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.

Additional Resource

Choosing an ABA provider can feel complex, especially at the beginning.
To support families navigating these decisions, we’re sharing a practical checklist of questions to ask when exploring ABA services.

This resource is designed to help parents gather information, compare options, and make informed choices that fit their child and family.

👉 Download: Questions to Ask an ABA Provider

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Ever been told your child is “bad” in the checkout line while you’re just trying to make it through the day? We dive into the real story behind behavior with BCBA and parent coach Kia Lee, exploring how meltdowns, eloping, and even aggression can be signals of unmet needs rather than defiance. Together, we unpack the everyday moments that push families to the brink and share clear, compassionate steps to bring calm, confidence, and connection back home.

We talk through what actually works outside the clinic: visual schedules that make mornings smoother, timer cues that ease transitions, and simple ways to preview change so kids aren’t ambushed by the day. Kia explains why collaboration beats compliance in ABA, how to build treatment plans that respect your culture and capacity, and why parents deserve as much reinforcement as their kids. You’ll hear practical tools to handle noisy stores, long lines, and critical stares, plus concrete ideas for co-regulation, from breathing techniques to short affirmations that help you steady yourself before you steady your child.

If you’ve felt isolated by public judgment or let down by strategies that worked at therapy but fell apart at home, this conversation offers a grounded reset. We reframe behavior as communication, teach replacement skills that fit the child’s strengths, and show how to pick one priority for 6–8 weeks so progress doesn’t feel like a second job. The big takeaway: your child isn’t against you, and you don’t have to do this alone. Subscribe for more real-world autism support, share this episode with a parent who needs a boost today, and leave a review to help other families find these tools.

🔗 Additional Resource for Parents

If today’s conversation resonated, Kea Lee also created the Grace & Growth Caregiver Program, a parent-centered resource designed to support caregivers of children on the autism spectrum.

The program focuses on three core pillars: compassion, connection, and confidence, helping parents build emotional regulation skills for themselves, strengthen their connection with their child, and feel more grounded during challenging moments at home.

You can learn more about the Grace & Growth Caregiver Program here:
👉 [Link to resource]

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We explore how to build autism services that work at scale without burning out the people who make them possible. Michael Conte shares why consistency beats intensity, how leadership must be taught, and how parent partnerships drive real progress at home.

• systems thinking for clinics as they grow
• telescope vs microscope approach to problems
• balancing child needs, provider capacity, and family reality
• consistency over intensity for hours and schedules
• early buy-in with insurers and realistic utilization
• burnout feedback loops and how to break them
• leadership curriculum for BCBAs and managers
• 90-day onboarding for families and staff
• parent data on sleep, hunger, and routine changes
• retention through intrinsic motivation and clear programming
• documenting vision to expose gaps and scale

If this topic sparks something for you and you'd like to explore that connection between leadership and marketing and creating teams that stay, I'm co-hosting a short workshop called Hire to Stay Leadership and Marketing Strategies on Wednesday, November 5th from 12:30 to 1.05 p.m. It's a focused 35 minute session designed to help leaders and business owners take what they already know about people and make it part of how they attract and keep talent. You can find the link to register in the show notes. I'd love to see you there.

Download's Micheal's free "Potty Training Guide" here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YflUyW5Stxhv3453qAJzUwtV7G5CF9W7IDZe4t1jD0M/edit?usp=sharing

Looking to connect your leadership approach with how you attract and retain great talent?
Join Wendy Manganaro for a free 35-minute workshop, Hire to Stay: Leadership & Marketing Strategies, on Wednesday, November 5, from 12:30–1:05 PM ET.
It’s designed for leaders and business owners seeking practical, people-centered strategies to build lasting teams.
Register here → https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XBSzIhfQTm-NEycZ-OVyyQ

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