The ABA Speech Podcast- Easy Strategies for Speech Therapists, BCBAs, and RBTs

What if we could safely practice real-world situations before our students ever experience them?
In this episode, I’m joined by Marsha and Rita from Floreo to talk about how virtual reality is supporting autistic learners in building social, communication, safety, and life skills. Floreo is a VR platform that allows learners to step into immersive environments like airport security lines, grocery stores, and even digital conversations, all while being coached in real time by a therapist, teacher, or parent.
What I love most is how functional these lessons are. From responding to TSA questions to recognizing red flags in online interactions, these scenarios reflect the real challenges our students face. We also discuss the growing research behind VR-assisted therapy, including published studies showing improvements in social skills and skill maintenance.
We talk through how VR can fit naturally into speech therapy and ABA sessions, with pre-teaching, guided practice, and generalization built in. Plus, we cover funding options, including school-based access and the temporary VR-assisted therapy billing modifier 0770T.
Technology is powerful when it’s clinically driven, and this conversation highlights how innovation can truly empower our learners.
#autism #speechtherapy
What’s Inside:
How VR supports social, communication, and life skills
Research behind VR-assisted therapy
Ways to integrate VR into speech and ABA sessions
Mentioned In This Episode:
FloreoVR
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
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If AAC has ever felt intimidating, you are not alone, and this episode is going to give you a clear, practical path forward.
In this conversation, I sat down with Gabriella Wendling, an AAC specialist who has dedicated her entire career to assistive technology and augmentative communication. We talk honestly about how most of us received minimal AAC training in graduate school and how real confidence comes from experience, collaboration, and ongoing learning.
We walk through what AAC evaluations actually look like, including timelines, feature matching, and access considerations like switches and eye gaze. Gabriella explains why getting the device is only the first step and why delays are often related to funding, not clinician performance.
One of my favorite parts of this episode is our discussion about what happens after the device arrives. Gabriella shares her coaching-based model for training communication partners, including teachers and families. She emphasizes micro goals, small, meaningful targets that fit naturally into daily routines, so AAC becomes functional instead of overwhelming.
We also tackle a hot topic around prompting and unpack why modeling and systematic prompting are essential for emergent communicators when done thoughtfully and ethically.
If you want AAC implementation that is sustainable, collaborative, and truly supportive for students, this episode will leave you encouraged and equipped.
#autism #speechtherapy
What’s Inside:
What AAC evaluations really involve
Why communication partner coaching is critical
How micro goals create meaningful progress
A thoughtful discussion on prompting and independence
Mentioned In This Episode:
AAC & Me
AAC & Me on Instagram
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

When you move from treatment rooms to team meetings, everything changes, including how you show up as a BCBA.

In this episode, I talk with Shalini Solomon about her transition from clinic-based ABA to working as a school-based BCBA. If you’ve worked in both settings like I have, you know they are completely different worlds. In a clinic, you’re often running sessions. In a school, you’re collaborating, coaching, and translating ABA into language that makes sense to teachers and administrators.

Shalini shares what helped her navigate that shift, from simplifying behavior intervention plans so they actually work in busy classrooms to minimizing jargon and building buy-in with staff. We also talk about why understanding IDEA, IEPs, FAPE, and district systems is critical if you’re stepping into a school role, especially if you’re one of the first BCBAs in your district.

We also discuss her journey toward earning a doctorate in behavioral health and the importance of leadership, mentorship, and representation in our field. It’s an honest, practical conversation for anyone considering or currently navigating a school-based BCBA role.
#autism #speechtherapy
What’s Inside:
Key differences between clinic-based and school-based BCBA roles
How to create simple, usable behavior intervention plans
Why policy knowledge and role clarity matter in schools
Representation and advocacy in the ABA field
Mentioned In This Episode:
Elevate & Align Behavior
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

Starting your own practice does not have to mean doing it all alone.

In today’s episode, I sat down with Bukhtar Khan, co-founder and CEO of Finni Health, to talk honestly about what it really looks like to start and grow an independent ABA practice. We talked about the fears BCBAs often have around finances, insurance, staffing, and burnout, and how Finni Health is built to support clinicians who want autonomy without sacrificing stability or ethics.

Bukhtar shares the heart behind Finni Health and why their work is so focused on reducing stress for clinicians, protecting quality care, and helping providers build sustainable practices that align with their “why.” If you have ever thought about starting your own clinic but felt overwhelmed by the logistics, this conversation will give you clarity, reassurance, and a realistic look at what support can look like.
#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:
The most common concerns BCBAs have about starting their own practice
How Finni Health supports clinicians with operations, billing, staffing, and compliance
The balance between entrepreneurship and financial security
Why knowing your “why” matters more than knowing every step
Mentioned In This Episode:
Finni Health
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

Stepping into your first leadership role can feel overwhelming, and navigating autism services as a parent can feel even harder, even when you’re already in the field.

In this episode, I sat down with Rayni McMahon for a powerful conversation about leadership, advocacy, and what happens when your professional world and personal life collide. We talked about what it really feels like to move from clinician to administrator, why so many professionals feel unprepared for leadership roles, and the one thing that can make that transition feel more manageable. Rayni shared practical, honest insights about mentorship, managing people, setting boundaries, and learning to lead with both confidence and compassion.

We also spent time talking about advocacy from a deeply personal lens. Rayni opened up about her experience as a BCBA navigating the system as a parent of an autistic child and how being “in the know” did not make accessing services easier. Her perspective highlights just how complex and exhausting the system can be, even for professionals, and why empathy, persistence, and advocacy matter so much for families.

This conversation is thoughtful, relatable, and full of takeaways for anyone who is stepping into leadership, supporting teams, or advocating for children and families within our field.
#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:
How to navigate the transition from clinician to leader without burning out
Why mentorship and leadership support are critical in growing organizations
The realities of advocating for autism services, even as a professional
Lessons on balancing leadership, boundaries, and empathy

Mentioned In This Episode:
Virtue Healthcare Consulting
Rayni Brindley McMahon on LinkedIn
Earn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home