So many parents of autistic kids describe a moment where they began to relax & enjoy the company of their kid without the constant anxiety of “correcting” them that’s built into the ABA model. Imagine if we all tossed that out and started focusing on connecting at day one.... 1/4

For many parents, it isn’t until their autistic child is a young adult that they reach a point of acceptance and connection. It’s a direct result of ABA which tells parents to “work” like a therapist at home in an incredibly un-natural & unhealthy way...2/4

I hear from these parents that they grieve those lost early years, when they were so focused on “treating” & “training” their child for “life” that they couldn’t just relax in each other’s company and BE alive. This is truly the toxic legacy of the ABA model on families... 3/4

They were encouraged to be so focused on the future that only those “investments” mattered: not just the $$$$ that ABA demands but also the emotional investment, which is to distance from one’s own child “in their best interest”. When parents realize it was a mistake... 4/5

....it only takes a moment to make the switch to acceptance and authenticity. It’s a powerful & joyful moment!!

The neurodiversity movement works to make those moments happen sooner, as soon as the diagnosis happens. For families, for us all.