David welcomes Dr. Amy Laurent, developmental psychologist, co-creator of the SCERTS Model and co-founder of Autism Level Up, to discuss shifting autism support from compliance-based behavior management to relationship-centered, autonomy-respecting care. Amy shares her path from occupational therapy and traumatic brain injury work into autism, sparked by her first autistic client and mentorship with Dr. Barry Prizant. They critique outdated behavior charts and the “use your words” mindset, exploring how communication barriers, dyspraxia/apraxia, and high effort demands can reduce initiation, erode trust, and create harmful passivity mistaken for progress. Amy explains SCERTS (Social/Significant Communication, Emotional/Energy Regulation, and Transactional Support) as a partnership model that embeds partner responsibilities into goals and assessment. They highlight emerging collaboration among developmental frameworks, including a coalition advancing funding alternatives to behavioral services in California. Amy describes AutismLevelUp.com’s practical, largely free tools, including energy regulation and “Solve Not Size.”
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Topics
00:45 Meet Dr. Amy Laurent
02:01 Serendipity Into Autism
06:24 Questioning Behaviorism
11:52 Funding And Coalitions
16:17 What Is The SCERTS Model
22:28 Updating SCERTS With Autistic Voices
25:49 Initiation And Praxis Challenges
26:37 Dyspraxia Motor Planning Load
28:15 Communication Drain and Mouth Words
28:41 Why Use Your Words Backfires
30:13 Withdrawal and Lost Trust
31:16 Rebuilding Trust by Responding
34:36 Autism Level Up Origin Story
36:45 Energy Regulation Toolkits
38:21 Solve Not Size Framework
40:17 Whole Body Learner and Pain Tools
42:29 Autism Tip Deep Why
44:31 Fact or Fiction Calm vs Regulated
46:54 Parent Confession and Wrap Up
