Stephanie Howard, a BCBA and mother, faced a turning point when her son was diagnosed with ADHD at age five. She realized the same executive functioning tools she used professionally could support both her parenting and her son's development.

Executive functioning—skills like planning, impulse control, and focus—is often disrupted in ADHD, autism, and trauma. It’s more than behavior; it’s about how the brain organizes and responds to the world.

Stephanie shares, for listeners, the Executive Functioning Skill Questionnaire and other free resources that have helped her understand and support her son’s needs. These tools are designed to guide both parents and professionals in identifying strengths and areas for growth.

She also shares some of the specific goals she’s set at home, showing how executive functioning skills can be built through everyday routines. Programs like the Flexible and Focused Program and ROPES help break down executive dysfunction into manageable steps.

To generalize these skills, Stephanie offers practical tips: use timers and task lists, give clear warnings before transitions, and turn tasks into games to hold attention. She highlights the power of caregiver education, understanding the difference between antecedents and consequences, and working with a team.

For Stephanie, it’s not just about managing behavior—it’s about supporting the brain.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is Executive Functioning?
• Assessment for EF skills (FREE resources).
• Goal examples to use in therapy and at home.
• Managing and supporting Executive Dysfunction.

Mentioned In This Episode:
25 Executive Skills Questionnaire — Peg Dawson & Richard Guare Step I: Read each item below and then rate that item based
Executive Skills Questionnaire – Revised (ESQ-R) – NovoPsych
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Bombarding parents or colleagues with information can shut down meaningful dialogue. Instead, Dr. Monica Gilbert shares how we can use Motivational Interviewing (MI) to foster collaboration and encourage change through using the core principles—OARS + I:

• Open-Ended Questions—Invite Discussion: "How do you see this working for you?"
• Affirmations—Reinforce strengths: "I see how much you care about this."
• Reflective Listening—Show understanding by paraphrasing their thoughts.
• Summarization—Clarify key points to ensure alignment.
• Information Exchange—Share insights in a way that invites engagement: "Would it help if I shared some strategies?"

Using motivational interviewing keeps conversations about change productive, builds trust, and supports meaningful discussions across all professional dialogue with parents and colleagues.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is Motivational Interviewing?
• How open ended questions can build rapport and gather information
• Using Affirmations in professional dialogue

Mentioned In This Episode:

Dr. Monica Gilbert
Motivational Interviewing Academy
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At the ASHA conference in Seattle, I had the opportunity to meet Gabriella Cameron and Jennifer Kent, who presented on their Theme-Based Collaborative Groups within the Endeavour Program at Ivymount, a nonpublic, publicly funded special education environment serving students aged 5–21.

Gabriella and Jen’s theme-based groups are embedded within Endeavour, offering structured but flexible learning experiences tailored to each student. Any student who can tolerate working in a group is a candidate, as the focus is on skill exposure rather than mastery, creating opportunities for participation at varying levels.

Each group consists of 5–6 students, each supported by a 1:1 aide, alongside a specialist (SLP, OT, PT) and a group leader. The framework includes:

1. Selecting a theme (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.).
2. Adapting a story/song for accessibility.
3. Identifying vocabulary using a language board.
4. Asking WH-questions, allowing responses through speech or AAC.
5. Engaging in a supplemental activity, such as an OT craft or a PT movement task.

Looking ahead, Gabriella and Jen are exploring ways to measure skill acquisition, enhance motivation, incorporate high-tech AAC, and share their resources more broadly—paving the way for more inclusive and meaningful learning experiences.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Small groups foster an inclusive learning approach.
• The repeatable framework of theme-based collaborative groups.
• The value of skill exposure.
• An environment that increases multidisciplinary support.
• Future goals for theme-based collaborative groups.

Mentioned In This Episode:
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