How Do YOU Handle Change?

Some people leap into change with excitement.

Others need time to warm up.

Some cautiously observe first.

And many resist it—especially when it shows up uninvited.

We each have a unique relationship with change—and that relationship can affect how we show up in our homes, classrooms, and therapy sessions.

In this week’s video, Susan Golubock (retired autistic Occupational Therapist) and Staci Neustadt (Speech-Language Pathologist) sat down to explore how inconsistent brain connectivity in autism impacts flexibility—and why that matters not just for autistic individuals, but for everyone navigating change.

The 4 Change Personalities

We talked about four common ways people experience change:

1. The Change Lover – thrives on novelty and growth.

2. The Change Wait-and-Seer – watches before taking a step.

3. The Change Planner – needs time, information, and predictability.

4. The Change Resister – says “no” at first to maintain stability.

   
   

Susan shared that as an autistic person, her first reaction to change was almost always “no.”

Not because she didn’t want to adapt—but because her brain needed time to process.

Her strategy?

“Let me think about it.”

This simple phrase created space for the thinking brain to come online, giving her the chance to consider, not just react.

This conversation isn’t just about autistic individuals. It’s about all of us. How do you respond when someone asks you to shift from what’s comfortable?

Maybe you’ve been doing therapy or parenting a certain way for years. Maybe the idea of switching from a fixing approach to one that centers understanding and support feels… uncertain. We get it. And we’ve been there too.

But here’s what we’re learning:

True, lasting change—for our kids, our clients, and ourselves—doesn’t happen when we push harder.

It happens when we create safety.

When we slow down.

Watch the full video to hear Susan share her insights, strategies, and real-life experiences around change, flexibility, and supporting autistic individuals.