Timothy A. Zercher (00:00)
Thank you so much for joining us today, David. I'm super excited to talk a little bit with a true expert in the ABA space, which is cool.
So we got a bunch of different questions for you today. We're gonna just jump straight into the first one. I'm sure you could talk about this for a long time, but can you walk us through some of your approach to working collaboratively with families and educators and kind of bringing them together to support a child with autism or behavioral issues?

David Meichenbaum (00:26)
Sure, yeah. So when I get involved, whether it's as a consultant in schools or when parents come here into our clinic, it's often due to some level of concern. Generally, my approach is that I listen closely, validate their experience — but I do all that to lead to my golden question: What behavior is not occurring?
This turns the discussion from problem reporting to problem solving. Every behavior is happening because something more appropriate isn't. Once we name it, we can build it, show it, and encourage it.

Timothy A. Zercher (01:30)
I love that. It makes a lot of sense.
So then, how do you tailor your consulting approach to the school environment specifically, especially with teachers who may have different backgrounds or little experience with kids with autism?

David Meichenbaum (01:57)
I tailor strategies based on expectations. Every teacher and parent has hopes and goals. I use the ladder analogy: at the top are expectations — say, no rule violations. But for a child starting at the bottom, we celebrate progress along the ladder, like reducing violations from four to three to two. Same with academics — celebrate the next small step to success.

Timothy A. Zercher (03:08)
That makes a ton of sense.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions you'd love educators to move past?

David Meichenbaum (03:24)
I still see the belief that behavior is purposeful and chosen — so it's handled through consequences to "teach them their lesson." But for kids with autism or developmental disabilities, traditional punishments often fall short. They don't need to "learn their lesson," they need to learn a skill — that's how the challenges stop.

Timothy A. Zercher (04:26)
Exactly. They need to be taught what to do instead.
So how do you help kids generalize skills they learn in therapy into school or home settings?

David Meichenbaum (04:54)
Great question. First, it takes team communication. If kids are pulled out for therapy, but others don’t know what’s being worked on, that’s a challenge.
Second, front-loading is key — like reminding the class about the "super skill of the week" before transitions.
Lastly, seize teachable moments — point out when peers model the skill, like saying, "Did you see how Martha waited patiently on the playground?"

Timothy A. Zercher (07:00)
Love that.
You stay so hands-on with clients. What keeps you grounded in clinical practice?

David Meichenbaum (07:19)
The small wins. It's easy to feel lost looking at the big picture, but those little steps — seeing progress light up families, teachers, and kids — that's what keeps me going. Also, balance. We dive deep into this work, but self-care matters.

Timothy A. Zercher (08:05)
Absolutely. Sometimes the hardest lesson to apply is to yourself.
Final question: If you had one piece of advice for a teacher or administrator starting to work with a child with autism, what would it be?

David Meichenbaum (08:15)
Every strategy is a guess — no matter your expertise. So always evaluate: What do we expect this to decrease? What do we expect this to increase? Reducing disruption is good, but increasing engagement matters too.
Also, someone knows this child well — don't spend four weeks "getting to know them." Communicate with those who already do.

Timothy A. Zercher (10:05)
Perfect. Thank you so much, David. It wasn’t too painful!

David Meichenbaum (10:09)
No, it was great. Thanks for including me.

Timothy A. Zercher (10:15)
Absolutely. Thank you.