#254: Early Intervention and Communication with Marie Martinez

Strong collaboration doesn't happen by accident. It takes intentional systems, ongoing communication, and a team that's willing to grow together! Dr. Stephanie Nostin shares how she helped build speech and occupational therapy services within Verbal Beginnings, a large ABA organization. I love hearing how her team has created systems that make interdisciplinary collaboration more effective while supporting clinicians and families. We explore how technology can simplify data collection, strea...

I’m joined by Elaine Keuning and Dr. Sarah Heller to explore what meaningful collaboration between speech therapy and ABA can look like, especially when supporting AAC users with complex communication needs. We talk about those sometimes “prickly” beginnings between professionals and how curiosity, respect, and a shared goal can help teams find common ground. We also dig into AAC beyond programming. A communication device needs to travel with the learner, become part of everyday routines, and...

Teaching someone to say “no” is just as important as teaching them to say “yes.” I’m joined by Cristina Theis, Director of Training & Educational Development at Firefly Autism, to explore what assent-based care actually looks like in practice, especially when supporting autistic learners with complex communication and behavioral needs. We talk about moving beyond simply using terms like assent-based or trauma-informed and making sure those values show up in our everyday clinical decisions...

Three hundred episodes, six years of learning together, and so many meaningful connections along the way. What better way to celebrate than with a little reflection, practical insight, and fun? For this milestone, I’m welcoming back my friend and colleague Dr. Ron DeMuesy. We talk about how much the field has changed, Ron’s journey to earning his PhD, and his work supporting compassionate approaches to severe problem behavior in public schools. Ron also shares practical thoughts on PFA, SBT, ...

What are clinicians really asking when they want to feel more confident supporting autistic learners? I’m answering the five questions that show up most often in my inbox, DMs, course evaluations, and conversations with members of the ABA Speech Connection. AAC is at the top of the list. I’m sharing why becoming comfortable with a learner’s device matters, what to consider during the AAC assessment process, and why vocabulary should be meaningful across the learner’s day. Our students deserve...