Initiation Isn’t Motivation: Seeing the Effort Behind Every Start

Have you ever looked at a child or client who won’t start — a task, a conversation, or even a simple request — and wondered, “Why won’t they just do it?” Do you even feel this yourself sometimes?

We’ve all been there. As therapists, teachers, and parents, it’s easy to interpret hesitation as defiance, avoidance, or lack of motivation. But what if that pause, that moment of stillness, is actually the brain working hard to connect the dots?

In this week’s video, Susan Golubock, an autistic retired occupational therapist, and Staci Neustadt, a neurodivergent speech-language pathologist, unpack what’s really happening when autistic individuals struggle to initiate communication, tasks, or conversation — and why it’s not about motivation at all.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

• Why initiation takes time — and what’s going on inside the autistic brain during those silent moments.

• How actions are communication — and how to respond before expecting words.

• Simple ways to support task initiation without overwhelming the brain with too many visuals or steps.

• Why anxiety and burnout can make starting a conversation feel impossible — and what helps instead.

  
  

💡 Why This Matters

When we understand that initiation isn’t resistance — it’s a neurological process — we stop prompting and start connecting. We begin to see effort instead of refusal, communication instead of compliance.

🎥 Watch the Conversation

Susan and Staci share real-life stories, strategies, and insights to help you reframe “lack of motivation” and respond with empathy and understanding. To get the links I mentioned, go to our YouTube Channel. When you subscribe, you'll be the first to know when new videos are released.

👉 Watch the full video: