parent training

“Fell in love with teaching; fell in love with watching him learn." That's a quote from my guest, Dr. Bridget Taylor. She has a long list of accomplishments, among them being a BCBA and Licensed Psychologist. She shares about her journey into the field and something she has noticed changed since conference early in her career in the 90s. 

At the time, the ABA profession was still growing, and conferences she spoke at were attended more by parents, with this momentum driven by families who wanted information to help their children. Now, parents are still an equal part of the process as ever, but those seats are filled by professionals who need to then transfer information, support, and training over to these families.

We discuss some of the work she has done in this area, including parent training and particularly compassionate care and relationship building. She points out a familiar phrase: ‘People don't care how much you know unless you show how much you care’. This really speaks to the way relationships with families create buy-in, collaboration, and ultimately more positive outcomes for the client. 

Dr. Taylor describes compassion as empathy in action. She explains that it requires endurance through uncomfortable feelings and an emphasis on listening during those times so that you can understand and support families. As we close, she shares her recommendations on how clinicians can better help parents by attending training, reading articles, seeking mentorship, and truly practicing listening as a skill.

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• The shift in knowledge seeking conferences since the 90s.
• What can clinicians do to help parents?
• What is compassionate care when it comes to parent conversations?
• Skills and resources for parent training.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Building and Sustaining Compassionate Relationships with Caregivers | ABA Technologies
Membership - ABA Speech

Family and parent support and education are so important, especially when it comes to our youngest learners. Today, I am talking with Dr. Tracy Raulston. She is such a bright spot in the field, with so much information to spread and a great project in the works.

Dr. Raulston helps me discern the difference between Natural Environment Training and NDBI. When we are working with young learners in early intervention, play-based therapy is so crucial. Dr. Raulston explains how NDBI utilizes developmentally based instruction and strategies with child development front and center. Providers using NDBI are using protocols focusing on social connection, sensory exploration, and speech milestones.

The Mindful Routines Project is Dr. Raulston's initiative to provide clear and seamless tools to support parents and families. Being a parent is hard, and parents of autistic children are at an increased risk of stress. This project embeds mindful tools like noticing and validating thoughts and feelings without judgment and encourages parents to be more compassionate with themselves. As Dr. Raulston builds this project, she anticipates an 8-week curriculum for BCBA’s providing family guidance.

Families and parents are our learners' biggest influences and advocates. It is so great to hear about more awareness and tools for BCBAs to work to support these important members of our community.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• How providers can support families and parents.
• Are parents of autistic children at risk of increased stress?
• What is the Mindful Routines Project?
• What is the difference between Natural Environment Training and NDBI?

Mentioned In This Episode:

tjr27@txstate.edu
Dr. Tracy Raulston on LinkedIn
Membership - ABA Speech

My guests today, Anna Dvortsak and Dr. Brook Ingersoll, are the creators of Project ImPACT, an important initiative in the field to provide access for parent coaching and train parents for a collaborative approach to therapy.

Project ImPACT is a systemic approach to parent mediated intervention for parents of young children with social communication delays, with or without a diagnosis. This parent coaching teaches parents to work with their children to create relevant skills and goals for their community and needs in four main targets; Social Engagement, Communication, Imitation, and Play.

There are many programs and systems that may not be attainable for some providers. Anna and Dr. Ingersoll have worked to make this an accessible program with an easy to follow and systemic coaching guide. For those who want more training with Project ImPACT is available but not required.

Collaboration is such an important part of a young child's intervention, not just with providers but with their family and their community. That’s why Anna and Dr. Ingersoll created this program with a holistic view of a child's needs beyond the therapy room, with strategies parents can implement daily.

You can find out more about Project ImPACT by visiting their website.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is Project ImPACT?
• How Anna Dvortscak and Dr. Ingersoll created a parent curriculum.
• Four targets for social communication.
• A systematic approach to parent coaching.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Project ImPACT
Membership - ABA Speech

On December 8, 2018, I received a vision of a train emerging from darkness with bright lights illuminating the rails before it. As I have meditated on the meaning of this vision, I have come to understand this vision as insight into an Emerging Greater Glory Generation, a revelation of a new, powerful generational alignment that God is forming among those called according to His purpose. This vision contains prophetic insight for the ministry assignment of every generation of believer, young and old, regardless of age.

This vision is a representation of the church advancing powerfully out of the darkness of religion and secularism, guided by a piercing light. One generation has prepared the right of way and laid the track to run on. The next generation takes up the light and moves it forward in ever-increasing glory, as in the days of Elijah and Elisha. As they move in the light of His glory, many generations are powerfully connected and aligned to assume the weight of a greater glory and the harvest it produces.

According to Genesis 1:28 God’s intent for mankind from the beginning has been increase. 2 Corinthians 3:18 in the New King James Version tells us as believers, But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

The Amplified Version says it this way, And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

God’s intent is to advance us into a greater measure of His likeness and glory.

In this era, when we think of the next emerging generation, many of us may tend to think of the Millennial Generation, However, what I see emerging are the young ones, the Post-Millennial generations, Gen Z and Generation Alpha, even the ones yet unborn. In the manner that God encouraged Abram (Genesis 15:5), God is encouraging us to look into the heavens and believe for the generations and nations that will be born by faith. Your children, or the children you minister to, as well as their present and/or future offspring are soil for the seeds of the Word to produce a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession (1 Peter 2:9), a Greater Glory Generation. 

My faith is reaching out for the children, the little ones and even the unborn as an Esther Generation. They are ones who “have come into the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). My reference to an Esther Generation is not in a gender sense, but in the sense of kingdom purpose, anointing and favor for their appointed season as a generation of deliverance and transformation. 

Scripture plainly teaches that the foundational responsibility to teach the children, for spiritual stewardship and development of the next generation, lies with their parents (Deuteronomy 6:7; 11:19-21). One of Abraham’s covenant responsibilities was to teach his children (Genesis 18:19). For a greater glory generation to emerge, it will require preparing parents to disciple the children. Training parents and supporting them is a pressing necessity as they assume accountability as the primary frontline minsters to their children.

Our congregations are filled with people who were raised in dysfunctional homes. Not all Christians who are parents have the knowledge, skill or support to effectively minister to their children. Many born-again, Spirit-filled believers simply do not know how to be Christian parents.

Just as Esther’s kinsman, Mordecai (Esther 2:5-7), assumed parental stewardship of the orphan Esther, this next generation will need spiritual “Mordecais” who assume a parental role in preparing them for their righteous purpose and destiny.

Reg Reynolds is an author with a Ph.D. in psychology. I’ve known about Reg for a long time, and he contacted me shortly after I wrote my first book. Reg has written quite a few books and the one most in line with what my audience would be interested in is called “Teaching Children with Autism: An ABA Primer”. Reg has since retired, but I think his work and perspective on the field of disabilities and education is very valuable to us all. Our conversation includes a discussion on changes we’ve seen over the years in terms of education and parenting, especially around disabilities and handling behavior challenges.

Even before Reg was working in the field of ABA, he was paying attention to it. Here, he shares his thoughts on where things have gotten better or worse in our approach as practitioners as well as how he took an interest in ABA. We walk through what inspired Reg to write his book, his thoughts on my work and the 7 Steps, the importance of parent training and involvement, the concept of mini consequences, and the role of control in behavior analysis.

If you’re interested in buying a copy of Reg’s book, head to the link below.

What’s Inside:

• How education and parenting around disabilities and behavior have changed over the years. 
• The importance of parental training and involvement.
• Why mini consequences can be more effective than big punishments.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Just 7 Steps YouTube
Book – Teaching Children with Autism: An ABA Primer

Ilissa Fern from the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative talks about they’re Parent Ambassador Program, a year-long leadership and advocacy program for parents of early learners in Nebraska.  The goal of this program is to develop parent leaders and support them in advocating for their children, themselves, and their communities.  Applications are being accepted until the end of July 2022 so listen and apply today!

District leaders talk through parent and student technology resources and ways to utilize them at home. 

Click here for CCISD Technology Learning Tools

Click here for the Technology Support website

Click here for the TOPdesk Support website

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The family-centered approach is a key component of therapy at Nikki McRory’s facilities, McRory Pediatric Services. Nikki is on the podcast today, sharing how she uses a transdisciplinary approach for speech therapy. She uses the Behavior Skills Training framework in her early intervention programs with both the parents and the learners.

What are the steps for Behavior Skills Training with parents?
Step One: Information
Explain what the skill you're working on is and why it is important. This can be verbal and written.
Step Two: Model
Model and discuss this skill. While demonstrating the specific skill, talk about what you're doing and provide further clarification.
Step Three: Practice
Role play with the parents to give them the foundation for the skill, but also allow them to practice with their child.
Step Four: Feedback
Be sure to let parents know what they are doing well, but also let them know what to change or improve on. Keep repeating steps 2 and 3 until they are where they need to be.

When working with parents, Nikki looks at the whole picture for the family. This means taking into account their cultural, linguistic, and social-emotional differences. Her formula to train parents is directly embedded into her early intervention programs. Every Friday, parents are pulled from the therapy to work on a new skill together with clinicians and will practice with their child in therapy the following week.

If you’re a professional feeling nervous about telling parents what to do, remember that parents are the expert on their child, but you are the expert on speech and language. You are in the best position to help parents help their children. Nikki leaves us with a special sentiment for parents about the long haul of therapy and the importance of self-care!

Be sure to check out the resources we’ve shared, I hope this has helped professionals get an idea of how to facilitate parent coaching and given some inspiration for parents to get involved in their child’s therapy!

What's Inside:

• The Framework for Behavioral Skills Training.
• Robust Parent Training Component.
• What is a Family-Centered Approach?
• Helping Parents Interact and Communicate with Their Children.

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Diondra Straiton.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges with social communication as well as restricted and repetitive interests. Parent training is an evidence-based treatment for ASD in which providers train parents to build on their child’s skills or address their child’s challenging behavior. However, it is not frequently offered in community settings like mental health clinics or public schools. Diondra Straiton is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at MSU. Her research is focused on improving access to evidence-based practices in community settings for traditionally underserved children with ASD, including families who are of racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, of lower resourced backgrounds, or who have limited English proficiency. Recently, her research has focused on barriers and facilitators to the use of parent training within the community mental health system for Medicaid-enrolled families of children with ASD. Tune in to learn more about how to overcome challenges that arise when trying to increase providers’ use of parent training with this population.

If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at scifiles@impact89fm.org. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter @SciFiles89FM and Facebook!