Tara Yarberry, BCBA

06/22/2026

06/19/2026

Did you know anxiety is one of the most common co-occurring conditions experienced by autistic individuals?

When anxiety is present, everyday situations can feel overwhelming. Changes in routine, sensory experiences, social expectations, and uncertainty can all contribute to stress.

Some supportive ABA strategies may include:

~ Teaching coping and self-regulation skills
~ Using predictable schedules and visual supports
~ Building communication skills to express needs and feelings
~ Identifying environmental triggers and reducing unnecessary stressors
~ Creating opportunities for choice-making and control

A trauma-informed approach reminds us to ask, "What happened?" rather than "What's wrong?" Anxiety-related behaviors often communicate that a person needs support, understanding, or accommodations.

It's also important to recognize that cultural beliefs influence how anxiety is discussed, expressed, and treated. Effective support begins with listening to individuals and families and respecting their unique perspectives.

When we focus on safety, trust, and meaningful skill-building, we help individuals develop confidence—not just compliance.

06/17/2026

"Compliance" can tell us what a student is doing. Regulation helps us understand what a student is experiencing.

At The Regulated Classroom©, we aren't focused on creating quiet classrooms. We're focused on creating classrooms where students and educators feel safe, connected, and available for learning.

When a child is dysregulated, more demands, corrections, or consequences may increase stress. But rhythm, connection, movement, play, and co-regulation can help bring the nervous system back into a state where learning is possible.
That's why one of our core practices is Activators, collective rhythm-making experiences that help energize and organize the nervous system within the range of resilience.

Students need opportunities to feel safe, connected, and regulated. Once that's established...learning can happen.

06/13/2026

Have you ever heard the term "comorbid condition" and wondered what it means?

A comorbid condition occurs when a person experiences two or more diagnoses, disabilities, or health conditions at the same time. For example, an individual may have autism and anxiety, ADHD and a learning disability, or an intellectual disability and a mental health condition.

Every person is more than a diagnosis. That's why effective Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) looks at the whole individual—their strengths, preferences, environment, culture, experiences, and support needs.

ABA can help by:
- Identifying barriers to success across settings
- Teaching meaningful coping and self-advocacy skills
- Supporting communication and independence
- Collaborating with families and other professionals
- Creating individualized strategies that honor each person's unique experiences

Most importantly, quality ABA is trauma-informed, person-centered, and culturally responsive. Understanding co-occurring conditions helps us build supports that are compassionate, effective, and meaningful.

Follow along this month as we explore common comorbid conditions and practical strategies that can help individuals thrive!

05/21/2026

GEEK SPEAK: Check out this article from CHOP Research Institute.

https://www.research.chop.edu/car-autism-roadmap/stranger-danger #:~:text=Whenever%20possible%2C%20your%20child%20should,and%20may%20have%20trouble%20communicating.

05/19/2026

Key Safety Concepts to Teach

1. Defining "Stranger" Broadly: Use concrete terms to explain that a stranger is anyone they do not know well or have not been introduced to by a primary caregiver. Emphasize that someone isn't "safe" just because they know the person's name or look friendly.
2. Recognizing Common "Lures": Practice identifying common tricks used to entice someone, such as asking for help finding a lost pet, offering candy or toys, or claiming a parent sent them.
3. Identifying "Safe Strangers": Teach them to recognize helpful adults in public if they get lost, such as uniformed police officers, store employees with nametags, or parents with children.
4. The "Ask First" Rule: Establish a firm rule that they must always ask a trusted adult for permission before going anywhere with anyone or accepting any gifts.
5. Personal Boundaries: Use visual tools like the Circles Curriculum to help them understand different levels of social circles and who is allowed in their personal space.

05/17/2026

Stranger awareness is about building practical safety skills for people of all ages—not fear. It means learning how to recognize safe versus unsafe situations, identify trusted adults, respond assertively, and report concerns when something doesn’t feel right.

A few key strategies help make these skills stick. Using Behavioral Skills Training (BST)—which includes clear instruction, modeling, practice, and feedback—helps turn concepts into real-life actions. Role play and scenario-based practice give opportunities to rehearse different situations, while functional communication builds confident responses like “No,” or “I need to check with my person.” Pairing this with prompting and reinforcement supports learning in the moment and strengthens independence over time. Practicing across different people and settings helps these safety skills generalize, so they’re there when they’re needed most.