Want to learn more about supporting language development in autistic trainings? Catch trainings with Melanie & Jessie inside the NeuroAffirm Therapy Academy: http://neuroaffirmacademy.com/

Today we're talking about how to decode the meaning behind repeated phrases and understand what autistic kids are really trying to say. “What if the words we’ve been trying to quiet are actually the ones we need to hear most?”

On this episode of the NeuroAffirm Show, we're diving into echolalia and how scripting is not a deficit but instead a bridge to communication. You’ll walk away with practical insights on decoding meaning, validating scripts, supporting Gestalt language development, and embracing neurodiversity-affirming practices in your work.

We're discussing:

Join us in the NeuroAffirm Academy for continuous trainings to better support your clients! http://neuroaffirmacademy.com/ 

Get all of these activities in our NeuroAffirm Academy! https://neuroaffirmacademy.com/

Learn how to design sensory-friendly Halloween sessions that build regulation and language.

Are you overwhelmed trying to plan fun, themed sensory activities?

This week on our live show, we’re diving into sensory-friendly Halloween sessions that actually work.

Join us to learn how to plan ready-to-use, neuroaffirming activities that keep kids regulated, engaged, and having fun! And walk away with session plans you can use right away!

Want these activities to print out and use this Halloween? Join us in the NeuroAffirm Academy to access to these (plus so much more!) https://neuroaffirmacademy.com/

Save your seat for the free Sensory SLP Workshop on October 24th: https://www.sensoryslp.com/workshop

To get our "When to Refer" packet, plus tons of trainings, monthly live calls, and an incredible community, join us in the NeuroAffirm Academy: https://neuroaffirmacademy.com/

Did you know that only 15% of autistic preschoolers receive early intervention before age 2?

That number should shock us all. Because the truth is, early intervention changes everything.

Every $1 invested in early intervention saves between $7 and $17 later in educational and social costs. But beyond money, it’s about giving autistic kids the best possible chance at thriving and giving families the confidence they need to support them.

On this episode, we're discussing:

✔️ Why doctors often miss early referrals (and how it leaves kids behind)

✔️ The real developmental milestones most parents don’t hear

✔️ The science-backed benefits of early intervention: higher language, higher IQ, less stress for families, and long-term cost savings

✔️ How to normalize early intervention so families feel supported

References:

Karoly, L. A., Kilburn, M. R., & Cannon, J. S. (2005). Early Childhood Interventions: Proven Results, Future Promise. RAND Corporation.

AEIOU Foundation. (2023). Investing in autism-specific early intervention yields long-term dividends. Report summary via The Sector. 

Rogers, S. J., Dawson, G., & Mandell, D. S. (2019). Early intervention for autism: Penn study finds significant cost savings. University of Pennsylvania / WHYY News.

Learn more about the largest online community of neuroaffirming therapists: https://neuroaffirmacademy.com/ 

Want a Strengths Assessment you can use with your clients - the kind of tool that helps families and teachers focus on possibilities instead of limits?

Join the NeuroAffirm Academy to get the brand new Strengths Assessment we just released!

https://www.neuroaffirmacademy.com/

We're so excited to welcome Autistic Adult Kyle Manske to the show!

When Kyle was three, schools and doctors told his mom he had just a 5% chance of finishing high school. He was diagnosed with autism, hearing loss, and a learning disability. His mom was told that he would likely never live on his own.

But Kyle’s mom refused to accept that. She advocated relentlessly, fought for accommodations, and focused on his strengths.

Today, Kyle lives independently in New York and has been a successful accountant for over 10 years. He credits his mom's fierce advocacy & love of baseball to helping him communicate and connect with others.

In this powerful episode, Kyle shares:

- The challenges and barriers he faced growing up autistic in the 90s

- How his family’s advocacy changed his trajectory

- The role of strengths, special interests, and self-identity in his success

- Strategies for handling negativity and building confidence

- Advice for neurodivergent individuals, families, and professionals

Do you feel stuck with writing neurodiversity affirming goals that actually work in practice?

Then tune in for this special goal writing masterclass!

On this episode, we're diving into:

✔️ How to align goals with a child’s authentic communication style.

✔️ Why traditional goals often backfire and how to reframe them.

✔️ A powerful framework for writing goals rooted in access and advocacy.

✔️ Real-life examples you can apply right away.

✔️ And more!

Want to learn more about writing neuroaffirming goals?

Join us in the NeuroAffirm Therapy Academy for a more comprehensive neuroaffirming goal writing training & guide: neuroaffirmacademy.com

Are you ready to transform your speech sessions with your autistic clients?

On the final day of the Sensory Mini Course for SLPs we're focusing on preventing dysregulation before it starts—in a way that is neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based.

In this episode, we'll explore:

✔️ Proactive strategies that honor a child’s sensory and emotional needs.

✔️ Practical tools to create a supportive, regulation-friendly environment for the kids you work with.

✔️ Real tips and advice from a teacher turned school-based SLP on how to use these principles in any setting.

✔️ And more!

PLUS, you can earn PDHs for listening!

All you have to do is listen to the episode and then request a certificate of attendance by clicking here: https://www.sensoryslp.com/sensory-mini-course-replay

You can also use the link above to grab your free Sensory Mini Course Workbook.

Click here to join our free Sensory Mini Course facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sensoryminicourse

If you enjoyed this free bonus training, you're going to love the Sensory Certificate Program.

Enrollment is officially OPEN for our brand-new cohort of the Sensory Certificate Program for SLPs! 🎓

For the first time in 3 years, we’re bringing back LIVE sensory + speech coaching calls 🎉

That means real-time support, expert guidance, and a community of SLPs who get it—all while learning practical sensory strategies you can use right away in your sessions.

Join the movement of SLPs who are transforming their therapy sessions with their autistic clients.

Learn more or join now at https://www.sensoryslp.com/sensory-certificate-course 

Are you ready to transform your speech sessions with your autistic clients?

Day 2 of the Sensory Mini Course for SLPs is all on sensory strategies for your speech sessions. 

In this episode, we’re diving into:

✔️ How to use sensory strategies effectively in speech sessions (without turning you into an OT).

✔️ The 2 types of kids who benefit from sensory strategies —those who need
sensory input throughout the entire session and those who need sensory activities strategically dispersed.

✔️ How to build regulation within sessions to help kids stay engaged, regulated, and communicative.

✔️ And more!

PLUS, you can earn PDHs for listening!

All you have to do is listen to the episode and then request a certificate of attendance by clicking here: https://www.sensoryslp.com/sensory-mini-course-replay

You can also use the link above to grab your free Sensory Mini Course Workbook.

Click here to join our free Sensory Mini Course facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sensoryminicourse

If you enjoyed this free bonus training, you're going to love the Sensory Certificate Program.

Enrollment is officially OPEN for our brand-new cohort of the Sensory Certificate Program for SLPs! 🎓

For the first time in 3 years, we’re bringing back LIVE sensory + speech coaching calls 🎉

That means real-time support, expert guidance, and a community of SLPs who get it—all while learning practical sensory strategies you can use right away in your sessions.

Join the movement of SLPs who are transforming their therapy sessions with their autistic clients.

Learn more or join now at https://www.sensoryslp.com/sensory-certificate-course 

Are you ready to transform your speech sessions with your autistic clients?

This special bonus episode kicks off our Sensory Mini Course for SLPs — and it’s all about a topic we get asked about constantly: how to support “challenging” behavior through a neuroaffirming lens.

In this episode, we’ll break down:

✔️ Why kids struggle with regulation using the iceberg analogy—because behavior is just the tip of the iceberg!

✔️ The hidden causes of dysregulation, from sensory processing challenges to emotional and physiological factors.

✔️ Sensory-based strategies SLPs can start using right away to support regulation and connection

✔️ And more!

PLUS, you can earn PDHs for listening!

All you have to do is listen to the episode and then request a certificate of attendance by clicking here: https://www.sensoryslp.com/sensory-mini-course-replay

You can also use the link above to grab your free Sensory Mini Course Workbook.

Click here to join our free Sensory Mini Course facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sensoryminicourse

If you enjoyed this free bonus training, you're going to love the Sensory Certificate Program.

Enrollment is officially OPEN for our brand-new cohort of the Sensory Certificate Program for SLPs! 🎓

For the first time in 3 years, we’re bringing back LIVE sensory + speech coaching calls 🎉

That means real-time support, expert guidance, and a community of SLPs who get it—all while learning practical sensory strategies you can use right away in your sessions.

Join the movement of SLPs who are transforming their therapy sessions with their autistic clients.

Learn more or join now at https://www.sensoryslp.com/sensory-certificate-course 

Why "Just Use Your Words" Doesn't Work... and What to Do Instead!

Tell me if this sounds familiar...

You’re working with a neurodivergent student, and then suddenly, they shut down.

Their words? Gone.

They can’t communicate, and you’re left thinking, “What happened?!”

Maybe you prompted them to just tell you using their words... but nothing happened.

Sound familiar?

Here’s the reality - dysregulation doesn’t just make communication harder, it completely shuts it down.

Expecting kids to just “use their words” without considering their emotional and physical state is setting both of you up for frustration.

So what does work?

It’s not about pushing harder; it’s about understanding how to support communication from a place of empathy and connection.

On this episode, we're diving into:

✔️ Why language access is state-dependent, not just skill-dependent

✔️ The 3-part brain model and what it means for therapy

✔️ Why "behavior" might actually be a nervous system saying "I need help"

✔️ Why neuroaffirming practices lead to better outcomes for everyone

✔️ And more!

Want to learn more about supporting kids in ND affirming ways?

Check out the NeuroAffirm Therapy Academy: https://www.sensoryslp.com/neuroaffirm-therapy-academy

There’s a debate that keeps popping up in autism conversations, often whispered like a secret...

"But what about autistic people who suffer? Shouldn’t they have the option to remove their autistic traits?”

It’s a question rooted in misunderstanding. And it’s time to set the record straight.

On this episode, we're diving into:

✔️ Why the autism “cure” narrative is harmful and how it negatively impacts autistic individuals.

✔️ How to differentiate between autism and co-occurring conditions

✔️ How to shift the focus from “fixing” autism to true support

✔️ And more!

Want to learn more about supporting kids in ND affirming ways?

Check out the NeuroAffirm Therapy Academy: https://www.sensoryslp.com/neuroaffirm-therapy-academy