The ABA Speech Podcast- Easy Strategies for Speech Therapists, BCBAs, and RBTs

Dr. Erin Michaud, SLP and BCBA-D with over 20 years of experience in communication development and ABA, joins the podcast to share the groundbreaking work of The Early Markers of Autism Project—a program changing the landscape of early autism identification and intervention.

This hands-on, in-person research and treatment study works with infants from both high-risk populations (siblings of children with autism, with a 20% recurrence rate) and low-risk populations. By tracking social interaction, shifting attention, joint attention, and social behaviors from infancy through age five, the project identifies and responds to early markers far earlier than the current AAP screening recommendation of 18 months.

The impact? Earlier diagnoses, earlier interventions, and fewer families waiting for services. Dr. Michaud shares how this project is creating validated assessment tools, expanding parent training, and building strong research to push for insurance coverage—bringing meaningful change for high-risk infants and their families.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What are the early markers of autism?
• What is the Autism Sibling Project?
• Supporting parents and our littlest learners.

Mentioned In This Episode:

Talking First Words — Coming Soon
​​Early Markers of Autism Project | The New England Center for Children
7 Investigates: Autism Intervention - Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
NECC Infant Sibling Research Project 2023
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Cindy Watson, celebrating 30 years as an SLP and making her third appearance on the podcast, returns with BCBA Ashley Snavely to share how their clinic blends multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary care.

“We were missing something,” Cindy reflects. Already offering PT, OT, and Speech, their team recognized therapists needed tools to address challenging behaviors. Adding ABA was the evidence-based solution. In this episode, Cindy and Ashley discuss the early stages of collaboration—how large group trainings, comprehensive education, and the creation of the BILT (Behavior Intervention Leadership Team) empowered therapists to problem-solve before BCBAs step in. They also dive into AAC in a collaborative setting, emphasizing curiosity, data-driven decisions, and open communication as key to success.

Together, they show how a “we want to learn from you” mindset builds trust, resolves disagreements, and ultimately leads to what matters most—meaningful progress for every learner.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Integrating ABA into a multidisciplinary clinic.
• How to collaborate with ACC
• Handling disagreements across providers.
• Fostering open communication and learning among therapists and providers. 

Mentioned In This Episode:

Episode #115: Early Intervention Speech Therapy Services – A Talk With Cindy Watson
Episode #191: Autism in Girls- A Conversation with Cindy and MC
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Ron Demuesy joins me to unpack the vital and often nuanced role of school-based BCBAs. Unlike outsourced consultants, in-house BCBAs provide consistent presence, accessibility, and a deeper connection with students and staff.

Ron shares key insights for success:

• Mind your language: Be technically accurate without drowning in jargon.
• Ditch the forms: Gather meaningful information through conversation, not paperwork.
• Focus on skill-building: Address behaviors by teaching replacement skills, not just stopping actions.
• Find and be a mentor: Growth doesn’t end with certification—keep learning and connecting.

In addition to his school-based work, Ron serves as a lead consultant at FTF Consulting, teaching others to analyze and build skills for individuals with severe problem behaviors, while also contributing to research initiatives.

And don’t forget—our School-Based BCBA Startpack is there to help you hit the ground running, and we’d love for you to join us for a live Q&A with Ron on September 9th from 7 to 8 PM EST. You deserve to feel supported in the critical, transformative work you do every day.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Ron’s must-knows for school-based BCBAs.
• Resources for school-based BCBAs.
• What is FTF Consulting?

Mentioned In This Episode:

Purchase the School Based BCBA Starter Pack
ABA Speech Membership
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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 RBT and how her course supports new professionals with engaging, person-centered content. We also dive into how BCBAs can feel unprepared when stepping into supervisory roles and how her supervision curriculum fills that gap.

Whether you're a clinic owner, new BCBA, or someone supporting trainees, this conversation is full of helpful insight on training, supervision, and compassionate care.

Allyson also shares details on our upcoming collaboration. On August 19, I’ll be presenting a free live CEU course on joint attention through Sidekick Learning, and I’d love for you to join us.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What makes Allyson’s 40-hour RBT course unique
• The steps to RBT certification and required competencies
• Why supervision is a challenge for new BCBAs and how to support them
• Integrating compassion and social validity into training content

Mentioned in this episode:
Sidekick Learning
Supervision Sidekick on Instagram
Allyson Wharam on LinkedIn
ABA Speech Connection
Free CEU on Joint Attention – August 19
RBT Training Use coupon code: ABASPEECH

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 expertise with applied behavior analysis to better support her clients.

In our conversation, Jennifer tackles common misconceptions about both fields and describes her thoughtful approach to professional introductions. She emphasizes the importance of gently educating colleagues about the shared foundations of speech‑language pathology and behavior analysis, fostering collaboration rather than competition.

Jennifer is also an active member of ABA Speech Connection, our community that provides science‑backed resources on the latest developments in ABA. She explains how this network helps her stay current and deliver evidence‑based interventions. Highlighting that education doesn’t end at graduation, Jennifer contrasts what she loves about our live courses—robust chat interactions—with the flexibility of ABA Speech’s comprehensive course library, underscoring her belief in lifelong learning.

 #autism #speechtherapy 

What’s Inside:

• Becoming dually certified: SLP to SLP/BCBA.
• Common misconceptions cross the fields of Speech Pathology and ABA.
• Finding common ground across professions.
• Utilizing ABA Speech Connection to bolster learning across the career.

Mentioned In This Episode:

Speech Membership - ABA Speech  
ABA Speech: Home

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 offer!)

The truth is, we don’t get much formal training on how to collaborate—especially with colleagues from different backgrounds or disciplines. That’s something I’m passionate about changing through ABA Speech, so be sure to check us out!

You’ll learn phrases like

“How do you usually approach this? I want to make sure we’re aligned on our strategies.”

How we show up in the world and with each other matters. We don’t want to work in silos. We want synergy. Because when we collaborate well, we can transform not just the lives of the learners in front of us—but ripple outward beyond the therapy room.

#autism #speechtherapy 

What’s Inside:

• Practical phrases to foster collaboration.
• How to create a positive working relationship with different disciplines.
• Highlighting training in collaboration across the field. 

Mentioned In This Episode:

ALP for AAC
SLP/BCBA collaborative phrases—Speech Therapy Hack #30 
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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 plan and program with intention—otherwise, we risk discouraging a child from verbalizing

The key? Collaborate early and often. Assess together. Plan together. Use resources like the Autism IEP Goal Bank (don’t miss the freebie!). Then, have the SLP on the team focus on those targeted words and move into collaboratively supporting generalization into the natural environment for a robust bank of words.

Looking ahead to 2026, we’re excited to explore communication disorders more deeply over at ABA Speech Connection. Stay tuned—because sometimes, you don’t know what you don’t know.

 #autism #speechtherapy 

What’s Inside:

• Summer mini-series
• Strategy to work collaboratively as BCBA and SLPs
• Verbal imitation goals 
• Communication development

Mentioned In This Episode:

Verbal Imitation Guide (Hack #19)
Join our ethics course
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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 reminder: the device belongs to the student. Everyone on the team should be working toward the same goal—supporting the individual’s communication needs across their lifespan.

Joint assessment can help, and tools like the free ALP AAC assessment offer a shared starting point. Another useful strategy is to assign a single person to program the device. This reduces confusion and ensures consistency.

Most importantly, collaboration keeps families from being caught in the middle. When professionals work together, outcomes improve—for everyone involved.

#autism #speechtherapy

 
What’s Inside:

• 10-minute summer series.
• Free Assessment.
• Collaborating every step from assessment through intervention.

Mentioned In This Episode:
ALP AAC Assessment
AAC course bundle
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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 Recommendations for Individuals with Autism:

“An interdisciplinary collaboration for individuals with ASD involves combining the strengths of multiple disciplines in order to maximize client outcomes.”

As we walk through the decision-making flowchart featured in the article, remember: keep an open mind, take time to understand the treatment in question, and always prioritize the client’s outcome and safety.

Stay tuned for more of my 10-minute episodes, where I answer the most commonly asked questions.

#autism #speechtherapy 

What’s Inside:

• A simple framework for avoiding conflict in collaboration.
• The importance of a multidisciplinary approach.
• 10-minute summer series.

Mentioned In This Episode:

Maintaining Professional Relationships in an Interdisciplinary Setting: Strategies for Navigating Nonbehavioral Treatment Recommendations for Individuals with Autism - PMC
Join Our Ethics Course!
Speech Membership - ABA Speech 
ABA Speech: Home

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. Protect your peace: block people, delete comments. Thoughtful questions and concerns deserve a response; negativity for its own sake does not.

As both a school psychologist and an autism parent, Ryan brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to the IEP table. He knows firsthand what it feels like to be both the professional and the parent — and how overwhelming it can be. Sometimes, parents need not just data and research, but connection, empathy, and that parent-to-parent understanding.

It was a meaningful and insightful conversation — one that reminds us that compassion and collaboration go a long way (and so does a joke!).

#autism #speechtherapy 

What’s Inside:

• Navigating Negativity on Social Media
• What it's like to be a parent AND a professional
• A perspective from both sides of the IEP table

Mentioned In This Episode:

(@worldsokayestschoolpsych) on Instagram
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