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Practical tips and evidence-based guidance to make life easier for you and your severely autistic loved ones.

  1. Why Adults With Profound Autism Need Better ABA Services - with Mailande Vise

    hace 4 días

    Why Adults With Profound Autism Need Better ABA Services - with Mailande Vise

    What happens when autistic children grow into autistic adults? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr sits down with Mailande Vise, M.Ed., BCBA, an experienced behavior analyst with more than a decade of experience supporting autistic individuals across a wide range of ages and support needs. Together they discuss one of the most pressing issues facing families today: the shortage of specialized programs and trained professionals for autistic teens and adults. Mailande shares her firsthand experiences working with individuals with profound autism, including the challenges clinics face when supporting older learners with significant communication and behavioral needs. She also offers practical strategies for parents and caregivers, including identifying triggers, using visual supports, implementing environmental modifications, and creating proactive behavior plans. The conversation explores the growing neurodiversity movement, the importance of communication systems, and innovative community-based programs that help autistic individuals build independence, vocational skills, and meaningful connections. If you're a parent, caregiver, educator, therapist, or autism professional wondering what comes after early intervention, this episode provides valuable insights, practical tools, and reasons for hope. Topics Covered: • Adult autism services • Profound autism support • ABA therapy strategies • Visual schedules and social stories • Communication systems • Behavioral support planning • Neurodiversity acceptance • Community integration • Vocational training programs • Autism transition planning Guest: Mailande Vise, BCBA Connect with Mailande: Email: mailande@viseabatherapy.com  Phone: 601-291-0339 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mailande-vise-3448a0110/ Autism Labs explores practical solutions, expert insights, and real-life experiences to help families navigate the journey of autism across the lifespan. If you're interested in joining our private Facebook community for parents and caregivers seeking residential options, guidance and peer support for profoundly autistic adults or adults with complex needs - Click Here!

    19 min
  2. Part 2 of Autism Parenting Strategies That Actually Work: What I Learned from Dr. Theresa Lyons

    15 jun

    Part 2 of Autism Parenting Strategies That Actually Work: What I Learned from Dr. Theresa Lyons

    Autism support should focus not just on behavior, but on the child’s overall health, as underlying issues like gut imbalances, poor nutrition, and unmet medical needs can significantly impact learning, behavior, and communication. While traditional education approaches like ABA can help, children often learn best when their intrinsic interests and curiosity are engaged. A personalized, science-based approach, using proper testing rather than guesswork, is essential since every child is biologically unique. Progress may look different, but celebrating small wins and maintaining a strong, positive mindset is critical for families. Communication, in any form, can unlock a child’s hidden intelligence and dramatically improve care and connection. Although AI can provide information, real progress comes from guided action and human support. Ultimately, parents play the central role in assembling the right care team and advocating for their child’s health, with the goal not of a “cure,” but of achieving the best possible outcome and quality of life. If you're interested in joining our private Facebook community for parents and caregivers seeking residential options, guidance and peer support for profoundly autistic adults or adults with complex needs - Click Here!

    24 min
  3. Part 1 of Autism Parenting Strategies: What Science Really Shows

    8 jun

    Part 1 of Autism Parenting Strategies: What Science Really Shows

    In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr and Dr. Theresa Lyons discuss how many families lack access to clear, science-based guidance despite growing research in autism, leaving parents overwhelmed and searching for answers. Dr. Lyons highlights that meaningful improvement is possible for some children, but requires a more informed, proactive approach built around seven key areas: personalized diet, a multi-disciplinary healthcare team that combines conventional and functional medicine, strong parent mindset and regulation, foundational health through supplements like vitamin D and proper hydration, tailored education strategies, attention to gut health, and consistently celebrating progress. She emphasizes the importance of asking “why” behind symptoms rather than accepting them as inevitable, and notes that simple interventions, such as improving vitamin D levels or increasing physical activity, can significantly impact sleep, behavior, and overall well-being. The core message is that autism care should be individualized, root-cause focused, and guided by accessible, trustworthy information that empowers parents to make better decisions for their child’s future. If you're interested in joining our private Facebook community for parents and caregivers seeking residential options, guidance and peer support for profoundly autistic adults or adults with complex needs - Click Here!

    22 min
  4. Autism Respite Care: How to Keep Great Help

    1 jun

    Autism Respite Care: How to Keep Great Help

    Keeping great caregivers for individuals with profound autism requires more than just hiring the right person- it demands building a sustainable, supportive system rooted in respect, structure, and consistency. Caregivers should be treated as skilled partners, not babysitters, with clear expectations, proper training, and protection from burnout. Providing a predictable daily schedule and a simple behavior playbook helps reduce stress and builds confidence, while investing in caregivers’ personal and professional growth increases long-term commitment. It’s equally important to make the work meaningful by incorporating moments of joy and purpose, rather than allowing every shift to feel like survival. Fair, reliable pay reinforces their value, and regular, honest feedback strengthens trust and team performance. Ultimately, families are not just hiring help—they are building a dependable care team, and when caregivers feel respected, supported, and connected, they are far more likely to stay and make a lasting difference in both the child’s life and the family’s well-being. If you're interested in joining our private Facebook community for parents and caregivers seeking residential options, guidance and peer support for profoundly autistic adults or adults with complex needs - Click Here!

    13 min
  5. Autism Respite Care: 7 Ways to Find Real Help

    25 may

    Autism Respite Care: 7 Ways to Find Real Help

    In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares personal lessons learned from more than 30 years of raising his profoundly autistic, nonverbal son Michael and discusses one of the greatest challenges families face: finding reliable caregivers for individuals with high support needs autism. He explains that while family members often help early on, trained and dependable support becomes essential as children grow older and behaviors become more complex. Mike emphasizes that the best caregivers are often patient, flexible, teachable, and compassionate rather than simply highly credentialed. He outlines seven practical ways families can build a strong caregiving team, including using respite resources, connecting with climbing communities, partnering with other parents, recruiting special education aides, exploring faith-based disability ministries, working with universities, and improving job postings with more professional titles. Throughout the episode, he encourages families to build a full “bench” of caregivers instead of relying on one person and reminds listeners that although the process can be exhausting, trustworthy and caring helpers do exist, and families do not have to navigate the journey alone.  If you're interested in joining our private Facebook community for parents and caregivers seeking residential options, guidance and peer support for profoundly autistic adults or adults with complex needs - Click Here!

    10 min
  6. Part 2 AI For Autism Care and Smart Home Safety for IDD Families

    18 may

    Part 2 AI For Autism Care and Smart Home Safety for IDD Families

    This episode explores how practical, accessible technology can transform the home environment for individuals with special needs by improving safety, increasing independence, and enriching daily life. Mike Courtney outlines a simple but powerful framework, evaluating each room for safety risks, everyday challenges, and opportunities for enrichment, while leveraging a growing database of thousands of real-world solutions, from smart home devices to best practices. AI plays a central role by continuously updating options and recommending personalized solutions, helping families discover tools they may not have known existed.  The conversation emphasizes balancing independence with safety through technology that acts as a “second set of eyes,” while also addressing the realities of limited funding and the need to maximize impact and efficiency. Looking ahead, advancements in robotics, data-driven dashboards, and community-driven collaboration promise to further enhance care, with a future vision of scalable home assessment and support services. The key message is clear: rather than fearing emerging technologies, families and caregivers should embrace them as powerful tools to create safer, more independent, and more fulfilling lives.  If you're interested in joining our private Facebook community for parents and caregivers seeking residential options, guidance and peer support for profoundly autistic adults or adults with complex needs - click here!

    21 min
  7. Part 1 AI for Autism Care: Daily Living Labs for Parents

    11 may

    Part 1 AI for Autism Care: Daily Living Labs for Parents

    In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr speaks with futurist and researcher Mike Courtney about how AI and emerging technologies can be applied in practical, meaningful ways to support individuals with complex special needs. The discussion centers on redefining technology as the application of knowledge to solve everyday human challenges, not just advanced digital tools, and introduces the concept of “Daily Living Labs,” a community-driven approach focused on improving activities of daily living such as communication, hygiene, and independence.  The conversation highlights how caregivers, professionals, and technologists can collaborate to both identify existing solutions and create new ones using simple tools like smartphones, AI-generated learning videos, and non-wearable sensors that track sleep and physiological signals. These technologies can help build personalized learning systems, improve skill development, and provide deeper insights into behavior by identifying patterns tied to sleep, environment, and emotional triggers. Ultimately, the episode emphasizes a future where continuous, passive data collection and AI-driven insights support proactive care, enabling smarter daily planning, better outcomes, and a connected ecosystem where families don’t have to solve challenges alone.  If you're interested in joining our private Facebook community for parents and caregivers seeking residential options, guidance and peer support for profoundly autistic adults or adults with complex needs - click here!

    20 min
  8. Part 3 What I Learned as an Autism Parent About Respite Care, Staff Culture and Letting Go of Fear

    27 abr

    Part 3 What I Learned as an Autism Parent About Respite Care, Staff Culture and Letting Go of Fear

    This episode focuses on lessons learned from building and running a special needs program, emphasizing that strong outcomes depend less on daily tasks and more on culture, trust, and communication. Mike Carr and Johnna Oppermann discuss how fear often drives parenting decisions and can unintentionally lead to over-control, enabling behaviors, or breakdowns in communication between parents and staff. They highlight the importance of creating a supportive environment where staff feel valued, since staff well-being directly impacts the quality of care provided. The conversation stresses the need to celebrate progress regularly, address concerns quickly using direct communication rather than texts or emails, and avoid allowing frustrations to build up. They also explore how modern care settings require collaboration rather than “us vs. them” dynamics, and how individuals in programs must be supported through appropriate challenge, real-world exposure, and individualized expectations. Ultimately, the episode underscores that sustainable programs are built on trust, transparency, and strong leadership, where parents and professionals work together while allowing trained leaders to guide day-to-day operations for long-term success.  If you're interested in joining our private Facebook community for parents and caregivers seeking residential options, guidance and peer support for profoundly autistic adults or adults with complex needs - click here!

    22 min
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Practical tips and evidence-based guidance to make life easier for you and your severely autistic loved ones.

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  • Creador
    Autism Labs Community
  • Años de actividad
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodios
    62
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Autism Labs
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    Autism Labs

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