In a special role-reversal episode of Autism: A New Perspective, host Kat Lee steps into the guest seat as Dr. Sheely interviews her about her personal journey into the world of neurodiversity and RDI®. Long before she became a fixture in the autism community, Kat's earliest dream was a career in radio broadcasting and music. In Part 1 of this candid conversation, Kat opens up about how her life changed overnight when her son was diagnosed with autism at age two, and how she navigated the overwhelming "tunnel vision" of early intervention. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Kat's early background in radio and interviewing people through hard times unexpectedly prepared her to support families in crisis. The reality of receiving an early autism diagnosis when resources were virtually non-existent in Dallas-Fort Worth. Why co-founding the parent group FEET North Texas became a vital lifeline for families facing a massive surge in diagnoses. The pivotal shift from behavior-analytic approaches to discovering Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®) when her son was 11 years old. Subscribe for more insights, personal stories, and strategies for neurodiversity.

When a young child receives an autism diagnosis, parents are often pressured to quickly enroll them in intensive clinical therapies, sometimes up to 40 hours a week. But in the rush to "procure services" and save their child, are families sacrificing the most critical element of human development? In this episode of Autism: A New Perspective, host Kat Lee and Dr. Sheely discuss the foundational importance of the parent-child guiding relationship. They explore why outsourcing a child's early development to intense clinical schedules can inadvertently teach them to build a relationship with information rather than with people. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why society's "procurement of services" mold is exhausting our children. - The critical difference between a child learning a rigid protocol and learning to trust a parent's guidance. - Why both the quality and the quantity of time matter when building a guiding relationship. How an RDI® approach helps a child naturally develop joint attention and communication that lasts long after the work stops. Why parents must learn to "slow down to go faster" to protect their family's time. Subscribe for weekly insights, strategies, and stories of hope for neurodivergent families!

When an autistic child struggles with sleep, anxiety, attention, or motor control, it’s easy to lump everything under a single label. But what if those challenges aren't actually autism? In this episode of Autism: A New Perspective, host Kat Lee sits down with RDI® parent and consultant Dr. Sarah Wayland. Together, they explore why treating every struggle as a symptom of autism can leave families feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and stuck. Dr. Wayland shares her powerful mantra—"You can't boil the ocean"—and offers invaluable advice from her own parenting journey on how to avoid therapeutic burnout by focusing on one clear priority at a time. In this episode, you’ll learn: - The crucial difference between core neurodiversity (like dynamic flexibility) and separate physical or neurological challenges. - Why trying to execute every single therapy recommendation leads straight to family crisis and burnout. - Practical parenting strategies for navigating complex co-occurring issues like severe sleep disruptions and seizures. - The biological reasons why conditions like ADHD, OCD, and visual processing issues frequently overlap with autism. How adopting a mindset of "staying curious" allows you to look underneath high-level symptoms to find real solutions. Don't let the "ocean" of symptoms overwhelm you. Learn how to address your child's vulnerabilities in a systematic, targeted way that preserves their right to just be a kid. Subscribe for weekly insights, strategies, and stories of hope.

"I was tired of being his teacher. I wanted to be his mother." In this episode of Autism: A New Perspective, host Kat Lee visits with Kamini Lakhani, an RDI® parent and consultant with a unique professional background. For years, Kamini was a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®), running a center based on behavioral techniques. However, as her son entered his teenage years, she realized that "compliance" wasn't lead to the quality of life her family deserved. Kamini shares her powerful journey of letting go of the "manager" role to become a true Guide for her son. Key Topics in This Episode: - The Transition: Moving from ABA and discrete trials to the developmental model of RDI®. - The "Instructional" Trap: Why relying on instructions can actually increase anxiety for autistic individuals. - Discovering Identity: How stopping the drills allowed Kamini's son, Mohit, to discover his passion and identity as an artist. - Family Peace: The importance of "me-time" and nurturing the family unit beyond the autism diagnosis. About Our Guest: Kamini Lakhani is a veteran RDI® Consultant and parent. Her background in behavior analysis provides a unique perspective on why the Guiding Relationship is the essential engine for neurological growth. 🔗 Ready to rule in RDI® for your family? Start here: https://www.rdiconnect.com/ #AutismParenting #RDIconnect #Neurodiversity #BeyondABA #AutismGrowth #GuidingRelationship

At the age of two, Lorenzo was diagnosed with complex autism. His parents were told to "stop having expectations," that he would never have a quality of life, and that they should prepare for a future involving institutionalization. Today, Lorenzo is 21. He is a black belt in martial arts, a marathon runner, a pianist, and an artist whose work is exhibited internationally from Mexico to France. In this episode of Autism: A New Perspective, Kat Lee sits down with RDI® parent and consultant Karla Galvan to discuss the reality of raising a child with a "Level 3" diagnosis. Karla shares the specific keys to Lorenzo's success, including the power of systematic learning, the importance of self-belief, and why we must look past labels to see a child’s true potential.In this episode, you’ll learn: - The emotional impact of a "life sentence" diagnosis and how to process it. - Why comparing milestones can be painful but necessary for identifying underlying issues. - The transition from being "just a mom" to becoming a guide through the RDI® program. - How Lorenzo developed self-agency to handle uncertainty, chaos, and international travel. - Carla’s advice for parents who feel ready to "throw in the towel". Subscribe for more stories of hope and practical strategies for neurodiversity.

Is an internet checklist enough to diagnose autism? In this episode, Dr. Sheely and Kat Lee dive into the growing trend of social media self-diagnosis and explain why a comprehensive, professional evaluation is vital. They discuss the danger of misdiagnosis, the double-edged sword of clinical labels, and why the RDI® program strictly rejects limiting terms like "high functioning" and "low functioning." Learn what a true assessment looks like and how to seek the right support to overcome obstacles and foster dynamic growth. In this episode: 0:00 - The distress of the TikTok self-diagnosis trend 1:15 - Why isolated social struggles don't equal autism 2:30 - A real-life story of checklist misdiagnosis 4:10 - What a professional assessment should look like 5:45 - The problem with the word "diagnosis" (and why we still need it) 7:20 - Why RDI rejects "high" and "low" functioning labels 🔗 Learn more about the RDI® approach to comprehensive evaluation and family guidance: https://www.rdiconnect.com/