#109: The Power of SLP and BCBA Collaboration with Lynn M. Dudek

If you succeed, I succeed. That really culminates in the importance of SLP and BCBA collaboration, but as we've discussed on the show in the past…it can still be really challenging.

Lynn Dudek, owner of ASD SLP, and a fellow SLP-BCBA "unicorn". She shares her experiences in the field with stories coming from the late 80s and early 90s that dive into the history and changes we've seen in the SLP, BCBA, and autism fields. A pivotal moment in her career was a "dream dinner party" as I joke, where she picked the brains of Dr. Vince Carbone and Dr. Patrick McGreevy. Throughout her career as an SLP and eventually, as a BCBA, she was faced with the opportunity to work and collaborate with other BCBAs and SLPs.

Lynn shares somewhat of a case study of a collaboration interaction that really went well on the topic of verbal imitation. This concept with Echoics can be a touchy subject between the fields, but because the BCBA Lynn was working with was open to understanding Lynn's expertise on speech development, they were able to agree and move forward for the better of the learner.

Common Challenges for Collaboration:
-Understanding the role and expertise of the professional…who really "knows best?"
-The language barrier… academic language and terms between the two professions can differ greatly

Positive Strategies for Collaboration:
-Be open: create an open line of communication, you are both well-educated, trained professionals with specific expertise.
-Demystify the language: when possible use plain language that everyone can understand, or explicitly explain academic terms
-Pair first: we always talk about "pairing first" with our learners… take the time to pair with the other professional. Make a connection and show interest, it can smooth the edges of future disagreements.

When we work together we can do such amazing things, not just for the child but for the professionals on the team.

 #autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• A brief history of SLPs and BCBAs
• A “case study” on verbal imitation.
• Common challenges for collaboration between SLPs and BCBAs.
• Positive collaboration strategies

Mentioned In This Episode:
lynn.dudek@asdslp.com
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