Dr. Sharon Gainforth - Social Emotional Learning

01/15/2026

12/26/2025

🌱 Teaching chores builds independence—but the key is pacing.

Start with full assistance, then slowly reduce support.
Move from guiding their hands, to light prompts, to letting them try on their own.

Pair each attempt with positive reinforcement—praise, high-fives, or a sticker chart. Over time, shift from external rewards to natural reinforcement: the pride of completing a task.

Patience + consistency = long-term independence.

💬 If you want more practical and personalized tips, you can try a conversation with Allie, our AI Companion, inside the app. She helps parents make sense of everyday moments — gently, without judgment — and offers suggestions tailored to the rhythm of your child’s real life.

Learn more: https://neuroai.ca/bridges-engage-app

12/21/2025

Families often don't realize that the small things they do every day actually count.

Whether it’s sitting beside a child during a meltdown to stay connected or slowing your own breathing, these are the simple moments that hold immense power.

These moments don't replace professional intervention, but they amplify it, because every strategy a clinician teaches truly takes root when it lives in everyday relationships.

Focus on the connection, not the checklist. We provide small, focused, actionable steps that respect your bandwidth and create real-world success.

Learn how to leverage the power of the ordinary.
Get practical, reassuring support that fits in the flow of your real life.

📲 Start your BRIDGES Engage free trial
https://neuroai.ca/bridges-engage-app / Link in Bio

🎥 Watch the full Demo Day replay
https://neuroai.ca/engage-demo-day / Link in Bio

12/18/2025

The holidays can bring warmth and connection — and also overwhelm.

For parents and caregivers of neurodivergent children, this season often requires extra planning, flexibility, and self-compassion.

In this short clip, Dr. Sharon Gainforth shares grounded guidance from a 12-minute mini-workshop created to support families with more calm, clarity, and confidence.

This is a space for reassurance, not pressure.
Not about doing more — but about creating safety, predictability, and moments of ease.

🎥 Watch the full mini-workshop: https://youtu.be/8brK7YSn9JY?si=rWuLpqX9N3XiFu1x

12/15/2025

💛 Navigating holiday gatherings can bring joy — and quiet worry. If your child needs more predictability, more breaks, more space, or more regulation time, nothing is wrong. You’re supporting them in the way their nervous system needs.

Here are a few gentle reminders from Dr. Sharon Gainforth’s article (www.neuroai.ca/blog), Navigating Family Gatherings With Care:

I - “Family gatherings carry both love and load at the same time.” ❤️‍🩹
II - “Predictability builds safety.” 🧩✨
III - “None of this is misbehavior. It’s regulation.” 🧘‍♂️💙
VI - “You are not overreacting… you are reading your child with a fluency born of love.” 🌿🤍

If this resonates with you, there are 3 ways to explore more support:

📖 Save and read the full article at www.neuroai.ca/blog

🎥 Watch the full Demo Day replay — see the real-life strategies families connected with. [https://neuroai.ca/engage-demo-day]

📲 Start your BRIDGES Engage free trial — experience personalized, evidence-informed guidance built for everyday moments. You’re doing more right than you realize. 💛 [https://neuroai.ca/bridges-engage-app]

12/09/2025

➡️ Some days, it feels like you’re carrying the whole world on your shoulders — especially when routines shift, school breaks start, and everything gets a little unpredictable.

If this sounds familiar, I’d love to invite you to something special. 💙

On December 18 at 11:00 a.m., I’ll be hosting a small, in-person Parent Focus Group + Mini Workshop in Fredericton.

It’s a relaxed, caring space where we’ll explore BRIDGES Engage together and talk through practical ways to support your child during the holiday break — without adding more pressure to your day.

It’s simply a conversation among people who understand what it means to care deeply and navigate real-life moments with their children.

My hope is that you’ll walk away feeling:
• a little more supported,
• a little more prepared,
• and a little less alone between visits and appointments.

If you live in Fredericton, NB — or know a parent who might appreciate this hour of connection — please feel free to share.

👉 Register here (free event): https://tinyurl.com/focus-group-autism

I’m really looking forward to meeting the parents who can join us.

12/08/2025

📊 Are more kids truly autistic today — or are we finally learning how to see them?

It can feel like autism is everywhere now, and yes, diagnoses in Canada have risen.
But behind those numbers is an important truth: we’re finally recognizing children who were always there.

Dr. Sharon Gainforth explains how increased awareness, stronger training, and better screening tools mean more girls, newcomer families, and children in rural or Indigenous communities are being seen and supported.

👉 Read more: https://neuroai.ca/blog
💛 Share this post to help spread understanding and inclusion.

12/05/2025

“Overwhelm is not a sign of weakness.
It’s a sign of caring deeply, relentlessly.”
— Dr. Sharon Gainforth

This moment from our Demo Day stayed with us
— because so many parents feel this every day.

You don’t need more checklists.
You need support that feels calm, human, and doable.

If this resonates, feel free to like or share —
it might reach another parent who needs it today.

💙And if you’d like to learn more about BRIDGES Engage or try it out,
here are the link:

BRIDGES Engage app: https://neuroai.ca/bridges-engage-app
Demo Day - Full Replay: https://youtu.be/K5wjG4AdZxQ?si=iZ3bkkUpYs-huxt2

12/03/2025

💙 Parent Focus Group + Mini Workshop with Dr. Sharon Gainforth

Join us on Dec 18 at 11:00 a.m. in Fredericton for a hands-on session designed for parents of children with autism.

✨ Includes a short workshop:
How to Survive During the Holiday Break

You’ll also explore BRIDGES Engage and help shape tools that support families waiting for services.

🎁 Includes 1 month free access to the app.
👉 Registration required: https://neuroai.ca/focus-group

12/02/2025

👀 Birthday parties, playdates, or group activities can feel overwhelming for some autistic children. Loud spaces, new routines, or too many people may lead to resistance.

Instead of pushing, start small:
>> Invite one trusted friend for a short playdate.
>> Use social stories or visuals to prepare them for what’s ahead.

Celebrate progress—even if it’s just sitting near the group or greeting a peer. Every attempt matters, and slow, steady exposure helps build confidence. ✨

💡Want more family-friendly strategies?

Download BRIDGES Engage app now and give it a try!
https://neuroai.ca/bridges-engage-app/

You can also check out our free Parent’s Handbook here: https://tinyurl.com/2zcemeuv

11/26/2025