The NeuroAffirm Podcast

If you have been around here long enough then you know how passionate Jessie is about SLPs using sensory strategies in their sessions. When we talk about SLPs using sensory strategies, we usually get a few common responses: "Is that in your scope of practice??" "That's what OTs do..." "Why should SLPs learn about sensory?" So today on Making the Shift, we're diving into Sensory and the Scope of th...

We hear about dysregulation all the time...but what exactly does it look like? Today we're diving into 3 areas to consider when looking at a child's dysregulation.

Let's talk about Trauma Informed Care. Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” A trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care organizations and care teams need to have a complete picture of a client/child's life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective health care services. But what does that look like for...

This week we're doing a backwards spin on Valentine's Day - let's talk about challenging social constructs when it comes to gender identity. This episode we are joined by Lyric Rivera is a trans-nonbinary, pansexual, polyamorous Autistic person who runs the internationally recognized Neurodivergent Rebel blog & Youtube Channel. Lyric is also the Owner of NeuroDivergent Consulting, and author o...

Let's talk about language development. For years we've operated under the assumption that there is one way to develop language. But new research is showing there is actually another way to develop language. It's called Gestalt Language Development. This week on Making the Shift we are excited to have Alex Zachos from Meaningful Speech join us to talk about gestalt language processing. Alex is an S...

"Autism is a disease that needs to be cured"... incorrect. "Autism only occurs in boys"... untrue. There are so many common misconceptions about autism out there. And despite all the research to debunk these myths, they still persist. So this week on Making the Shift, Chris and I are going to sit down and bust 5 common autism myths.

This week on Making the Shift we are honored to have Cari Ebert join us to talk about parenting an Autistic child. Cari Ebert, M.S., CCC-SLP is a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist in private practice in the Kansas City, Missouri area. She has found her niche working exclusively with young children ages birth to five and their families. She's also a parent of an autistic child. This allows her...

Autistic Adults have long spoken out against the harm caused by functioning labels like “severe autism” or “low-functioning” autism. Imagine if we described neurotypical individuals this way. Are you mildly or severely neurotypical? Autism is a neurotype. Using terms like mildly or severely autistic does not give us any information on that child's needs or the support we can provide. This week on...

This week on Making the Shift we have a super special guest…. (drumroll please).... Dr. Winnie Dunn!! Dr. Winnie Dunn is a Distinguished Professor of the Department of Occupational Therapy Education at the University of Missouri and the author of the Sensory Profile. She is an internationally known expert for her studies about sensory processing in everyday life. On this episode, we're discussing....

On this episode, we'll explore... ✔ The importance of working together as a team to help children meet their goals... ✔ Why we should focus on team collaboration... ✔ Our 5 tips for boosting team collaboration... ✔ And more... For tickets to our upcoming Making the Shift Virtual Seminar, click here: https://asdinsideout.mykajabi.com/making-the-shift

PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance OR more affirming term Persistent Drive for Autonomy. On this episode, we'll cover... ✔ What is Persistent Drive for Autonomy? ✔ Tips for identifying PDA ✔ Our best strategies for working with kids with PDA ✔ And more... The term persistent drive for autonomy was coined by Harry Thompson who is a PDA autistic adult, educator, and author of the PDA Parad...

In this episode, we'll cover: ✔ How self-regulation develops ✔ Simple ways to talk to kids about their regulation ✔ The most effective visual tools you can use ✔ Must-know tips before having this conversation with kids Grab the Energy Meter here: https://www.autismlevelup.com/#tools

On this episode, we'll cover... ✔ What exactly is stimming? ✔ Why stimming happens ✔ The benefits of stimming ✔ And words of advice from Autistic friends and colleagues...

In this episode, we'll talk about: ✔ How regulation, engagement, and communication interrelate ✔ Why we should be focusing on regulation ✔ Our favorite tips to support regulation ✔ And more... Jessie's Sensory Certificate Course for SLPs is OPEN for enrollment. If you are an SLP or SLPA and want to get specialized sensory training, visit www.sensoryslp.com to enroll.

The number ONE question Chris and I are asked weekly is... "How do I write neurodiversity affirming goals for my autistic students?" Watch the show to discover our favorite ND affirming goals for therapy. In this episode, we'll talk about: ✔ How to write neurodiversity affirming goals ✔ What to do when we inherit goals that are not ND affirming ✔ Suggestions for ND affirming goals for different ag...

We know that standardized tests aren't truly a reflection of students' skills and abilities. Standardized tests are so stressful to administer, overwhelming to interpret, and after all that blood, sweat, and yes sometimes, tears, we put into the report - we’re not actually left with information that is relevant and valuable in developing our goals. But what can we do? How do we accurately report o...

When you are making the shift to neurodiversity affirming practices, you can feel like a tiny fish swimming upstream against the sharks... You might be thinking, There's gotta be a better way! And luckily, there is... In this episode, Jessie is sharing her top 10 ND affirming ways to support Autistic kids. Want to know exactly where to start and prioritize your time when it comes to ND affirming p...

No autistic child should feel like there is something wrong with them. Autism isn’t bad or wrong - it’s a difference in how the brain thinks, communicates, and learns. We need to help kids understand different brains. However, doing so in a positive and inclusive manner can sometimes be very challenging. That is why on this week’s episode of Making the Shift, we are inviting Andi Putt (also known...

Today Jessie is answering your biggest sensory questions! Today we're talking about 1) what to do when colleagues don't support using sensory strategies/an ND affirming approach, 2) how to help sensory seekers, 3) supporting emotional regulation, and 4) Jessie's favorite sensory equipment!

"Hair on fire" days are nothing new. It can be really hard to consistently bring enough energy, the right energy, or the ability to maintain your own energy into every session when life is being — life. But what if there are some ways you can consistently boost your energy and be more effective for your kids? In this episode, we're going to give you some of our go-to strategies and routines that h...

Knowing how to reframe with strengths-based language can help your speech kids build positive self-identity and bring joy to parents & families. In this episode, you'll discover: - Why reframing with strengths-based language is so important for your kids and families - "What" commonly used harmful words and phrases often go unnoticed - "How" you can reframe your language to be more positive an...

Total communication is such an important part of being neurodiversity affirming. Yet, there are so many myths floating around about how to introduce AAC. In this episode, we'll talk about: - The importance of AAC and total communication - 5 AAC mistakes you can avoid - Best practices for introducing AAC - Bonus: AAC stories you won't believe!

“It’s a world of laughter, it’s a world of tears”...Theme parks can be either a sensory wonderland or sensory overload for kids. On this episode of Making the Shift we’ll talk about: ✔ The 4 sensory patterns (briefly, just in case you don’t know…) ✔ Which sensory patterns each of our family members have (we have one of EACH type in this colorful family!) ✔ Takeaways from how each of us reacted to...

Let's pull back the curtain on ADHD, relationships, and communication styles & techniques... Here’s what we’ll talk about: ✔ Chris’s story growing up as an ADHD kid (the bumps, the bruises and the victories)... ✔ The ADHD life hacks that have helped him survive and thrive… ✔ What it’s like for me (a neurotypical woman) to be in a relationship with an ADHDer… ✔ How we’ve learned to communicate...

How to teach self-regulation in a healthy way is a hot topic. We know it’s the key to increased engagement, which leads to more progress and better outcomes...But what if what we believe about how children develop self-regulation is actually wrong?? In this episode, we'll explore: ✔ The real differences between co-regulation & self-regulation ✔ How kids actually learn to self-regulate ✔ What a...