Tuning In to Development

In this episode of Tuning in to Development, host Kassie Allison sits down with Rachel Dorsey, an autistic speech-language pathologist in the Greater Boston area, to explore how authentic relationships can foster social confidence, connectedness, and resilience. Rachel shares her approach to creating natural opportunities for social engagement while actively neutralizing shame and affirming neurodivergent identities. She discusses the importance of being a genuinely interested, safe adult who embraces clients’ passions to support self-esteem and meaningful relationships. The conversation also examines how interventions intended to support autistic children may unintentionally communicate that a child needs to be “fixed” while overwhelming the nervous system, and why advocacy often takes the form of quietly building resilience through trust and connection. Finally, Rachel highlights the profound impact of loneliness and the motor-planning challenges that can limit social participation for nonspeaking or unreliably speaking individuals.

In celebration of Speech-Language-Hearing Month, guest host Sherri Cawn sits down with longtime colleague and friend Cindy Harrison for a thoughtful conversation about communication, relationships, and the evolution of developmental practice. Together, they reflect on decades of experience as speech-language pathologists, early pioneers in the DIR Model movement, and advocates for relationship-based care.

Cindy shares her perspective as both a clinician and parent of an autistic son, speaking candidly about what communication truly means beyond words — the ability to express hopes, fears, identity, and connection. The conversation explores the importance of family-centered practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, emotional development, and assuming competence in every child.

Sherri and Cindy also reflect on how the field has changed over the years, the role of mentorship and lifelong learning, and the importance of creating systems of care where families feel seen, safe, and supported. This warm and deeply personal episode is a reminder that communication always happens within the context of relationships and that staying curious and connected remains at the heart of meaningful practice.

In recognition of Occupational Therapy Month and Autism Acceptance Month, host Kassie Allison welcomes fellow occupational therapist Kate Bailey for a practical and engaging conversation about recognizing and supporting Individual Differences—and how those differences shape behavior, learning, and participation. 

Kate explains how differences in sensory processing, motor planning, and visual-spatial skills influence how children move through their day—how they play, learn, interact, and respond to everyday demands. Kate and Kassie discuss how challenging behaviors are often meaningful signals of underlying differences, sharing ways to look beneath the surface to better understand what a child may be experiencing.

With individual differences in mind, they also take a closer look at transitions, specifically transitioning from one space to another. Kassie and Kate offer practical strategies to support children through these moments with greater success, less distress, and increased safety.

This episode encourages listeners to stay curious about behavior, recognize the impact of individual differences, and use thoughtful, responsive strategies to support children in ways that build confidence, competence, and connection.

In this episode of Tuning In to Development, host Kassie Allison returns with guest Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR for a thoughtful conversation about the importance of intentionally including parents in therapy through Developmental, Relationship-Based Interventions (DRBIs). Dr. Alvarado shares how her work evolved from focusing primarily on direct child intervention to embracing the DIR model, which emphasizes strengthening the entire family system. She explains that children make more meaningful and lasting progress when caregivers are empowered and actively involved, especially through a stronger parent–child relationship. A pivotal moment in her career came when a mother observed her child “come to life” with a clinician—an experience that highlighted the gap between clinical success and what families feel at home. This led Dr. Alvarado to prioritize parent-mediated approaches, ensuring caregivers can create and sustain those same moments of connection themselves. Using the PACT (Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy) model, Dr. Alvarado incorporates reflective video feedback to help parents recognize their strengths, better read and respond to their child’s cues, reduce anxiety, and build confidence. This approach supports progress that carries over into everyday life and across caregivers, ultimately allowing the clinician to “take hands off the bike” as families develop their own rhythm and balance.

In this episode of Tuning into Development, Deborah Sussman steps in for host Kassie Allison for a thoughtful conversation with clinical social worker and developmental specialist Ruby Salazar. Together, they explore Ruby’s passion for working with families through the DIR® perspective and what it truly means to partner with caregivers in relationship-based, family-centered ways.

Ruby shares how helping families understand behavior developmentally can strengthen connection, support regulation, and bring greater balance to everyday family life—particularly in moments of stress, limited resources, or following an autism diagnosis. The conversation highlights the importance of caregivers serving as a secure base, “putting on their own oxygen mask,” and creating small, meaningful rituals that nurture joy, attunement, and communication.

The episode also offers a preview of Profectum’s March conference focused on supporting families across the lifespan, featuring expert faculty, keynote sessions, and access to recorded content following the event.