The Special Abilities

The Special Abilities Board-Certified Behavior Analyst | Listed in OAP Provider List | Empowering families through ABA therapy.

Collaboratively working with families to create acceptance, appreciation, and awareness for individuals with developmental needs, and behavioral health concerns while supporting them to reach their fullest potential. Providing behavior analytic services through telehealth and in-person sessions based on competent, function-based, and empirically proven principles of Applied Behavior Analysis.

ABA is not only about what happens during therapy sessions. It can also focus on building practical skills that support ...
09/03/2026

ABA is not only about what happens during therapy sessions. It can also focus on building practical skills that support everyday life and greater independence.
For autistic individuals, meaningful goals may include communication, daily living routines, social skills, making choices, and completing tasks with less support. Skills can be practiced in real situations and across different environments
Every individual has different strengths, needs, and goals. Progress may look different for each person, and the focus should be on developing skills that are meaningful and functional in their daily life.
The goal is not just learning a skill. It is helping that skill become part of everyday life.
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

ABA is not only about what happens during therapy sessions. It can also focus on building practical skills that support ...
09/02/2026

ABA is not only about what happens during therapy sessions. It can also focus on building practical skills that support everyday life and greater independence.
For autistic individuals, meaningful goals may include communication, daily living routines, social skills, making choices, and completing tasks with less support. Skills can be practiced in real situations and across different environments so they become useful beyond the therapy
Every individual has different strengths, needs, and goals. Progress may look different for each person, and the focus should be on developing skills that are meaningful and functional in their daily life.
The goal is not just learning a skill. It is helping that skill become part of everyday life.
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

Knowing a skill is just the beginning. The real goal is helping a child use that skill confidently across everyday situa...
09/01/2026

Knowing a skill is just the beginning. The real goal is helping a child use that skill confidently across everyday situations.
A child may know how to follow an instruction, communicate a need, complete a self care task, or interact with others in therapy, but still need support when the same skill is expected at home, school, or in the community.
This is where generalization becomes important.
Practice skills with different people, in different places, and during real daily routines. Start with support, build confidence gradually, and provide repeated opportunities to use the skill independently.
Progress does not always mean learning something new. Sometimes, progress means using a skill they already know in a new situation.
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

08/31/2026

Knowing what to do is not always the same as knowing how to start. For some children, task initiation can be challenging even when they understand what is expected. Planning, shifting between activities, remembering steps, or simply figuring out the first move can make getting started feel overwhelming.
ABA can support task initiation by breaking activities into smaller, manageable steps, using clear instructions and visual supports, and providing prompts when needed. As the child becomes more confident, prompts can be gradually faded so they can begin and complete tasks more independently. Positive reinforcement can also encourage continued effort and independence. �
Raven Health +1
The goal is not to do the task for the child. It is to teach the skills needed to start, continue, and complete the task with greater independence.
If your child often says “I know” but still struggles to get started, remember that knowing the steps and being able to initiate them are two different skills.
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

Knowing what to do is not always the same as knowing how to start. For some children, task initiation can be challenging...
08/31/2026

Knowing what to do is not always the same as knowing how to start. For some children, task initiation can be challenging even when they understand what is expected. Planning, shifting between activities, remembering steps, or simply figuring out the first move can make getting started feel overwhelming.
ABA can support task initiation by breaking activities into smaller, manageable steps, using clear instructions and visual supports, and providing prompts when needed. As the child becomes more confident, prompts can be gradually faded so they can begin and complete tasks more independently. Positive reinforcement can also encourage continued effort and independence.

The goal is not to do the task for the child. It is to teach the skills needed to start, continue, and complete the task with greater independence.
If your child often says “I know” but still struggles to get started, remember that knowing the steps and being able to initiate them are two different skills.
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

Communication is more than speaking. It is about having a way to express needs, choices, feelings, ideas, and connection...
08/29/2026

Communication is more than speaking. It is about having a way to express needs, choices, feelings, ideas, and connections with others.
For children who experience communication challenges, therapy can support meaningful communication through different approaches. This may include functional communication, gestures, signs, pictures, speech, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
AAC can include picture boards, communication books, or speech generating devices, and research indicates that AAC does not prevent speech development. �
ASHA +1
Social communication skills such as starting an interaction, responding, commenting, and taking turns can also be practiced across everyday situations.
The goal is not simply to make a child speak. The goal is to help every individual communicate in a way that works for them, participate more independently, and build meaningful connections.
Follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy for more parent friendly information on communication, therapy, and skill building.
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

When ABA Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Occupational Therapy work together, each professional brings a different area of e...
08/27/2026

When ABA Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Occupational Therapy work together, each professional brings a different area of expertise while working toward meaningful goals for the child.

ABA Therapy can support learning, daily living skills, social skills, and positive behavior. Speech Therapy focuses on understanding and using language, speech, and functional communication. Occupational Therapy can support everyday activities, sensory processing, fine motor skills, and independence.

A collaborative approach helps therapists share goals and strategies, making it easier for children to practice skills across therapy sessions, home, school, and community settings. Research and professional guidance support interprofessional collaboration and family involvement as important parts of coordinated care.

Parents are an essential part of the team too. When therapists and families communicate and work toward shared goals, children can receive more consistent support across their daily routines.

Together, the goal is simple: help every child build meaningful skills, confidence, and greater independence.

follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

A therapy assessment is more than a set of tests. It is an opportunity to understand your child as a whole person, inclu...
08/26/2026

A therapy assessment is more than a set of tests. It is an opportunity to understand your child as a whole person, including their strengths, challenges, communication, learning, movement, daily living skills, and individual needs.

During an assessment, therapists may observe your child, speak with parents and caregivers, review developmental history, and use appropriate assessment tools. The information gathered helps the therapy team create meaningful, individualized goals and determine which skills should be prioritized.

Parents and caregivers are an important part of this process. Your observations about what happens at home and in everyday routines can provide valuable information that may not be seen during a therapy session. Family involvement also helps ensure that therapy goals are practical and meaningful for daily life.

A thoughtful assessment creates a clear starting point for therapy, supports progress monitoring, and helps the plan adapt as your child grows and their needs change.

follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

Occupational Therapy is about more than therapy sessions. It is about helping teenagers and adults build the skills they...
08/25/2026

Occupational Therapy is about more than therapy sessions. It is about helping teenagers and adults build the skills they need to participate more independently in everyday life.

From dressing and personal hygiene to cooking, planning, organizing, managing time, and following daily routines, Occupational Therapy can support meaningful, practical skills that make daily life more manageable.

For teenagers and young adults, these skills can also support participation in school, work, home, and community activities. Therapists work with each individual to identify strengths, challenges, and goals, then develop practical strategies that fit their needs.

Every step toward independence matters. With the right support, practice, and encouragement, individuals can build confidence and take a more active role in the activities that matter most to them.

follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy
follow The Special Abilities | ABA Therapy

A diagnosis can help us understand a child, but it does not define the child’s individual needs.Two children with the sa...
08/24/2026

A diagnosis can help us understand a child, but it does not define the child’s individual needs.

Two children with the same diagnosis may have very different strengths, challenges, interests, communication skills, and learning styles. That is why therapy goals should be individualized rather than based only on a diagnosis.

One child may benefit from goals focused on communication and social interaction, while another may need support with daily living skills, sensory needs, motor skills, or behavior.

Individualized therapy begins with understanding the child, identifying meaningful priorities, and regularly reviewing progress. ABA Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Occupational Therapy can work together to support goals that are relevant to each child’s needs and everyday life.

Every child deserves support that recognizes who they are, what they can do, and what skills will help them become more independent.

Evidence supports individualized, measurable, developmentally appropriate goals based on assessment and family priorities.

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4230 Sherwoodtowne Boulevard
Mississauga, ON

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+16474645096

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