The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals
Rose Griffin
251 episodes
2 days ago
Erin Stern, BCBA, Founder and President of STEPS Behavioral Health, shares how her clinic takes an integrative approach by combining ABA, Speech, OT, and PT to support early learners. With a strong focus on flexibility and tailoring every goal to the individual, Erin highlights the importance of thoughtful intake and assessment, working closely with families, preparing children for school, and weaving in everyday experiences and milestones. Erin discusses the clinic’s Early Steps Program, whi...
All content for The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals is the property of Rose Griffin and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Erin Stern, BCBA, Founder and President of STEPS Behavioral Health, shares how her clinic takes an integrative approach by combining ABA, Speech, OT, and PT to support early learners. With a strong focus on flexibility and tailoring every goal to the individual, Erin highlights the importance of thoughtful intake and assessment, working closely with families, preparing children for school, and weaving in everyday experiences and milestones. Erin discusses the clinic’s Early Steps Program, whi...
On today’s episode, I’m joined by Allyson Wharam, BCBA, instructional designer, and founder of Sidekick Learning. Allyson is the creator of one of the most comprehensive and thoughtfully designed 40-hour RBT courses I’ve come across. Her background in instructional design brings a fresh and interactive approach to RBT and BCBA training. We talk about how the RBT certification has grown rapidly and why quality training is more important than ever. Allyson explains what goes into becoming an R...
Jennifer Houston joins me to share her journey from speech‑language pathologist (SLP) to dual‑credentialed SLP/Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)—a rare “unicorn” duo found in fewer than 500 professionals worldwide. After more than two decades of diverse SLP roles, Jennifer found herself increasingly drawn to addressing challenging behaviors across her caseload. Motivated by this evolving passion and a push from her boss, she pursued BCBA certification, blending her communication experti...
We’ve made it to the final installment of my mini summer series! In today’s episode, I’m asking an important question: Do you feel valued at work? Feeling valued and building mutual trust are key ingredients for meaningful collaboration, which is essential in the work we do as providers. I’m sharing practical, collaborative phrases you can use to build trust and strengthen your professional relationships. (You’ll also find a link to a free phrase bank—a helpful part of a larger freebie I offe...
Welcome to Part 3 of my mini-series answering your burning questions! Today, we're diving into the topic of verbal imitation. When it comes to verbal imitation and echoic goals, context is everything. These goals must be functional and meaningful to the individual child in order to support communication development. As an SLP collaborating with a BCBA, and vice versa, rely on assessment tools and an SLP's robust training in speech to identify and shape functional goals. It's crucial that we p...
In this installment of minisodes, we tackle a common AAC challenge: what happens when professionals don’t agree? The BCBA recommends PECS, the SLP suggests a dynamic device… Now what? Welcome to the standard trial of non-collaborative chaos. There are plenty of barriers to AAC collaboration, but also practical steps that can lead to smoother teamwork. The first is building familiarity. AAC can feel overwhelming, but taking time to learn the basics makes collaboration more effective. One key r...
Responding with “Where’s the research for that?” may be quick, but it can strain professional relationships. Today, we’re diving into a simple framework you can start using in your school or clinic—starting tomorrow! So, how do we navigate disagreements when our training and backgrounds differ? The truth is—our way isn’t the only way. Consider this quote from the article Maintaining Professional Relationships in an Interdisciplinary Setting: Strategies for Navigating Nonbehavioral Treatment R...
There may be two sides of the IEP table, but at the end of the day, we’re all on the same team — the learner’s. I had the pleasure of chatting with Ryan Hogan, also known as @TheWorldsOkayestSchoolPsych, the creator behind the popular, lighthearted school psych meme account on Instagram. We talked about the intersection of ABA, special education, and school-based work in the social media space. Ryan shared some great insights, especially the reminder that you control your own online space. Pr...
Leila Farschian, Special Educator and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), is someone who gets things done. She has lived these problems in the field and is actively working to solve them. Her story offers practical insight and inspiration to you in your daily work. As founder of the Global Schoolhouse Project, Leila partners with the International Healthcare Network on Closing the Digital Divide, a project bringing digital devices into schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s no...
I am talking all things biz with Mellanie Page, founder and CEO of The ABA Collective. Mellanie, a trailblazer in the field, creates high-quality programs that go beyond the traditional boundaries of ABA. Mellanie joins us to talk about entrepreneurship, finding your niche, and the value of starting before everything feels perfect. If you’ve got that entrepreneurial spark, a voice nudging you toward something more —you’re in the right place. Mellanie shares how stepping into the gaps she saw ...
For BCBA Maggie Haraburda, founder of Unfurling Littles, play is anything that sparks joy. Her approach to ABA therapy blends child-led play with ACT-integrated strategies, centering on the child’s motivation and individuality. In our conversation, Maggie highlights the “Dos and Don’ts” of play therapy: join the child’s world before introducing new elements, build from what already brings them joy, and act as a play partner—not a director. Her neurodiversity-affirming lens means recognizing a...
As someone who goes to yoga a few times a week, I was intrigued at the possibility of integrating it into my therapy practice. Lindsay Watkins is a BCBA and Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) with a passion for blending wellness and applied behavior analysis. Lindsay teaches continuing education (CEUs) to BCBAs on this topic on BehaviorLive (her next training is scheduled for June 2, 2025). Here, Lindsay shares her journey from burning out as a special ed teacher to discovering yoga therapy an...
Have you ever considered adding ABA services to your speech therapy practice? Today I had a chat with Quintina Briscoe, founder of Pediatric Speech Lab, who shares her inspiring journey to opening her own clinic. Quintina discusses how she recognized a gap in services for children with autism and the importance of integrating ABA into speech therapy to better support her clients. She reflects on the behavioral challenges many SLPs face and how inclusive, multidisciplinary therapy can make a l...
Lauren Ross is a proud member of a rare group—one of fewer than 500 professionals dually certified as both a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). In 2022, she founded Precision Therapy, a Medicaid-funded therapeutic consultation service designed to deliver impactful, client-centered care. Her innovative model blends naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) with hands-on caregiver training to support meaningful, individualized goals....
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 o...
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 F...
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 ...
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 candida...
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 ...
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 t...
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 specifi...
The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals
Erin Stern, BCBA, Founder and President of STEPS Behavioral Health, shares how her clinic takes an integrative approach by combining ABA, Speech, OT, and PT to support early learners. With a strong focus on flexibility and tailoring every goal to the individual, Erin highlights the importance of thoughtful intake and assessment, working closely with families, preparing children for school, and weaving in everyday experiences and milestones. Erin discusses the clinic’s Early Steps Program, whi...
