Frequently Asked Questions

Just head on over to my page “become a client” or click the “become a client” buttons scattered across my page.

First and foremost, I use a non-judgmental approach that helps me understand why you’re looking for help. Feeling successful is important as a parent, and so we’ll work together to prioritize something meaningful yet simple. Books I often recommend to parents are the following:

Step by Step Help for Children with ADHD: A Self-Help Manual for Parents (ISBN 9781849050708)

The ADHD Parenting Guide for Boys \ Girls: From Toddlers to Teens Discover How to Respond Appropriately to Different Behavioral Situations (ISBN 9781958350140 \ 9781958350126)

Books I rely on to guide how I work with parents include:

Parent Management Training (ISBN 9780195386004)

Flexible and Focused: Teaching Executive Function Skills to Individuals with Autism and Attention Disorders (ISBN 9780128098332)

Not at this time. I’m figuring out the best way to offer you the reassurance I can be helpful while maintaining the confidentiality of current and former families. Check out my free offerings, sign up for a free consultation, or give me a call (619-367-6445) to see if my approach is the right fit for you and your family.

Navigate to “schedule a consultation” or give me a call (619-367-6445).

There are varied opinions about what ABA is and isn’t, so I’ll focus only on what ABA is to me. Many times, when people think of ABA, they think of Ivar Lovaas who advocated for a specific type of intensive early intervention for autistic children. Fast forward to my first career job and the director of the school pulled me aside and said, "I don’t want you doing that Lovaas stuff in my school,” to which I genuinely replied, “I’m sorry, but who or what is Lovaas?”

I remember feeling a little panicked, like I had slept through a lesson or perhaps an entire class. Looking back over my class notes, I saw his name — Ivar Lovaas — in a long list of names of people who had influenced the field of ABA but was certainly not “the father of ABA.”

We focused more on the groundbreaking work in behavioral economics and relational frame theory. That is to say, to me, ABA is not the intensive therapy as practiced by Ivar Lovaas, but a study of the very broadest set of principles that govern how and why humans behave, and then what we can (ethically) do to use those principles.

I do practice applied behavior analysis in its broadest sense. I would not say I practice the “Lovaas ABA Treatment for Autism,” and I also acknowledge the overlapping methodologies.

Many people think of “receptive identification” programming when they think of ABA: e.g., “touch dog” while presented with three cards depicting dog and two other animals. Understandably, being asked to do the same repetitive task over and over and over again might cause someone to misbehave. I’d argue there’s a careful balance of fun and repetition in any learning situation. My childhood piano teacher used repetition; she was not a behavior analyst. My elementary school teachers used repetition; they were not behavior analysts. Many language learning programs and apps use repetition; none, that I’m aware of, were created by behavior analysts.

The short answer is, yes, I use repetition as needed. The long answer is, I don’t find effective teaching to be binary in regard to repetition (use it or don’t use it). Rather, use repetition effectively while balancing engagement (or lack thereof).

In my almost 20 years of practicing ABA, I’ve never worked on eye contact. I don’t plant to start now.

No, I don’t. The only nuance is that nuance faced by every parent, not just parents who are also behavior analysts, and not just parents of AuDHD kids. Do we tell our children they can’t have dessert until they’re done with dinner? Many parents do, myself included. Do we use special treats to help potty train our children? Many parents do. Each parent develops their own parenting strategies, each child’s motivational needs are unique, and every learning situation has its own considerations. There may be times you as a parent may consider using special treats in some way; I’ll follow your lead.

Stop? No. I recommend a careful, thoughtful discussion with my clients when they have concerns about their child’s stimming. It’s important that my clients understand the etiology of their child’s stimming to determine our action steps, if any. The etiology of stimming is as unique as the child and so I don’t recommend a blanket, one-size-fits-all response to stimming. I acknowledge that many etiologies of stimming fall outside the scope of my practice and training. And it’s also important to me that we respect autonomy and create inclusive spaces for neurodivergent people like myself.

I’m not a therapist in the traditional sense; I don’t practice psychotherapy or any other form of talk therapy. I’m a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (or BCBA) certified with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (or BACB). (I know, the acronyms make it super confusing). I help children and adults with ADHD develop their executive function skills. I help caregivers understand why their child does what they do so they can discover new strategies or hone their existing strategies.

In addition to working with parents and children with ADHD, I also work with adults with ADHD. Some might call that ADHD coaching or executive function coaching; I call it applied behavior analysis.

No. If you’re using a sticker chart and find it effective, great! If you’ve tried a sticker chart and it doesn’t work for your child, that’s okay. You know your child best. Part of my assessment process is understanding what you’ve tried with your child, what’s worked and why, and what hasn’t work.

I’m so glad you asked! My highest recommended book for educators is Organizational Skills Training for Children with ADHD (ISBN 9781462513680). This books shows you the skills your learners with ADHD need to be successful in K through 5th grade. There’s also a parent companion to the book. The publisher of the book also offers free, reproducible downloads if you decide to purchase the book, too. I’ve had success incorporating many of their free visuals and worksheets.

My other highly recommended book is Homework Success for Children with ADHD: A Family-School Intervention Program (ISBN 9781572306165). As the title suggests, this is a specific intervention for kids with ADHD who struggle with homework, but has some application that can be broad enough to capture students without ADHD and students who might have some organizational needs outside of homework.

Anyone can purchase a training; only BCBAs get continuing education credit for doing so. Contact me directly if you’re not a BCBA and you’re interested in signing up for a training as discounts may apply.