In this episode, Dr. Jamie welcomes international guest Enron Seiti from Tirana, Albania, who shares the incredible 25+ year journey of the parent-founded nonprofit Help the Life Association. Enron describes how their team has expanded services across six cities, empowering families, training young professionals, and advocating for children with developmental disabilities in a country where less than 5% receive services. He discusses how Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), especially the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), are transforming care for young autistic children in the region. Enron also offers practical advice for professionals seeking to learn NDBI—find mentors, stay open to exchanging ideas, and be willing to question existing approaches in pursuit of more natural, effective, and freeing ways to support children and therapists.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Brooke Ingersoll and Ana Dvortcsak—developers of Project ImPACT and two leading voices in autism intervention, parent coaching, and Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). The conversation dives deep into the evolving science and real-world application of parent-mediated interventions, with a strong focus on empowering caregivers, supporting generalization, and promoting engagement through play. Brooke and Ana share lessons from years of research and clinical experience, emphasizing collaboration, flexibility, and joy as key ingredients in effective intervention. The discussion also addresses common challenges such as fidelity, stress, and motivation—and offers practical guidance for balancing evidence-based practices with what truly works for families.

In this episode, Dr. Jamie is joined by clinical psychologist and implementation science leader Dr. Katherine Pickard. Katherine shares insights from her work at the intersection of autism intervention research and real-world community implementation. With warmth and clarity, she reflects on what makes parent coaching actually work—not just in ideal settings, but in homes, clinics, and systems that are often messy, under-resourced, and unpredictable. Together, they explore the importance of cultural responsiveness, family-centered values, provider flexibility, and the powerful role of attunement in early autism intervention. The episode also highlights how implementation science helps bridge research and practice by centering lived experience, equity, and sustainability.

In this episode, Dr. Jamie sits down with Dr. Kyle Frost, Assistant Professor at UMass Chan Medical School and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, to explore her research focused on optimizing early intervention for young autistic children. Dr. Frost’s work bridges research and practice, with an emphasis on improving the effectiveness, fit, feasibility, and equity of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) in community settings. Together, they discuss Kyle’s development of the NDBI-Fi, a fidelity tool designed to assess the shared components across various NDBI models, and explore its potential in research, training, and implementation. The conversation also highlights her ongoing studies on the active ingredients that make NDBIs effective, as well as practical strategies for supporting their scaling and sustainability in real-world environments. A spotlight is placed on Reciprocal Imitation Teaching (RIT) as an exemplar of a focused NDBI that is both accessible and effective.

In this episode of The NDBI Navigator Podcast, Dr. Jamie talks with Dr. Sienna Windsor, a clinician whose work blends research, cultural humility, and practical clinical insight. Sienna discusses supporting families from diverse backgrounds through responsive parent coaching, naturalistic interventions, and collaborative goal setting. They explore how slowing down, listening deeply, and staying flexible helps make parent-mediated intervention culturally aligned and empowering. The conversation also highlights Sienna’s own learning journey and broader themes of intersectionality, respectful communication, and equitable access to care.

In this episode of The NDBI Navigator Podcast, Dr. Jamie sits down with Dr. Sho Araiba and Dr. Marija Čolić to explore their innovative social skills program—affectionately called Play Dojo by its participants. Rooted in neurodiversity-affirming practice, the program uses play as the primary medium for building foundational social skills in autistic children. Together, the guests share how their community-led initiative in Hawai'i blossomed into a research-informed program grounded in joy, flexibility, and empowerment.