A 25 Year Look Across the Spectrum with Kelly Bermingham & Jen Lucero

Kelly & Jen talk with John Merager, Fire fighter and Fire Prevention/Patrol Forest service and dad to a child on the autism spectrum to continue work of the September 26th project. The project is call to families to set their calendar for an annual reminder using our fire safety checklists. September 26th Project .  As BCBA's we have so much time assessing and working with families this c...

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1! Kelly & Jen are baaaack and excited to announce they have partnered with Citepro, providing continuing education units for behavior analysts. This first episode, Kelly & Jen talk about the new ethic codes, and a look back at ABA from a historical perspective which often leads to the negative feedback some present about ABA. The new codes will surely help wit...

Jen & I talk all things ABA related including a parent's perspective on extinction procedures, mass trials and how we talk to kids on the autism spectrum with shortened words and sing-songy voices.  We found our voice and our tribe through this pandemic through this experience together. We have hired some young adults to help us come back in September better than ever!

Theautismdad.com joins us to talk about raising his 3 kids on the autism spectrum alone. We debate if there are higher rates of divorce in families with children with autism, and talk about the raw feelings it evokes. 

We started this podcast talking about quality of life- health, happiness, safety, independence and having a tribe. Well Beth and her son Thomas have done that. 

Kelly & Jen talk to New Vista School about their Career Academy that seeks innovative jobs based on passion and interest for their adults in Southern California.  Great model to copy! 

www.zuggyetc.com. These 4 young men and their long-term friend and caretaker started a business! We know that more than half of young adults with autism remain unemployed and unenrolled in higher education in the two years after high school. This is a lower rate than that of young adults in other disability categories, including learning disabilities, intellectual disability or speech-language imp...

Kelly and Jen invite two mom's from their autism tribe to share their experiences as moms, and the powerhouse women they are in their careers that were shaped by their kids! 

Kelly & Jen speak with Nicholas A. Maio-Aether, MSPSY, LBA, BCBA (he/him/his), Owner of Empowered: A Center for Sexuality LLC, a company that uses ABA strategies to teach and support many things related to Sex. 

Kelly & Jen talk to mom, Tracy about her journey with her (almost) 18 year old daughter with a diagnosis of IDD who very much wants to have sex, get married and maybe have children. Tracy has conservatorship over her daughter but is walking her along every step of the day toward this dream!

Kelly talks about the research she has found, resources she uses and her experience over 25 years teaching puberty skills, safe sex skills and supporting the unique social emotional challenges children and adults need support in regarding their sexuality.

Understanding what happens when autistic kids are hitting puberty is greatly under-researched. It may be a roller coaster but it is no quick ride. We scratch the surface talking about all of the challenged that come up, and decide to walk through a path of breaking down each topic to consider the brain, body and social nuances of puberty and sexuality.

Puberty is extra challenging for autistic people- yet no one talks about it!  Why? Well we are going to talk about. All month!  Hear Barbie's story about the struggles she is having as her son is starting puberty. Increase in aggression, trying to figure out masturbation, oh my!

We talk to the attorneys at Woodsmall Law Group about going back to school, compensatory services and the age when you should consider conservatorship. And we have fun doing it!

Kelly & Jen are joined by Melaura Erickson-Tomaino, Ph. D, Co-founder and Principle at the Port View Preparatory Schools in California. Melaura discusses what worked and didn't work with on-line learning and shares information on a study here team is doing on the pandemic. 

Kelly & Jen are joined by returning guest Michelle and her bestie Victoria to discuss conservatorship for her two sons- and alternate options when it doesn't feel right. 

Parents of children with autism or other developmental disabilities have to make some tough choices, including if they want conservatorship or not conservatorship over their child. It's can be expensive and confusing. As ABA practitioners we are have to know this information too whenever we treat someone over the age of 28. Listen up to Hope's story. 

Kelly & Jen talk about Jen's decision to have a limited conservatorship of the person for Dylan to protect him. She also actively engages in Supported Decision Making with Dylan and their family. Hear her story about this challenging process.

Jen & Kelly talk to mom, Patti about her journey with her son and how and when she disclosed his diagnosis to him when he got older. Now, as he is graduating college, they talk about how to disclose and share on his terms.

Kelly & Jen talk with mom, Michelle, about raising her son with autism, and disclosing differently at different milestones. As a BCBA she has incredible perspective into this experience for practitioners. 

We start our month hearing from well-knows developmental pediatrician Dr. Robin Steinberg-Epstein, who works at UCI's Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders. She discusses the when, how and why's of disclosing an autism diagnosis drawing from her 20+ year career, as well as a parent of a child (now adult) on the autism spectrum.

We end our series on siblings by talking with Kaitlyn, 21 year old sister AND co-conservator of her brother, Dylan age 18. While we were not this put together at age 21, Kaitlyn is a remarkable young lady who worked through her own learning challenges and depression to come out as a strong sister and advocate for her brother, as well as going to college to become a teacher. Get your tissues ready!

Join us to listen to Avivah Paskowitz- daughter to Navah Paskowitz & Matt Asner, and sister to 3 brothers on the autism spectrum. She shares with us what it is like with her blended family, and how their passion to support the special needs community brought her back home to become the Art Director of the Ed Asner Family Center.

Kelly & Jen talk to Morgan about her life growing up with a sister with special needs, describing jealousy as well as how it shaped her into being a therapist who feels strongly the siblings should be included in therapy as much as they can.  Kelly talks about the importance of considering the siblings and the families in an ABA assessment including data collection on peer interactions as...

19 year old Ethan, brother to Dylan describes his life growing up with a brother on the autism spectrum. Hear him talk about his experience, including feelings of jealousy, being scared, and learning to cope with his brother's behaviors his own way, despite the experts telling him to do something different. His story is a must listen to new families and therapists.