Shows
See Beyond BehaviorCreating a Loving Home as Foster Care ProvidersErin and his wife Lisa found themselves contemplating a life-changing decision. In this episode, Erin dives into their journey in becoming foster parents to two young children at a time in their lives they were finding a sense of normalcy within supporting a child with Williams Syndrome - a syndrome impacting both physical health and developmental aspects - as well as the challenges that come with becoming a new parent. With the incredibly big hearts Erin and Lisa have, they chose to undoubtedly and unconditionally step forward as the “foster” parents to two children needing a loving home...
2020-05-1531 min
See Beyond BehaviorMeeting Basic Human Needs: COVID-19How we are responding to a “new world” and all the change that will continue to unfold. Jessica Swain-Bradway is the executive director for NWPBIS (North West Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) and has a great deal to offer in the way of meeting basic needs at a time it is most critical. Jessica and Torri dive into a conversation about how to best support ourselves and one another during these unprecedented times. We also talk about the importance of relationship and connection between school supports and home.
2020-04-1632 minSee Beyond BehaviorEnd the Stigma: Autism and CannabisTorri interviews Rhonda Moeller, co-founder of the nonprofit organization WPA4A (Whole Plant Access for Autism). WPA4A is focused on educating families and medical cannabis industry professionals about the science behind & benefits of cannabis for autism, while also helping families understand the complexities of using cannabis as medicine. Because of this, WPA4A has grown to be an amazing support group, giving a place for families to share access to information and connect on just about anything autism-related. Cannabis as medicine has the potential to raise the quality of life for everyone involved. For Rhonda’s fa...
2020-03-1330 minSee Beyond BehaviorInclusion Practices: building communityTorri interviews Jason Hobson, the Director of Student Services in Estacada, OR, about his work and perspective around inclusion and creating a sense of community for families who often experience isolation. They discuss the inclusion practices that Jason's district have implemented, and how this can increase the level of community collaboration involved in educational systems. Torri touches on how a goal of this podcast is to help identify that there are silos [between systems] and talk about how we can start having cross-conversations. We are able to learn when we get curious and set our assumptions to...
2020-02-1832 minSee Beyond BehaviorA Chat with the Founders of BEHCALearn more about the founders of BEHCA, Torri Wright & Michael Krol, as they talk about the development of BEHCA. This process opened their eyes to learning more about each other's worlds and the fascinating discoveries of human behavior. Michael and his team are the genius behind the application design and development. His attention to detail & level of care becomes apparent in the user-friendly design-- showing the evidence of his own neurodiversity. When talking about his experience collaborating on the development of BEHCA, Michael says, “it has become a labor of love because I’ve seen how mu...
2020-01-2530 minSee Beyond BehaviorShifting Perspectives on Poverty and BehaviorDid you know that in the United States, 1 in 5 children grow up in poverty? Now imagine being poor and/or homeless, and caring for a child with a developmental disability. Joined by poverty expert, international speaker, and author Dr. Donna Beegle, this episode explores the links between poverty and behavior, challenging our perceptions. Throughout her career, Dr. Beegle has worked hard to shift perspectives around poverty; urging everyone to look beyond the surface and understand there is a culture, system structures, and common variables, creating recurring barriers that keep people from pulling themselves out of poverty.
2019-05-2931 minSee Beyond BehaviorComing to Terms: AdvocacyIn this episode, Torri covers Advocacy; the ins-and-outs of what it can look like for both parents and professionals to connect to services, gain school supports, seek community awareness and engagement, and feel an overall sense of belonging. Often we can feel overwhelmed, isolated, or alone on this journey with very minimal support. Being an advocate is more than fighting for “justice”; it is about supporting caregivers at different stages of their journey--providing resources or simply being part of their tribe or community of support. #SeeBeyondBehavior
2019-05-0913 minSee Beyond BehaviorAccessing DD ServicesHost Torri Wright speaks with Toi Gibson to get an insider's view on accessing social services & supports for your child with a diagnosed intellectual or developmental disability. Resource links: Oregon Intellectual & Disability Services: www.oregon.gov/DHS/SENIORS-DISABILITIES/DD/pages/index.aspx US Government & Local DD Resources: www.usa.gov/disability-programs Learn more about Developmental Disabilities: www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/developmentaldisabilities/index.html
2019-04-2533 minSee Beyond BehaviorNeurodiversity in the WorkplaceNeurodiversity exists everywhere--even at work. In fact, toxic office environments can manifest when people don’t recognize their staff, fellow colleagues, outside partners, etc. may be wired to think or act differently than they do. On this episode, host Torri Wright speaks with Lori Eberly, LCSW, executive coach, author, and owner of Radius ECD to explore neurodiversity in the workplace, and how it can impact both relationships and quality-of-life. Lori shares her experiences working with corporate executives who self-identify as being ADHD or OCD, or even demonstrate social behaviors that may indicate being on the Autism Spectrum--whether th...
2019-04-0532 minSee Beyond BehaviorComing to Terms: NeurodiversityComing to Terms are shorter bonus episodes to help define and demystify the unique language of the behavior space. In this episode, Torri covers Neurodiversity; a concept where neurological differences (e.g., how we think and process information) are to be acknowledged and respected as any other human variation. These differences can include a wide variety of labels/diagnoses; ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dysgraphia, Down Syndrome, PTSD, and many more. The goal in both acknowledging and discussing these differences is see how different perspectives are formed and how another person “thinks,” offering new insights and...
2019-03-2510 minSee Beyond BehaviorLiving with a Vestibular DisorderCynthia Ryan, Executive Director of VeDA (Vestibular Disorders Association), and Susan, facilitator of a vestibular support group, join host Torri Wright to talk about often misdiagnosed or overlooked vestibular disorders. Vestibular disorders are invisible conditions related to the inner ear and brain, affecting sensory processing involved with controlling balance and eye movements. If injury or disease damages these areas, people can suffer from imbalance, dizziness, vertigo, and brain fog in varying degrees. Common vestibular disorders include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthitis & vestibular neuritis, Ménière’s disease, acoustic neuroma, and vestibular migraines. Vestibular diso...
2019-03-0830 minSee Beyond BehaviorComing to Terms: Secondary TraumaComing to Terms are shorter bonus episodes to help define and demystify the unique language of the behavior space. In this episode, Torri covers Secondary Trauma; a trauma where another person who witnesses or supports traumatic situations, ends up experiencing trauma of their own. As parents, care providers, or even professionals, we often fail to recognize the long-term effects traumatic situations can pose on our own health and regulation. Prolonged exposure to traumatic situations can cause chronic stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression, impacting our health and well-being. Resource links: Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS)--US...
2019-02-2710 minSee Beyond BehaviorNormalizing NeurodiversityMeet Mary--a college student, aspiring author, fashion designer, and artist. I first met Mary way back when she was in the sixth-grade. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing Mary grow and evolve. She has taught me a lot about navigating adolescence, and now young adulthood, as a girl/woman on the autism spectrum. Mary’s sense of humor, insights about her educational experience, and unique way of seeing the world through a neurodiverse lens is both inspiring and thought-provoking.
2019-02-1934 minSee Beyond BehaviorParenting a Child with Challenging Behavior (Carole's Story)Parenting a child is one of the hardest roles we play as adults. No matter how prepared we think we are, our lives forever change the moment they enter our world. Now image that same experience with a child who has complex needs or challenging behavior--it forces us to discover superpowers we maybe never knew we had. In this episode, Torri sits down with Carole, a fearless mother in Portland, Oregon who shares her story of navigating parenthood with two unique and special children; a daughter with Down Syndrome and autism, and a son who experiences dyslexia...
2019-01-3029 minSee Beyond BehaviorComing to Terms: Co-RegulationComing to Terms are shorter bonus episodes in the See Beyond Behavior podcast series. In the behavior space, we often use unique terms, acronyms, and jargon. For many people, these may be unfamiliar or even misunderstood. So with that in mind, we hope to use our podcast to help define and demystify this language, so we are all on the same page and you are prepared for future conversations (and episodes). Here Torri dives into Co-Regulation; a term that came up recently in our conversation with Dr. Henson, discussing trauma-informed care (episode 2). Here’s a bit of ba...
2019-01-1707 minSee Beyond BehaviorTrauma-Informed CareTraumatic events affect each of us in unique and varied ways. They can have lasting impacts on our neurological pathways, influencing how we later respond or react to our environment, resulting in increased agitation, hypersensitivity, hyper-focused/aroused, or shut-down responses. Trauma-informed practices offer a different perspective in looking at behavior. In this episode, Torri is joined by Dr. Will Henson from 321 Insight to discuss trauma-informed practices within schools. Both have worked in this field for more than 20+ years and offer personal stories, anecdotal observations, and insights on an emerging topic they are equally passionate about. Together, they...
2019-01-0329 minSee Beyond BehaviorIntroducing See Beyond BehaviorBehavior consultant and author Torri Wright provides a unique glimpse into the world of complex and challenging behavior. Over the past 20 years, she has worked as a special education teacher, behavior consultant, author, and business owner. In that time, she has witnessed countless situations where people fixate on bad behaviors. They often make assumptions, instead of taking a few steps back to see what the function of the behavior is or simply what it might be communicating. From her experiences within group homes to the corporate world, and everything in between, she can confidently say t...
2018-11-2909 min