Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
Take a Course

Revisiting My Autism Journey: From Overwhelmed Parent to Autism Leader and Advocate – Vikram Panchal Interviews Dr. Mary Barbera

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

Register for Free Training
In celebration of Episode 200, Vikram Panchal, and Hot Seat parent from episode 184 join us to flip the script and interview, me, Mary Barbera. Whether you’re a new listener or a long-time community member, I hope you learn something new and gain some insight into my own autism journey.

Parents in Denial About Autism

I start every episode the same, by asking my esteemed guests whether parents or professionals just how they fell into the autism world. Today I share the beginning of my journey, the diagnosis of my son Lucas who is now 26. I have shared this story many times and today I reflect on the signs, emotions, and feelings of denial I experienced leading up to his diagnosis at age 3. As an adult, Lucas still needs full-time care but is really living his life as happy, safe, and as independent as possible for himself.

My Career: Behavior Analyst, Autism Author, Course Creator, and Podcaster

As I began my journey, I really began to understand the need for advocacy for autism families who drove my involvement in the community. I share where my inspiration to become a behavior analyst started and how that led to my first book, The Verbal Behavior Approach, now available in 17 different languages. From that, I built my courses and online community which reaches an audience of over 90 different countries around the world. And in 2019 I launched this podcast, Turn Autism Around. At episode 200 we have reached over 1 million downloads. Since the launch of the podcast my newest book, Turn Autism Around was released and has recently been translated into Spanish. My newest addition has been the assessment software that will add quantifiable, usable data to my formerly handwritten one-page assessment. Be sure to check out the link for that for more information!

Tips for Parents and Professionals

Vikram asks me some great questions that can help parents of young children, older children, and professionals alike. For parents I say, Don’t Wait. Don’t wait for a diagnosis, seek information and evaluation as soon as signs and concerns begin. Secondly, Learn More. Talk to parents and professionals, and attend seminars and online courses. Become the captain of the ship because you are your child’s lifelong advocate. Finally, Get Help. You don’t have to and shouldn’t walk this journey alone, reach out to your community to find available resources and support.

I am so proud of this podcast and the community I have created. The more the word gets out, the more lives can be changed. Please continue to listen, like, share, and comment. Here’s to episodes 300, 400, 500, and so on!

Vikram Panchal on the Turn Autism Around Podcast

Vikram P is the proud father of two children, Nahum and Hosanna. He and his wife, Leah, live in Melbourne, Australia where Vikram serves as a pastor and evangelist.

You’ll Learn

  • Celebrating 200 episodes of Turn Autism Around.
  • A look into Mary Barbera’s autism journey.
  • Overcoming autism denial.
  • From BCBA to author, content creator, and podcaster, Mary Barbera’s career.
  • What does it mean to Turn Autism Around?
  • Top 3 tips for parents of young children.
  • Tips and advice for professionals in the field of autism.
  • Can the Turn Autism Around Approach help older children too?

Resources

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

Register for Free Training

Start making a difference for any child with autism or signs of autism through this free 1-Hour Life-Changing Workshop!

Free Workshop