How Weekly Sessions are Structured:

1. Initial Assessment & Rapport Building

• Conduct intake to understand family dynamics, child’s strengths, and challenges.
• Explore parent concerns, stressors, and expectations.
• Establish trust and normalize the coaching process.

2. Psychoeducation

• Teach parents about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in clear, compassionate language.
• Explain developmental differences in communication, social interaction, and behavior.
• Introduce evidence-based approaches (ABA, naturalistic teaching, social stories).

3. Collaborative Goal Setting

• Identify 2–3 priority goals (e.g., communication, self-care, social skills).
• Ensure goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
• Align goals with family values and daily routines.

4. Skill-Building & Strategy Training

• Communication: Visual supports, modeling, joint attention activities.
• Behavior Management: Positive reinforcement, structured routines, proactive transitions.
• Social Skills: Role-play, peer interaction practice, social stories.
• Daily Living Skills: Self-care routines, independence-building tasks.

5. Modeling & Guided Practice

• Therapist demonstrates strategies with the child.
• Parent practices while therapist provides real-time feedback.
• Use role-play for challenging scenarios (e.g., tantrums, transitions).

6. Emotional & Stress Support

• Teach coping strategies for parental stress (mindfulness, self-care routines).
• Normalize challenges and celebrate small wins.
• Encourage support networks (family, community, parent groups).

7. Consistency & Generalization

• Coach parents to apply strategies across home, school, and community.
• Reinforce the importance of consistency and follow-through.
• Provide tools for tracking progress (logs, charts, apps).

8. Review & Adjust

• Regularly evaluate progress toward goals.
• Adjust strategies based on child’s development and family needs.
• Celebrate successes and set new goals as appropriate.

Encouragement

Remember: progress takes time, and small steps matter. Every effort you make helps your child grow. You are not alone — coaching is here to support you every step of the way!!