ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy): A mindfulness-based therapy encouraging acceptance of thoughts and emotions while committing to personal values.

Activities of Daily Living (ADL): Basic self-care skills, such as eating, dressing, hygiene, organization, laundry, shopping, cooking, cleaning, schedule following, emailing/testing, etc.

Allistic: a term referring to the brain condition of someone who does not show any characteristics associated with autism. Allism is the antonym of autism, but the expectation of societal “normalcy” is often challenged as biased, unfair and imbalanced since everyone has differences in their perceptions and interpretations of normal.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): A data-driven behavior therapy approach that relies on positive reinforcement strategies to improve socially significant behavior. No controversial aversive strategies or intense emphasis on social conformity are used in our approach. Instead, we rely on supportive, positive and collaborative efforts to increase independence and skills, as well as reduce interfering behavior.

Autism: is a developmental and neurological condition that affects a person's ability to understand and connect with others, as well as their adaptability in everyday situations. The expression of autism varies from being non-verbal and unable to care for oneself with activities of daily living to more subtle differences in communication, socialization and repetitive behavior.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A developmental condition characterized by challenges in communication, social interaction, and repetitive behavior, requiring varying levels of support.

Aspergers (Asperger’s Disorder): A developmental condition (no longer included in the American diagnostic manual) considered a spectrum syndrome characterized by social difficulties (e.g., limited eye contact, anxiety, trouble understanding social situations such as body language), special interests that can be consuming, inflexibility, preferring sameness, sensory sensitivities, in people with average or above average intelligence.

Behavior Therapy: Psychological treatment focusing on modifying interfering behavior, increasing independence and teaching skills.

Camouflaging:

Challenging Behavior: Behavior that interferes with task completion, causes disruption in family and community living, and limits a person’s ability to live independently and experience positive outcomes/success.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A structured, goal-oriented therapy that helps individuals identify and change interfering thinking patterns and behavior.

Couples Counseling: Therapy designed to improve relationship dynamics, communication, and commitment between partners.

Emotion Regulation: The ability to recognize, control and manage one's emotional responses using individualized strategies, such as mindfulness, meditation, breathing, muscle relaxation and other strategies.

Empirically Supported: Treatment that has been found to be effective through rigorous scientific research methods.

Masking:

Neurodiverse/neurodivergent: A non-pathologizing framework viewing brain differences through the lens of neurobiology. Being neurodivergent means having a brain that works differently from the average or “neurotypical” person.

Neurotypical: Neurotypical individuals function independently according to usual/customary societal standards, able to navigate traditional expectations, such as the public educational system. There is controversy about whether this means society is overly rigid and

One-to-One Support: Personalized assistance for individuals, often in-home or community, focusing on specific needs like socialization, independence, communication and activities of daily living.

Parent Training: Teaching parents individualized and evidence-based strategies to effectively support their child.

PEERS (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills): A research-based social skills training program designed to help children, teens and young adults make and keep friends.

SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions): A parent-based program that provides tools to help children with anxiety and related challenges through parental responses.

Strength-Based Approach: Focusing on an individual’s strengths instead of emphasizing problems and pathologizing a condition.

Transitioning: Helping individuals move smoothly between tasks, locations and/or people.