FIT Learning Center is a worldwide program founded by Dr. Kimberly Berens. The focus of her center is rooted in using behavior science for direct instruction and precision teaching for rapid growth in students with learning challenges, disabilities, and delays. We are discussing how she emulates importance in order of teaching, utilizes virtual teaching, and teaches students on varying levels to improve past their best in a regular school setting.
Sep 28, 2021•49 min•Ep. 143
Autism affects a diverse array of children and families, whether it be cultural, religious, racial, or language differences. Does diversity in the autism field reflect and accept these individual preferences? Dr. Fumi Horner, Japanese native and doctoral level BCBA, shares her perspective on diversity and its place in the world of autism.
Sep 21, 2021•47 min•Ep. 142
Hyperlexia is an intellectual disability in which a child is hyper-fixated and obsessed with letters, words, and reading but has low language functionality. Early signs of Hyperlexia can be linked with early signs of Autism. Today I answer questions about identifying the symptoms and signs of Hyperlexia and how to teach children with Hyperlexia and Autism. I share stories of children with Hyperlexia I have worked with first-hand, and more tips and resources on the topic.
Sep 14, 2021•30 min•Ep. 141
One of the goals of the Turn Autism Around podcast is to help parents and professionals lead less stressed lives. One way to reduce stress may be to bring in additional income or see the value in online courses. I am interviewing Jeff Walker, my business mentor and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Launch. We discuss how to disseminate information globally, how to find your place in the digital world, how to grow a business, or how to move your current coaching program to the online sp...
Sep 07, 2021•49 min•Ep. 140
Just like ABA, positive reinforcement is a science. Dr. Henry (Hank) Schlinger is talking about his book, How to Build Good Behavior and Self-Esteem in Children . The information in today’s podcast is critical for parents and professionals. Dr. Schlinger goes over the five problems any parent faces and the five myths regarding positive reinforcement. This episode is full of great parenting advice, if what you're doing is not working, whether you have a child with autism or not.
Aug 31, 2021•53 min•Ep. 139
Lauren is a married mom of two girls, who found my book and courses and is ready to begin to Turn Autism Around for her oldest daughter, Avery. She is taking the “hot seat” as we discuss their fall into the Autism world, the concerns Lauren has had for Avery since birth, and how to implement the steps of the Turn Autism Approach at home and with ABA therapists.
Aug 24, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 138
Often the focus of my podcast and books surrounds the topic of younger children, but our children grow up and it's important to know what options are out there for them. My colleague and friend, Brenda Eaton join us today to discuss how she helps students achieve their post-high school goals. There are many choices for individuals with Autism to continue their education and grow their independence. Brenda shares the programs available and what a College Coach can do to help.
Aug 17, 2021•46 min•Ep. 137
Organization Behavior Management is the science of human behavior, what you know of reinforcement, punishment, and motivating operations applied with staff. Shannon Biagi, BCBA and OBM practitioner, joins us on the podcast today to discuss the gap in HR where ABA businesses are having retention and burnout. OBM focuses on turning the environment around to be productive for both the clients and staff.
Aug 10, 2021•42 min•Ep. 136
I often get asked about the kids I've worked with, that I mention in my book or courses, and how they are doing now. Jocabed is here with me today to give us an update on her son Chino. He is now age 11, we talk about his progress to this point, raising children in a bilingual household, navigating religion for a child with Autism, and safety concerns Jocabed had for Chino early on. Jocabed gives us a relatable perspective on how the circumstances of raising a child with Autism is always changin...
Aug 03, 2021•45 min•Ep. 135
We’re back with another Hot Seat. Today I am talking with Swethana, a mom of two girls whose youngest, now age 5, has been diagnosed with Autism. I am looking at some of Swethana’s daughter Richa’s assessment, and we are discussing what these mean and how to enact the 4-step Turn Autism Around approach.
Jul 27, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 134
Parents taking charge is really important. You are your child’s lifelong advocate, and you can be their best teachers. I talk a lot about this in my book, and today I am sharing some parent success stories and more information on how you as a parent or as a professional helping parents, can begin to captain the ship.
Jul 20, 2021•18 min•Ep. 133
ABA is a science we all use every day. I will be debunking the 4 myths of ABA and sharing with you the truth and history behind the practice. I also provide information and resources from the book to lead you to quality ABA with the Turn Autism Around approach.
Jul 13, 2021•31 min•Ep. 132
A mom from our community, Kelsey General, joins me in this episode along with Amy Evans, Precision Teaching Practitioner. Amy works with Kelsey’s two boys now 5 and 7, who were diagnosed with autism at 25 months old. We hear the success story and importance of the work they do with precision teaching and fluency instruction.
Jul 06, 2021•48 min•Ep. 131
Today I talk with pediatric physical therapist Dawn Meller. Dawn tells us what she may look for as a PT when working with children with Autism or are showing signs of Autism. We go over motor skills milestones, and habits that may cause concerns, the reasons behind them, and when to see a PT for intervention.
Jun 29, 2021•39 min•Ep. 130
Today I am here solo, talking to you about the importance of building imitation skills as highlighted in my book, Turn Autism Around. We talk about crucial imitation milestones as well as the steps to start building these skills. You will learn the 4 steps in working with imitation skills in toddlers with Autism or showing signs of Autism. I provide you with ideas and resources to work on these pivotal skills with toddlers based on my years of experience and research.
Jun 22, 2021•45 min•Ep. 129
Covid-19 made all aspects of life difficult, and it was no different with diagnosing autism. Dr. Catherine Lord was able to develop an evaluation with her team, the BOSA, that was able to help identify some behaviors that could be pointing toward autism. This evaluation was able to ensure that man-children could stay on the right track to get a diagnosis as well as treatment.
Jun 15, 2021•49 min•Ep. 128
Building trust and rapport with a patient is important, especially if they are new to you. That’s where Compassionate Care comes in. Today I talk with Celia Heyman, a Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst about Compassionate Care, who should learn it, and how to implement it.
Jun 08, 2021•49 min•Ep. 127
PANS and PANDAS are neuropsychiatric disorders caused by infections that can rapidly affect children. Today Beth Maloney, author of Saving Sammy, shares the causes, symptoms, and treatments of PANS and PANDAS, as well as her son’s own experience.
Jun 01, 2021•44 min•Ep. 126
Elizabeth’s young son had just started with an early intervention specialist when the pandemic closed their therapy sessions down, but she knew how vital the therapy was for getting his development back on track. That’s when she went looking for something online that could help him. You’re going to hear how effective my strategies are, even for very young children, how Elizabeth has used my strategies for her older child, and that magical moment when things started to click for Elizabeth’s young...
May 25, 2021•41 min•Ep. 125
Amy M.’s son Lucas is navigating young adulthood by working, living independently, and even attending college. 21 years after his initial autism diagnosis, he’s living a life that Amy wasn’t sure would even be possible. Hear how Amy’s built a support system for Lucas using ABA therapy, friends, family, teachers, and professionals.
May 18, 2021•48 min•Ep. 124
One of the biggest myths about selective mutism is that it’s just shyness and a child will outgrow it on their own. Chelsea Gamache was diagnosed with Selective Mutism (SM) and Sensory Processing Disorder at 5-years-old, and she has a wealth of information today on how parents and therapists can help children who have this anxiety disorder. We discuss many of the comorbidities of SM, including how it often intersects with autism.
May 11, 2021•39 min•Ep. 123
Everyone’s autism journey has a beginning point. And sometimes, it has many new beginnings as you learn new strategies that can help your child communicate their wants and needs. Join Emily R as she starts a new beginning with the Turn Autism Around approach for her six-year-old son Kash.
May 04, 2021•46 min•Ep. 122
How did you teach your child to wear a mask to protect themselves from Covid-19? Children, at all different stages in their lives, need to be able to communicate about how their bodies feel when they’re sick, and they need to be able to take medicine or vitamins. Inside this episode, I share some strategies and resources for helping you figure out medical issues for children with autism.
Apr 27, 2021•24 min•Ep. 121
For the fourth step of the Turn Autism Around approach, I’m going to share some easy ways to collect data so that you can begin to identify patterns and trends in a child’s behavior. This vital step should not be skipped since it will help you adjust therapy or even just the child’s environment to improve behavior, health, and speech.
Apr 20, 2021•25 min•Ep. 120
In rapid succession, Jennifer N.’s four children, ages 13, 8, and 3-year-old twins, were all diagnosed with autism. To compound her situation, she was living in Holland, where at the time there was only one BCBA in the entire country. Hear how she navigated this rough beginning to become a BCBA herself, and how she successfully launched all four of her children into adulthood.
Apr 13, 2021•49 min•Ep. 119
All three women on my panel today began as speech-language pathologists before becoming board-certified BCBAs. Armed with this unique combination, they are passionate about bridging the two complementary specialties in a way that empowers parents and benefits children. Listen to their thoughts on how SLPs and BCBAs can better collaborate to improve the lives of children with autism.
Apr 06, 2021•57 min•Ep. 118
Dr. Temple Grandin joins me to talk about her greatest concerns for the autistic community and the benefits of early intervention for children. She looks back on her life to recount the people who were instrumental in helping her turn autism into an asset that’s served her well in her career in the livestock industry.
Mar 30, 2021•46 min•Ep. 117
My husband, Dr. Charles Barbera, remembers how Lucas was diagnosed a little differently than I do, but we have a delightful conversation talking about some of the challenges of navigating an autism diagnosis for our oldest child. As a physician and an autism dad, I appreciate Charles’s perspective on our journey together.
Mar 23, 2021•31 min•Ep. 116
Studies have shown that kids with autism need 20-40 hours of ABA therapy a week. I get it. That sounds daunting to parents. I’m going to show you strategies to create a positive environment so that it’s easier to teach, engage, and connect to your child in your own home.
Mar 16, 2021•27 min•Ep. 115
With only 700 developmental pediatricians in the country, I was glad to connect with Dr. Cheryl Tierney to get her unique insights on how to navigate an autism diagnosis. Cheryl is passionate about teaching parents how to help their children with autism sleep by themselves, and you’ll love her ABA approach to solving common problems people face every day.
Mar 09, 2021•50 min•Ep. 114
