Synergy Autism Podcast

For those of you new to autism, ABA is now commonly prescribed by pediatricians as the 1st line of support when a child is diagnosed with autism. Families receive between 10-20 hours per week of support by an ABA trained center that is typically covered by insurance. A trained behavior technician visits the family’s home or the child attends the center for skill development. However, there are many autistic adults speaking out against the treatment, stating that it is harmful and even abusive. I am a strong advocate for listening to autistic voices, so I am definitely listening here. Especially since I personally left being an ABA provider in 2005.

Today, I am sharing one of my go-to tips for helping a person understand the passage of time across days as well as engaging with you in a bit of review and even planning. Let's call this the Today/Tomorrow Activity or routine. It's something I recommend doing towards the end of your day together and typically for parents to do with their children of any age.

Happy Mother’s Day today and everyday to all the moms listening. This podcast was recorded with you in mind. It has been a tough year for everyone but my hat is off to all moms who have taken on the additional demands of stay-at-home orders including online schooling, cooking and cleaning more, and enduring the emotional roller coasters of all those in your home. I have learned so much from each of the amazing mothers who I have been blessed to get to know through my work. You are warriors for your children. You tirelessly research so much that most you should have honorary degrees in autism, neuroscience, and/or pharmacology. I know you have exhausted days when you don’t think you can do any more...but you do anyway. I know you lose your shit sometimes and find the strength to apologize. I know that you cry when no one is looking and your child is not around. I know you have times when you feel no one is listening, caring, or even paying attention to you, your child, your family. But yet again, somehow you

I’ve been hesitant about doing a podcast this topic. It has been coming up more and more in my work and I still do not feel like I am an expert. But then I realized that as a cisgender and neurotypical Mom, I will actually never consider myself an expert on the topic of AutiGender. I can admit that and share what has helped me learn and support those who have autism and are gender diverse.

Teens with and without autism can be tricky to talk with sometimes. But there are some basic tenants to keep in mind that should make conversations not only more relaxed but more connected and two directional.

I have a lot of parents who come to me uncertain as to how to really get into the mindset to play. We are all in our busy lives full of to do lists and schedules. It is hard to get in the moment and relax enough to play and sometimes even when we try, we are left not sure what to do! I created this podcast for those of you who are wanting to learn how to find your playfulness that works to support your child with autism to play with you.

Welcome to another episode of my mini-podcasts. This one is particularly brief and I hope, particularly helpful. Most autists have some difficulty transitioning from one thing to another and may need some support to do so successfully. Listen in to a quick and easy tip that can make it easier. For more information, please go to: www.synergyautismcenter.com

In this podcast, Barb O'Neill and I talk about the importance of play for connection in our lives, especially with young children and since this is an autism based podcast, especially young children with autism. I’ve invited Barb O’Neill here for this podcast. She is an expert in play and child development. I appreciate Barb’s approach in early childhood to really step up the play and engagement with children - especially those with challenging behaviors. Barb shared a little bit about her background and how she came to this passion of working with children and teachers. Barb and I talk about how play is possible for all children of all ages and how important play is for true connections with one another and also within ourselves. In the autism world, we often get hung up on skill development and we forget the importance of play. To add to that, people with autism tend to avoid uncertainty which means that they may avoid little kind-of playful moments. We as well meaning professionals and parents then a

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Synergy Autism Podcast. Today, I am interviewing my colleague, Connor Kavanaugh who is the founder of Palladio Consulting here in Portland, Oregon. I’ve really appreciated Connor's approach over the years in his guidance with families not only for setting themselves up for success with their own money but also for accessing government funding supports and services as well. In this episode, Connor shares excellent descriptions of different services like SSI, SSDI, An ABLE account, and VR. He shares how to set yourself and/or a loved one up for the best chance for accessing these services successfully. To learn more about financial planning for you and/or your family, please visit Palladioplanning.com You can also email or phone Connor directly at: connor@palladiocompany.com or 503-928-3229 And of course, to learn more about my autism services, please visit synergyautismcenter.com.

I really enjoyed giving a Facebook live presentation a few months back and people seemed to like it, so I turned it into a podcast! Listen in to this podcast where I review the one practice that can help anyone feel heard, seen, and respected. This simple seeming practice can make a world of difference for someone. It builds trust and allows authentic connection. In this podcast, I share why it is necessary, when to apply it, and the steps for how to give someone processing time. Enjoy and if you want more, please stay tuned for my book coming out this Summer 2021! I go into this and other topics in much more depth for an even better understanding and application. Sincerely, Barb Avila

If you are a job coach, counselor, parent, or guide of any sort seeking support to motivate someone with autism, this podcast is for you. Listen in for 4+ tips for having successful conversations

People with autism do well with information provided visually. You have found that, I am sure, with the person you know with autism. They tend to appreciate written schedules and lists, for example. And they tend also to not only better understands information that is provided visually but he also tends to trust it more than what is heard.

For individuals on the spectrum, sharing control within interactions for learning can be limited. If they control the situation, they are not open to new ideas or ways of doing things. If they allow the other person to take complete control, they are passive receivers and do not learn to think for themselves.

Today I’m giving you the golden ticket for helping someone you know think for themselves. That golden ticket is for you to resist the urge to solve problems for someone with autism. And if you, yourself, have autism, you can ask those around you to stop solving problems for you!

I am talking today about our neurobiological systems working on overdrive and I call this “riding high.” I see most of my clients “riding high” so frequently and so often that it is their norm - so that others around them do not even know it is happening for them. I had an older client once tell me, autistics may not know what “safe” really means so I should reframe the conversation to simply “avoiding danger.” For more information about this track, please go to https://synergyautismpodcast.blogspot.com/

I know you hear it all of the time: it is important to take care of yourself so that you can care for someone else. However, I want to give you even more reason to take care of yourself and introduce you to why couple-care and friendship-care is equally important for modeling a home filled with rich and satisfying relationships. For more on this podcast: https://synergyautismpodcast.blogspot.com/

Avoiding Yes/No Questions Just a quick one today. I’d like to share with you why it is helpful to avoid questions that have a yes or a no answer with people who are autistic. More info here: https://synergyautismpodcast.blogspot.com/

Imagine always feeling drained and unmotivated. Maybe you are the one experiencing this. It would be so frustrating and you would consistently blame yourself for simply not working hard enough or not sleeping well enough or not being motivated enough. But what if it were a biological event that you didn’t have enough energy? What if being in a heightened state of sensory overload for a good majority of your day, exhausts you? What if you never even felt what it would be like to be relaxed except when you were sleeping? Well, I’m here to share what some other people both outside our autism community and within it have shared that help them.

In this special mini-podcast, I share a little about the autistic experience as I understand it surrounding emotions and I also provide you with some ideas for ensuring a rich, meaningful, and clear landscape in your home.

Episode #30: Interview with Autistic Advocate Jonathan Chase on Protesting for the BLM Movement