For years, professionals have been trained to focus on deficits when working with autistic individuals. What’s "wrong"? What "needs fixing"? But what if we've been looking at it all wrong?
As a speech-language pathologist, I (Staci Neustadt) used to follow this model—until my perspective was completely transformed. When I reconnected with Susan Golubock, an autistic retired occupational therapist, she introduced me to a new framework that changed how I see my clients, their goals, and even the way I write IEPs.
Instead of seeing challenges, I began seeing strengths, potential, barriers, and triggers—and it revolutionized the way I support autistic individuals.
What Are We Missing?
Many assume "strengths" mean what someone is naturally good at. But true autistic strengths go much deeper. If we don’t shift our perspective, we may miss opportunities to connect and support in ways that actually matter.
✅ Strengths – More than just skills, but what an autistic person wants to do and excels at
✅ Potential Strengths – Emerging abilities and interests that can be nurtured
✅ Barriers – The obstacles getting in the way of success
✅ Triggers – What sparks dysregulation and how to prevent it
If you're a therapist, educator, or parent, and you want to truly support autistic individuals, you need to understand these four categories.
Susan and I dive deep into this in our latest video, where she explains why many professionals misinterpret autistic strengths and how we can do better.
🎥 Watch now and start shifting your approach today!
👉 Have questions about a specific student or client? Drop a comment on the video, and we’ll help you apply these ideas!
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