Focus on Function, LLC

12/10/2025

Notes on holiday expectations - if you don't follow Em at NeuroWild , you should!

12/04/2025

A great bit of info about the upcoming holidays!

12/01/2025

Winter's coming... embrace it! ☃

It is crucial for children to engage in outdoor play ESPECIALLY in cold and snowy conditions.

Contrary to a common misconception, it's not the cold weather that makes us sick but rather viruses that make us sick. In fact, exposure to fresh air and outdoor environments during winter HELPS boost children's immune systems.

Playing outside stimulates physical activity, aiding in overall health and development. Additionally, sunlight exposure, even in colder temperatures, contributes to the production of vitamin D, essential for immune function.

Outdoor play provides a diverse sensory experience and fosters resilience, creativity, and emotional well-being, making it an integral part of children's overall health and development.

There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. So make sure you get outside and play!

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving! We are so grateful for our wonderful families and therapists and staff - enjoy the day with your family!

11/16/2025

Something we strive for in every session - felt safety for kids AND parents!

11/03/2025

Really important to remember about spinning!

11/02/2025

A must-read!

11/01/2025

Adding “play based” before ABA doesn’t change what it is or circumvent the harms it causes.

“underneath the cheerful facade, the mechanism hasn’t changed. ABA, no matter how softly it’s packaged, still centers on shaping compliance and extinguishing behaviors the therapist deems undesirable. The environment might look nurturing, but the goal remains behavioral control.
In “play-based” sessions, toys are often not used for genuine exploration or creativity. They’re used as reinforcers, a behavioral currency. Play isn’t child-led; it’s adult-orchestrated. If a child lines up cars instead of driving them, a perfectly valid and often calming autistic way of engaging, the therapist redirects them back to the “target” behavior. If the child gets absorbed in sensory play like spinning wheels or squishing Play-Doh, the therapist interrupts, folding the moment back into the structured lesson.

This isn’t play. It’s performance; a simulation of play designed to maintain the adult’s control.”

Adding “play based” before ABA doesn’t change what it is or circumvent the harms it causes.

“underneath the cheerful facade, the mechanism hasn’t changed. ABA, no matter how softly it’s packaged, still centers on shaping compliance and extinguishing behaviors the therapist deems undesirable. The environment might look nurturing, but the goal remains behavioral control.
In “play-based” sessions, toys are often not used for genuine exploration or creativity. They’re used as reinforcers, a behavioral currency. Play isn’t child-led; it’s adult-orchestrated. If a child lines up cars instead of driving them, a perfectly valid and often calming autistic way of engaging, the therapist redirects them back to the “target” behavior. If the child gets absorbed in sensory play like spinning wheels or squishing Play-Doh, the therapist interrupts, folding the moment back into the structured lesson.

This isn’t play. It’s performance; a simulation of play designed to maintain the adult’s control.”

🔗 in comments

11/01/2025

Happy Halloween!

10/30/2025

Couldn't be more proud of this monster if I had made it myself!

When you've been working on the idea of drawing pictures and you suggest a monster, and they come up with this all on their own...I love it SO MUCH!

10/30/2025

When you've been working on the idea of drawing pictures and you suggest a monster, and they come up with this all on their own...I love it SO MUCH!