Continuum ABA

06/15/2026

Hi, I'm Jess! 👋

I thought I'd share a few fun facts so you can get to know me a little better!

💜 I'm the Owner and Clinical Supervisor at Continuum ABA, but around the clinic you'll usually find me brainstorming new ideas, creating resources, supporting our team, and getting excited about all the amazing things our clients are learning.

🐴 I love horses, animals, and pretty much anything involving pets. If I wasn't working in ABA, there's a good chance I'd be a full-time pet mom surrounded by furry friends.

✈️ I love traveling and exploring new places. One thing people might not know about me is that I often plan trips around food! I love finding local restaurants, trying new dishes, and discovering the hidden gems that make each place unique.

☕ Coffee is pretty much my fuel for creating new programs, planning groups, and tackling big projects.

📚 When I'm not working, you'll often find me curled up with a fantasy novel. Give me a magical world, an epic adventure, and a good plot twist and I'm happy.

🎨 One of my favorite things about my job is finding creative ways to teach important life and social skills. If you've ever seen one of our groups, you know I love turning learning into something fun and meaningful.

🍞 My favorite food is fresh bread... although a really great hamburger is a very close second!

🏡 When I'm not working, you'll usually find me spending time with family and friends, planning my next adventure, reading, or working on a creative project.

💜 My favorite part of what I do is getting to celebrate the wins, big and small, with the incredible children, teens, and families we work with.

I'm so excited to be part of your journey and can't wait to get to know you too!

06/12/2026

🎉 Fun Activity Friday 🎉

"Ready for a game full of laughter, movement, and emotional learning?

Try Emotion Charades! 🎭✨

This playful activity helps children:
✨ recognize emotions
✨ build emotional vocabulary
✨ practice perspective-taking
✨ strengthen social communication
✨ explore body language & facial expressions

How to play:
🎴 Write emotions on slips of paper
😀 Take turns acting them out
🗣 Guess the feeling
💬 Talk about times we’ve felt that emotion too

Emotion ideas:
😄 excited
😢 sad
😡 frustrated
😴 tired
😨 nervous
🥳 proud
🤔 confused
💛 calm

💡 Bonus tip: Use mirrors so kids can explore what emotions “look like” on their own faces!

Big feelings become a little less scary when we can recognize, name, and talk about them. 🌟
"

06/10/2026

"💡 WHAT IS IT WEDNESDAY? 💡

What is Prompting?

Prompting is a support strategy used to help someone learn or complete a skill successfully. A prompt is simply an extra cue, reminder, or help given before or during a task. 🌟

Prompts can look different depending on the person and the skill being taught, including:
👉 Verbal prompts -“Put your shoes on.”
👉 Gestural prompts -Pointing to an item or showing where something goes.
👉 Visual prompts -Pictures, schedules, checklists, or written reminders.
👉 Physical prompts -Helping guide a movement when appropriate

The goal of prompting is not to create dependence. The goal is to support learning, confidence, and independence over time. 💙

As skills grow, prompts are gradually reduced, also called prompt fading, so the person can complete tasks more independently. 🌱

Good prompting should be:
✔ Respectful
✔ Individualized
✔ Supportive
✔ Least intrusive when possible
✔ Focused on success and confidence

Small supports today can build big independence tomorrow. ✨

"

06/09/2026

Mindset Monday 💛

You Cannot Pour From an Empty Cup

Caregiver burnout doesn’t happen because you care too little.
It happens because you’ve been carrying too much for too long.

Supporting others is important… but so are you. 🌱

Burnout can look like:
constant exhaustion
irritability or emotional numbness
feeling guilty for needing rest
losing motivation
struggling to recharge even after a break

Rest is not something you earn only after you “do enough.”
Rest is part of staying well enough to continue showing up. ✨

Taking care of yourself is not abandoning the people you support.
It is protecting the human behind the caregiving. 💛

This week, try to give yourself the same compassion you so freely give to others.

06/06/2026

Today’s Fun Activity Friday is a simple sensory craft with BIG calming power:

DIY Calm Down Bottles! 🌊💙

These visual sensory tools can help support:
✨ emotional regulation
✨ calming strategies
✨ focus & attention
✨ transitions
✨ mindfulness moments

How to make one:
🫙 Clear bottle or jar
💧 Warm water
✨ Glitter or sequins
🧴 Clear glue or glitter glue
🎨 Food colouring (optional)

Shake it up and watch the glitter slowly settle like a tiny snow globe for the nervous system. ❄️

💡 Try using different colours for different emotions or themes!
Examples:
💙 Blue = calm
💚 Green = grounding
🌈 Rainbow = sensory fun
⭐ Gold = confidence sparkle

A calm down bottle isn’t about stopping feelings. It’s about creating space to slow down, breathe, and regulate. 💫

06/03/2026

💡 WHAT IS IT WEDNESDAY? 💡

What are the Functions of Behaviour?

In ABA, we look at behaviour as communication. Every behaviour happens for a reason, also called a function. Understanding the “why” behind behaviour helps us respond with support, compassion, and effective strategies. 💙

There are 4 common functions of behaviour:
⭐ Attention
The person may be seeking connection, interaction, or a response from others.

⭐ Escape or Avoidance
The behaviour may help someone get away from a task, situation, or demand that feels difficult or overwhelming.

⭐ Access to Tangibles
The person may want access to a preferred item, activity, food, or experience.

⭐ Sensory or Automatic Reinforcement
The behaviour itself may feel calming, enjoyable, regulating, or stimulating.

Behaviour is not “good” or “bad.” It’s information. 🌱

When we understand the function of behaviour, we can:
✔ Teach new skills
✔ Support communication
✔ Reduce frustration
✔ Build independence
✔ Create more positive outcomes for everyone

Curiosity and compassion go a long way. 💫

06/01/2026

Mindset Monday 🌟

Confidence Is Built, Not Born

Confidence doesn’t suddenly appear one morning like a motivational fairy with a clipboard. 🧚✨
It grows through small moments of showing up for yourself again and again.

Confidence is:
trying even when you feel unsure
speaking kindly to yourself after mistakes
practicing skills before you feel “ready”
celebrating progress instead of perfection
learning that setbacks do not erase growth

You do not need to have everything figured out to move forward. 🌱

Every time you:
✔ set a boundary
✔ ask a question
✔ try something new
✔ recover from a hard day
✔ keep going anyway
…you are building confidence.

Tiny brave moments become strong foundations. 💛

05/31/2026

Something fun and sensory friendly to check out in Ottawa on Sunday!

https://www.facebook.com/100064468251959/posts/1403434265148835/?

We’re turning down the lights and the volume for our sensory-sensitive visitors—explore the Museum using more than eyes and ears.

05/29/2026

Turn up the music and get ready to FREEZE! 🎶❄️

Freeze Dance is more than just a fun movement game. It’s a playful way to build:
✨ self-regulation
✨ listening skills
✨ body awareness
✨ impulse control
✨ movement breaks throughout the day

How to play:
🎵 Start the music
💃 Dance however you like
⏸ Pause the music randomly
🧊 Everyone FREEZES in place!

You can make it even more exciting with:
🐢 slow-motion dancing
⚡ fast dancing
🤪 silly movements
🦖 animal walks
🌈 themed songs

Movement + laughter + connection = regulation magic 💫

Perfect for home, classrooms, therapy sessions, or rainy-day energy bursts!

05/27/2026

💡 WHAT IS IT WEDNESDAY 💡
What is Reinforcement?

Reinforcement is one of the core principles of ABA and learning. Simply put, reinforcement means something happens after a behaviour that makes that behaviour more likely to happen again in the future. 🌟

Reinforcement is happening all around us every day!

Examples might include:
✨ Praising a child for cleaning up toys
✨ Earning extra screen time after homework
✨ Getting a smile or attention after telling a joke
✨ Receiving a paycheck after going to work

The goal of reinforcement is not bribery or control. It’s about helping build skills, confidence, motivation, and positive learning experiences. 💙

Effective reinforcement is:
✔ Individualized
✔ Meaningful to the person
✔ Encouraging and supportive
✔ Focused on building success

When we understand what motivates someone, we can better support learning, independence, and growth. 🌱