In this episode, I have a conversation with Dr. Jared Schultz, Professor, and Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling at the Virginia Commonwealth University. We explore the importance of informed choice when helping an adolescent on the autism or disability spectrum transition to adulthood, when professionals can unintentionally derail person-centered planning, and the power of experience in self-driven motivation and empowerment. Jared is a wealth of information and his ability to share his expertise in a kind, clear, and relatable way is a true gift.

Find out more about Jared here. 

In this episode, I'm so excited to welcome David Sharif, Global Autism Advocate and Motivational Speaker. David helps me kick off National Bullying Prevention Month by honoring us with a conversation about Bully Perseverance and his personal experience with bullying. David empowers the audience with how he has positively managed his bullying experiences and offers hope to others on the Autism Spectrum.  

Want to learn more about David? There are so many ways! Website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, [email protected] and phone (310-739-1272)

In this episode, I interview Dr. Laurie Stevens, the Senior Director of Autism Programming at The Help Group, a Licensed Psychologist in Private Practice, and one of my professional mentors. Laurie is well-known as a savvy, creative, and practical therapist, writing fun and effective curriculums that empower the lives of neurodiverse individuals. These days, Laurie is especially focused on the development of the theory of mind and how these skills work together to improve everyday functioning. We also touch upon the use of social autopsies, the importance of social repairs, and the greyscale of social functioning. I’ve had the honor of having so many of these conversations with Laurie over my professional career and I’m so excited to share one with you. It’s my hope that something you hear today will positively impact your life, even if in a small way. 

Email for Dr. Laurie - [email protected] 

About Dr. Laurie - https://www.thehelpgroup.org/administration/ 

In this episode, I interview Erik Linthorst, producer of acclaimed Autism Goes to College, a documentary that follows 5 autistic students throughout their college journey. We talk about the many options for placement and support in the college setting and how important it is to be able to see what college can look like for our neurodiverse population. Erik also shares that Autism Goes to College has a new podcast and will be launching an online resource center to help autistic adults make college a successful reality. As a bonus, Erik shares his top consideration for parents who are evaluating college placements for their autistic teens.   

To find out more about Autism Goes to College, click here. 

In this episode, Dr. Jamie Barstein and I welcome Dr. Eileen Crehan from Tufts University. We discuss how to positively support sexual curiosity in our neurodiverse community and inevitably explore factors surrounding pornography and masturbation. I love that we can have a real conversation about sexual development, where we healthily disrupt social and societal norms and empower through good information. I hope that the information shared in this interview helps you navigate the complex waters of sexual development that are just right for you and your family.

In this episode, I interview Julia Moluf, Residential Manager at Best Buddies. I get an update on Best Buddies and what this infamous organization is up to these days. We do a deep dive into the Best Buddies Living Program and I learn about their living model and how it aims to promote the independence of disabled adults while keeping true to inclusion. Julia and I have a fun conversation about necessary mindsets to have when working in our community and discuss the importance of presuming competence and putting disabled adults front and center in their lives…which is exactly where they need to be.

To find out more about the Best Buddies Living Program, click here. 

In this episode, I interview Dr. Hilya Tehrani, a Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Connected Strides, a psychological practice dedicated to the therapy and assessment of individuals with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and trauma. Dr. Hilya and I talk about the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and deconstruct the best and worst applications for ABA in the treatment of individuals on the autism (ASD) and disability spectrum. As two clinical psychologists who have been in this field for a while, we can’t help but explore the importance of person-centered treatment, the role of trust and respect in a therapeutic relationship, paying attention to individual differences, and delivering treatment with intentionality. Having a conversation with Hilya is always been a grounding experience for me. Her expertise and deep care for what she does always shines through. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Hilya.

 To find out more about Dr. Hilya and Connected Strides, click here. 

In this episode, I interview Maureen and Josh White, founders of Red Mountain, a premier young adult residential transition program that is grounded in mindfulness, empowerment, and person-centered experiential treatment. Maureen and Josh help me understand the 4 phases of their model, which aims to internalize positive change through practice and application while embracing human messiness. We also explore the importance of experience, noticing, contentment, and the power of disrupting behaviors that don’t serve our best living. I found an instant connection with this power couple and had to stop myself from having more fun with them. If Red Mountain reflects Maureen and Josh’s expertise, thoughtfulness, and compassion, it is a place like no other.

Find out more about Red Mountain Sedona here, Red Mountain Colorado here, and their awesome YouTube channel here. 

In this episode, I interview Nadia Hamilton, Founder of MagnusMode, a company dedicated to making the world accessible to all. We discuss MagnusMode’s flagship product, Magnus Cards, which is an app that has visual and interactive card decks of skills and routines across 12 categories of living. While MagnusMode was initially designed for the autistic community, Nadia discusses other applications that fulfill her mission to make the world a more accessible place. For Nadia, creating MagnusMode has become more than just helping her brother, she’s now a mission to shift the attitudes and perceptions of the disabled and to remove the barriers that affect an individual’s ability to thrive in today’s world…and to drive home her seriousness of removing barriers and increasing accessibility…MagnusCards is free for users. Check out my interview with Nadia. She’s an inspiration.

To find out more about magnusmode and magnuscards, click here. 

In this episode, I interview Nicole Balinghoff, BCBA and Regional Director of Kyo, an ABA agency that is trying to redefine the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis. Nicole and I talk about what ABA is, what it looks like, and how it works in real-time. We explore why ABA has gotten a bad rap and how Kyo is disrupting traditional ABA practice by focusing on client and family strengths and using relationships as the primary driver in client-centered treatment. We end the interview with Nicole’s favorite behavioral strategy and the one skill she loves to empower in others.

If you are interested in finding out more about Kyo, click here.