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 ...

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 t...

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 s...

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! Fo...

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 Echolali...

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 researchers...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

*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...

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...

“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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

Replay: Episode 107 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...

Replay: Episode 105 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 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 Today Books Books are the lifeline for learning and sharing activities and...

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...