Supportable Solutions

05/22/2026

Just finished wrapping up another assessment using The Why Toolkit®.

The deeper we look, the more we realize behavior is rarely as simple as it appears on the surface. What we see outwardly is often connected to stress responses, overwhelm, communication differences, sensory differences, environmental factors, past experiences, and so much more.

The goal is never just to reduce behaviors.

The goal is understanding.

Because understanding changes how we respond.

05/21/2026

When we interview students during school audits, one theme comes up again and again: peer relationships matter deeply to how students experience school.

And when students talk about time with peers, they overwhelmingly talk about recess and play.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is urging schools to protect recess time and stop using it as punishment and student voice helps explain why this matters.

For many children, recess is where friendships grow, connection happens, movement is possible, and school feels enjoyable.

When students are struggling behaviorally, removing opportunities for play and peer connection may unintentionally remove some of the very experiences helping them stay connected to school in the first place.

Protecting recess is about more than a break in the day. It’s about relationships, belonging, connection, and supporting students’ overall school experience. 💛

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Chq6fwDtg/?mibextid=wwXIfr

New guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics is urging schools to protect recess time and stop using it as punishment. FULL STORY ⬇️

05/14/2026

Sometimes what looks like “people-pleasing” on the outside is actually a nervous system trying to stay safe.

Fawn/appease responses are often misunderstood because they can look socially successful, compliant, agreeable, or highly accommodating. But underneath, the brain and body may be working hard to reduce a sense of threat.

This is one reason outward behavior alone never tells the whole story.

We’ve been working on new visuals and updated content around protective pathways, fawn/appease responses, and the complexity of nervous system states, especially through a neurodiversity-affirming lens. Stay tuned!

05/09/2026

The Why Toolkit moves beyond traditional behaviorism and simplistic behavior “functions.”

Instead of asking:
“What is the behavior trying to get or avoid?”

It helps teams explore the many factors that may be contributing to behavior, including nervous system responses, stressors, neuroinclusive needs, environmental demands, and skills that may still be developing.

Because behavior is complex.
And understanding the why changes how we support.

The Why Toolkit™️ is a tool built for teachers, parents, and administrators that can both assess and support individuals struggling with behaviors.

05/07/2026

Outward behavior doesn’t always reflect internal state.

What we see externally is only part of the picture, especially for neurodivergent individuals.

This is why relationship, context, curiosity, and understanding someone’s baseline matter so much.

We don’t decide from behavior alone. We understand through relationships.

05/06/2026

Last session, we reflected on stressors and glimmers.
Today, we took the next step and started identifying triggers.

Noticing what pushes us out of our Window of Tolerance is a huge part of building self-awareness.

Creating supports around student interests help these conversations feel more engaging and accessible.

05/04/2026

Welcome to everyone new here!

When you sign up for our mailing list, you’ll get a free Wave of Distress packet to help support understanding behavior through a nervous-system-informed lens.

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05/02/2026

Today I taught the window of tolerance built around my student’s interests.

We used his language and how he experiences stress.

Not “bad behavior.” A stress response.

Then we reflected by naming his stressors and glimmers.

Because it starts with awareness.

05/01/2026

New research in Autism looked at 34,000+ autistic youth.

Those who received ABA had:
📊 30% higher odds of mental health hospitalization
📊 32% higher rates of hospitalization

These are not small differences.

No differences were found for PTSD or suicidality diagnoses, but the authors note:
👉 PTSD is often underdiagnosed in autistic youth
👉 The most serious impacts may not show up until later in life

This study doesn’t prove causation. But it does show this:

👉 The group receiving one of the most widely recommended interventions was more likely to be hospitalized for mental health reasons.

For years, autistic adults have said ABA caused harm. Now we have large-scale data showing patterns that raise the same concerns.

At some point, we have to ask:
What are we actually doing to autistic youth in the name of “support”?

While these findings are associational, they highlight the need for robust, long-term research on the safety of ABA.

The authors also call for a shift away from focusing primarily on observable behavior and toward trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming approaches.

Aguirre Mtanous et al. (2026). Autism. doi: 10.1177/13623613251390604

Applied behavior analysis is a widely used intervention for autistic youth, though its mental health impacts remain under-researched. This study aims to investigate the association between applied behavior analysis therapy and post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidality, mental health hospitalizatio...

04/29/2026

Students who are dysregulated need co-regulation, not isolation.

I’m seeing more and more use of gym mats blocking doorways or surrounding students in ways that prevent them from leaving.

This is important to pause and consider.

- Seclusion can occur in a variety of settings such as small padded rooms, utility closets, areas blocked off with gym mats, empty administrative offices, or other spaces.

- Seclusion can occur when a student is not free to leave a room, even if the door is unlocked or ajar or if a staff member holds an unlocked door closed or blocks the exit with a gym mat.

- The name of the space doesn’t change what it is.

If your building is using practices like this, it’s worth a closer look.

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