Feb. 3, 2026
Around the Spectrum - Compassion Is the Intervention: Rethinking Autism Care at the Start (with Anna Sturgeon)
The starting line of an autism journey can feel like a maze of waitlists, opinions, and second-guessing. We invited BCBA and clinic founder Anna Sturgeon to sit with us at the table and make that first stretch less lonely and far more practical. From low-cost, no-wait evaluations to caregiver-first coaching, Anna lays out how compassionate care is built—not with empty promises, but with listening, clear education, and plans that fit real families.
We unpack the pressure around the “forty hours” myth and talk through what individualized care really looks like when your child’s needs, your routines, and your resources are front and center. Anna maps the foundational skills that drive long-term growth—imitation, joint attention, echoics, listener responding, play, independence—and explains why giving timelines for language or school readiness can backfire. If speech isn’t the immediate path, we explore how AAC can open communication now, reduce frustration, and still support future speech. Different path, same dignity.
You’ll also hear concrete steps to take while waiting for services: define priorities, connect with informed parent communities, and choose providers who collaborate across ABA, OT, and speech. We share scripts for school advocacy that are respectful and firm, plus cues for spotting a good clinical fit—curiosity, transparency, and the humility to refer out when needed. The throughline is simple and strong: compare your child only to themselves, celebrate each gain, and build a team you can trust.
If this conversation helps you breathe a little easier, tap follow, share it with a friend who’s on the journey, and leave a quick review so more families can find the show. Your voice helps keep this table open to anyone who needs a seat.
00:00 - Welcome And Guest Introduction
01:31 - Why Shine Behavior Services Began
03:57 - Values Behind Compassionate Care
06:08 - The Broken Starting Line And Waitlists
10:35 - Naming The Emotions And Fear
13:38 - Finding Community And Support
15:20 - Practical First Steps While Waiting
18:07 - Rethinking 40 Hours And Individualization
21:28 - School Advocacy And Knowing Your Power
24:19 - Honest Optimism Without False Promises
28:00 - Celebrating Growth On Your Child’s Timeline
WEBVTT
00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:01.040
Hi everyone.
00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:13.439
Welcome to Around the Spectrum, where parents, prairies, and those in between pull up a chair for honest conversations, grounded guidance, and real stories about raising and supporting autistic kids.
00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:19.440
I'm your host, Wendy Manganero, parent marketing leader and longtime autism ally.
00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:23.760
I know how overwhelming and isolating this journey can feel.
00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:25.519
That's why we're here.
00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:29.600
Because when we sit at the same table, we understand more and judge less.
00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:31.600
Let's get into today's episode.
00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:37.920
Today we're joined by professional Anna Sturgeon, who isn't here to talk at us, but to talk with us.
00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:44.560
Anna is a board-certified behavior analysis and licensed behavior analysis in Houston, Texas.
00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:46.960
She's a proud wife and mother of two children.
00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:58.320
She received her bachelor's in psychology from Texas AM and her master's in human development and early childhood disorders from the University of Texas at Dallas.
00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:06.480
She became a BCBA in 2016 and has focused her work around early childhood adolescent intervention for the past decade.
00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:10.239
She has worked in various clinical ABA settings and charter schools.
00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:17.040
Throughout her career, she recognized the importance of early assessment, intervention, and education for families.
00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:26.959
Unfortunately, so many families experience lengthy wait lists for assessment, unclear instructions or recommendations for therapies, and a general lack of individualized compassion.
00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:46.319
To bridge that gap in our local community, Anna started Shine Behavior Services in 2024 with the goal of providing low-cost, no wait list autism evaluations, caregiver support, virtual and in-person, as well as development trainings for professionals and volunteers working closely with special needs families.
00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:54.719
Compassionate care and individualized support is the core of Shine's purpose with the goal of shining a light on your family's autism journey.
00:01:54.959 --> 00:02:03.359
We'll dive into the real world of supporting autistic kids, what's working, what's not, and how we can bridge the gap between research services and real family life.
00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:10.719
Today we're going to discuss compassionate care at the starting line, guiding families from diagnosis to direction.
00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.000
And welcome, Anna.
00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:13.680
Thanks for being here with me today.
00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:15.199
Thank you so much for having me.
00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:16.319
I'm really excited.
00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:28.960
I'm really excited to I love recording podcasts, especially when it's so meaningful for so many families, because it's quite the journey from the moment you get that diagnosis and it can be overwhelming.
00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:32.080
But let's get into the actual questions for you.
00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:36.240
The first one I want to know is you described your work as a true passion project.
00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:45.680
Can you take us back to the moment or the season that made you realize you wanted to walk alongside families from diagnosis to treatment with compassion with the center?
00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:46.719
Absolutely.
00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:55.919
I started in this field before I was married, before I was a mom, as my time in this field working with so many different families evolved.
00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:00.800
I just really started to see gaps that kept coming up.
00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:22.960
No matter where I was working, whatever clinic I was at, or whatever capacity I was supporting families in, I just kept seeing similar gaps where families were given either very cookie-cutter instructions for what services to seek, or they were completely overwhelmed by the process of even getting a diagnosis, any clear, unbiased guidance.
00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:28.400
A lot of families felt like if they asked a question, they were being sold a certain setting or service.
00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:31.199
Throughout my years, I just kept seeing those same gaps.
00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:34.879
And I was like, how can I help fill those in my local community?
00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.400
At the peak of COVID, I started to see those gaps widen.
00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:44.240
People didn't have access to supports and services and virtual support took off then.
00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:50.319
That got me thinking about how I can fill in those holes a little bit in my local community.
00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:52.000
Thanks for telling us about that.
00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:58.560
I love that you talk about these gaps because that is incredibly important for families to hear.
00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:07.360
They don't know when they enter the system what their journey is going to look like, how many gaps there are, and how much parent and professional advocacy is really important.
00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:14.240
I'd love to know from you when you're talking about these gaps and how you show up.
00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:17.120
What personal values do you bring into this?
00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:20.639
It's really a human-to-human contact we make with parents.
00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:21.680
I love that question.
00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:23.759
And I love the person-to-person contact.
00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:26.560
Sometimes the humanity of it can get a little lost.
00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:30.240
It becomes a checklist of things you have to accomplish.
00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:33.279
And we forget that everyone involved is a human.
00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:38.720
The parents are such a huge part of their child's development, of their story.
00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:48.720
Sometimes the parents take a back seat and there's so many resources for the child, but the parent might not receive that same level of understanding, compassion.
00:04:49.040 --> 00:05:00.800
For me, the compassionate conversations, the compassionate caring, like that is just so important that parents feel seen and heard, that they have a space to ask questions without judgment.
00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:05.519
Anytime I meet with a family, I tell them there's absolutely no silly questions.
00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:14.160
If you have it in your mind, you need to be able to ask it, making sure that everyone feels respected and seen and heard is one of the core values.
00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:18.800
And just making knowledge and resources accessible.
00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:27.360
I don't think there should ever be a reason why a family does not have equal access to all these amazing services that are out there.
00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:28.560
And I agree with that.
00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.600
Sometimes it doesn't feel like that, but it's so important.
00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:33.040
I always talk about two things.
00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:36.639
One, it's so scary to go on Google or AI.
00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:41.680
So really being able to have somebody in your corner to advocate and talk about those things.
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:48.000
And but I want to go back to what you were just saying originally with the idea of that there's all these gaps.
00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:54.639
I think there's different parts broken from diagnosis to treatment and what's best and what's not best.
00:05:54.800 --> 00:06:06.319
But I'd love from your perspective, for those families starting out, what do you see the most overwhelming or broken part of the journey right now?
00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:07.920
Yeah, that's a great question.
00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:11.279
At the very beginning, there's always the seeds of self-doubt.
00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:18.319
You might start seeing some concerning behaviors or slower development things potentially on your radar.
00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:24.480
There's still these biases, stigmas surrounding getting assessments done or asking questions.
00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:28.240
Sometimes we feel like if we ask the question out loud, it makes it real.
00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:30.319
Really, it's the opposite.
00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:31.839
It's always there.
00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:35.519
We just want to make sure that we get the best services on the ports possible.
00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:43.519
That initial decision to bring up concerns and seek out those answers is that very first hump that you have to get over.
00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:53.759
Once the recommendation is made by the pediatrician to seek assessment, you would like to think that you would be able to access that service relatively quickly.
00:06:53.920 --> 00:07:02.639
But unfortunately, in the Houston, Texas area, and wait lists are 12 to 18 months for just the assessment.
00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:12.079
That's 12 to 18 months of not being able to access services through insurance, which obviously the out-of-pocket cost for therapies is astronomical.
00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:15.279
So that's not typically an option for a lot of families.
00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:18.800
But of course, insurance requires medical diagnosis.
00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:28.319
And to get the medical diagnosis, you have to be on these lengthy wait lists or have a lot of money on hand to pay for an out-of-pocket full evaluation.
00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:31.519
That was one of the big driving forces behind Shine.
00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:38.560
I wanted to be able to offer low-cost, no wait list evaluations to bridge that gap.
00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:43.360
Without the medical diagnosis, your access to services is so much smaller.
00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:52.240
It also opens up the door for government-funded supports, especially later in life when you start applying for different supports that are out there.
00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:54.720
Those wait lists are years long.
00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.839
So there's gaps throughout the entire journey.
00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:01.759
Anywhere that we can shorten that gap is a value.
00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:12.079
That's true across the US, is that there is a huge gap between I think something's wrong to the ability to even get the diagnosis.
00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:20.000
I know even if we were and so many adults are trying to get diagnosed now, there's an even bigger gap if you're an adult telling, oh my gosh, you know.
00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:29.920
And I think that it's one of the things that as a field we have to look at how to shorten those gaps so that all kids who need it get the services.
00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:37.279
When I got my son's diagnosis, I was honestly besides myself because there was so much guilt of like, did I do something wrong?
00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:39.200
There's just so much that you go through.
00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.120
Did I do something when I was pregnant?
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:44.399
I had all of those emotions and thoughts.
00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:51.519
I worked in special services at the time, and I was mad at myself for missing it, even though I've only worked with teens and adults.
00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:54.960
There's all of these things that you go, like, how did I miss this?
00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:56.559
I brought him in for his speech.
00:08:56.720 --> 00:08:58.320
He's made up his own language.
00:08:58.399 --> 00:08:59.600
He's almost two, right?
00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:01.039
That was the only thing.
00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:03.679
And then they were like, let's look at some of these behaviors.
00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:04.960
I was like, oh my goodness.
00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:10.879
In your experience, when families come to you, what emotions are you seeing the most often?
00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:12.879
Fear, guilt, grief.
00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:15.759
I've experienced all of those.
00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:20.159
And I think that's where compassionate care really comes into play.
00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:24.480
For all my years of experience, I've worked with so many different professionals.
00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:27.279
And there are those that struggle with that part.
00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:35.440
They struggle with absorbing the emotions of family members or navigating how to build rapport through those strong emotions.
00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:39.600
But that's always been the part that has meant so much to me.
00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:41.919
The most common emotion is fear.
00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:43.919
Fear is kind of the underlying emotion.
00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:50.159
And sometimes that comes out in anger, sadness, disbelief, or denial.
00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:54.399
Almost always there's this underlying layer of fear.
00:09:54.639 --> 00:10:02.480
So I always try and meet families there to start with and acknowledge right off the bat this is overwhelming.
00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:09.279
And you're not a bad parent for feeling scared or overwhelmed or wondering if you did something wrong.
00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:11.759
All these things are very natural emotions.
00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:20.240
Professionals try to shy away from that and stick with the scientific facts or specific guidelines, and we forget the humanities side.
00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:25.039
I always try and meet families where they are with that and guide them through that.
00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:30.399
And then also make the referrals and recommendations for continued support for the families.
00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:37.919
I think the adults having therapy and access to great community groups or support groups is so important.
00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:49.840
It's another thing that Shine does is family meetups in the area that are free of cost, just to bring people together that maybe wouldn't have community otherwise, to meet other families in similar situations.
00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:53.679
That part is so important to take care of the parents.
00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:55.600
I have to agree.
00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:58.639
We had a local autism group when my son was diagnosed.
00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:00.960
And I was like, oh, I'm finally not alone.
00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:16.559
Which was good because the one thing I know about diagnosis, which I'm sure you have experienced when you work with families, is that I had really well-meaning friends and families who justified all of it to not be autism.
00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:18.960
They were like, you're just making a big deal out of this.
00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:21.279
It's regular toddler stuff.
00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.799
It's and I'd be like, no, no, there's a little more than that, right?
00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:39.759
Like, and so when you have that support system, but you're not alone, it really does make a huge difference because it doesn't make everything better, but it certainly brings you out of that solo way of thinking of like nobody else understands when families and friends.
00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:42.159
Again, many times well-meaning.
00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:42.879
Absolutely.
00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:48.399
And it allows for people to meet that are in the same journey or those that have gone before.
00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:50.399
That's what I love when families connect.
00:11:50.639 --> 00:12:06.480
My child is in high school now, and these are the things we navigated through elementary and junior high, or just different phases of life that they can support each other and walk through those emotions, and you're allowed to say your fears out loud, and nobody's judging you for it.
00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:08.720
Everyone's been in that same position.
00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:14.320
And so just being able to share resources and share experiences is so valuable.
00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:15.840
Absolutely.
00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:29.840
So part of sharing resources and bringing value is for the parents who are listening and they have new diagnoses, or they're waiting to get diagnosed, or they're waiting for ABA, or they're waiting for OTA, but there is a lot of weight lists out there.
00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:36.080
What are one or two things that they can do right now to kind of regain a sense of clarity or control?
00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:39.039
Because it feels very overwhelming.
00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:42.480
And I know that suddenly it was just like, here's what you need.
00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:46.240
Some sheets of paper, go forth and sing your ready.
00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:47.919
That's a great question.
00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:50.960
I think the first thing is to breathe.
00:12:51.120 --> 00:13:02.320
And that sounds so trite, but I think a lot of times, especially moms, when it comes to our children, we're given a task of okay, this is what they need, and we become bulldogs.
00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:03.759
And that's all we think about.
00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:10.320
We just go full throttle into okay, I've got to figure out what they need and I've got to make it happen today.
00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:15.600
And sometimes we have to just take a second and breathe and process a little bit.
00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:24.559
The next thing is to really try and look through the lens of what is going to be best for your child.
00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:31.679
Well-meaning professionals give a slip of paper with generic recommendations for therapy.
00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.840
They're not right for every single child.
00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:37.600
So don't be afraid to look at various options.
00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:47.279
One of the biggest things, and we spoke about this before, too, was having 40 hours of ABA is the kind of quote unquote gold standard of care.
00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:51.679
But I'm a big advocate for that's not always the case.
00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.240
Individualized care is what's most important.
00:13:54.399 --> 00:14:01.039
I've talked to many families that have said, my child's doctor said they need 40 hours of ABA and that's it.
00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:05.519
And there's, or the clinic I'm visiting is saying it has to be 40 hours or nothing.
00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:11.440
And I really encourage families to look around and see that there are other options.
00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:17.200
Just because one place tells you this is how it is, that doesn't mean that there's not other things out there.
00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:24.080
I also really encourage families to get connected with other families that have gone through similar situations.
00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:32.240
One of the wonderful things about social media is there's so many different groups where you can get great information from other parents.
00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:36.080
That's usually the first recommendation I give to families when they reach out to me.
00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:38.000
I say, join these groups.
00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:48.480
Don't get overwhelmed with all the information, but start to look through and see people's experiences and see that there's a wide variety of supports out there.
00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:59.360
When my son was in third grade, we had a teacher, we were in the IEP and they wanted to drop all services from the school he was at.
00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:08.240
I wanted him still to have some things in his plan because he's fairly intelligent, but they had stuck him in the back of the class.
00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:11.919
He never did well unless he was sitting in the front, not next to a door.
00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:15.759
There was a whole bunch of things he needed in order to succeed in the classroom.
00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:22.799
His teacher, because he was in the back of the class and he wasn't the problem child, was like, well, maybe you just have to accept he's a C student.
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.679
And I was like, Well, thank God my husband was there that day.
00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:28.960
I had to take a real deep breath before I responded.
00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:32.080
Which brings me to that next part.
00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:37.200
And I think that you're right about that when it comes to a parent really being able to advocate.
00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:39.440
I used to host a support group for parents.
00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:43.200
And I've heard parents going, but the school's the expert.
00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:48.000
They don't know how far they can push in a kind way, and they don't know how much they should advocate.
00:15:48.240 --> 00:16:00.559
For parents who struggle with that, like with that advocating for their child, because they want to be able to trust the expert in front of them, which uh ideally that's what we all want to be able to do, especially when it comes to our children.
00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:11.679
What kind of ethical or grounded advice can you give to parents who want to be advocates but don't know how far they're allowed to push?
00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:12.799
I love that question.
00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:21.200
And I think that also leads into choosing your child's team of professionals to work with your family.
00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:25.519
I think having a collaborative outlook is so important.
00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:37.440
Obviously, what there's a lot of overwhelm, there's a lot of fear, and sometimes that can manifest in a combative or aggressive manner that typically makes collaboration more difficult.
00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:46.639
I always encourage families to come really respectfully and collaboratively, but firmly planted in what you want for your child.
00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:52.320
I think I always try and tell families when I work with them, you're the expert on your child.
00:16:52.480 --> 00:17:07.440
At the end of the day, I'm an expert on different tools and systems that can help in shaping and growing behavior, but none of that will work unless I become knowledgeable on your child specifically and you're the expert there.
00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:10.000
You already are an expert on your child.
00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:20.880
And if you come with a collaborative attitude of these are the things that really matter to me and to my family, that is such a great way to start.
00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:30.240
Understanding that just because one expert says something is the best choice, it doesn't always mean that's the case.
00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:40.160
I never want to encourage families to discredit or not listen to all the professionals that are telling them things, because going too far that way can be dangerous too.
00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:58.240
But don't be afraid, look for a variety of options and don't think that just because one provider told you this is the only way to do things, or the only therapy that's going to work, or the only methodology that's going to work, that that automatically makes it true.
00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:05.920
And I think when you're looking for a provider, you need to feel like they're coming with the same respect, the same collaborative attitude.
00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:14.079
You need to feel like they want to understand your child and not just see them as another number or a client ID.
00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:22.000
When you feel that connection, it makes trusting their judgment or recommendations much easier.
00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:30.160
And that's one of the things I train professionals on, especially BCBAs who work in this field with families, with young children.
00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:40.160
If the family doesn't feel like you are there for them and their child specifically, they will not trust or buy into what you're suggesting or recommending.
00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:42.319
You have to gain that first.
00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:45.279
My son is older for listeners.
00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:47.359
I don't think a lot of this would go on.
00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:50.079
What I had when my son was fighting.
00:18:50.160 --> 00:19:02.160
Because I just want to put that out there as parents listen, because I had some hard truths and the guidance counselor who would constantly look at me and go, but your kid's not as bad as the other, so we really won't give him any supports.
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:04.960
That's not what any parent ever wants to hear.
00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.799
I'm not here about any other child.
00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:08.480
I'm here about my child.
00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:12.880
This was a very long time ago, and so many wonderful things have happened since then.
00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:15.519
Hopefully, nobody's going through that experience right now.
00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:18.480
It was a very different time 20 years ago when my son was diagnosed.
00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:23.440
I think this is an important question because I know this from hearing other parents.
00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:26.079
At one point in time, I thought my son would never read.
00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.839
I brought him to the doctor.
00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:30.799
They told me he had no phonics connections.
00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:35.680
We popcorn words for over a year and a half and couldn't get them.
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:44.160
I say this because how do you, as the professional, help the parent balance honesty with optimism?
00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:47.119
Because every child is different on the spectrum.
00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:48.319
Big difference.
00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:54.000
Again, my son is he's ADHD and autistic, and he's applying Princeton now.
00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:59.519
This is the kid that could not read, and every child may or may not be able to over.
00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:00.559
Overcome.
00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.559
There's other things that he still struggles with.
00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:11.359
So how do you, when you have a parent who's upset because they're seeing the reality of today, that doesn't mean that's going to be tomorrow's reality.
00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:14.319
But when I heard that he'd never read, I was crushed.
00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:17.759
So how do you balance those two things?
00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:19.440
Yeah, that's a great question.
00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:28.079
And that ties into the professional towards the parent relationship and then also the parent towards the professional relationship.
00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:42.000
I always try and explain to people the compassionate conversation piece does not mean that you're selling sunshine and rainbows or that you're telling lies or promising certain outcomes.
00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:58.480
That's one of the biggest downfalls I see happening, especially with newly certified professionals who struggle with having those tougher conversations, because it is a hard conversation, but it's an important conversation to understand where we are today.
00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:03.680
We're going to have some real strengths and some weaknesses and some things that we want to focus on.
00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:05.200
We want to focus our efforts on.
00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:09.440
And until we acknowledge those things, we can't move forward.
00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:16.240
I see that a lot of times where people will avoid those conversations or brush them off and say, well-meaning family and friends.
00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:20.559
Oh, my son didn't talk until he was six and now he doesn't shut up.
00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:21.599
It's totally fine.
00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:26.480
And, you know, we don't want to give false hope or false promises.
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:33.119
One of my most common things that I train on is how to navigate some of these challenging questions from families.
00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:34.720
When will they go to school?
00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:36.400
When will they start talking?
00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:39.920
When you get stuck is when you assign any length of time.
00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:46.880
Because the truth is every child is unique, every child is different, every situation is so different.
00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:48.880
I never give a timeline.
00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:01.040
00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:13.439
00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:19.440
00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:23.760
00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:25.519
00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:29.600
00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:31.600
00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:37.920
00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:44.560
00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:46.960
00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:58.320
00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:06.480
00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:10.239
00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:17.040
00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:26.959
00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:46.319
00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:54.719
00:01:54.959 --> 00:02:03.359
00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:10.719
00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.000
00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:13.680
00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:15.199
00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:16.319
00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:28.960
00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:32.080
00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:36.240
00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:45.680
00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:46.719
00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:55.919
00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:00.800
00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:22.960
00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:28.400
00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:31.199
00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:34.879
00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.400
00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:44.240
00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:50.319
00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:52.000
00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:58.560
00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:07.360
00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:14.240
00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:17.120
00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:20.639
00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:21.680
00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:23.759
00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:26.560
00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:30.240
00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:33.279
00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:38.720
00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:48.720
00:04:49.040 --> 00:05:00.800
00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:05.519
00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:14.160
00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:18.800
00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:27.360
00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:28.560
00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.600
00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:33.040
00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:36.639
00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:41.680
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:48.000
00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:54.639
00:05:54.800 --> 00:06:06.319
00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:07.920
00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:11.279
00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:18.319
00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:24.480
00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:28.240
00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:30.319
00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:31.839
00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:35.519
00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:43.519
00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:53.759
00:06:53.920 --> 00:07:02.639
00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:12.079
00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:15.279
00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:18.800
00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:28.319
00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:31.519
00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:38.560
00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:43.360
00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:52.240
00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:54.720
00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.839
00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:01.759
00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:12.079
00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:20.000
00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:29.920
00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:37.279
00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:39.200
00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.120
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:44.399
00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:51.519
00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:54.960
00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:56.559
00:08:56.720 --> 00:08:58.320
00:08:58.399 --> 00:08:59.600
00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:01.039
00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:03.679
00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:04.960
00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:10.879
00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:12.879
00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:15.759
00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:20.159
00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:24.480
00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:27.279
00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:35.440
00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:39.600
00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:41.919
00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:43.919
00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:50.159
00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:54.399
00:09:54.639 --> 00:10:02.480
00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:09.279
00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:11.759
00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:20.240
00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:25.039
00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:30.399
00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:37.919
00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:49.840
00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:53.679
00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:55.600
00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:58.639
00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:00.960
00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:16.559
00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:18.960
00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:21.279
00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.799
00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:39.759
00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:42.159
00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:42.879
00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:48.399
00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:50.399
00:11:50.639 --> 00:12:06.480
00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:08.720
00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:14.320
00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:15.840
00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:29.840
00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:36.080
00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:39.039
00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:42.480
00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:46.240
00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:47.919
00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:50.960
00:12:51.120 --> 00:13:02.320
00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:03.759
00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:10.320
00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:15.600
00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:24.559
00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:31.679
00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.840
00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:37.600
00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:47.279
00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:51.679
00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.240
00:13:54.399 --> 00:14:01.039
00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:05.519
00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:11.440
00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:17.200
00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:24.080
00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:32.240
00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:36.080
00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:38.000
00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:48.480
00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:59.360
00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:08.240
00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:11.919
00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:15.759
00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:22.799
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.679
00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:28.960
00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:32.080
00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:37.200
00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:39.440
00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:43.200
00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:48.000
00:15:48.240 --> 00:16:00.559
00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:11.679
00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:12.799
00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:21.200
00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:25.519
00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:37.440
00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:46.639
00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:52.320
00:16:52.480 --> 00:17:07.440
00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:10.000
00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:20.880
00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:30.240
00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:40.160
00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:58.240
00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:05.920
00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:14.079
00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:22.000
00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:30.160
00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:40.160
00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:42.319
00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:45.279
00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:47.359
00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:50.079
00:18:50.160 --> 00:19:02.160
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:04.960
00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.799
00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:08.480
00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:12.880
00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:15.519
00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:18.480
00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:23.440
00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:26.079
00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.839
00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:30.799
00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:35.680
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:44.160
00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:47.119
00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:48.319
00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:54.000
00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:59.519
00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:00.559
00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.559
00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:11.359
00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:14.319
00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:17.759
00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:19.440
00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:28.079
00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:42.000
00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:58.480
00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:03.680
00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:05.200
00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:09.440
00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:16.240
00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:20.559
00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:21.599
00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:26.480
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:33.119
00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:34.720
00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:36.400
00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:39.920
00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:46.880
00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:48.880