#128 - Barry Prizant, PhD. On Compassion Over Compliance: Why It’s Time to Rethink ‘What Works’
In this episode, I had the absolute honor of speaking with Dr. Barry Prizant—renowned speech-language pathologist and author of the best-selling book Uniquely Human. We talked about how the field of autism education is shifting away from compliance-based approaches and moving toward more compassionate, relationship-centered models.
Dr. Prizant shared powerful insights about emotional regulation, storytelling, and the importance of truly listening to the lived experiences of autistic individuals. We also explored topics like non-speaking communication, the SCERTs model, and how collaboration among educators and families can create lasting change. This conversation left me feeling inspired and hopeful about the future of autism education, and I just know you will feel the same!
Bio
Barry M. Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP is recognized as among the world’s leading scholars on autism and as an innovator of respectful, person- and family-centered approaches. He is Director of Childhood Communication Services, Adjunct Professor of Communicative Disorders at the University of Rhode Island, and has fifty years of experience as an international consultant and researcher. Barry has published five books, 150 articles/chapters, and is co-author of The SCERTS Model, now being implemented internationally. He was a two-time featured presenter at the UN World Autism Awareness Day, with more than 1000 presentations internationally. Barry’s book Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism (2022) is the best-selling book on autism since 2015, published in 26 languages and ranked by Book Authority as #1 of the “100 best books on autism of all time”. Barry co-hosts a podcast, Uniquely Human: The Podcast, with his friend, Dave Finch, an autistic audio engineer.
Dr. Barry Prizant’s Links:
Website: https://barryprizant.com/
Uniquely Human Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uniquely-human-the-podcast/id1532460901
Uniquely Human Book: https://amzn.to/4e5VWZN
The Scerts Model Books: https://amzn.to/4kFpbF5
DRBI (Developmental Relationship-Based Intervention) Interview: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uniquely-human-the-podcast/id1532460901?i=1000711834231
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN): https://autisticadvocacy.org/
Amy Laurent Ted Talk “Compliance Is Not The Goal”: https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_laurent_compliance_is_not_the_goal_letting_go_of_control_and_rethinking_support_for_autistic_individuals?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
Thinking Person’s Guide To Autism: https://thinkingautismguide.com/
David Finch Website: https://davidjfinch.com/
Ros Blackburn & Sigourney Weaver Interview: https://uniquelyhuman.com/2021/04/23/logically-illogical-an-interview-with-ros-blackburn-with-special-guest-sigourney-weaver/
Takeaways
Dr. Barry Prizant has a rich background in speech language pathology and autism advocacy.
His book 'Uniquely Human' emphasizes storytelling and compassionate approaches to autism.
Connecting with families and understanding their experiences is crucial for professionals.
Reflective practice is essential for educators to improve their connections with students.
Changing the narrative around autism is vital for acceptance and understanding.
Evidence-based practices must consider the lived experiences of autistic individuals.
Understanding autistic behaviors as human responses can lead to more effective support.
Evidence-based practice includes more than just peer-reviewed research.
Parents' intuitions should be respected in therapeutic settings.
Behavior analytic approaches often overlook emotional and social development.
Compliance-based methods can lead to the dehumanization of autistic individuals.
Building trust is essential for effective communication with children.
Listening to autistic voices is crucial in shaping educational practices.
You may also be interested in these supports
Visual Supports Facebook Group
The Autism Little Learners Podcast
How can I help my autistic student or child? Where can I find resources to teach my preschool-age students with autism? My child was given the autism diagnosis…now what? I just started teaching autistic preschool students…where do I start? Do you have any tips for potty training? How do I train my paras?
Whether you are a special educator, speech/language pathologist, general education teacher, paraprofessional, parent, grandparent, or someone who loves a young autistic child, this show is for you!
The Autism Little Learners podcast is relaxed, upbeat, informative, and full of actionable step-by-step tips to help you feel more confident and successful with your students or child.
Host, Tara Phillips, is a speech/language pathologist who can relate to both SLPs and special education teachers because she has run her own communication-based classroom for over 2 decades. She is the creator of the Autism Little Learners Membership and the Visual Schedules Made Easy online course.
Tara addresses all kinds of topics including: autism and visuals, tips for teaching communication skills, self-regulation as a foundation for learning, creating predictable routines, toilet training, challenging behaviors, fostering independence, and building positive relationships and connections with autistic children.
Along with sharing her tips and most successful strategies for students on the autism spectrum, she will invite guest speakers to get different perspectives.
Be sure to tune in and subscribe to The Autism Little Learners Podcast. You can also find Tara on:
FB- https://www.facebook.com/autismlittlelearners/
IG-http://www.instagram.com/autismlittlelearners
Website- www.autismlittlelearners.com
- Aantal afleveringen: 129
- Laatste aflevering: 2025-07-01
- Onderwijs Kind en gezin Opvoeding
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