • 34:00

#124: Burnout - A Conversation with Jasmine Yepez

It’s May, and it can be a time when a lot of stress and overwhelm can be occurring. How do you know when you’re headed toward burnout? What do you do?Jasmine Yepez, The ABA Lady, is passionate about burnout and mental health advocacy for professionals and shares with me today her journey to healing after experiencing burnout. Burnout can be caused by a variety of things, like unhealthy boundaries with work. Are you consistently bringing work home with you? Checking your email during your time of

May 16, 2023 • 32:32

#123: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Kody Harms

You may have heard of the term "ACT," or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, before, but this is a new topic for the show! I was so excited to learn about this impactful therapy approach from BCBA Kody Harms. What is ACT? Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is all about accepting that variables and challenging things will occur in life, but developing mental flexibility through positive values can be overcome. As a therapist working with parents, teachers, and other professionals engaged in the spe

May 9, 2023 • 31:09

#122: Survival Tips For Contentious IEP Meetings

Whether you are a seasoned professional, parent, or brand new to the field, IEP meetings are a reality when it comes to school based settings. With over 20 years of experience, I have 5 top tips to keep you positive, prepared, and confident no matter the tone of the meeting. Have your special education director or administrator present - Sometimes lawyers and advocates are going to attend the meeting, in that event, make sure you have support on your side beyond your building principal.Complete

May 2, 2023 • 31:38

#121: Core Vocabulary and Typical Language Development with Allison Bean and Bethany Frick Semmler

One of my big goals with ABA Speech and The Autism Outreach Podcast is to disseminate information to help professionals stay in touch with the latest research and information in our field. When the article, Examining Core Vocabulary with Language Development for Early Symbolic Communicators, written by Dr. Allison Bean and Dr. Bethany Frick showed up in a professional Facebook group, I knew I had to know more.Let’s first start by breaking down the definition of the vocabulary discussed in this a

Apr 25, 2023 • 34:08

#120: All Things Research - A Talk with Dr. Amber Valentino

When you are post-certification and become a practitioner, it can be difficult to stay in touch with the latest research. Dr. Amber Valentino, Chief Clinical Officer at Trumpet Behavioral Health, discusses some of the ways to break beyond the barriers of research as a clinician and make ABA research more accessible.Dr. Valentino wrote a paper with her colleague, Jessica Juanico, on the barriers to research for practitioners who had a real desire to continue research during their field careers. T

Apr 18, 2023 • 39:00

#119: The Importance of Joy In Therapy with Jennifer Posey

Have you ever met a provider, with a “Sit down! Do your work! Kids need to listen!” mentality? Jennifer Posey is a BCBA and adjunct professor at Endicott College. In this episode, she shares about her new tool, the Joy Index, which is currently in the research and peer review process.The Joy Index is a tool that measures assent, autonomy, embedded choice, and relationship building. It involves 32 indicators with yes or no answers that can be used by parents and professionals. As providers, our g

Apr 11, 2023 • 35:44

#118: From Diagnosis to Intervention- A Conversation With Zulekha Williams

Don’t Wait! That’s the advice from Zulekha Williams when it comes to taking action for concerns with your child’s development. I met Zulekha over on TikTok; she is a great mom who is fighting for the needs of her children and sharing her journey along the way.As a member of the helping profession, Zulekha wasted no time when it came to getting support for her son when she started noticing early signs of autism. Before his diagnosis, she was seeing signs like delayed motor skills, no eye tracking

Apr 4, 2023 • 38:24

#117: Compassionate Parent Training with Leanne Page

“In all communication, aim first to understand”. This is the first bullet from Leanne Page’s Parent Training Checklist. Leanne is a BCBA, parent coach, author, continuing ed provider, and mom of 2. In this episode, she is sharing some impactful points on this step to step guide for Compassionate Parent Training.Did you know that a study showed just 40 seconds of compassion from a doctor drastically improved patient outcomes? Oftentimes communications with parents can occur only when problems ari

Mar 28, 2023 • 29:19

#116: Collaboration and AAC with Barb Weber

We all know collaboration can be tricky when it comes to working across many fields of expertise, especially with a shared tool like AAC. Today I am delighted to have Barb Weber as my guest. Barb is an SLP, BCBA, author, and AAC specialist. When it comes to AAC, especially considering the differences in AAC training for SLPs and BCBAs, navigating collaborating can be hard. Barb emphasizes the importance of matching the AAC device to the skills and relevant activities of the user. She also notes

Mar 21, 2023 • 32:37

#115: Early Intervention Speech Therapy Services - A Talk With Cindy Watson

In this conversation with Pediatric SLP Cindy Watson, you can just see the passion she has for helping young learners communicate and find their voice. When Cindy first receives a new Early Intervention case she calls on the parent to talk through the reasons and concerns that led them there and another simple but IMPACTFUL thing…what does the child like? These things establish rapport and give Cindy the tools to enter the first Early Intervention session as she calls “the fun aunt.”Cindy’s top

Mar 14, 2023 • 40:37

#114: What is Trauma Informed Care?

I am speaking with Rachel Archambault, the PTSD SLP. Rachel was present on Valentine's day 2018, when a mass shooting occurred in her workplace, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. This experience led her to curate and cultivate resources for her trauma-affected students, and provide therapy with Trauma Informed Care.Trauma Informed Care hallmarks on: Realizing trauma is present, Recognizing the effects, Responding to the trauma and its effects, and avoiding Retraumati

Mar 7, 2023 • 35:58

#113: Supporting Autistic Learners Who Use AAC To Communicate

When it comes to supporting students using AAC devices… Are you Intimidated? Overwhelmed? Unsure? Unprepared? In this episode, I am digging into my tool belt of 21+ years of experience and sharing my top 5 strategies to use to support autistic learners using AAC devices!Know this Document -> The Communication Bill of Rights! Be aware of this empowering document and print out and even share it with the people in your learner's orbit. Listen in for some specific and important rights for our learne

Feb 28, 2023 • 30:05

#112: Practical Functional Assessment with Dr. Cory Whelan

​​Dr. Corey Whelan, SLP-BCBA joins me in this episode to discuss a really important assessment for autistic individuals that can add to compassionate care across the lifespan.Practical Function Assessment (PFA) is a process aimed at understanding individuals and the barriers they face in therapy. The goal of PFA is to provide a treatment plan via a skills-based therapy process that will prevent unsafe behavior and help clients reach their optimal learning environment. The first step in PFA is an

Feb 21, 2023 • 30:40

#111: Matrix Training with Dr. Sarah Frampton

Dr. Sarah Frampton, an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska - Omaha joins me today as we discuss her work with Matrix Training. Dr. Frampton also refers to it as Matrix “Planning”, this is a generative approach to therapy that can help learners acquire new skills and improve their communication.Matrix Training involves arranging words in a matrix so that some multi-word phrases are taught directly, while others emerge through indirect teaching. This approach involves creating a tabl

Feb 14, 2023 • 36:31

#110: The Ethics of Collaboration with Dr. Dana Battaglia and Dr. Mary McDonald

Dr. Dana Battaglia, SLP, and Dr. Mary McDonald, BCBA, have been working together and collaborating throughout their career. Collaboration in the two fields is slowly making progress but there is still a lot of polarity for a lot of professionals. They rely on their strong commitment to science and evidence-based practice to guide their collaboration.Dr. McDonald references the Ethics Code of Behavior Analysis codes, 2.10, 3.01, and 3.06. 2.10 Collaborating with ColleaguesBehavior analysts collab

Feb 7, 2023 • 29:20

#109: The Power of SLP and BCBA Collaboration with Lynn M. Dudek

If you succeed, I succeed. That really culminates in the importance of SLP and BCBA collaboration, but as we've discussed on the show in the past…it can still be really challenging.Lynn Dudek, owner of ASD SLP, and a fellow SLP-BCBA "unicorn". She shares her experiences in the field with stories coming from the late 80s and early 90s that dive into the history and changes we've seen in the SLP, BCBA, and autism fields. A pivotal moment in her career was a "dream dinner p

Jan 31, 2023 • 37:56

#108: The Power of No with Lisa Wallace

No. No, thank you. I don’t want to. I don’t like this. These are important statements that communicate that you do not want something to happen.  In this episode, Lisa Wallace an SLP who has worked with young children with autism and their families for over 25 years talks about this important yet overlooked skill of communicating “no.”No may look like a variety of things depending on the activity and the child’s communication level. Clear signals might be verbally saying no, giving back or throw

Jan 24, 2023 • 31:43

#107: The Importance of Comprehension Skills with Dr. Merrill Winston

As SLPs and BCBAs we are tasked with teaching comprehension to our learners, but do they really understand these skills? Dr. Merrill Winston joined me to discuss not only reading comprehension but comprehension in everyday life and the building block skills to be successful.What is comprehension?Whether you're reading a book or listening to a statement, there are 3 markers for comprehension.Repeat it.Follow the Directions or Instructions within it.Talk about it.Dr. Winston and I get into th

Jan 17, 2023 • 37:58

#106: Supporting Students With Behavioral Barriers

Every October I send out a survey to find out what you all are struggling with. This year the top 2 answers were Engagement and Behavior Barriers. I talk about engagement often on the show, and in this episode, I am focusing on behavior barriers. If you’re trying to find ways to support your students who might have behavioral barriers or problem behaviors here are seven things to consider for preventing and handling these barriers:Service delivery - Where are your students receiving services? Cl

Jan 10, 2023 • 28:30

#105: Joint Attention Ideas For Toddlers

I love talking about joint attention, but a lot of my ideas and strategies in my courses may feel like they are geared toward older preschool-age students. My tips today are for the youngest learners, toddlers aged 2 to 3. Joint attention is an important foundational skill and it is never too early to get started with these strategies!3 Ways to Get Started with Joint Attention with Your Toddler TodayBooksBooks are the lifeline for learning and sharing activities and time with our little ones. Fo

Jan 3, 2023 • 22:00

#104: Social Engagement with Young Autistic Learners - Dr. Jamie Hughes-Lika

We need to step back and wait so that the child has a chance to find their voice, whatever that looks like so that they can spontaneously and independently connect with us.Dr. Jamie Hughs-Lika is a BCBA-D, an Early Start Denver Model Certified Therapist, and has been working in the field for 26 years. We discussed what you can do when social engagement is difficult with your child or students and why is it so important to work on this skill.Social engagement and attention begin as early as infan

Dec 27, 2022 • 45:44

REPLAY: Autism Early Intervention- Joint Attention

“Rose, I am working with a student who is not engaging during therapy!”This is a message I get week after week from my listeners! So this week I am playing back my most listened episode of 2022, number 62, all about joint attention. I go over some key strategies to not only increase attention during therapy but help your child or client on their journey to communicationThese activities involve shared activities through playing with toys, singing songs, and reading books. It is okay if your stude

Dec 20, 2022 • 33:46

#102: Strategies for SLP and BCBA Collaboration with AAC (Janna Bedoyan & Morgan van Diepen)

Any chance to talk about collaboration, I am all about it! Janna Bedoyan and Morgan van Diepen are experienced members of the autism field. Janna is an NBCT teacher who specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Morgan is a BCBA and autism specialist. As I talk to these two today, their passion is just incredible.Together, Janna and Morgan have just published a new book, AAC Visualized - a visual guide for AAC full of detailed pictures, examples, ideas, and strategies. The mis

Dec 13, 2022 • 35:52

#101: Autism in Girls and Social Skill Instruction with Carly Millis Jalowiec

I love hearing from autistic individuals in the field who have first-hand experience with the challenges and reality of diagnosis and therapy. Carly Millis Jalowiec is the Education Assistant at Milestones Autism Resources, today she shares with me her journey to her own autism diagnosis as an adult. Carly provides great insight into the difficulty of diagnosing autism in females and why providers and clinicians have an outdated idea of autism.Autism in girls is unfortunately too often missed. C

Dec 6, 2022 • 39:05

#100: Let’s Celebrate Episode 100 of the Autism Outreach Podcast (Lisa Chattler)

Wow! I can't believe we are here… episode 100! In honor of this milestone, we are flipping the script with my friend and mentor, Lisa Chattler, interviewing me.Going back to the VERY beginning, I had no idea what I wanted to be, so my mom gave me a career test my senior year and it actually revealed my ideal profession as a speech therapist. I really didn't know a lot about the career so I shadowed a friend of the family who was an SLP and that day I just knew it was perfect for me, so

Nov 29, 2022 • 27:53

#099: Early Intervention and ABA with Kristen Colyer

Kristen Colyer is a BCBA and the Director of Children’s Services at The Infinity Center for Behavior Services. She joined me today to discuss Early Intervention and ABA for young children.When you first get that autism diagnosis, beginning Early Intervention and ABA services is the first step for support for many parents and their child. Kristen shares what that looks like at The Infinity Center. Because we are working with young children, most often with limited or no communication, parents are

Nov 22, 2022 • 31:24

Special Episode: Autism Connection

Announcing The 2nd Annual Autism Connection Conference held in collaboration with The Autism Helper. Join us on December 3rd for an exciting, fun, and knowledge-packed conference. The event will run from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM EST with a break for lunch. Autism Connection features 5 amazing sessions created with SLPs, Special Education teachers, General Education teachers, and BCBAs in mind.Join our LIVE session or replay the recorded event available three days later until December 31st. When you pa

Nov 17, 2022 • 8:41

#098: How to Become a BCBA - Rachel Torrance

Rachel Torrance is a BCBA, License intervention specialist, on the board at Milestones Autism Resources, and a Consultant working with parents, school districts, and private agencies to advocate appropriate services and achieve desirable outcomes. Rachel also happens to be my business partner at Supervision Academy, a virtual resource for attaining supervision hours to become a certified BCBA.Becoming a BCBA requires coursework (as a master’s program or post-master’s), Hours, Supervision, Observ

Nov 15, 2022 • 27:07

#097: Special Education Law with Catherine Michael

Parents, have you ever been in a situation where you're fighting with your child's school to get your child the services they deserve and are entitled to? Catherine Michael has spent more than 20 years working with families on designing success for special needs children. She is a managing partner at the law firm Connell Michael Kerr as well as the founder of Coffee with Catherine, which offers classes and resources for families of children with special needs.A Free Appropriate Educati

Nov 8, 2022 • 35:58

#096: Supporting SLPs Working in an ABA Setting with Julianne Trudeau

As an SLP-BCBA, collaboration is a really important part of my work. Julianne Trudeau is an SLP and Director of Speech Services at Bierman Autism Center. This center grew from a small in-home provider to a clinic-based therapy center with 17 locations across the country. Bierman operates a Collaborative Service Model in which BCBAs, SLPs, and OTs work together to best serve the child.I've shared many stories in the past about the difficulty I've both seen and experienced with the colla

Nov 1, 2022 • 29:27

#095: A Family's Autism Journey- A Chat with Autumn Ziemba

Autumn Ziemba was working as a news anchor for Fox 8 News when her son received his autism diagnosis. Through her family journey and support in the autism community, Autumn has shifted careers to become the Communications and Content Manager for Milestones Autism Resources. As a mother of two, Autumn knew what to expect for typical development in her young children. When her youngest started showing signs of regression, loss of speech, disinterest in typical play, and others around her began to

Oct 25, 2022 • 32:31

#094: 10 Ideas To Increase Student Engagement

I haven’t done a solo show in a while and I am excited today to share my 10 strategies to increase student engagement. I had a client, let’s call him Adam for today, and when I started working with him, he did not communicate or even engage at all. I would bring different toys and objects to try to get his attention through play-based learning but we would just take a toy and leave. About after 4 sessions with him, his parents started asking me when am I going to use a more structure approach an

Oct 18, 2022 • 30:12

#093: ABA for SLPs with Dr. Joanne Gerenser

I love this power statement: “If you don’t believe in ABA, it’s like you don’t believe in breathing.” It’s a really impactful tidbit from my chat with Dr. Joanne Gerenser, SLP and Executive Director of the Eden II Programs. Dr. Gereneser and I discuss the importance of ABA in the field, as well as what that means for collaborating with other professionals; having SLPs and BCBAs work together with ABA to serve students with autism, especially those with challenging behavior.There are some profess

Oct 11, 2022 • 31:10

#092: Culturally Responsive Intervention For Autistic Learners with Maria Davis-Pierre

As therapists we know that every client is different when it comes to goals, abilities, and needs but how often are we checking up on our cultural awareness for each individual? Maria Davis-Pierre is a mental health counselor and the founder of Autism in Black. As a mother with two autistic children and autism herself, Maria understands the stigma associated with the diagnosis and is on a mission to educate on inclusive, culturally responsive therapy for black families and other underrepresented

Oct 4, 2022 • 31:23

#091: Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions with Dr. Ariana Boutain

Dr. Ariana Boutain is the Vice President of Clinical Services at KGH Autism Services. At their facility, they are passionate about child-initiated and play-based therapy with NDBI.Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention is an empirically supported approach to treating young children with autism that involves learning through play. NDBI represents a merge of ABA and developmental science.The general framework for NDBI that Dr. Ariana and her colleagues use is the principles of ABA as w

Sep 27, 2022 • 31:29

#090: The Autism Puzzle Piece- A Talk With Thomas McKean

Whether you’re a parent, professional, or an autistic individual, you have most likely seen the Autism Puzzle Piece. Like myself, you might even have a sticker or magnet on display as a symbol of your support for the community. But what is the real symbolism behind it? In this episode, I have the honor to talk with Thomas McKean, an autistic adult who had an integral part in the development of this icon. Prior to Thomas’s collaboration in the creation of today’s autism puzzle piece, the original

Sep 20, 2022 • 28:46

#089: How To Help Your Autistic Learners Go Beyond Basic Communication

“Rose speaks through the lens of the SLP and BCBA which is incredibly helpful in bridging the communication between the two fields. Rose keeps students' individual needs at the forefront of decisions on therapy targets and she incorporates autistic voices and has worked hard to keep therapy and training relevant to autistic learners. I appreciated her practical therapy ideas and sharing of materials to get started.” Jenny Blackman, SLPIntroducing ABA Speech’s newest course, Advanced Languag

Sep 13, 2022 • 22:23

#088: Planning Group Therapy For Autistic Students

“Rose, I’m not sure how to plan a session. I have 5 autistic students that I need to see for group therapy to work on social language instruction and I am not sure what activities to plan to help them remain engaged and work on their individual and social language goals.”I received this question in an email from one of my listeners! So today’s episode I am sharing my customizable framework for planning group therapy, along with some great resources, activity ideas, and freebies!Group Therapy Fra

Sep 6, 2022 • 28:48

#087: Speech Sound Production and Autistic Learners - A Talk With Tamara Kasper

What is it that develops speech production in our learners? Today, Tamara Kasper, BCBA and SLP, is sharing some really great and specific information on how speech production and reinforcement differs between typical developing children versus children with autism.Speech Sound ProductionIn typically developing children, speech sounds are reinforced differentially and automatically when making sounds that sound like words. For example, they get a cookie when they make a sound that sounds like coo

Aug 30, 2022 • 38:31

#086: IEP Development With Stephanie DeLussey

Nothing can cause more stress than an IEP meeting looming in the future. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Stephanie DeLussey, IEP coach and veteran special education teacher, joined me on the podcast today to share some tips and suggestions for making IEPs not only painless but more productive. Goal SettingSMART goals are a big buzzword in the education community, but what does it mean? Stephanie breaks down the acronym;Specific -Is the goal individualized and a direct skill, no generalizatio

Aug 23, 2022 • 29:32

#085: What is an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)?

When it comes to parents advocating for their child’s education there can be so much to navigate, many times parents don’t even know their legal rights. Amanda Selogie and Vicki Brett are attorneys and founders of The Inclusive Education Project, a non-profit organization that educates families on special education rights. If you have a child receiving in school therapy or you're a school based provider, you may have heard the term IEE. But what is it? An IEE is an Individual Education Eval

Aug 16, 2022 • 37:37

#084: Naturalistic Communication Training with Dr. Cindy Gevarter

There is so much opportunity for communication in our students' natural environments. But how can we use this intentionally and build our therapy plan around it? Dr. Cindy Gevarter, BCBA-D and assistant professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of New Mexico, joins me to discuss real world applications for naturalistic communication training in your therapy sessions.Assessments:When beginning therapy sessions for students, assessments are important for und

Aug 9, 2022 • 31:38

#083: SLP/BCBA Collaboration with Dr. Teresa Cardon and Dr. Lina Slim

I always joke that it is my mission to meet all the unicorns out there, the dually certified SLP and BCBAs, as there are less than 500 in the world. Today I am talking with Dr. Teresa Cardon and Dr. Lina Slim both SLPs and BCBA-Ds. We are focusing on a subject that it a hot topic but near and dear to my heart, collaboration. Too often I see and hear problems between SLPs and BCBAs in therapy, IEP meetings, etc. But we need to be communicating and collaborating for our clients! Dr. Cardon and Dr.

Aug 2, 2022 • 36:58

#082: Inclusive Preschool Programming with Dr. Katie Walton of Ohio State University

Starting preschool for both typically and non typically developing students is a big step, and there are a lot of important factors to consider. Dr. Katie Walton of Ohio State University oversees the Nisonger Center, an Inclusive Preschool Program. This center works with students with and without disabilities from birth to age 5.What is Inclusive Preschool Programming?Inclusive in short means that it includes all students, regardless of learning needs. What this looks like can vary from practice

Jul 26, 2022 • 30:37

#081: Addressing Social Skills with Dr. Ali Arena

The social setting of our world is ever-changing and developing, for autistic individuals it can be hard to understand and keep up with the skills to navigate it! Dr. Ali Arena is an SLP, BCBA who specializes in social skills. While Dr. Arena works primarily with autistic adults, she shares some great tips that can be applied across the lifespan. As a provider, working on Social Skills requires a strong and trusting relationship with your client. Dr. Arena shares about how she has learned about

Jul 19, 2022 • 36:00

#080: Dynamic Assessment - A Talk With Shellie Bader

Have you ever felt like an assessment didn’t truly tell the story of your child? Shellie Bader is an SLP with a really incredible and valuable career. Today she is sharing all about Dynamic Assessment and how we as Speech Therapists can use this to enrich and drive speech therapy.Oftentimes, formal and informal assessments are not comprehensive enough to determine the “story of the child”. Dynamic Assessment is a qualitative assessment we are able to use, to get the bigger picture. It is an alte

Jul 12, 2022 • 29:26

#079: ABA SPEECH Courses and Sale

Happy Summer!! I am excited to announce that we are hosting a SALE for the month of July on our courses, Start Communicating Today and Help Me Find My Voice.These are CEU courses with ASHA and ACE approval for SLPs and BCBAs. Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of your free time and get the tools to help your autistic learners from toddlers, preschool, and school age.Start Communicating Today is a 5 hour course for toddler and preschool aged learners. Get confident in your abilities to

Jul 5, 2022 • 11:37

#078: 5 Strategies for Toddlers and Preschool Aged Students

Is your learner difficult to engage? Are you not sure where to start? Is your learner not communicating? Knowing where to start can be stressful!!! I am here to help with my top 5 strategies to get your autistic learner communicating today!Strategy 1: Create a Fun AtmospherePresent a toy the child will enjoy. Play with the toy and use simple language.(play dough, cars, musical toys, mini objects, etc.)Strategy 2: ObserveWhat does your learner like to do? How is your learner currently communicati

Jun 28, 2022 • 43:47

#077: Supporting Speech Therapy Carryover In The Summer

I first found Calonda Henry on TikTok, where she shares tons of great tips and information for parents and professionals. Calonda is a Florida based SLP where she owns a certified Woman and Minority owned practice, Broad Horizons Speech Therapy. With summer here, many learners are not receiving their school based speech and language services and parents may want to know how to help. As parents, we want to do the very best for our child and it can feel overwhelming and intimidating to need to &qu

Jun 21, 2022 • 28:17

#076: Story Champs with Dr. Trina Spencer

Dr. Trina Spencer has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for the last 21 years and is currently a Fulbright Scholar at the Center for Augmentative and Alternative Communication in South Africa. Today, she shares about her career journey, and all of the incredible and inspiring work she is doing in the field. Dr. Spencer's goal is to encourage research-practitioner partnerships, interprofessional collaboration, and anti-ableist practices. On the day of our recording, Dr. Spencer was cel

Jun 14, 2022 • 53:27

#075: Summer Speech Therapy Ideas

With the traditional school year coming to an end, SLPs and parents may be wondering how you can support your learners' communication throughout the summer months. I was so excited when I happened upon Bridget’s, from Speech Therapy Talk, blog post all about summer speech activities! She is on today’s episode to share 11 fun, easy, and affordable ways to get outside, enjoy the summer, AND practice communication skills. Whether you’re continuing speech therapy through the summer in a private

Jun 7, 2022 • 27:27

#074: AAC and Caregiver Coaching with Dr. David Rehfeld

It can often be intimidating to get started and understand working with students with complex communication needs. Dr. David Rehfeld is a dual certified, SLP and BCBA and an assistant professor who joins me today to discuss the importance of support to students using AAC and their caregivers.The individuals who spend the most time with a client need to have the most buy-in when it comes to effectively using AAC. Dr. Rehfeld encourages this support with Caregiver Coaching. Caregivers are any of t

May 31, 2022 • 32:10

#073: Foundational Skills For Young Autistic Learners - Where to start in therapy

Many times, assessments and standardized tests don’t tell the whole story of the learner. So, what do you do when you’re overwhelmed with where to start with a younger nonspeaking or autistic learner. When I first started my career I remember being discouraged at times and with a lack of the resources available unlike what we have today, I had to find the information myself and blaze that trail. Today I want to share how I get started with these learners, to help them find their voice and start

May 24, 2022 • 35:08

#072: Using Yoga In Speech Therapy

I think it’s so important to think outside of the box when engaging our students in therapy. Today I am talking with Kim and Amy from Talk Yoga, two SLP friends who met at work and combined their passion for speech and yoga to help their clients grow.Not only is Yoga a fun, engaging activity in itself but as a trained yoga instructor, Amy has adapted poses for her clients into what she calls Articulation Poses. Talk Yoga really believes in the whole body of the child and how all of their physica

May 17, 2022 • 37:35

#071: School Based IEP Development For Autistic Learners

In my 20 years of experience, I have divided my time between school-based and private setting therapy. I have dedicated my career to autistic learners and today I want to share my TOP TEN tips on developing an IEP and conducting a successful smooth IEP meeting. These tips will ensure you are prepared, remain calm, and work to the benefit of the student, especially when working on more difficult cases for students who are non-typical or non-speaking.Record Review - The last comprehensive evaluati

May 10, 2022 • 32:16

#070: Gratitude and Mindful Habits with Marie Muratalla

Are you feeling stressed? Are you feeling like you just can’t achieve that work-life balance? May tends to be a tough time for many providers, educators, and even parents. Today I talk with Marie Muratalla, SLP, Podcaster, Mindset Coach, and creator of the Say Thanks More Gratitude Journal.Like many of us, in 2020 when the COVID shutdown began, Marie struggled to bear the weight of her job. In a time when her job was no longer what it was, she battled her personal identity and where that separat

May 3, 2022 • 34:20

#069: A Family’s Autism Journey- A Chat with Theresa Richard

I have been following Theresa Richard’s business journey for a while and when I recently learned about her son’s autism diagnosis, I had to learn more about her. Theresa is an SLP, Board Certified Specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders, Business owner, Podcaster, Author,  and creator of the MedSLP Collective. She started her business in 2013, began blogging in 2014, and moved into the podcast world in 2017. I have really enjoyed following her work and Theresa does an excellent job dis

Apr 26, 2022 • 30:52

#068: Annie DiVello - Supporting Students With Selective Mutism

I am always interested in learning more about the variety of students I can help. Today I am interviewing Annie DiVello, an SLP who specializes in Selective Mutism. At the time Annie was in grad school, it was believed that selective mutism was more of a mental health disorder and that SLPs were not involved, but even now there is still a real lack of information or resources both in school and in private practice.What is Selective Mutism?Selective Mutism (SM)  is essentially a phobia of speakin

Apr 19, 2022 • 52:51

#067: A Late Diagnosis of Autism with Billy Mayfair

I love any opportunity to chat with adults with autism who can share their insight on diagnosis, support, and living life with autism. Billy Mayfair is a top professional golfer in the United States, who found his diagnosis late in life in 2019. Today he shares his journey in early life and the concerns that led to his evaluation, and how those answers have helped him find the support he needed.Growing up golf was a safe haven, he found joy in being alone. Unlike those who receive an early diagn

Apr 12, 2022 • 21:17

#066: A Discussion About Ableism and Neurodiversity with Haley Moss

On today's podcast, I had the opportunity to learn from Haley Moss. Haley is an author, lawyer, educator, speaker, and is also autistic. In this episode, she shares her perspective on important issues in the autism and neurodivergent community, as we have a conversation surrounding inclusivity in therapy and society.  "Be yourself, but not like that".  It can be extremely exhausting for adults to keep up with behaviors that are seen as typical and don't come naturally to them

Apr 5, 2022 • 54:07

#065: Discussing Dyslexia with Jeannette Roberes

SLPs have such a broad scope. We get so much training in graduate school but creating specializations based on your passions really happens through your own research and work out in the field. So there are many areas that fall under the scope of speech therapy that not all SLPs understand completely or feel comfortable with. As my listeners know, Autism has become my area of focus, so I really did not have a lot of awareness or understanding about Dyslexia. This chat with Jeannette Roberes was s

Mar 29, 2022 • 37:02

#064: SLP Services in an ABA Setting

Today, I am providing 15 strategies for SLPs working in an ABA setting. I have had the opportunity to work in ABA settings in addition to traditional schools. Whether you're new to the ABA world or thinking about taking a position in a specialized setting, these tips are some that I find so helpful for you, your colleagues, and your clients. Learn about your work setting: Understand your role and how it fits into the existing set up of the facility. Do not hesitate to ask the important ques

Mar 22, 2022 • 40:06

#063: Working With Students With Challenging Behavior with Kelle Rich

Today I had the pleasure of talking with my BCBA supervisor and trailblazer in the field. Kelle was introduced to the world of autism at a really young age, which led into special education and continued on to her large body of work. In this episode she is sharing with us, from her wealth of knowledge, about how to work with students with problem behavior and what to do to support learners when it becomes a barrier to therapy.The first step, with any therapy case, is to understand your learner.

Mar 15, 2022 • 40:15

#062: Autism Early Intervention- Joint Attention

There is a strong bond between joint attention and both receptive and expressive language skills. When we work on joint attention, we are showing that our learners' communication is powerful! I am sharing a few tips and ideas that I use to build connections before communication while working on joint attention goals.These activities involve shared activities through playing with toys, singing songs, and reading books. It is okay if your student isn't ready to fully engage when you intr

Mar 8, 2022 • 35:30

#061: 10 Strategies For Supporting Autistic Learners In Middle and High School

I am excited to share my top 10 tips and strategies for supporting middle and high school-aged students. This is an area where I feel not a lot of information is available. I am very fortunate to work with kids across the lifespan from preschool ages in my private practice to middle and high school in the school setting. While I generally focus on helping autistic learners, these tips can be great for anyone working with older students. 1. Build rapport.This can be difficult and likely won’t hap

Mar 1, 2022 • 30:51

#060: How To Help Autistic Learners with Apraxia?

Apraxia is something a lot of my listeners are really interested in learning about. I had Dr. Edythe Strand on the two-part episode, number 44. Today Dr. Jennifer Moore, SLP, and co-owner of Brave Wings Therapy brings us some strategies on understanding Apraxia with autism and applying the interventions to autistic learners. What is Apraxia and is it common in autism?Childhood Apraxia Speech is when the brain has difficulty planning and directing the muscles in a sequence to produce speech. Stud

Feb 22, 2022 • 36:03

#059: 5 Proactive Behavior Strategies With Sasha Long of The Autism Helper

I often get requests for how therapists can help students who are engaging in problem behaviors that create a barrier to learning. In this interview, my colleague Sasha Long of The Autism Helper shared her “Five Favorite Antecedent Strategies”. If you’re not sure what antecedent means, Sasha gives a great explanation. For the purpose of this list, antecedent means to be proactive. This is a list of best practices that when used to their fullest potential can help teachers, therapists, and even p

Feb 15, 2022 • 33:15

Learn About the Autism Connection (Special Episode)

I am announcing a huge upcoming event, the Autism Connection. If you are an SLP, BCBA, teacher, or even a parent, this is going to be a great event. I partner with Sasha Long who’s also a BCBA and she’s got really great strategies that are actionable and applicable. This is a live PD in which participants will receive CEUs and certificates of attendance. Be sure to check out the talking points, event schedule, and get registered!Learn about the Autism Connection. The inaugural LIVE PD event is t

Feb 10, 2022 • 13:00

#058: How Can I Support Older Autistic Learners- Strategies with Jared Stewart

We focus a lot on therapy for young learners, but what about when they grow up? Support for older autistic learners and adults is so important. In this episode, I interviewed Jared Stewart, autistic adult, professional, and BCBA. For many, characteristics of autism may not be apparent until life demands exceed their skill set. He shares his experience in the school system, how bullying, and the skill demands affected him. He finished his 7th-grade year with a refusal to return to school and spen

Feb 8, 2022 • 40:13

#057: Speech Therapy For Autistic Students - Where To Start With Intervention

As Speech-Language Pathologists, it can be overwhelming to create a therapy plan for learners with no speech at all. Where do you get started? In this episode, I talk with Terri Smith. She is an SLP and the founder and owner of Bluebird Speech Therapy and Consulting Services.Help Me Find My Voice and Start Communicating Now are two courses I offer online for professionals and parents. Terri shared with me how she found ABA Speech and has attended and utilized these resources. She describes her t

Feb 1, 2022 • 34:45

#056: How To Help Parents Feel Supported On The IEP Team with Emily Estades

I always love to get parents' perspectives but it’s not often I get to hear the unique view of a parent turned professional. In this episode, I interview Emily Estades, my friend, graduate student, parent, and SLP.  Emily is the mother of two children, her daughter, the oldest, has a dual diagnosis of Autism and Rett Syndrome, and her son with Anxiety and ADHD. Her journey started with her daughter's many appointments, meetings, and therapies, eventually inspiring her career as an SLP.

Jan 25, 2022 • 39:12

#055: Is ABA Therapy Right For Your Autistic Child? with Rebecca Shellito

Is ABA therapy the right choice for your autistic child? Today Rebecca Shellito, mother, wife, nurse, and non-profit organizer join me to share her family's autism journey. Rebecca’s son Nico received his autism diagnosis shortly before his third birthday and by 4 years old he was in full-time ABA therapy. They were incredibly lucky to find a local provider, covered by insurance that they were comfortable with. I know some clients and friends personally that drive to see their preferred provider

Jan 18, 2022 • 31:39

#054: Autism Assessment

Assessments are extremely necessary for understanding the skill set of your learner, setting goals, and making meaningful progress. As a therapist, administering these assessments can be so overwhelming and frustrating, especially when your students have complex needs and are not able to meet the standardized completion. Today, I am sharing my top 5 tips and strategies for autism assessments to make assessments a positive tool in your goal setting for therapy. 1. The Functional Communication Pro

Jan 11, 2022 • 33:11

#053: Modified Social and Leisure Skills for Middle and High School Students

If you’ve been listening for any amount of time, you know that I am all about keeping therapy fun and functional. In this episode, I have some great examples of games for your therapy or at home with your child that you can put into practice right away. These games are all about leisure skills. We spend the majority of our lifespan participating in leisure skills so it is so important to work on these skills with our learners. Two of the best assessments for identifying and understanding the nee

Jan 4, 2022 • 37:30

#052: Autism Speech Therapy IEP Goals

As we close out the year, I wanted to highlight my most popular episode. This week, I’m re-sharing Episode 3, where I break down IEPs and discuss everything that goes into creating goals in speech therapy for autistic learners.Setting IEP goals for autistic learners can be incredibly difficult, especially when you’re working with emerging communicators. At the beginning of my career, assessment tools were limited and I found out along the way the goals I set for my students were unclear and hard

Dec 28, 2021 • 28:48

#051: Autism in Girls with Robin Roscigno of AUTEACH

Is autism really different in girls and is that affecting reliable diagnosis? I had the opportunity to chat with Robin Roscigno, founder of AuTEACH, former teacher pursuing her PhD, and autistic mother to her autistic daughter. As she speaks from her education background and personal experiences, Robin gives a really great insight on a deeper look into how we are evaluating and educating autistic students. The CDC website reads that autism is 4 times as common in boys as it is in girls. Why are

Dec 21, 2021 • 40:40

#050: 10 Lessons I’ve Learned in 50 Episodes of The Autism Outreach Podcast

Wow, Episode 050! This is amazing. I want to start by saying thank you for listening, this so far has been an incredible experience. 1 year ago, my own kids had a snow day and I had just finished up my podcasting course. I was super nervous but I came into my little walk-in closet and pressed record. Throughout these last 50 episodes, I have learned so much and I want to share with you these important lessons. #1 - Nathan Morgan, Episode 16Nathan taught me that the autism community prefers the t

Dec 14, 2021 • 29:30

#049: An Introduction To The Early Start Denver Model with Dr. Megan Miller

Dr. Megan Miller is a thought leader in the field of behavior analysis and special education. In this interview, she and I discussed the Early Start Denver Model and its importance to early learners. Play is such a critical piece to communication and this model sets up parents and providers to build joint attention skills. Imitation is such an important skill, many individuals  look to this as a way to learn things and copy skills. However, it is so much more, it is a skill in which communicatio

Dec 7, 2021 • 39:48

#048: Communication and Independence For Young Autistic Adults with Dr. Lisa Audet

Dr. Lisa Audet is an extremely knowledgeable special education teacher, SLP, and professor at Kent State. In fact, over 20 years ago she was my professor! She specializes in communication and independence for autistic adults, works with these individuals on her campus, and has a unique viewpoint for those of us working with younger adults with autism at the middle and high school level. Because socially and academically the needs are very different from high school to college or work-based setti

Nov 30, 2021 • 38:47

#047: Picky Eating with Melanie Potock

One out of four typical children will develop a pediatric feeding disorder. Does that statistic shock you or does it feel extremely relatable? Melanie Potock of Munch Bug is an SLP and Pediatric Feeding Expert. She has written 6 books on feeding, speaks around the world, and is a coach to parents and children struggling with picky eating. Picky eating is a wide, all-encompassing umbrella term that spans many many feeding issues from babies to school-aged kids. A point Melanie really drives home

Nov 23, 2021 • 35:40

#046: How to Help Autistic Learners with Transitions with Dani LoVecchio

Do you ever walk into a new gym class and feel uneasy or nervous? If you do, you're not unlike many kids who hesitate or resist transitions. Not all children with autism experience difficulty with transitions, but it is something many struggles with. In this interview with Dani LoVecchio from Bridge Kids of New York, we discuss tips and advice for making transitions smoother. Whether it be starting a new school or service, being away from the caregiver for the first time, or smaller transit

Nov 16, 2021 • 33:26

#045: Executive Functioning with Sara Ward

Whether you're working with a young child, teen, or adult, executive functioning skills are among the most critical and practical skills we need. In this interview with Sara Ward, an SLP specializing in executive function, she shares the unique background that makes this work so special to her, as well as some really interesting approaches to assessment and intervention.Many people have different explanations for executive functioning. Sara defines executive functioning for young children in the

Nov 9, 2021 • 43:38

#044.2: How To Help Students With Apraxia of Speech with Dr. Edythe Strand Part 2

Welcome back to part 2 of my interview with Dr. Edythe Strand. If you haven’t listened to part 1, be sure to go back and listen to get the full scoop. Edythe is a very important leader in her field. In addition to the Dynamic Assessment, she also researched and developed a critical treatment for children with severe apraxia, Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing. DTTC, as it is known, is an innovative treatment in which a hierarchy of cues is used to demonstrate and initiate motor-speech skills in

Nov 2, 2021 • 30:36

#044.1: How To Help Students With Apraxia of Speech with Dr. Edythe Strand - Part 1

Welcome to part one of my interview with Dr. Edythe Strand. Edythe was a professor at Mayo College, former head of Division of Speech Pathology, Department of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic, and a practicing Speech Pathologist and clinician. Her research has focused on developmental, acquired, and progressive Apraxia speech.What are the characteristics of Apraxia? Edythe noted that Apraxia is not a medical diagnosis but rather a label for a speech sound disorder. Different from other speech disord

Oct 26, 2021 • 29:30

#043: From Nonspeaking to Professional Speaker - Dr. Kerry Magro’s Autism Communication Journey

In this interview, Dr. Kerry Magro, one of the first speakers who is also autistic,  shares his communication journey.  Kerry was non-speaking at 2.5 and received an official autism diagnosis at 4. Despite not speaking in full sentences until 7 and facing a variety of sensory challenges, the support of his loving family and over 15 years of a multitude of therapies helped him overcome many of his barriers. All of these paved the way for his achievement in a degree in sports management before he

Oct 19, 2021 • 27:01

#042: How to Have Effective Communication With Parents

How are you utilizing effective communication with parents? Parents, how are you effectively communicating with the educators in your child's life? Ria Reive from HiMama is a former early childhood educator. She shares actionable tips to improve communication with parents and teachers. As well as the overall benefit from effective communication in a school setting. You may not see how impactful parent engagement can be in the day-to-day, but down the road, there is going to be an immense be

Oct 12, 2021 • 31:51

#041: What Play Skills Should My Child Have and How Can I Help Them?

Have you ever wondered about how your child should be playing? Today Kayla Chalko,  SLP from Walkie Talkie, talks with me today about the importance of play for learning. We talk all about play milestones and the importance of parent-to-child connection in building up to those. What are the benefits of play? The amount of time that someone could spend doing formal instruction, versus the time spent playing while introducing content, much more information will stick. Shared activities with an adu

Oct 5, 2021 • 33:01

#040: How Can I Help My Child with Expressive Language Delay?

Ineffective communication in all humans, will affect how we behave. Children who cannot communicate, do not have the life experience to handle their feelings and situations and that presents in their behavior. Ashley Scott, SLP-BCBA, shares in this episode the ongoing and intentional processes of building expressive language in children. There is a difference between having vocabulary and functional language skills. A child may be able to count, say their ABCs, or identify color, but they may no

Sep 28, 2021 • 37:58

#039: Autism and Supporting Parents- A Talk with Crystal Sanford

Crystal Sanford is an SLP,  Autism Mom, and owner of Sanford Autism consulting. She is sharing her professional and parental journey. Crystal’s focus is on IEP advocacy and parent support.It's really integral to include parents as part of the team. The whole process can feel daunting for parents. To begin with, parents can feel isolated in dealing, and navigating the special ed process can make it especially hard. Therapists can feel defensive and nervous, but parents can be really overwhel

Sep 21, 2021 • 38:27

#038: How to Help Toddlers and Preschool Aged Students with Autism Communicate

Knowledge is power. When you know more, you’re going to understand more. If you are listening in real-time, my brand new toddler course launches this week! I have created the course, Start Communicating Today, for parents and professionals to help their toddlers and preschool-aged students with Autism communicate. This ASHA-certified course, from the set-up to the material, is parent-friendly. With Covid, there are a lot of families on waitlists or who aren't able to get the service level t

Sep 14, 2021 • 25:50

#037: Language Development Milestones - A Chat with Allison Fors

Allison Fors is an SLP, blogger, and product creator. She has worked in both a school and private setting and is now a stay-at-home mom focusing on her resource creation. Today we’re discussing the big word in the development world; milestones. What does that even mean? A milestone is a skill that 90% of children are doing at that age. The problem is, we often treat milestones as averages when an average is about what 50% of children are doing and that is where you see a bigger gap.When looking

Sep 7, 2021 • 30:48

#036: Supporting Parents and Early Intervention with Jaclynn Bosley

Jaclynn Bosley is a great friend and colleague who I have worked with across many different settings over the years. She is the owner and operator of Thrive Early Learning Center. We discuss the importance of family involvement, some ideas for parents as they’re seeking the support of ABA therapy, and what early intervention looks like in Jaclynn’s center. Getting a new diagnosis can be overwhelming for parents. Jaclyn reminds parents to take a deep breath and go to the expert and have them prov

Aug 31, 2021 • 40:17

#035: Play and Social Skills for Young Autistic Students

As we prepare to go back to the classroom for face-to-face education, I think it's important to talk about play and social skills for our younger students. Unstructured play time can be something students with Autism or other complex communication issues really struggle with.Often these students do not independently engage so it's important to ask, “What can I do to help these kids engage?” As a therapist, my goal is to facilitate peer-to-peer interaction and encourage shared activity.

Aug 24, 2021 • 33:46

#034: SLP and BCBA Collaboration with Eleyonzettah Bonilla

Dual certified SLP-BCBAs are rare in our therapist community, so many providers find it very difficult when collaborating with other professionals who overlap the scope of care. I am discussing a great professional article that tackles this hot topic with my former supervisee and fellow SLP and BCBA, Eleyonzettah E. Bonilla. The article, Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Between Behavior Analysts, and Speech-Language Pathologists, is available on ABAI.For many SLPs or BCABs, it is difficu

Aug 17, 2021 • 30:56

#033: AAC and Autism with Anne Page

We should inspire and not require students when on our journey to beginning communication. Anne Page emphasizes this as she joins me today to discuss her role as an Assistive Technology Lead and the importance of how we use AAC with our students. Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) is a tool that can be used for students with varying needs and  accesses. We discuss the wide variety of applications on the market for use as AAC. Anne gives us some points of thought for parents and profess

Aug 10, 2021 • 38:19

#032: AAC and Evidenced Based Practice with Kate Grandbois

AAC is a special space that crosses over through many shared professional settings. Kate Granbois joins us on the episode today to talk about her job as an AAC specialist, the ins and outs of  Augmentative Alternative Communication, and getting comfortable with the process. Kate warns about her title of “AAC Specialist”, while it's a real job and title, and she holds a lot of knowledge on this topic, it's important for many other professionals in the AAC user’s life to be empowered in

Aug 3, 2021 • 40:48

#031: Parent Training and Speech Therapy with Nikki McRory

The family-centered approach is a key component of therapy at Nikki McRory’s facilities, McRory Pediatric Services. Nikki is on the podcast today, sharing how she uses a transdisciplinary approach for speech therapy. She uses the Behavior Skills Training framework in her early intervention programs with both the parents and the learners.What are the steps for Behavior Skills Training with parents?Step One: InformationExplain what the skill you're working on is and why it is important. This

Jul 27, 2021 • 36:44

#030: Functional Social Skill Instruction - A Chat with Ashley Rose

Social Skills are more than just etiquette and manners. Ashley Rose, founder and clinical director of Mission Cognition Social Skills Development Center, is here with me sharing about the importance of social skill instruction. Ashley describes social skills as the inner workings of social interaction. She takes a very individualized approach when deciding exactly what to work on by learning what exactly is making it difficult for an individual to have positive interactions with themselves or ot

Jul 20, 2021 • 34:19

#029: Play-Based Therapy - A Conversation with Emily Cohen

Play-Based Speech Therapy can open the door to so much interaction. My guest, Emily Cohen, talks about using Play-Based Therapy with her clients and all of the benefits it can provide. Emily Cohen works with families with children as young as 15 months old, coaching the parents. We talk about all the elements of play, interaction, and language and I share some pretty cute anecdotes from my therapy experiences with play. Engagement is such a huge part, and the more they are engaged the more meani

Jul 13, 2021 • 34:56

#028: The Power of Language Samples For Assessment and Intervention - A Talk with Marisha Mets

We have school-based SLP, Marisha Mets with us today. Marisha talks with us about the benefits of using language samples, her tips and tricks, as well as resources from her blog SLP Now. She talks about the origin of these resources, that many teachers and SLPs can relate with. A heavy caseload and a necessity to be efficient led Marisha in the direction she is now to share these tips with other SLPs.We discuss the basics of what a language sample actually is, snapshots of the students' use

Jul 6, 2021 • 32:33

#027: Early Intervention Tips - Embedding Language into Everyday Routines With Kimberly Scanlon

Today I have Kimberly Scanlon, licensed and certified speech-language pathologist, best-selling author, and fellow busy parent. She has written two great books in the world of speech therapy, Toddler Talks and My Toddler’s First Words. Kimberly works as a private practice speech therapist doing primarily home-based visits and she is here giving us some tips on how to build early interventions into day-to-day life.Because Kimberly is a home-based therapist, she has less barriers in communicating

Jun 29, 2021 • 40:28

#026: Parents as an Important Part of the Therapeutic Team with Lindsey Nitake

Speech and language development is more than just the words being produced and children need to be emotionally supported and encouraged to communicate. Parental involvement is critical, but professionals are often so focused on the kids that they don’t notice the parents are depleted. Lindsey Nitake uses her Help Me Grow Speech social media accounts to get information out there.Every family is different and unique and the tools we offer need to be adapted to fit with a family’s style, so listeni

Jun 22, 2021 • 33:39

#025: Where to Start with Communication Intervention with Lori Frost

Lori Frost is a traditionally trained speech-language pathologist who has spent most of her 40-year career in public schools working with preschool and elementary kids. She met Dr. Andy Bondy when she was working in the Delaware Autism Program and that’s when she began learning about applied behavior analysis. This fundamentally changed her practice and made her more aware of what was leading to good outcomes and what was leading to poorer outcomes for the students she worked with.When she was w

Jun 15, 2021 • 32:54

#024: Apraxia of Speech- Characteristics, Resources and an SLP Mom’s Journey with Laura Smith

Laura Smith was a speech-language pathologist, mostly in elementary education, before her children were born. After her daughter was born, she realized that she wasn’t reaching her developmental milestones. She crawled and walked late and feeding, dressing, and speech were also delayed. When her daughter was diagnosed with apraxia, she focused her professional interest on learning everything she could about it and started her private practice specializing in childhood apraxia.For many parents, t

Jun 8, 2021 • 41:03

#023: Reading Strategies for All Learners - An Interview with Chloe Hill

Whether you’re a professional or a parent, you can use these strategies from Chloe Hill in the classroom, in therapy, or at home. As a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, Chloe’s focused on pre-reading or emerging reading skills. She works with students to help them develop phonological awareness. For young readers, it can be as simple as:Becoming aware of lettersUnderstanding that letters stand for somethingExposing them to booksPointing out print while out in publicChloe and I also cover so

Jun 1, 2021 • 35:24

#022: Autism as a Family Experience - An Interview with Michele Portlock

Michele’s oldest daughter’s first word was “calculator”. Because she was highly verbal and  seemed to need less intervention, Michele struggle to get a diagnosis for her. Her second son’s presented quite differently, but Michele suspected that he too had autism. Knowing that early intervention was key, Michele was so disappointed to realize that it took until they were pre-teens to get help. She just wanted to understand why her children behaved the way that they do, and this sent her on a journ

May 25, 2021 • 38:57

#021: Learning and Living an Adventure Filled Life with Her 2 Sons with Autism- A Talk with Kelsey General

After Kelsey’s son started seeing a speech regression at 15 months old, she started on the journey to have him diagnosed. Pretty soon she realized that her second son was also exhibiting many of the same signs. Kelsey moved from Alaska to Canada because she hoped that universal healthcare would help her, but the waitlists in Canada were so long that she soon saw that without taking a more active role in therapy, she wouldn’t have good services for her sons.When the local therapy center told Kels

May 18, 2021 • 35:01

#020: Generalization and Embedding Communication - A Discussion with Braxton Baker

How do you differentiate your speech therapy work from your autism work? Does it even matter? Serving the whole child, Braxton Baker, an SLP, and BCBA is a huge advocate of the big picture approach to therapy. For him, ABA gave him the vocabulary to describe what he's doing, which he can, in turn, apply everywhere. For me, after ten years of being both an SLP and BCBA, I can agree with him. ABA is just how my brain works now, and it helps me approach life with a better understanding of the

May 11, 2021 • 41:42

#019: The Power of Teletherapy to Help Students Here and Abroad - A Talk with Erin Long

Since July 2010, Erin Long has been the president and founder of Worldwide Speech. Parents who are living abroad may find themselves seeking specialized speech therapy, but for whatever reason, they’re struggling to find speech-language therapists in the countries they’re living in. That’s where Erin’s company steps in. Her services have expanded over the last decade, and she calls herself “a special ed company for anyone living abroad”. Erin spent a lot of time proving that teletherapy can work

May 4, 2021 • 31:46

#018: The Importance of Dreaming Big and Listening - An Inspiring Chat with Landria Seals Green

Landria Seals Green’s mother says, “A child’s education is as good as the adult in front of them.” With that as her mantra, Landria became a medical-based SLP. For 20+ years, she’s focused on AAC technology, and she’s done a lot of AT work. At a Verbal Behavior workshop, she saw Dr. Vince Carbone present what she describes as speech therapy on steroids. She felt confident about her work as an SLP, but in order to become the best kind of therapist and to improve her marketability, she knew that s

Apr 27, 2021 • 30:59

#017: Creative Ideas for Therapy with Older Students - A Chat with Chris Wenger of Speech Dude

Chris Wenger, whom you might also know as Speech Dude, comes from a family of educators. He started off as a special ed teacher, but he moved into the speech-language field when he realized that the tools he needed to help students were in speech pathology. Because he’s been on both sides of the IEP table, and because he was a teacher first, he’s seen a wide variety of students and he knows how to write an IEP that ropes in parents. Today we have a fantastic conversation about creating a curricu

Apr 20, 2021 • 28:53

#016: Creating Environments For All Autistic Individuals to Communicate | Interview with Nathan Morgan

As a young child, Nathan Morgan was diagnosed with autism. Along his journey of speech therapy, IEPs, and occupational therapy, he felt inspired to give back to his community so he went into social work. Today, through his day job and his self-advocacy work, Nathan supports families who are trying to navigate what autism means.Within the autism community, people have different ways they like to interact with other people. Some may prefer a blend of verbal and sign language, or only verbal, or so

Apr 13, 2021 • 33:26

#015: Help Me Find My Voice Course

Are you nervous before a therapy session because you don’t know how it will go? Let’s make therapy fun and functional again by giving you the tools you need to reach every single one of your students. If you have students with autism and they’re not making a lot of progress, or you’ve used every trick in the book to help a student and you’re stumped, my course Help Me Find My Voice is a great next step for you.Inside Help Me Find My Voice, you’ll learn:Assessments to use with studentsCommon SLP

Apr 6, 2021 • 21:21

#014: Autism Diagnosis and Intervention with Help Me Find My Voice Alumni- Deidra Darst (SLP)

Recently, Deidra Darst was able to take her son who has autism to get his first big haircut in four years in a salon. Using tips she learned in my Help Me Find My Voice course, Deidra’s son has really grown in his communication abilities. As a Speech Language Pathologist, Deidra has seen first hand how ABA techniques can blend or enhance the work she does with clients. You’re going to love hearing how BCBAs and SLPS can collaborate to help students find ways to share their voices.In her work as

Mar 30, 2021 • 33:50

#013: Strategies for Generalizing Language Skills with Katie Castro

How do we help our students generalize their language skills in the community and the larger school environment? Fellow “unicorn”, BCBA, and SLP, Katie Castro is an alumni of my Help Me Find My Voice course, and she’s also a clinical director of speech therapy at Children’s Autism Center.You can’t just hope that a student figures out how to generalize on their own. As therapists, we can build a system that helps lead them to generalize. Generalization is teaching students to apply skills in diff

Mar 23, 2021 • 37:03

#012: Autism Therapy and the Importance of Play with Liz Willis

There are times I feel stressed as a therapist because I want to get through all of the goals for my therapy session, so that’s why I love Liz’s playful approach to therapy. Liz Willis is an SLP who went back to school for her BCBA so that she could provide speech therapy and ABA services. Her dual degrees have made her feel more confident in the services that she provides, and you can really see how they inform how she structures her therapy sessions.It can be tempting to jump straight into the

Mar 16, 2021 • 26:24

#011: AAC Assessment and Intervention- SLP and OT collaboration with The Fanny Pack Therapists

Have you ever worked with a student who needs an AAC, but you don’t know which one would work best for them? If you have, then you’ll appreciate this episode. Annabeth and Mara from The Fanny Pack Therapist have found that their respective therapy styles, as a speech language pathologist and an occupational therapist, mesh so well that they teamed up to help more students.Annabeth and Mara love how AACs empower students to find ways to communicate their thoughts and needs with the people around

Mar 9, 2021 • 34:13

#010: Getting Started With AAC- An Interview with Susan Berkowitz

Something I find so inspiring is to watch a student find a way to communicate with the people who exist in their world. For over 47 years, Susan Berkowitz has been helping students with autism learn to communicate by whatever means are necessary. Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Susan is reaching students who are complete non-speakers or who struggle to communicate the full range of their thoughts and feelings.Susan has a wealth of knowledge, and she’s passionate about hel

Mar 2, 2021 • 35:47

#009: Autism Social Skills from Assessment to Intervention with Shayna Gaunt

Can you imagine if someone stood over you and evaluated your behavior with a clipboard while you were trying to act naturally? Organically evaluating your student or client’s progress while they participate in group activities can be a challenge, but it’s one that Shayna Gaunt happily takes on.There are a variety of assessments that are available to use to help you figure out where a student is at, and Shayna often combines assessments because none of them are completely perfect. She’s rewritten

Feb 23, 2021 • 34:13

#008: Autism Early Signs and Intervention with Dr. Mary Barbera

The day before his 3rd birthday, Dr. Mary Barbera’s son Lucas was diagnosed with moderate-to-severe autism, and she felt like she’d fallen into a hole. Even though she had a nursing background, she still felt completely unprepared to help her son. Lucas wouldn’t keep his clothes on, he only spoke pop-out words, and she had no idea how to even start helping him.Like many other parents, Mary took on the role of the lead therapist as she worked to find proven therapies and techniques that would hel

Feb 16, 2021 • 40:22

#007: Autism Social Skills: Answering and Asking Questions with Lisa Chattler

Lisa Chattler works with middle school and high school students as an SLP. In this podcast, we talk about how to teach conversation-based skills to students who are struggling with asking and answering questions. All of us learn some form of “faking it”, where we pretend to be interested in casual small talk with strangers or acquaintances. For children with autism, this back-and-forth can be even harder as they learn to ask and answer questions while actively listening to their conversational p

Feb 9, 2021 • 27:19

#006: Autism Early Intervention Foundation Skills For Toddlers with Cari Ebert

Pediatric speech-pathologist Cari Ebert’s passion is the birth to three stages where she focuses on laying the foundation for children to begin to speak. And even though my focus is on middle schoolers with autism, we have a similar approach to teaching children. I loved hearing how Cari lays down a solid foundation of nonverbal skills before she moves on to teaching speech.A big focus of Cari’s therapy work is setting a child up for success by teaching them how to “learn to learn”. Speech thera

Feb 2, 2021 • 37:39

#005: Social Skill Instruction and Teletherapy with Tricia Detig

Working on social skills virtually presents its own special challenge, and I am so excited to talk with Tricia Detig from Detig Dialect about strategies she uses in her virtual therapy sessions. Tricia works with children in grades 6-8, and she really feels like these students are thriving academically with virtual work.However, being at home and away from constant peer interaction means that students are even more distracted by phones and everything going on around them, and their therapy sessi

Jan 26, 2021 • 30:01

#004: Building Engagement For Students With Autism with Jessie Ginsburg

Have you ever worked with students who have trouble engaging in a session? If you have, then you’ll love this conversation with Jessie Ginsburg. As a speech pathologist and the CEO of Pediatric Therapy Playhouse in Los Angeles, Jessie helps young kids on the autism spectrum build foundational skills.For SLPs, one of the biggest misconceptions is that we’re supposed to immediately start working on speech when a child walks in the door. But without foundational skills in place, we won’t be able to

Jan 19, 2021 • 22:43

#003: Autism Speech Therapy IEP Goals

For emerging communicators, defining goals can be so stressful. I want to help relieve that overwhelmed feeling for you that I often had at the beginning of my practice. As you create speech therapy IEP goals, I want you to keep in mind how assessment, collaboration, and functional goals all work together to support and sustain the student as they work with you throughout the year.One of the common tools used in the classroom is a standardized test, but for students with autism, this may not giv

Jan 12, 2021 • 28:05

#002: Autism Teletherapy Strategies

I have a great routine established for my students when we’re in person. I love working on yoga with them because I think it’s a lifelong leisure skill. I use cards to demonstrate the yoga pose we’re going to practice and then together we hold the pose for ten seconds. This year, as so many of my tools have had to be adjusted to fit into teletherapy, I’ve been happy to see that I can still do yoga with my students virtually.For many of us, flexing into the teletherapy space has proven to be a ch

Jan 5, 2021 • 30:20

#001: Welcome to Autism Outreach

One of the most meaningful moments I had as a speech therapist was as I was watching a mentor work with a student over the age of 18. She was teaching him to use a static device to request the things that he enjoyed, and it was such a joy to watch him find a way to communicate with the world.In this podcast series, I’m going to teach strategies that help children with autism learn to communicate. As a Speech-Language Pathologist and a board-certified behavior analyst, I love working in both publ

Dec 29, 2020 • 19:24