Welcome to Episode 228 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

This week on Autism Parenting Secrets, we’re joined by Dr. Dana Johnson, a true pioneer in the world of communication for nonspeaking individuals.

Dr. Dana is the founder of the Spellers Center and Invictus Academy in Tampa Bay, Florida, and co-founder of the Spellers Method alongside Dawnmarie Gaivin (featured in Episode 213).

With nearly 20 years of experience, she specializes in helping nonspeaking, unreliably speaking, and minimally speaking individuals find their voice through spelling and typing.

Dr. Dana's work extends to producing the award-winning documentary SPELLERS, serving as executive producer of UNDERESTIMATED: The Heroic Rise of Nonspeaking Spellers, and co-authoring The Spellers Guidebook: Practical Advice for Parents and Students.

Her journey began as an occupational therapist in public schools, and she continues to make a profound impact through her private practice.

The secret this week is ...

It’s A Brain/Body DISCONNECT

You'll Discover:

• What Exactly Is APRAXIA (3:42)
• The Beliefs To Adopt First (9:23)
• An Enhanced Version of OT (18:09)
• The Impact of Vision (21:38)
• The 4 Ways We Move (30:06)
• Why You Must Presume Competence (32:47)
• How To Coach The Body (37:56)
• The Power of Belief And An Individualized Approach (42:17)

About Our Guest:

Dr. Dana Johnson, PhD, MS, OTR/L, is the Founder of Spellers Center, Tampa; Founder of Invictus Academy, Tampa Bay; and co-founder of the Spellers MethodTM. Dr. Johnson has a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and a Ph.D in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Development. She is a producer of the award-winning documentary SPELLERS, an executive producer of UNDERESTIMATED: The Heroic Rise of Nonspeaking Spellers, and co-author of The Spellers Guidebook: Practical Advice for Parents and Students. Dr. Johnson has worked with individuals with motor and sensory differences for almost 20 years and currently specializes in supporting nonspeaking, unreliably speaking, and minimally speaking individuals to utilize spelling and typing as a form of communication. Dr. Johnson started her career as an occupational therapist supporting children in the public school system, then moved to private practice working with individuals with autism, apraxia, and other sensory-motor differences. You can learn more about her at www.spellers.com

References in The Episode:

• Autism Parenting Secrets Episode 213, Presume Competence, Here’s How with Dawnmarie Gaivin
• Ido in Autismland: Climbing Out of Autism’s Silent Prison by Ido Kedar
• Dr. Elizabeth Torres

Additional Resources:

• Unlock the power of personalized 1-on-1 support; visit allinparentcoaching.com/intensive
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?
• To learn more about Cass & Len, visit us at www.autismparentingsecrets.com
• Be sure to follow Cass & Len on Instagram

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 227 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

This week, we’re unlocking the transformative power of improving executive function through a bottom-up approach with an expert in neurodevelopment.

Our guest, Carol Garner-Houston, co-founder of Brain Harmony, is a licensed occupational therapist with 28 years of experience. Her award-winning telehealth program addresses the root causes of neurodiverse conditions, including sensory processing disorders, autism, ADHD, and learning challenges.

Brain Harmony bridges the gap between highly effective therapies and accessibility for families worldwide.

Strengthening executive function can have a profound impact, especially for children with autism, improving focus, self-regulation, and overall learning.

The secret this week is...

Strengthen EXECUTIVE FUNCTION Bottom-Up

You'll Discover:

• Why Executive Function Is So Important (4:24)
• How Sound Frequencies and Vibration Create Balance (11:27)
• The System To Focus On First (20:16)
• The Distinction Between Vagal Stimulation and Vagal Regulation (26:37)
• Accelerants to Build Neural Connections (32:15)
• Ways To Enhance Social Engagement (37:10)
• Approaches To Address Trauma (42:02)

About Our Guest:

Carol Garner-Houston, a licensed occupational therapist with 28 years of experience, is the owner of Brain Harmony. This award-winning telehealth program treats the root causes of various neurodiverse conditions in the brain and nervous system. These conditions include sensory processing disorders, speech and language issues, dyspraxia, auditory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit, and learning disorders such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, as well as social delays. Brain Harmony aims to bridge the gap between effective therapies and accessibility for families worldwide.

www.brainharmony.com

References in The Episode:

• Autism Parenting Secrets Episode 212, You Can’t Heal If You Don’t Feel Safe with Dr. Neil Nathan
• The Safe And Sound Protocol
• The Integrated Listening System (ILS)
• The Tomatis Method

Additional Resources:

• Unlock the power of personalized 1-on-1 support; visit allinparentcoaching.com/intensive
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?
• To learn more about Cass & Len, visit us at www.autismparentingsecrets.com
• Be sure to follow Cass & Len on Instagram

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 226 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

This week, we’re diving into neuroplasticity—how you and your child can rewire the brain for growth and reorganization.

Joining me is Dr. Patrick K. Porter, founder of BrainTap®, a leader in technology-enhanced meditation.

He pioneered brainwave entrainment to improve clarity, sleep, and energy and remains a trailblazer in brain health research.

BrainTap offers over 1000 audio sessions in 12 languages and serves users worldwide through its app and headset.

Dr. Porter has been featured in major media outlets like The Wall Street Journal and ABC and was awarded the Interdisciplinary Association of Functional Neurosciences and Rehabilitation (IAFNR) lifetime achievement award in 2020.

If you want to help yourself and your child operate at ALL frequencies.

And if you want to learn more about a faster path to a better brain, you’ll want to listen to this entire episode.

The secret this week is …

Rewire The Brain With Sound AND LIGHT

You'll Discover:

• The Role and Purpose of The States Of The Brain (6:38)
• The Brain State To Focus On For More Speech (7:42)
• Why The Whole Family Needs Help (14:38)
• How It’s A Toxic Overload In The Brain (16:34)
• How To Bring Light Energy To The Brain (22:17)
• Ways To Accelerate Learning (24:36)
• The #1 Thing to Do For Longevity (31:18)
• Case Studies and Real-World Applications (34:33)
• Ways To Reduce EMF Exposure (41:00)
• Why It’s Never Too Late To Help The Brain (45:15)

About Our Guest:

Dr. Patrick K. Porter, PhD, is an award-winning author/speaker and the founder of BrainTap®, the leader in technology-enhanced meditation. Dr. Porter pioneered the use of brainwave entrainment to improve clarity, sleep & energy and remains at the forefront of scientific research. He founded BrainTap with the goal of making this technology accessible to everyone. BrainTap offers over 1000 original audio sessions in 12 languages and serves a worldwide user base with its mobile app and headset. Dr. Porter has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, People, Entrepreneur, INC, and on ABC, NBC, and CBS as an expert in brain health & wellness, and in 2020, Dr. Porter received the IAFNR lifetime achievement award.

www.braintap.com

References in The Episode:

• BrainTap Headset
• Children’s Opportunity for Brilliance Autism Series by Joqueta Handy
• Disconnected Kids, Third Edition: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders by Robert Melillo
• Awaken The Genius by Patrick K. Porter
• Autism Parenting Secrets Episode 212, You Can’t Heal If You Don’t Feel Safe with Dr. Neil Nathan
• 32 Metronome Synchronization Video

Additional Resources:

• Unlock the power of personalized 1-on-1 support; visit allinparentcoaching.com/intensive
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?
• To learn more about Cass & Len, visit us at www.autismparentingsecrets.com
• Be sure to follow Cass & Len on Instagram

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.