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 access to communication now, not after we feel perfectly prepared.

I’m also digging into SLP-BCBA collaboration and gestalt language processing. Curiosity, communication, and strong soft skills can make a huge difference when professionals approach treatment differently. We can stay grounded in evidence-based practice while listening to one another and keeping the learner at the center.

We’ll also look at joint attention, naturalistic intervention, and parent training. Whether we’re using books, music, and play or helping families understand communication goals, we need to know why we’re teaching a skill and how it will make a meaningful difference in everyday life.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Getting started with AAC assessment, vocabulary, and implementation
• Strengthening SLP-BCBA collaboration, especially around AAC and gestalt language processing
• Building joint attention through naturalistic, functional intervention
• Making parent training more meaningful by understanding communication goals and developmental milestones

Mentioned In This Episode:
Gestalt Super Pack
ASHA
Episode #121: Core Vocabulary and Typical Language Development with Allison Bean and Bethany Frick Semmler
Say It With Me by Rose Griffin
AAC Mastery for SLPs and BCBAs
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

Selective mutism isn’t a choice, defiance, or simply being shy. It’s about being unable to speak when speaking is socially expected because anxiety can make communication feel incredibly difficult.

Chelsea Gamache brings such an important perspective to this topic, both as a BCBA and as someone diagnosed with selective mutism at age five. We talk about what selective mutism can actually look like, including whispering, using an altered voice, or communicating freely at home while being unable to speak at school or in the community.

One of my biggest takeaways is the importance of meeting learners where they are. We can use behavioral principles like positive reinforcement, gradual exposure, shaping, stimulus fading, and visual supports, but we also have to understand the anxiety component. Communication should never become something we pressure out of a learner.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Why selective mutism is different from shyness, defiance, or choosing not to speak
• How pressure to communicate can make people and environments feel unsafe
• Using gradual exposure, reinforcement, shaping, and stimulus fading compassionately
• Why collaboration, family involvement, and learner autonomy matter

Mentioned In This Episode:
Chelsea on TikTok
Outloud the Selective Mutism Podcast
SMART Center
I Am Brave
Child Mind Institute
Boston Child Study Center
Selective Mutism Association
Say It With Me by Rose Griffin
AAC Mastery for SLPs and BCBAs
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection

Functional communication is about more than getting a learner to request. It’s about helping them communicate what they want and need spontaneously, across people, places, and real-life situations.

Ashley Whitaker joins me to share practical clinical shifts that can make a big difference for autistic learners, especially those who are prompt dependent or seem stuck in their communication progress. We talk about why a simple prompt like “What do you want?” can unintentionally become a barrier to spontaneous communication, and how we can create a stronger connection between motivation and independent requesting.

We also dig into data collection and why tracking both prompted and spontaneous communication gives us valuable information about whether a learner needs more opportunities or a change in programming. Ashley shares practical ways to build communication opportunities throughout the day without making every interaction feel like a structured therapy trial.

Finally, we explore speech clarity and teaching functional communication before moments of escalation. When learners practice responses like “more time,” “all done,” or “no” outside of crisis situations, we can help them build communication skills they can actually access when they need them most.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Reducing verbal prompts to encourage spontaneous communication
• Using prompted and independent communication data to guide programming
• Supporting speech clarity with slower, exaggerated vocal models
• Practicing functional communication before escalation occurs

Mentioned In This Episode:
VB-MAPP
The Verbal Behavior Approach
Lighthouse Autism Center
Say It With Me by Rose Griffin
AAC Mastery for SLPs and BCBAs
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

Mealtimes are full of natural opportunities for communication, connection, and friendship, but we may be overlooking just how valuable those moments can be.

Dr. Katherine Bateman joins me to explore Snack Talk, a simple visual communication support designed to help learners engage with peers during meals and snacks. We talk about using personalized questions and visual choices to make communication accessible across modalities, including speech, gestures, AAC, and other forms of communication.

What I love about Snack Talk is how practical it is. We can build visuals around what our learners genuinely enjoy, rotate topics to keep them meaningful, and use prompting to support engagement without making implementation complicated. Katie also shares how this approach can help educators become more intentional during typically unstructured times while creating opportunities for SLPs, BCBAs, teachers, and paraprofessionals to collaborate.

Ultimately, this is about more than answering social questions. It is about belonging, friendship, and giving learners meaningful ways to connect with the people around them.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Why mealtimes are an underused opportunity for social communication
• How Snack Talk supports different communication modalities
• Ways to individualize visual supports around interests, culture, and preferences
• Using Snack Talk to foster peer relationships and interdisciplinary collaboration

Mentioned In This Episode:
Visual Supports to Increase Conversation Engagement for Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder During Mealtimes
Snack Talk
Haring Center for Inclusive Education, University of Washington
Say It With Me by Rose Griffin
AAC Mastery for SLPs and BCBAs
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

Have you ever picked up an assessment and thought, “This still isn’t giving me the information I need?”

That’s why I’m so excited to introduce you to the Meaningful Outcomes Treatment and Assessment Scale, or MOTAS. Dr. Anika Hoybjerg shares how she and co-creator Casey Barron developed a comprehensive assessment that keeps meaningful, individualized outcomes at the center.

What immediately stood out to me is how practical and approachable the MOTAS feels. It addresses areas like communication, flexibility, social behavior, transitions, personal care, leisure, self-awareness, and perspective taking. There is also an Early Learner version that incorporates developmental milestones and AAC considerations.

I especially love the LOOP interviews, which bring clients, caregivers, and other professionals directly into treatment planning. Instead of assuming what matters most, we can ask, prioritize, and continue checking whether our goals are actually meaningful. That collaboration can make such a difference in creating functional treatment plans that support independence and quality of life.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• How the MOTAS fills gaps Dr. Hoybjerg noticed in existing assessments
• Using LOOP interviews to prioritize meaningful goals with clients and caregivers
• How the MOTAS supports individualized, collaborative treatment planning
• Who can use the MOTAS and why it was designed to be approachable for clinicians

Mentioned In This Episode:
Get the MOTAS
ABA Education Center
Say It With Me by Rose Griffin
AAC Mastery for SLPs and BCBAs
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

I still remember what it felt like to walk into a therapy session and have no idea how to move forward.

Early in my career, I was working with autistic learners with complex communication and behavioral needs, and I quickly realized graduate school had not prepared me for everything I was seeing. I wanted to help, but I didn’t always have practical strategies I could use when a learner struggled to attend, engage, or communicate. That experience sent me searching for better answers and ultimately shaped the way I practice today.

More than 20 years later, I want clinicians to have something I desperately needed back then: support, practical education, and a community that helps you feel confident about what to do next.

That’s why I created the ABA Speech Connection. It brings speech therapists, BCBAs, and RBTs together to learn evidence-based strategies, earn CEUs, collaborate, and immediately apply what they’re learning with autistic students. From AAC and functional communication to clinical roundtables and live learning, everything is designed to make professional development practical and useful.

You don’t have to spend hours searching for your next CEU or wonder whether you’re doing enough. You can have a place to learn, ask questions, and keep growing alongside professionals who care about helping every student communicate with the world.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Why my early clinical experiences shaped the ABA Speech Connection
• How ongoing education can build confidence and strengthen clinical practice
• Practical learning around AAC, communication, and evidence-based intervention
• How the Connection supports individuals and professional teams

Mentioned In This Episode:
Say It With Me by Rose Griffin
AAC Mastery for SLPs and BCBAs
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

What happens when collaboration is built into a practice from the very beginning? The results can be powerful for clinicians, families, and most importantly, the children we serve.

I love hearing how different professionals find their path, and Colleen Lama's story is such a great reminder that unexpected career moments can lead to something even better. As both a speech-language pathologist and BCBA, she shares how becoming dual certified helped her better support autistic learners and inspired her to create a practice where speech therapy, occupational therapy, and ABA truly work together. We also talk about the realities of growing a multidisciplinary practice, from navigating insurance challenges to building a team that values collaboration and family-centered care. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to provide coordinated services under one roof, I think you'll find plenty of practical insights and encouragement here.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Why Colleen became both an SLP and BCBA, and how that shaped her career
• The benefits of offering speech, OT, and ABA in one collaborative practice
• Challenges that come with multidisciplinary care and how strong communication keeps teams aligned
• How the ABA Speech Connection supports ongoing learning for SLPs, BCBAs, and RBTs

Mentioned In This Episode:
Lama Pediatric Therapy
Selective Mutism, Anxiety and Communication
AAC Mastery for SLPs and BCBAs
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

Comparing vocabulary instruction for children who use AAC is not a one size fits all decision, and that is exactly what makes this conversation so valuable.

Vocabulary intervention is one of the topics I get asked about most often, and there is still so much to learn about the best ways to support children who use AAC. I’m joined by Dr. Courtney Trevino to unpack her research comparing explicit vocabulary instruction with more naturalistic, incidental teaching. We explore what each approach looks like in practice, how vocabulary was selected for the study, and what the findings can teach us as clinicians.

One strategy that really stood out to me was navigation description, talking out loud through the path you take to find a word on an AAC system. It is such a practical way to support learning, while also helping parents, teachers, RBTs, and other team members become more confident using AAC. I walked away thinking differently about how I teach vocabulary, and I think you will too. If you are looking for practical, research-backed ideas that you can start using right away, this conversation is full of them.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Why explicit vocabulary instruction led to stronger word learning outcomes
• How navigation description can support both AAC users and communication partners
• Choosing vocabulary for early AAC learners, including developmental versus core words
• Practical ways to blend structured teaching into everyday therapy

Mentioned In This Episode:
Comparing Two Vocabulary Interventions for Children Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Dr. Courtney Trevino
AAC Mastery for SLPs and BCBAs
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

Building a business that reflects your values takes more than hard work. It takes intention, clear systems, and a vision that keeps you grounded when growth starts to feel overwhelming.

Stephen Smith and I explore what it really takes to build an ethical, sustainable ABA practice without losing sight of why you started in the first place. We talk about the importance of defining your vision early, especially if you're starting a business with a partner, and why having the right legal and financial support can save you from major headaches down the road.

We also dive into delegation, something every business owner struggles with at some point. Letting go of tasks can feel uncomfortable, but creating systems, documenting processes, and trusting your team are essential if you want to avoid burnout and create a business that can grow beyond you. I also share a few of the books and tools that have helped me think differently about leadership, delegation, and protecting my own creativity as a business owner. Whether you're just getting started or looking to strengthen an established practice, I think you'll walk away with practical ideas you can put into action right away.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Why every clinic owner needs a clear vision before focusing on growth
• Business systems, delegation, and avoiding burnout
• The legal and financial foundations every practice should have
• Practical books, tools, and strategies for building a sustainable business

Mentioned In This Episode:
Grab Say it With Me
The ABA Business Leader's Guide by Stephen Smith
3 Pie Squared
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

If you've ever wondered whether constant stress is simply part of being a helping professional, this conversation is for you. Burnout isn't a badge of honor, and crying in your car or pushing through physical symptoms shouldn't be considered normal.

I’m joined by Tiffany N. Arango to explore what clinician wellness really looks like and why so many dedicated professionals end up running on empty. Tiffany shares her own experience of reaching severe burnout while working in what she believed was her dream job, and how that experience changed the direction of her career. We talk about the workplace red flags that are easy to overlook, why so many of us normalize unhealthy environments, and how psychological flexibility can help us respond with intention instead of simply surviving each day.

We also explore the role leaders play in creating healthy workplace cultures and why genuine care for employees should never be viewed as a weakness. Whether you're a speech therapist, BCBA, RBT, or another helping professional, I hope this conversation reminds you that your well-being matters just as much as the people you serve. If you're feeling overwhelmed, please know you don't have to navigate it alone. Reach out, find your community, and seek support.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Red flags that can signal workplace burnout
• How psychological flexibility supports clinician well-being
• Practical ways leaders can create healthier workplace cultures
• Why caring for yourself is essential to caring for others

Mentioned In This Episode:
Grab Say it With Me
The Behavior Station
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home