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Turn Autism Around

Author: Dr. Mary Barbera

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Description

If you're a parent with a child diagnosed with Level 1, 2, or Level 3 autism or worried about speech delays, tantrums, autism signs, hitting, potty training struggles, picky eating, meltdowns, sensory issues, or toddler behavior that feels confusing or overwhelming, you're in the right place: www.marybarbera.com

Hosted by Dr. Mary Barbera — RN, doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D), best-selling author, and creator of widely used online programs for toddlers and preschoolers — this bi-weekly podcast breaks down complex child development topics into simple, actionable steps any parent or professional can use immediately.

Every other week, Mary shares her proven 4-step approach to help children (with and without autism or ADHD) make measurable progress at home, school, and in the community. Episodes cover highly searched topics such as:

🗣️ Speech & Language Development
How to get your toddler to talk
What to do when your toddler isn't talking
Late talking, first words, echolalia, scripting, and vocal stimming
Strategies to build interaction, joint attention, and social engagement

😭 Behavior & Tantrums
How to stop hitting, biting, throwing, and daily meltdowns
What causes tantrums and how to reduce them
Simple behavior plans any parent can use
Emotional regulation for toddlers and preschoolers

🧠 Autism, ADHD & Early Signs
Early signs of autism in toddlers
What to do if you suspect autism — or if someone told you to "wait and see"
Screening vs. diagnosis
Sensory processing disorder, hyperlexia, giftedness vs. autism traits
Navigating early intervention, speech therapy, OT, or ABA therapy

👶 Daily Life Skills
Potty training for toddlers with speech delays or autism
Picky eating and feeding challenges
Sleep issues and bedtime routines
Safety, wandering, transitions, and managing hard outings
Preparing for doctor, dentist, or haircut visits

👨‍👩‍👦 Parent Coaching & Real-Life Stories
Real parent success stories (like toddlers going from 0 words to hundreds)
How to create calm, confident routines at home
Reducing stress for the whole family
Mindset support for overwhelmed parents

This show is designed to help parents, but is also widely followed by behavior analysts, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), occupational therapists, teachers, pediatricians, nurses, and early-intervention professionals who want child-friendly, research-backed strategies that work in real homes.

Whether you're dealing with a diagnosis of autism or a late talker with frequent tantrums, sensory challenges, or early signs of autism… or you simply want a clear, compassionate, step-by-step plan to help your child thrive — this podcast is here to guide you.

Subscribe and learn how to improve talking, reduce problem behaviors, and help your child gain confidence, independence, and skills — starting today.
354 Episodes
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Dr. Mary Barbera coaches Claudia on how to support her toddler Isaac's communication and learning at home. Mary reviews Isaac's assessment results and baseline videos, identifies areas to prioritize, and gives practical recommendations for building language, imitation, receptive skills, play, and independence. She also discusses bottle weaning, motivation, shorter teaching sessions, and the value of using assessment and observation to create an individualized teaching plan.
Michelle C. shares her daughter Elena's autism success story, from severe language delays and tantrums at age two to thriving in a general education third-grade classroom. After COVID disrupted therapy services, Michelle used the Turn Autism Around® approach to assess Elena's skills, build communication, make learning enjoyable, and track progress. Elena went from using only a few meaningful words to hundreds, while Michelle gained the confidence and tools to support her development. Today, Michelle also helps other families as a Team Barbera coach.
Mary Barbera welcomes back Michelle, a parent and autism coach, to share her daughter Elena's remarkable journey. Michelle discusses recognizing early signs of regression, receiving an autism diagnosis, and navigating therapy shutdowns during COVID-19. She shares how implementing at-home teaching strategies helped Elena progress from two words to 180 words and phrases in just 33 days. Now eight years old and thriving in third grade, Elena continues to make progress. Michelle reflects on the challenges her family overcame and the importance of empowering parents to actively participate in their children's development.
Mary Barbera interviews longtime collaborator Tracy Rasmussen about helping her 16-month-old granddaughter, Cece, who was showing signs of a speech delay. Tracy shares the strategies she learned through Mary's program, including language sampling, modeling words, repetition, structured table time, and reducing pressure around speaking. She also discusses Cece's early progress with new word approximations, communication, and cooperation. The program is designed to give parents, grandparents, and professionals practical tools they can use to help children build stronger communication and language skills.
Dr. Mary Barbera explains why "free" autism advice and therapy can still carry a cost when they delay real progress. Mary shares two parent stories: Ruth, who spent 150+ hours piecing together free content without a step-by-step plan, and Kelsey, who had funded therapy in place but watched her son work on the wrong goals. Both stories point to the same lesson: parents need to become the "Captain of the Ship" with a clear plan for teaching language, reducing problem behaviors, and supporting progress every day.
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