The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Allyson Wharam, BCBA, instructional designer, and founder of Sidekick Learning. Allyson is the creator of one of the most comprehensive and thoughtfully designed 40-hour RBT courses I’ve come across. Her background in instructional design brings a fresh and interactive approach to RBT and BCBA training. We talk about how the RBT certification has grown rapidly and why quality training is more important than ever. Allyson explains what goes into becoming an RBT and how her course supports new professionals with engaging, person-centered content. We also dive into how BCBAs can feel unprepared when stepping into supervisory roles and how her supervision curriculum fills that gap. Whether you're a clinic owner, new BCBA, or someone supporting trainees, this conversation is full of helpful insight on training, supervision, and compassionate care. Allyson also shares details on our upcoming collaboration. On August 19, I’ll be presenting a free live CEU course on joint attention through Sidekick Learning, and I’d love for you to join us. #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: * What makes Allyson’s 40-hour RBT course unique * The steps to RBT certification and required competencies * Why supervision is a challenge for new BCBAs and how to support them * Integrating compassion and social validity into training content Mentioned in this episode: Sidekick Learning [https://www.sidekicklearning.net/] Supervision Sidekick on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/supervisionsidekick/] Allyson Wharam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/allyson-wharam-m-ed-bcba-93931997] ABA Speech Connection [https://aba-speech-connection.circle.so/checkout/aba-speech-connection-membership] Free CEU on Joint Attention – August 19 [https://www.sidekicklearning.net/joint-attention-ceu] RBT Training [https://buy.stripe.com/cN2aI394M1R0aZO00z]Use coupon code: ABASPEECH

Jennifer Houston joins me to share her journey from speech‑language pathologist (SLP) to dual‑credentialed SLP/Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)—a rare “unicorn” duo found in fewer than 500 professionals worldwide. After more than two decades of diverse SLP roles, Jennifer found herself increasingly drawn to addressing challenging behaviors across her caseload. Motivated by this evolving passion and a push from her boss, she pursued BCBA certification, blending her communication expertise with applied behavior analysis to better support her clients. In our conversation, Jennifer tackles common misconceptions about both fields and describes her thoughtful approach to professional introductions. She emphasizes the importance of gently educating colleagues about the shared foundations of speech‑language pathology and behavior analysis, fostering collaboration rather than competition. Jennifer is also an active member of ABA Speech Connection, our community that provides science‑backed resources on the latest developments in ABA. She explains how this network helps her stay current and deliver evidence‑based interventions. Highlighting that education doesn’t end at graduation, Jennifer contrasts what she loves about our live courses—robust chat interactions—with the flexibility of ABA Speech’s comprehensive course library, underscoring her belief in lifelong learning.  #autism #speechtherapy  What’s Inside: * Becoming dually certified: SLP to SLP/BCBA. * Common misconceptions cross the fields of Speech Pathology and ABA. * Finding common ground across professions. * Utilizing ABA Speech Connection to bolster learning across the career. Mentioned In This Episode: Speech [https://abaspeech.org/podcasts/episode-146-early-intervention-and-project-impact-with-anna-dvortcsak-and-dr-brook-ingersoll/] Membership - ABA Speech [https://abaspeech.org/membership/]   ABA Speech: Home [https://abaspeech.org]

We’ve made it to the final installment of my mini summer series! In today’s episode, I’m asking an important question: Do you feel valued at work? Feeling valued and building mutual trust are key ingredients for meaningful collaboration, which is essential in the work we do as providers. I’m sharing practical, collaborative phrases you can use to build trust and strengthen your professional relationships. (You’ll also find a link to a free phrase bank—a helpful part of a larger freebie I offer!) The truth is, we don’t get much formal training on how to collaborate—especially with colleagues from different backgrounds or disciplines. That’s something I’m passionate about changing through ABA Speech, so be sure to check us out! You’ll learn phrases like “How do you usually approach this? I want to make sure we’re aligned on our strategies.” How we show up in the world and with each other matters. We don’t want to work in silos. We want synergy. Because when we collaborate well, we can transform not just the lives of the learners in front of us—but ripple outward beyond the therapy room. #autism #speechtherapy  What’s Inside: * Practical phrases to foster collaboration. * How to create a positive working relationship with different disciplines. * Highlighting training in collaboration across the field.  Mentioned In This Episode: ALP for AAC [https://www.alpforaac.com/] SLP/BCBA collaborative phrases—Speech Therapy Hack #30  [https://aba-speech-llc.kit.com/f93b10b4f4] Speech [https://abaspeech.org/podcasts/episode-146-early-intervention-and-project-impact-with-anna-dvortcsak-and-dr-brook-ingersoll/] Membership - ABA Speech [https://abaspeech.org/membership/]   ABA Speech: Home [https://abaspeech.org]

Welcome to Part 3 of my mini-series answering your burning questions! Today, we're diving into the topic of verbal imitation. When it comes to verbal imitation and echoic goals, context is everything. These goals must be functional and meaningful to the individual child in order to support communication development. As an SLP collaborating with a BCBA, and vice versa, rely on assessment tools and an SLP's robust training in speech to identify and shape functional goals. It's crucial that we plan and program with intention—otherwise, we risk discouraging a child from verbalizing The key? Collaborate early and often. Assess together. Plan together. Use resources like the Autism IEP Goal Bank (don’t miss the freebie!). Then, have the SLP on the team focus on those targeted words and move into collaboratively supporting generalization into the natural environment for a robust bank of words. Looking ahead to 2026, we’re excited to explore communication disorders more deeply over at ABA Speech Connection. Stay tuned—because sometimes, you don’t know what you don’t know.  #autism #speechtherapy  What’s Inside: * Summer mini-series * Strategy to work collaboratively as BCBA and SLPs * Verbal imitation goals  * Communication development Mentioned In This Episode: Verbal Imitation Guide (Hack #19) [https://aba-speech-llc.kit.com/f93b10b4f4] Join our ethics course [https://abaspeech.lpages.co/self-study-navigating-conflict-ethically-with-a-focus-on-aac-verbal-imitation-and-gestalt-language-processing/] Speech [https://abaspeech.org/podcasts/episode-146-early-intervention-and-project-impact-with-anna-dvortcsak-and-dr-brook-ingersoll/] Membership - ABA Speech [https://aba-speech-connection.circle.so/checkout/aba-speech-connection-membership]  ABA Speech: Home [https://abaspeech.org]

In this installment of minisodes, we tackle a common AAC challenge: what happens when professionals don’t agree? The BCBA recommends PECS, the SLP suggests a dynamic device… Now what? Welcome to the standard trial of non-collaborative chaos. There are plenty of barriers to AAC collaboration, but also practical steps that can lead to smoother teamwork. The first is building familiarity. AAC can feel overwhelming, but taking time to learn the basics makes collaboration more effective. One key reminder: the device belongs to the student. Everyone on the team should be working toward the same goal—supporting the individual’s communication needs across their lifespan. Joint assessment can help, and tools like the free ALP AAC assessment offer a shared starting point. Another useful strategy is to assign a single person to program the device. This reduces confusion and ensures consistency. Most importantly, collaboration keeps families from being caught in the middle. When professionals work together, outcomes improve—for everyone involved. #autism #speechtherapy   What’s Inside: * 10-minute summer series. * Free Assessment. * Collaborating every step from assessment through intervention. Mentioned In This Episode: ALP AAC Assessment [https://www.alpforaac.com/] AAC course bundle [https://abaspeech.org/shop/uncategorized/all-about-aac/] Speech [https://abaspeech.org/podcasts/episode-146-early-intervention-and-project-impact-with-anna-dvortcsak-and-dr-brook-ingersoll/] Membership - ABA Speech [https://abaspeech.org/membership/]   ABA Speech: Home [https://abaspeech.org]