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 points to ensure alignment.
• Information Exchange—Share insights in a way that invites engagement: "Would it help if I shared some strategies?"

Using motivational interviewing keeps conversations about change productive, builds trust, and supports meaningful discussions across all professional dialogue with parents and colleagues.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is Motivational Interviewing?
• How open ended questions can build rapport and gather information
• Using Affirmations in professional dialogue

Mentioned In This Episode:

Dr. Monica Gilbert
Motivational Interviewing Academy
Membership - ABA Speech
ABA Speech: Home

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, as the focus is on skill exposure rather than mastery, creating opportunities for participation at varying levels.

Each group consists of 5–6 students, each supported by a 1:1 aide, alongside a specialist (SLP, OT, PT) and a group leader. The framework includes:

1. Selecting a theme (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.).
2. Adapting a story/song for accessibility.
3. Identifying vocabulary using a language board.
4. Asking WH-questions, allowing responses through speech or AAC.
5. Engaging in a supplemental activity, such as an OT craft or a PT movement task.

Looking ahead, Gabriella and Jen are exploring ways to measure skill acquisition, enhance motivation, incorporate high-tech AAC, and share their resources more broadly—paving the way for more inclusive and meaningful learning experiences.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Small groups foster an inclusive learning approach.
• The repeatable framework of theme-based collaborative groups.
• The value of skill exposure.
• An environment that increases multidisciplinary support.
• Future goals for theme-based collaborative groups.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Membership - ABA Speech
ABA Speech: Home

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 doctor, eventually becoming a bestselling author in his own right. JD credits autism for giving him a unique mental edge—he can juggle eight books at once, all meticulously organized in his head. While public speaking remains a challenge—he once went two years without speaking to anyone—he now co-hosts Writers Inc., a podcast where he interviews fellow authors about their creative journeys.

As a therapist who works to make learners successful across the lifespan, it’s interesting and encouraging to hear from autistic adults. You can find more about JD at his website or follow him @JDBarker on all social media.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• The impact of a late autism diagnosis.
• How autism-related skills positively impact JDs career.
• Working through social skills as an autistic adult.

Mentioned In This Episode:
J.D. Barker
Membership - ABA Speech
ABA Speech: Home

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 through his conference talks, educator training, and his book, The Neurodiversity Playbook.

Expecting neurodivergent students to thrive without tailored support is like asking a child to ride a bike without training wheels or a helmet. Their brains aren’t wired to naturally absorb social and emotional skills in the same way neurotypical peers do. But research shows that with intentional, structured support, these learners become more social, adaptable, and engaged.

This creates a powerful cycle: when students do better, they feel better—and when they feel better, they do even better.

Dr. Matt offers practical resources for neurodivergent individuals and those who support them, aiming to foster environments where every learner can succeed.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is Nuerodivergent and does it apply to?
• Outlining the manifestations of ADHD
• Supporting learners in social emotional learning.

Mentioned In This Episode:

Dr Matt Zakreski
Dr. Matt Zakreski on Facebook
Matthew Zakreski on LinkedIn
Dr. Matt Zakreski (@drmattzakreski) on Instagram
ABA Speech: Home

​​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 learner. This case highlights an essential responsibility: ethical collaboration to support the best possible outcomes for our learners.

I also encourage you to check out the Systematic Review on Gestalt Language Processing published in December 2024. The review summary concluded that there is currently insufficient empirical evidence to support GLP as an effective intervention. As providers, it’s our duty to evaluate emerging practices while ensuring our approaches remain evidence-based.

At ABA Speech, our mission is to equip professionals with the tools they need to help autistic learners communicate with the world. We do this one CEU at a time. If you haven’t taken our ethics course, “Navigating Conflict Ethically,” which focuses on AAC, Verbal Imitation, and Gestalt Language Processing, consider exploring it through the ABA Speech Connection Membership.

By fostering collaboration, prioritizing ethics, and staying informed, we can create meaningful communication opportunities for every learner.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is GLP?
• What is NLA?
• Specific case study for conflict surrounding Gestalt
• Systematic Review on Gestalt Language Processing.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Take the ethics course by joining the ABA Speech Connection
Read the systematic review
ABA Speech: Home

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 peaceful learning space.

Where to start?
Bailey emphasizes teaching essential skills using a clear framework: Why is it important? What is it? How does it look in practice? Today, we explore descriptive praise—a powerful tool for guiding children toward positive behaviors. Unlike general praise, descriptive praise explicitly recounts a child’s actions, showing them how to access attention appropriately without resorting to behaviors that produce a barrier to learning.

With teachers already overwhelmed, strategies like descriptive praise offer a simple yet proactive way to remove learning barriers. By intentionally reinforcing desired behaviors, educators can create a more structured, supportive environment—one where every child has the opportunity to succeed.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• How to break through barriers to learning.
• Teaching skills to transform behavior.
• What is descriptive praise, and how can it help?

Mentioned In This Episode:

Behavior Breakthrough: 12 Skills to Transform Behavior at Home and in the Classroom
Bailey Payne
Behavior Breakthrough with Bailey Payne (@behavior_breakthrough) on Instagram
BehaviorBreakthrough (@behaviorbreakthro) on TikTok
ABA Speech: Home
Join the aba speech connection membership

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, learn, and grow.

Block coding provides a visual, user-friendly way for students to collaborate, think critically, and express creativity. Through structured lesson plans designed for every skill level, students practice parallel play, teamwork, and problem-solving while building confidence in a fun and supportive environment. Teachers receive free resources, professional development, and in-class demos to integrate coding into their classrooms effortlessly.

At the heart of the program is DASH, a special robot (there’s a virtual version too) that students bring to life through their own coding. DASH moves, makes sounds, and responds to their commands, making coding an interactive, hands-on experience that reinforces both technical and social skills.

Project Social Code is more than just a STEM program—it’s an opportunity for every child to develop essential life skills, build new interests, and be part of an inclusive learning experience. And best of all, it’s free. Learn more and access resources at Project Social Code’s website.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is Project Social Code?
• How can you use block coding to work on social skills?
• Free information, resources, and tools.

Mentioned In This Episode:

Project Social Code
ABA Speech: Home
Join the aba speech connection membership

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.

While there are no evidence-based strategies yet, emerging approaches emphasize collaboration over compliance. Rather than coercion, effective support comes from building trusting relationships, presenting expectations in a meaningful way, and embedding socio-emotional learning opportunities. The focus is not just on moving away from discomfort but helping individuals experience it with compassion and cooperation. As caregivers and clinicians, we must lend our calm, practice emotional intelligence, and reflect on how we show up in these interactions.

Although research in the U.S. is still developing, Dr. Selbst and Dr. Cruz recommend the UK-based PDA Society as a valuable resource for further information.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is PDA?
• What causes Anxiety Based Drive for Control?
• What strategies can be used to work with learners with PDA?
• Do all learners with PDA have autism?

Mentioned In This Episode:

Dr. Selbst and Dr. Cruz have the authority to practice interjurisdictional telepsychology (APIT) from the PSYPACT commission, allowing her to provide telepsychology to clients in many states. To see if your state is included, please click on this link: https://psypact.site-ym.com/page/psypactmap

PDA Society
Behavior Therapy Associates
ABA Speech: Home
Join the aba speech connection membership